Word Podcast

Graeme Thomson on John Martyn's "lifelong grudges and huge, messy explosion of records" Music writer, author and old pal from Word magazine, Graeme Thomson on his spledid new book, "Small Hours: the Long Night of John Martyn", a tale involving immaculately delicate music, dark undercurrents, Glaswegian folk clubs, Nick Drake, Lee Perry, Joe Boyd, countless chaotic relationships, oceans of booze and a manager with two broken ribs. @GraemeAThomson https://www.amazon.co.uk/Small-Hours-Long-Night-Martyn/dp/178760019X https://www.amazon.co.uk/Graeme-Thomson/e/B001JS877A%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share https://www.graemethomson.net/ Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive content and benefits: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

In which we shudder to imagine life in a group with Brian Jones, David Crosby, Dennis Wilson etc, chew tobacco with Charlie Daniels, invent reggae acts, ponder the predicament of Kasabian and Lady Antebellum, remember Garry Shandling and Hitchcock's Rear Window and tell the hoary old Richard Pryor story. Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive content and benefits: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

In which we ponder American pop showbiz v shambling British charm, bands v solos acts, Will Farrell's Eurovision movie, Ed Sheeran's bank balance, Beyoncé at Glastonbury, which rock star will live the longest and Disco v Grunge in the Stack Waddy game. Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive content and benefits: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

In which we ponder rock and roll stage names, the immortal gag that launched Billy Connolly, KT Tunstall versus the streaming system and best guests on chat shows - and the only British Prime Minister to ever host one. That PM and his chat show ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4kS15y5MDE KT Tunstall on the Broken Record Campaign ... https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08hw0xl Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive content and benefits: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

In which we contemplate pop stars' statues, 50th anniversary albums, excruciating things actors do in Lockdown, fictitious Monsters of Rock, the curious tale of Madonna's Ray Of Light and the best/worst things about Oasis. The Southsea Alternative Choir with Love’s Johnny Echols doing Alone Again Or … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Oeg5J028uI ... and (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding with Nick Lowe … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1yfkye_qR4 The London Symphony demonstrating their instruments: https://youtu.be/TMUwtGuOzFM Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive content and benefits: http://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

In which we spot the fake Country & Western song titles and ponder the man who launched the Undertones, Classics that leave us cold, eternally comforting sitcoms and the analogue childhood of Andy Partridge. Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive content and benefits: http://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

In which we play the Stackwaddy Game with power pop and the UFO club, wonder how come artists remake their classic albums, explain why nobody truly wanted Little Feat to be massive, ponder the one relationship in a rock star's which matters more than marriage and look at a bunch of album covers which accidentally made a few members of the public famous. Get access to each podcast before it goes public (and in vision as well as sound) by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

... for Richard Thompson! In which we ponder the hellhounds on Robert Johnson's trail, the song Randy Newman's second wife let him write about his first, the BBC's upcoming re-run of Live Aid and the longest-running rock and roll marriages. Get early access to every Word Podcast via our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

... and how Astrid Kirchherr invented Indie. In which we update the Pink Floyd wars, remember launching Q and marinade in the calming qualities of Lee Sklar's lockdown bass adventures. Lee Sklar – on bass guitar! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSNv41kVJs0 Curt Smith and daughter … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSf5-TelBuw Astrid Kirchherr’s portraits of the Beatles … https://www.invaluable.com/artist/kirchherr-astrid-4euya6a1cw/sold-at-auction-prices/

... and the curious tale of the Beatles-busting Sgt 'Nobby' Pilcher. In which we play the Stack Waddy game, ponder the fate of live rock and roll and investigate the B-side that gave Joan Jett a career and "the power ballad that ended the Cold War". The Arrows’ I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AT_Pbtyid0 Pyewackett – they exist! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaiU4OAnf-o Scorpions’ Wind Of Change … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4RjJKxsamQ Little Richard … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj059o9OwqY

... and other pop parlour games. In which we get Alexa to play Stack Waddy, Carly Simon meets James Bond, we wonder if girls make passes at rock stars in glasses, and remember Millie, Dave Greenfield, Florian Schneider and the first edition of the Face. Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpr0kvlQpx0 John Fogerty’s back garden … https://www.loudersound.com/news/marshmallows-a-golden-retriever-and-a-view-john-fogerty-raises-the-bar-on-lockdown-videos Doobie Brothers in lockdown … https://www.ktlo.com/2020/05/04/watch-doobie-brothers-members-virtually-perform-black-water-with-fans-while-in-lockdown/ Bugger Off by Stack Waddy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbBxhbAOdPY The Stranglers’ version of Walk On By with stunning Dave Greenfield keyboard solo … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqfqVDHNW6c Meryl Streep (aged 16) at Shea Stadium … https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x6aNSHLg18Y Creedence Clearwater playing I Put A Spell On You … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeXqtzusIU0

... the Incredible String Band, Mr Chalk and Mrs Cheese In which we celebrate the 50th birthday of The Who's "Live At Leeds", wonder why the Incredible String Band suddenly sound so right and talk about what all those living room performances tell us about Rock Star's Homes. The case of the missing hit. https://tinyurl.com/y9ymj7sa Toyah and Robert Fripp dance in the kitchen https://youtu.be/gIPuHzCvXMM Cat Stevens somewhere warm enough to leave the door open https://youtu.be/yXuq6XpoasE Support us via our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

... reading old music papers, and telling Alexa to button it. In a packed programme David and Mark continue their quest to second-guess Amazon's mysterious lady DJ, remember the man who used to buy the Beatles' cars, look at how Pink Floyd's investment problems led to their embrace of disco, read out some small ads from old music papers, wonder whether rock music without an audience is really worth the trouble and recite the names of our new Patreons in a very exciting new way.

... before we play unplayable albums? Just how desperate do you have to be before you give John and Yoko’s “Two Virgins” or Michael Nesmith’s “The Prison” a spin? Also in this episode, another round of Alexa’s Favourites, more people sign up to be Patreon patrons, getting Lene Lovich’s autograph on a train ticket, exactly when people started having their pictures taken on the Abbey Road zebra, and travel back in time to when Bob Dylan played Earls Court and the compact disc was about to make the LP redundant. Links The Sound Of The Hound is the new podcast from the EMI Archive Trust https://www.emiarchivetrust.org/the-sound-of-the-hound-a-new-podcast-series-about-the-birth-of-recorded-sound/ Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Word In Your Attic on YouTube: www.youtube.com/wordinyourear

... to the special talents of John Prine & Adam Schlesinger Also in the episode: pink moon over London, waking up to birdsong, Brinsley Schwarz at the Fillmore and the strange majesty of old Melody Maker headlines. Plus name-checks for our inaugural patrons. If you'd like to joint them see below. And don't forget to catch up with our brand new "Word In Your Attic" with Mark Billingham at https://youtu.be/JQoTS0mKeVM. John Prine and Iris DeMent doing "In Spite Of Ourselves" https://youtu.be/P8tTwXv4glY Fountains of Wayne doing "Hackensack" https://youtu.be/S6N2KYq8q14 Word In Your Ear Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear