Word In Your Ear

“Being on tour with King Crimson,” in the words of their film director, “is like being with the school rugby team and, at the last minute, the games teacher falls ill so they send them out with the maths master. But the team starts winning ...”

Is there another band remotely like them? Their leader believes in discipline and cold showers in the morning. He practices four hours a day. Life in the group was “wretched” from 1969 to 2013. Adrian Belew says it made his hair fall out. The running gag among its 22 one-time members is “you’re irreplaceable, just like the last bloke”. With great bravery and patience, Toby Amies has made a documentary about them, ‘In The Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson at 50’, and talks to us here about what he discovered. There’s much to be enjoyed, not least…

… the fact that Robert Fripp commissioned the film and for months refused to take part in it.

… the encounter with Sister Dana, the prog rock nun from Norway.

… the film’s reflections upon “the metronome of mortality”.

.. the thoughts and perspectives of current and former band members, particularly Bill Bruford, Bill Reiflin, Jakko Jakszyk and Ian McDonald who “broke Robert’s heart” in 1969 and is still touchingly apologetic.

… the religious ecstasy pursued by their audience.

… how King Crimson’s music feels like a deep-body tissue massage.

… and the extraordinary two-minute pause that a motionless Fripp leaves before answering one of the film’s questions.

It’s very entertaining, not least because it was made by someone who wasn’t a fan but simply curious and had questions he wanted answered. This original and idiosyncratic film suits them perfectly.

Screenings here …

https://www.itcotck.com/screenings

@TobyAmies

https://linktr.ee/tobyamies

@itcotckdoc

@ITCOTCKfilm

https://linktr.ee/itcotck

Tickets for Word In The Park, in London on Saturday June 3rd, available here!: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-happy-return-of-word-in-the-park-tickets-576193870377

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Paul Weller’s been writing songs for 50 years now and he’s chosen over 100 of his lyrics for the new and gorgeous, picture-packed publication ‘Paul Weller: Magic – A Journal Of Song’, each accompanied by his memories of how and why he wrote it compiled from interviews with long-time admirer, multiple author and old pal of the podcast, Dylan Jones. No-one was better qualified for the job. The teenage Dylan saw the Jam countless times in London pubs and has followed Weller closely ever since, a songwriter, he says, “who’s proved he’s beyond reproach and, in some senses, possibly without equal”. This is full of stories and insights, among them …

… “you don’t tell Paul Weller what to do”.

… his unease about the sentimentality of English Rose.  

… “the Style Council were a better group than the Jam”.

… the teenage Weller travelling to London to make cassette recordings of the traffic.

… his love of tabloid song titles and unrhyming lyrics.  

… what saved him from being dropped by Polydor.

… Steve Winwood, the Liverpool Poets, the Beatles, Kinks and other key influences.  

… the burden of being a hero.

… and the likelihood of a Jam reunion.

Order Paul Weller – Magic: A Journal Of Song here …

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Journal-Song-Paul-Weller/dp/1905662742

Tickets for Word In The Park in London on June 3rd here!: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-happy-return-of-word-in-the-park-tickets-576193870377

Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon for early and ad-free access to all our content!: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

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The Manfreds start their 60th Anniversary Tour in September with Paul, Mike D’Abo and Tom McGuinnness in the line-up. He talks to us here about the first and best shows he’s seen and …  

… being told “there’s a soul/R&B singer in Birmingham and if he ever comes to London you’re finished”.

… how Brian Jones “opened up a secret door”.

... “stealing from Tennyson” for the lyrics of 5-4-3-2-1.

… being with Mick Jagger and Long John Baldry watching Alexis Korner calling up guest “shouters” and all thinking “pick me!”

… what T-Bone Walker taught him.

… seeing Lonnie Donegan at the Kings Theatre, Southampton, and the absurdity of doing ‘It Takes A Worried Man’ in your skiffle band when you’re only 15.

… Bob Dylan at Earl’s Court.

… the earth-shifting impact of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

… and the early adventures of ‘Blues Boy’ Jones.  

Tickets for the Manfreds’ 60 Anniversary tour here …

https://myticket.co.uk/artists/the-manfreds

Tickets for Word In The Park in London on June 3rd here!: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-happy-return-of-word-in-the-park-tickets-576193870377

Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon for early and ad-free access to all of our content!: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which we cast a warm but appraising glance in the direction of the week’s news and alight upon the following sizzling topics …

… the best media job in the world.

… the most played record in the history of the BBC.

… the Avengers franchise “is just a giant ATM for Marvel and produces argument-proof movies”.

… the most influential thing about John Peel wasn’t the music he liked.

… found: the owner of the VW van on the cover of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.

… Seymour Stein, the man who signed the Ramones, Talking Heads and Madonna - and met Buddy Holly. And only signed musicians if they had enough drive - “Ambition is basically dissatisfaction with where and who you are. You’re born with demons that you have to harness before they kill you.”

… Ben Sidran’s 34 albums and how Spotify saves everyone from disappearing.

… the return of the Stackwaddy game – Crushed Butler, Clog, Highly Inflammable and other deathless 1971 support acts.

… the attractively unfathomable lyrics of Keith Reid and the ‘Whiter Shade Of Pale’ court case.

… why AO Scott left the New York Times.

… and birthday guest Chris Lintott nominates his “prawn cocktail DJ”.

Our Seymour Stein podcast in 2018 …

https://shows.acast.com/word-in-your-ear-2/episodes/5fe229acf896715ee8319657

The campervan on the cover of the Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan …

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/24/bob-dylan-iconic-vw-van-blue-camper-freewheelin-new-york

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Tickets for Word In The Park in London on June 3rd here!: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-happy-return-of-word-in-the-park-tickets-576193870377

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Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

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Andrew Lauder started the Radar, F-Beat and Demon labels, worked at Liberty, Stiff and United Artists and signed (or licensed) and helped shape the careers of countess acts we’ve loved over the years, among them the Bonzos, Hawkwind, Captain Beefheart, JJ Cale, Nick Lowe, Creedence Clearwater, Elvis Costello, Can, Dr Feelgood, Stranglers and the Stone Roses. He was one of the main architects of the whole world of independent labels. Mick Houghton has written his memoir – Happy Trails – and talked to us here about …

… the Denmark Street days when the music business was just a village.

… the complete list of journalists on Brinsley Schwarz’s famously catastrophic press trip to the Fillmore East in 1970.

… why ‘the Beat Merchants’ album was the UK Nuggets.

… the old world of the ‘70s rock and roll when the record industry was part of the packaged goods business and gigs got stopped for 20 minutes because of a power cut.

 … the golden age of rock samplers – Gutbucket, Greasy Truckers Party etc. 

… and the LIBERTY WANTS TALENT! ad that brought us the Bonzos, the Idle Race, Family and Elton John & Bernie Taupin.  

Order Happy Trails here …

https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Good-Clean-Mick-Houghton/dp/147462359X

Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon for early and ad-free access to all of our content!: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

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Whistling, clicking our heels, swinging round lampposts and lobbing the odd shiny florin to a flaxen-haired child, this week’s free-wheeling navigation of the rock and roll boulevard alights upon the following hot topics …

… why Indie music is like student drama.

… what the Beatles achieved in “the 585 most productive minutes in the history of recorded music" (aka the recording of Please Please Me) and the albums released the same day every decade after.

 … Death & Vanilla, Frightened Rabbit and – to deafening applause – the welcome return of the Stackwaddy game.

… albums performed as ‘plays’ (by musicians who didn’t make them). A band featuring Clem Burke and Glen Matlock has just toured playing Lust For Life in its entirety. What others would work as well? The Band’s second album? Liege & Lief? The Ramones? Hot Rats? 

… unappetising song titles.

… what Bob Dylan did so “my mother would finally think I'm somebody”. And how his Mum reacted to his success.  

… and why bands end sets with Country Roads, Mustang Sally and Twist And Shout.

Grab your EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal by going to https://nordvpn.com/yourear to get up a Huge Discount off your NordVPN Plan + 4 months for free! It’s completely risk free with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee!

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Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon to receive early and ad-free access to all our content!: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

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Teenage Fanclub are touring the UK in November. Norman tells us here about some of the first and best shows he’s seen and played and life in the group's early days. Which involves …

… the band that made him want to start a band. 

… the Wombles at a YMCA when he was 12.

… selling a fridge and a washing machine to buy recording time.

… the bouncing balcony of the Glasgow Apollo when the Clash played in ‘78.

… having a wee next to Steve Cropper.

… the age at which audiences “appreciate having a seat”.

… busking etiquette.  

... his mum taking him to see the Kinks and Tom Jones.  

… serving John Martyn at McCormack’s Music Shop – “Thanks, wee man!"

… a sweet story about a trombone, Terry Hall and the Specials.

… Neil Young with Booker T & the MGs.

… the fine art of “sprinkling” new material in a set list.

… watching the Smiths play the greatest show he’s ever seen, “the stage strewn with flowers”.

Dates and tickets here …

 https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/teenage-fanclub-tickets/artist/736268

Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon to receive every Word Podcast early and ad-free!: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whistling, clicking our heels, swinging round lampposts and lobbing the odd shiny florin to a flaxen-haired child, this week’s free-wheeling navigation of the rock and roll boulevard alights upon the following hot topics …

… why Indie music is like student drama.

… what the Beatles achieved in “the 585 most productive minutes in the history of recorded music" (aka the recording of Please Please Me) and the albums released the same day every decade after.

 … Death & Vanilla, Frightened Rabbit and – to deafening applause – the welcome return of the Stackwaddy game.

… albums performed as ‘plays’ (by musicians who didn’t make them). A band featuring Clem Burke and Glen Matlock has just toured playing Lust For Life in its entirety. What others would work as well? The Band’s second album? Liege & Lief? The Ramones? Hot Rats? 

… unappetising song titles.

… what Bob Dylan did so “my mother would finally think I'm somebody”. And how his Mum reacted to his success.  

… and why bands end sets with Country Roads, Mustang Sally and Twist And Shout.

Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon for early and ad-free access to every future Word Podcast!: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sauntering in carefree, conversational mode down the rock and roll bridleway this week, pausing briefly to lean against a tree and tootle upon a mouth-organ, we came across the following …

… bands with no original members left - Lynyrd Skynyrd, Motorhead, the Crickets, the Ramones, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Drifters … any more?

… things musicians are obsessed with.

… albums by acts we love without a single redeeming feature – Blondie’s The Hunter? Bob Dylan’s Saved? The Dead’s Built To Last? It’s Hard by The Who?

… the night – exactly 20 years ago – we saw the Dixie Chicks make their career-capsizing comment about George Bush.

… the hilarious left-right shift in Russell Brand’s brand values.  

… the main reason some people go to Glastonbury.

… can you love an act as much if you don’t own their records or CDs and just stream them?

… a Northern Soul DJ’s £250,000 box of singles being stolen from his home after a gig.

… and Mr Inbetween, the Australian crime drama that’s like Saxondale meets Reservoir Dogs.

Grab your EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal by going to https://nordvpn.com/yourear to get up a Huge Discount off your NordVPN Plan + 4 months for free! It’s completely risk free with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee!

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Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon and receive every future Word Podcast early, and ad-free!: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things in the crosshairs this week include …

… why it took 34 years to get De La Soul on a streaming service.

… Radio 2’s ham-fisted handling of the departure of Ken Bruce – and are R2 and Greatest Hits Radio two bald men fighting over a comb if music radio seems doomed to die?

… the new fun-sized Axl Rose.

… U2’s stand-in drummer Bram van den Berg is like “Jimmie Nicol on stilts”.

… the BBC and Glastonbury re John Peel: never name anything after a celebrity!

... “Jackson Browne would never have been anything without David Lindley”.

… what made the Spice Girls successful?

… Steely Dan’s Aja, Joni Mitchell’s Paprika Plains and other places to hear Wayne Shorter’s divine embroideries.  

… comedy skits on records.

… plus David Lindley’s effortless fashion statements – “Jackson Browne could emerge from a plane crash looking like Cary Grant but Lindley could have had stylists working round the clock for three days and still looked like an unmade bed”.

Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon to receive every future Word Podcast early and ad-free!: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock'n'Roll going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.