Mark Ellen and David Hepworth have been talking about and writing about music together and individually for a collective eighty years in magazines like Smash Hits, Mojo and The Word and on radio and TV programmes like "Rock On", "Whistle Test" and VH-1. Over thirteen years ago, when working on the late magazine The Word, they began producing podcasts. Some listeners have been kind enough to say these have been very special to them. When the magazine folded in 2012 they kept the spirit of tho ...
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Shirk, rest & play. "7th Most Essential podcast in the world." (Esquire magazine) "Top 50 Podcasts to Listen to in Lockdown." (Sunday Times) "Genial babble... about nothing." (David Hepworth, The Guardian) "It'll never catch on." (Half-life) Living and loafing in South London with Dulwich Raider and Dirty South from leading slacker website, Deserter. It's only once a month, so don't get your hopes up.
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A podcast that chats to a wide variety of Beatle authors and writers. What inspired them to add their entry into a library of over 1000 books?
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This is the podcast that will, hopefully, extend and enhance your experience of the With Just A Hint Of Mayhem site.https://withjustahintofmayhem.blog/
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This is a podcast that was created to discuss the humongous tree of music known as Rock and Roll. There are thousands of branches. There is so much information out there with even more to be learned. Together, we are going to have fun talking about our passion, the Imbalanced History of Rock and Roll. Between Ray and Markus, we have 50+ years of rock and roll radio experience and a thirst to know more! With your input we want to begin to balance the imbalanced. We look forward to connecting ...
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‘In The Bookshop’ is a podcast about books, recorded in an actual bookshop - George Street Community Bookshop - in Glossop, Derbyshire, UK. We invite guests in to the bookshop with their favourite books to talk about them. We are an independent, second-hand bookshop, owned and run by the community, showcasing a huge range of genre fiction, collectibles, local interest books and children’s literature. Established in July 2018, we are breathing new life into this local treasure.
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Beers in Borough & Bermondsey; hiding from the law in two reopened pubs (April 25)
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47:37
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47:37In this episode:Pub Quiz 1Pellicle articleA Day in RyeDouble Tap TakeoverA Day in East LondonCarshaltonDeserter StoriesPub & Beer NewsCrisp NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Readers' LetterBook CornerBum DosserSoc Med SceneBy Deserter
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Moon Zappa remembers life with her father Frank. ‘Pagan absurdists’ aren’t great parents
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49:54
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49:54Moon Zappa grew up in what appeared, on the outside, to be an enviably free-wheeling and creative household in Laurel Canyon. On the inside, not so much. Her extremely funny, soul-baring and colourful account of dysfunctional family life in her memoir Earth To Moon is as gripping as it’s unsettling. A typical day: “Your mother’s on the rampage, I n…
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Daryl Hall - ‘60s soul session work, the right shoes and a barge trip with Bob Dylan
29:14
29:14
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29:14We like to think of Daryl Hall as a kindred spirit, his home-recorded Live At Daryl’s House series with its magnificent roster of guests now racking up 90 episodes. He’s about to tour in May and talks to us here from his house in the Bahamas – straw hat, roosters crowing! – looking back at the first gigs he ever saw and played and other delights su…
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Rock star pilots, sacking Zak Starkey and bold pioneers of the psychedelic moustache
52:19
52:19
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52:19The chocolate Easter bunny of rock and roll news in highly nutritious and digestible fragments, such as … … the Who’s very public sacking of Zak Starkey. … why no band ever wants to play quietly. … how a magazine in a shop window sparked the Neil Tennant/Mark Springer album. … Katy Perry’s space ‘mission’ and the trenchant observations by her and t…
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From the root of marijuana's role in the world at large, to its filtering into music culture, Markus and Ray do their best to start the discussion of these marijuana matters, and how music became intertwined with the cheeba! Future, continued discussions may be necessary! Feel free to email us: [email protected] And check us out on the…
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My guest for this episode is Robert Rodriguez who joins me to discuss the book he co- wrote with Jerry Hammack, 'Ribbons of Rust - The Beatles' Recording History in Context: Volume 1 - July 1954 - January 1963. Robert and Jerry's book tells The Beatles thrilling early story in context, describing the sights and sounds of that time creating an effec…
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Dave Pegg, Fairport’s “longest-serving member” (fnarr!) looks back at hippie chaos and old heroes
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42:53
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42:53Dave Pegg joined Fairport Convention 56 years ago and fully deserves some sort of medal. They’re playing their 49th Cropredy in August and touring the UK later in the year. He talks to us here about the first gigs he ever saw and played which, delightfully, involves … … the night Hank Marvin took him to see Bjork. … an all-nighter in Birmingham wit…
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Withering reviews of famous albums, Jaws versus Jeeves and the genius of Blondie’s Clem Burke
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52:55
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52:55Boldly pursuing tariff-free trade in rock and roll news, nostalgia, gossip and old hokum since 2007 and, this week, featuring … … the romantic allure of life as a critic. … Sting’s part in the success of ‘Adolescence’. … Mick Jagger’s long engagement to Melanie Hamrick (born when Steel Wheels came out!) … "Contained within these grooves are twelve …
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Almost any long road is worth taking in Rock & Roll! Bad Company, got a jump start, forming from other bands of note, melded by their role in launching Peter Grant's Swan Song Records, they've taken a long road. Rodgers and Ralphs and Kirke and Burrell began the journey, after coming together. Time takes a toll, but also age, health and mortality. …
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Why Sparks’ Russell Mael preferred British acts to the ‘faux honesty’ of Laurel Canyon
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24:56
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24:56Sparks are touring – playing dates in the UK and Ireland in June and July – and with a new (and 28th) album, Mad!. Russell Mael looks back at the first shows he ever saw and played which entails … … sitting on the floors of LA clubs watching Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Move, the Faces, the Who and Tyrannosaurus Rex. … his Mum taking him to see th…
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It was an absolute pleasure to interview uber talented soulful, sultry singer songwriter Abs recently. We spoke about her music roots and what is next for her. She also gave us a couple of exclusives! Take a listen. It was a really enjoyable chat. I hope that you like it too. Just a quick note. This is a Zoom recording and it has recorded my voice …
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Seven ‘lost’ Springsteen albums, romance in sitcoms and the age of spectacle
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38:09
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38:09The runners and riders in the rock and roll steeplechase first past the post this week include … … how Ed Sheeran protects himself against song theft claims. … ‘lost’ Hendrix, Beach Boys, Amy Winehouse and Jeff Buckley records: is anything unfinished ever any good? … “The Unauthorised Breakfast Item”: can YOU tell a Bob Newhart sketch title from a …
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As they discuss, The Boys had heard about, Back To The Beginning, July 5 at Villas Park, honoring Black Sabbath, in Birmingham, UK, and then they saw Rudy Sarzo's name listed as a guest. One thing leads to another, and he's on the podcast this week! The discussion veers wildly, and the hilarity ensues! Rudy mentions his podcast. He doesn't mention …
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The WJAHOM Interview Podcast - Elizabeth Sharkey
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34:57
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34:57It was a delight and an honour to interview of historian, author, music fanatic and actress Elizabeth Sharkey recently. We spoke mainly about her excellent book, 'Why Britain Rocked' which I reviewed recently. You can find my review of that book by clicking here. It was a really enjoyable chat. I hope that you like it too. Just a quick note. This i…
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I'm welcoming the journalist and writer John Harris back to the pod today, this time for a special bonus episode on his book 'Maybe I'm Amazed - A Story of Love and Connection in Ten Songs'. When John's son James was born, and three years later diagnosed with autism, music became a source of precious connection and endless wonder for both of them. …
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Ed Tudor Pole – singer, actor, serial showman – saw the pop and punk wars as ‘pure theatre’.
39:03
39:03
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39:03Ed Tudor Pole entered punk rock from stage school and always felt he was playing a part. After being hired to act in the Great Rock’N’Roll Swindle, he formed Tenpole Tudor and had a brief and dramatic moment in the sun, all recorded in his rollicking memoir ‘The Pen Is Mightier.’ He talks here about … … his “quite posh” ancestry and a great-grandfa…
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The live music experience. The genre only matters to the listener. The concept is the same. In the recorded music era, people began to want their favorite artists, playing live, on records, for home listening. The guys discuss an article in The Current.org that sheds some light! And dig into Rolling Stone magazine's take, on the 50 best live albums…
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AI’s Word In Your Ear theme tune (!!), the four stages of showbiz & taking kids to concerts
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39:22
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39:22Scanning the rock and roll ether with our patent heat-seeking Ripple-Detector®️ to see what rings the bell. Which this week includes … … how reformed ‘90s pop groups all look like Paul Whitehouse characters from the Fast Show. … the mutual agony of parents taking kids to concerts. … “Tap! Tap! Tap!”, the “gacked up” sound of the Heartbreakers’ at w…
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East Dulwich & Herne Hill: beer & brewers, refurbs & expansions, love & death (March 2025)
52:31
52:31
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52:31In this episode:Pub Quiz 1Malcolm Bennett nightFirst Day of CheltenhamGold Cup DayGravesendDalstonPub & Beer NewsCrisp NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Meet the Brewer: Will HiscocksReaders' LettersBook CornerDesert Island CrispsBum DosserSocial Media SceneBy Deserter
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Hearing 45 year-old records you’d never played & the least likely-looking person to become a rock star
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42:06
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42:06The super-trouper of scrutiny scans this week’s events and lands upon … … the man who’s played on 21,000 records. … how Joni Mitchell is still stirring it up aged 81 and why we love her for it. ... the impact of the stadium circuit on rock festivals. … the longest-surviving group in the world – bowing out at Glastonbury after 66 years! … “fake indi…
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The original "bad boys outta Boston" are this week's topic for learning and discussion on the podcast! Markus and Ray learned tons about a band they know! Hoping there's stuff to learn in this one for you, too! And music? Well, we've tried to cover all the good musical corners for the fans. How'd we do? Hit us up: [email protected]! New to…
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The WJAHOM Interview Podcast - David Hepworth
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32:46
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32:46I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing ace music journalist, presenter and writer David Hepworth a few days ago. He has worked on Sounds, NME and Smash Hits and is the man behind Q Magazine and Mojo. He was a presenter on the Old Grey Whistle Test and Live Aid. He has also written a great selection of fabulous music books. Including his latest…
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What Kate Mossman discovered about rock’s elder statesmen
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42:56
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42:56Kate’s an old pal from our days at Word magazine. She was on the staff for six years before heading off to the New Statesman and has just put out a collection of the sizzling and revelatory profiles she wrote for us, them and the Observer about a particular sector of the musical landscape for whom she’s always carried a torch. As she wonders in ‘Me…
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Ian Leslie - 'John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs'
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40:43
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40:43My guest for todays episode is Ian Leslie, who joins me to discuss his brilliant book on John and Paul - 'A Love Story in Songs'. Ian's book traces the twists and turns of their relationship through the music it produced and offers rich insights into the nature of creativity, collaboration and human connection.…
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How John Harris and his son found a life-changing connection through music
51:31
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51:31John Harris is an old pal from our days in the music press. You might remember him from Sounds, the NME and Select (which he edited) and he’s been one of the mainstays of the Guardian ever since, writing mostly about pop culture and politics. When his son James was diagnosed with autism and, looking for ways to connect with him and help his develop…
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Mike Rutherford looks back at 60 years onstage and the art of cheap rock theatre
26:00
26:00
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26:00This one starts with memories of Genesis at Farnborough Tech in 1972 – Batwings? Fox heads? - looks back at school bands and the early ‘70s and ends with the current Mike & the Mechanics tour. But it mostly centres on the first live shows Mike Rutherford ever saw and played which features … … his mum making him wash the Brylcreem from his hair befo…
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Mike Scott of the Waterboys remembers the shows that inspired him
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16:08
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16:08The Waterboys’ new album comes with the magnificent title ‘Life, Death & Dennis Hopper’ and the band start touring in May. Mike Scott looks back here at the first gigs he ever saw and played and the performers he watched closely, which involves … the Stones “when they were still dangerous” and the connective genius of Mick Jagger, Dennis Hopper’s l…
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It's time for the wearin' & drinkin' of 'the Green!' Markus and Ray add one more "green" thing, along the road to celebrating the Irish in us all! There's music and merriment, and drink, of course! Along the way, the guys actually talk some history, Rock & Roll, and otherwise! Like so many topics, there's more to Irish Rock than U2 and Thin Lizzy. …
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The lost world of teenage love songs – and the best pop song ever written!
47:16
47:16
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47:16In eager pursuit of dance and merriment, we dust down the current events. Which this week involves …. … are teenagers no longer in love? And what does this mean for pop music? … are people better musicians now than 40 years ago? And is that because you can get online tutorials explaining how to play everything? … Paul McCartney taking two buses acr…
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Nik Kershaw remembers Live Aid, snoods, fingerless gloves & a sudden male-female audience shift
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27:04
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27:04Someone else we put on the cover of Smash Hits 40 years ago who’s touring in 2025! He’s playing European festivals, ‘80s packages, dates with his band and a string of solo shows billed as ‘Musings & Lyrics With Nik Kershaw’, and talks to us here about the first gigs he ever saw and played, which involves … … a bad case of Imposter Syndrome. … how t…
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Gang Of Four’s Jon King now sees the comedy in their endless self-sabotage
52:24
52:24
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52:24Gang Of Four’s moment was dramatic but brief. It was littered with times when the future seemed impossibly bright before disaster crept up with a cosh in their relentless “refusal to do the obvious”. Being a musician, he points out, is a ridiculous life best not taken seriously. His memoir ‘To Hell With Poverty!’ rightly describes itself as “rich w…
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Marking 6 Years Of The Imbalanced History!!!
27:39
27:39
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27:396 years, almost 400 episodes, as Dave Grohl might say, "But, here we are!" Markus and Ray celebrate the occasion of 6 years of the Imbalanced History podcast with reflections and memories of their adventures in the name of Rock & Roll! Recounting the roots of things, remembering growth spurts (of the podcast!) and some special moments! The guys dis…
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Has politics eaten entertainment? What’s ‘perfect sound’? Plus Brian James & how to make a speech
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55:34
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55:34Tyres pumped, engine cranked, chromework winking in the Springtime sun, the two-man conversational jalopy sets off on its weekly spin and visits … … the day America broke the news and showed its dark side. … Brian James RIP and Stiff’s brilliant ad campaign for the first Damned album: “Play it at your sister!” … has entertainment been dwarfed by wo…
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Film-maker Denny Tedesco on dad’s old band The Wrecking Crew and new doc “Immediate Family”
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24:06
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24:06We’re long-time admirers of Denny Tedesco’s “Wrecking Crew” doc which celebrated the studio musicians of 60s Hollywood, the unseen hands who can be heard on all those Beach Boys and Spector hits. Now he’s done something similar with the musicians who were so much part of the success of James Taylor, Carole King and Warren Zevon in the next decade i…
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Lennon & McCartney seen in a fresh, stirring and original new light by Ian Leslie
44:21
44:21
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44:21Ian Leslie posted his ‘64 Reasons To Celebrate Paul McCartney’ in 2020 and the viral reaction to its piercing and original points encouraged him to write ‘John & Paul: A Love Story In Songs’. Do we need another Beatles book? We do if it’s this one! It’s exceptionally good and highly recommended. The conventional wisdom for decades was that John was…
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It's a tough task to work out your 5 Favorites on just about any subject in this category of the podcast. When it comes to guitarists? Of the 1980s? It's a tall order for Markus and Ray, as they mass consumed Rock music in that decade! It's not just one style inside of Rock, this episode bends to include it all! Your Fave 5 is likely different! Ema…
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The threat of AI, the appeal of Gene Hackman & the filthy glamour of Exile On Main St
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54:01
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54:01In which we pedal the conversational tandem uphill and down dale, like a rabbit through the pea-vine or a turkey through the corn, stopping for moments of reflection which include … … “If someone wants to steal your music, it means your music’s worth stealing.” … cats, birdsong: spot the ‘silent track’ by Kate Bush. … when Gene Hackman smiles, be v…
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Emergency Pubcast from Blythe Hill Tavern, a chat with the new owner & all the usual stuff (Feb 25)
53:40
53:40
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53:40In this episode:Pub EmergencyPub Quiz 1Back from SpainIce Hockey at StreathamGoldie Lookin ChainHamlet Comedy & Verdant Tap TakeoverEmail from HeatherPub and Beer NewsCrisp NewsDrug NewsOther NewsPub Quiz 2Meet the new owner of the BlytheBook Corner ft. Jake Hawkey & Sam CullenBum DosserSocial Media Scene…
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Graham Fellows, “the comedy of the underdog” and inventing John Shuttleworth and Jilted John
26:09
26:09
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26:09We first saw Graham Fellows as Jilted John on Top of the Pops in 1978 and we’ve followed his characters ever since, especially drawn to the keyboard-prodding, car-coated John Shuttleworth and his deathless pop anthems ‘Pigeons In Flight’, ‘Up And Down Like A Bride’s Nightie’ and ‘I Can’t Go Back To Savoury Now’. Graham talks here about how and why …
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From its roots as a railyard, through many changes, an association with P.T. Barnum, MURDER! & its move uptown, Madison Square Garden has always been at the forefront of entertainment and style! Early on, the guys reference an article by Bob Mayer, which you can read here! It gives more detail about the changes through the years. Ray delved into th…
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Eternally cool rock stars, the Bond takeover and remembering Rick Buckler
57:36
57:36
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57:36As sinister autocrats stroke Persian cats in shark-pooled underground bunkers, their bony fingers reaching for the nuclear button, we shake another Vodka Martini and reflect on the week’s events, among them … … Amazon buys Bond: but isn’t the essence of 007 its droll and unimpressible Britishness? … and haven’t the lunatics taken over the asylum? C…
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Justin Hayward – ‘60s package tours, lost profits & the highpoint of the Moody Blues
28:32
28:32
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28:32Nights In White Satin - 260 million streams on Spotify - is still the central plank in the set Justin Hayward’s touring in October. He talks to us here about the first shows he ever saw and played, the ballroom circuit of the mid-’60s remembered in particularly vivid detail and involving the odd burst of song - “My kind of town, Great Yarmouth is ……
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Your guided tour of David Bowie’s London with Paul Gorman’s stories about its key locations
55:16
55:16
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55:16No musician is more closely associated with London or left more footprints than Bowie, and you can trace its influence on his life and work (and vice versa) through a series of landmarks from the suburbs to the centre. Author and curator Paul Gorman has just published an annotated street-map – David Bowie’s London - listing the places that played a…
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Eddi Reader - busking, singing radio jingles and “men you put on the shoulder-pads for”
40:27
40:27
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40:27We first saw Eddi Reader singing with the Gang Of Four on Whistle Test in 1982. This eventful pod traces her story from seven kids in a two-bedroom council flat (“me in the toilet with a guitar singing Your Cheating Heart”), to the Scottish folk clubs, busking with circus acrobats on the Left Bank, to radio jingles, life as a backing singer and the…
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Why all great pop stars are cartoons, Bowie doing mime and people whose voices we’ve never heard
46:29
46:29
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46:29Passing the Dutchie 'pon the left-hand side, we sift through this week’s events, rants and theories which absorbingly include … … that Drake v Kendrick Lamar beef in full! … was Bowie only as good as his collaborators? … Kingmaker, Toploader, Feeder, Slayer, Longdancer, Widowmaker …. has there ever been a good band with a name ending ‘-er’? …… seei…
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David Hepworth: Hope I Get Old Before I Die
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51:39
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51:39Our UK audience knows David Hepworth, first-hand, for decades, but most of you might be learning a lot about this incredible human during this conversation! From Live Aid, which is this book's starting point, moving forward he delves into The Third Age Of Rock & Roll! David remains sharp-witted with incredible knowledge and recall of music history'…
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Allison Bumsted - 'TeenSet, Teen Fan Magazines, and Rock Journalism: Don't Let the Name Fool You'
40:49
40:49
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40:49My guest for todays episode is Allison Bumstead who is here to to discuss her brilliant book on Teen fan magazines. She focuses mainly on Teenset which under the stewardship of the remarkable Judith Sims was one of the most forward thinking and exciting pop publications of the 60's. We talk about how The Beatles were portrayed in these magazines an…
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Bob Marley in London, Chappell Roan’s outburst & records that sound best in the dark
45:21
45:21
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45:21Direct from the Government Yard in Trenchtown where, over cornmeal porridge by a log wood fire, the events of the week are gently appraised, among them … … how Bob Marley, the Walker Brothers, the Byrds, Hendrix, Ramones, Blondie and Nirvana “got the dust of England on their boots”. … Chappell Roan’s demands for “a living wage” in a business built …
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The Rock Hall's Top 200 Albums vs. Our Imbalanced Top 20s
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33:14
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33:14When the Rock Hall deigns something special or best, there are always discussions among fans. Markus and Ray don't usually engage in this kind of thing, but something tweaked their interest. There's no #5Favorites component to this episode, but the guys cull their own Top 20s from the Hall's 200 list! Click and make your own Top 20, and email it to…
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The rise of David Bowie and the Spiders From Mars through the eyes of Woody Woodmansey
36:41
36:41
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36:41The teenage Woody Woodmansey was offered the job of under-foreman in the Vertex spectacle factory in Hull but then got a call from Bowie inviting him to move to London and play drums on his new album - “plus food and somewhere to stay”. It took him all weekend to decide. And involved some cultural readjustment when he did. 56 years later he’s a fou…
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