Word In Your Ear

He’s written some of the darkest entries in the American songbook but became world famous with a sunny celebration of friendship on the soundtrack of “Toy Story”. Inbetween can be found a staggering range of songs dealing with everything from short people to Vladimir Putin, from performing bears to the Louisiana Flood., from ELO to the Great Nations Of Europe, all of which show up in this authoritative new biography from Robert Hilburn, for years the rock writer of the Los Angeles Times. Topics touched on in his chat with David Hepworth:  … when you called your book “A Few Words In Defense Of Our Country”, did you know it was coming out in Election week? … why Robert’s review of Elton John at the Troubadour in 1970 transformed the life of one piano player from Pinner while his review of Randy in the same same venue in the same year didn’t have the same effect on this local hero. … how Randy finds his inspiration by sitting in front of the TV with a big stack of hardback books. … what his famous uncles taught him and how he has spent a lifetime trying to follow their lead. … how he got his first break from Cilla Black, Alan Price and the British chart, … what he said when he finally got as Oscar after years of nominations. … why he can write quickly when commissioned but moves agonisingly slowly when relying on inspiration. … why he’s the only biographical subject to insist his children are interviewed. … what he thinks of Donald Trump.Order Robert’s book here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Few-Words-Defense-Our-Country/dp/1408720361Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear 

Things this week that sent the needle into the red included … … the last dance craze the whole world noticed. ... “Rock stars used to be anti-establishment. Now they ARE the establishment.” … artworks, flags, bespoke I-Ching Coins … would YOU pay £1,350 for a box set? … why Quincy Jones made records like a movie director. ... how Dylan’s Biograph and Springsteen’s live box started a gold rush. … “an unprecedented event in popular recording". … Hot Night, Starlight, Give Me Some Time, Lights Out and other working titles for Thriller. … “We’re here to save the record business!” … the speed of the Beatles: two years between Ed Sullivan and Tomorrow Never Knows; two years from the Cavern to Shea Stadium. Plus birthday guest Phil Hopwood: moments in rock history you’d like to have witnessed to see what really happened.Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

The most streamed Beatles song – 700 million plays more than any other – is not by Lennon/McCartney but George who, as author Seth Rogovoy points out, is still widely considered “an economy-class Beatle” though his contributions were central to the success of their records. Seth’s new book ‘Within You Without You: Listening to George Harrison’ sets out to right this monstrous wrong! As does this conversation with the two of us which covers … … did My Sweet Lord’s court case puncture his sense of ambition? … how he changed Taxman for American audiences. … the statement made by starting All Things Must Pass with a Dylan/Harrison composition. … how he was fleeced by not one but two managers - Allen Klein and Denis O’Brien. … what we learnt from watching ‘Get Back’. … Broadway ballads, Vaudeville, jazz and the solo on ‘Til There Was You. … remortgaging Friar Park for Life Of Brian and pushing for the Anthology “payday”. … his glorious spiritual/material contradiction – “the Pisces sign is two fish going in opposite directions”. … a social mobility that John and Paul both envied. … falling out of love with live performance. … the beliefs of his early ‘20s he sustained all his life. … and the staples of George Harrison’s Jukebox. Order Seth’s book here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Within-You-Without-Listening-Harrison/dp/019762782XFind out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Ian Broudie and the Lightning Seeds are about to set out on their 35th Anniversary Greatest Hits Tour – aka “beery parties”. He talks to us here about the first bands he ever saw and played in, which involves … … memories of the Liverpool School of Language, Music, Dream and Pun. … the secret of seeming enigmatic: “Never finish your sentences …” … how Three Lions brought a whole new audience and the irony of a singer who didn’t front his biggest hit. … why the Ramones and Talking Heads made him sell his old records.   … first requirement for success: “being able to make a fool of yourself”. … when Captain Beefheart forgot he was booked for an art show and painted all the pictures the night before. … how a part in a Ken Campbell play launched his career. … seeing the Beatles, aged seven – “Shut your eyes and put your fingers in your ears”. … when Eric’s in Mathew Street seemed the centre of the universe. … “for the first time ever I’m not suffering from Imposter Syndrome – I AM THE SINGER!” … Free, Pink Floyd, Elvis Costello, XTC, Big In Japan and the Sausages From Mars. … making records that are “an Andy Warhol pop-art splash of colour on a wall”. Lightning Seeds tickets here:https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/lightning-seeds-tickets/artist/735512Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Our crack pair of inquisitors tackle the week’s events and sift out the good, the bad and the riveting, which includes … … whatever happened to savage reviews? … “For God’s sake, keep the robots out of music!”: the 50th birthday of Kraftwerk’s Autobahn. … a Naked Nick Cave Plush Doll (£24) and some Jonny Greenwood olive oil. … strange tales about the making of Disraeli Gears. … what keeps Kamala Harris awake at night. … the staggering bill at Murray the K’s ‘Music In The Fifth Dimension’ in 1967. … Teri Garr, Diane Keaton and other fantasy girlfriends. ... “Twas nought but an skellington covered in skin”. … rock stars never seen without shades. … and birthday guest Cathal Chu cooks up another 45 ways to leave your lover – ‘Give two weeks’ notice, Otis’.Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Elliot Mintz, then a West Coast radio presenter, met the Lennons in 1971, the start of a close, unique and extraordinary friendship and hours of late-night phone calls. And he’s finally written a book about it, We All Shine On: John, Yoko & Me, which records the isolated, complicated life they led imprisoned by their celebrity, at times joyous and outlandish, at others bleak and uncomfortably revealing. All bases covered here, among them … … “his view of Paul changed with days and temperature – brotherly love, jealousy, discomfort …” … how they dealt with the FBI bugging their apartment. … being present at John and Paul’s eventual reunion and what might have happened if they’d picked up guitars.  … how he heard the news of Lennon’s death. … booking hotels as ‘Fred and Ada Gherkin’. ... the Lost Weekend and Lennon reverting to his Hamburg days. … how it felt to sort and catalogue John’s possessions. … abandoned by his father, abandoning his son: Lennon going on holiday with Brian Epstein two weeks after the birth of Julian.   … ordering in pizzas from across the road in New York’s most exclusive restaurants. … “all he could see onstage was McCartney’s face when they shared a microphone”. … John’s thoughts about the competition – Dylan, the Stones, McCartney. … “a friendship to the exclusion of all else”. Order Elliot’s book here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/We-All-Shine-extraordinary-friendship/dp/0857506072Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Brushing aside the cobweb spray and luminous flashing skulls, we ring rock and roll’s doorbell in pursuit of both tricks and treats. Among which you’ll find … … the gothification of entertainment … Harry Potter, Creedence Clearwater and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. … Donald Trump dancing to Jeff Buckley.  … why Phil Lesh was the heart and soul of the Grateful Dead. … John Cooper Clarke playing a 23,000-seater and the rise of Spoken Word. … Bah! Humbug! The full horror of Halloween and its infernal TV specials. … Allen Ginsberg’s International Poetry Incarnation at the Albert Hall in 1965. … Rihanna’s dietician, therapist, spiritual advisor and hospitality liaison manager. … the auditions for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. … the curse of having everything you want. … John Lennon imprisoned in the Dakota – without the internet! And his mishandling of an Austin Maxi.  … Helen Mirren’s thing about Kurt Cobain. … why Phil Lesh, John Entwistle, Jack Casady and Paul McCartney were a breed apart. … when Mark King’s father kicked him out of the family home. … plus Abraham Lincoln, Fields of the Nephilim, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Eraserhead, the Batcave and birthday guest Matthew Elliot wonders if anyone had greater love songs written about them than Rosanna Arquette (by Toto and Peter Gabriel)? Mama Tried by the Grateful Dead. Just LISTEN to Phil Lesh’s bass playing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP4gy0TBDfUFind out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Mark King and Level 42 have just announced 2025 tour dates and he talks to us here about … … the value of what you learn in covers bands from being ignored. … why being thrown out of home for being thrown out of school was the best thing that ever happened to him. … Level 42’s first gig, kicked off after four songs. … Chile, Turkey and other new markets on the “flatter world” tour circuit. ... supporting the Police, Tina Turner, Queen and Madonna in the ‘80s. … how John McLaughlin (from Doncaster) and Allan Holdsworth (Bradford) inspired other people “from far-flung places like us”. … Rockin’ Robin, Long-Haired Lover From Liverpool and playing three nights a week in an Isle of Wight novelty act, aged 11. … the onstage dynamic between Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins. … the complications of having to book big venues two years in advance. … being the bassist in the Prince’s Trust house band backing Bowie and Mick Jagger. … Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and “the genius” of Steve Winwood. Level 42s World Machine 40th Anniversary Tour here:https://www.level42.com/Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear