# Word In Your Ear

A podcast by Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold. 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 those podcasts alive in regular Word In Your Ear evenings in which they spoke to musicians and authors in front of an audience. Over these years they've produced hundreds of hours of material. As of the Current Unpleasantness of 2020, they've produced yet hundreds of hours more with a little help from guests kind enough to digitally show them around their attics such as Danny Baker, Andy Partridge, Sir Tim Rice and Mark Lewisohn. For the full span of the Word In Your Ear world, visit wiyelondon.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feed: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/5ff0586154e2a73589267809

## Latest episodes

- [Which bands pass the three-year test? – plus the great live albums & rock stars’ alter egos](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/146a1ee41f3d) (2026-10-26, 64 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6adea9dad39b76001fdcec4d/media.mp3
- [Dexys, their hits and flops and how I survived them by Helen O’Hara](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/757500d243e2) (2026-10-21, 47 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ad917da5de627c5405d13f4/media.mp3
- [Nigel Dick shot videos for Band Aid, Guns N’Roses, Britney and Oasis by ‘failing upwards’](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/7a23271885eb) (2026-10-20, 50 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ad7d00f3ad7f68551af9b6c/media.mp3
- [Tall stories about towering and tiny rock stars, ‘50s jazz and Mick Jagger’s gym shoes](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/0a9644ae5d82) (2026-10-19, 50 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ad6ac0d819a15003c9494aa/media.mp3
- [Another Word with … Richard Thompson: includes Fairport, Lennon, Schwarzenegger and a cast of thousands!](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/af6481ad06b4) (2026-10-15, 36 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ad0cc1f2c705f746c596793/media.mp3
- [Rory Gallagher – Ireland’s first rock star remembered by the brother who managed him](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/5d1e4b30120b) (2026-10-14, 40 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6acf995994a3daa98ea3128c/media.mp3
- [Q Magazine’s 40th, Ariel Bender and the most unlistenable music ever made](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/7562a6fe2653) (2026-10-11, 58 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6acbcc3e8f90a39dfc40437f/media.mp3
- [Roxy, Traffic, Nick Drake, Mott the Hoople & the magic of Island Records](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/c4e4b1fd1cef) (2026-10-08, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ac76cf929b9fbfbe28b8abe/media.mp3
- [Gary Kemp bought Brian Epstein’s address book and discovered ‘the DNA of the Beatles’](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/5f5aea20d5fa) (2026-10-07, 44 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ac62e8b7ce338e8cd81ea3a/media.mp3
- [‘Metal Machine Music is a masterpiece!’ David Holzer has played it 1,000 times](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/b7ad4bda7439) (2026-10-06, 42 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ac3affbaf726b9443e640ca/media.mp3
- [Todd Rundgren’s outbursts, ‘too old to mosh’ & the happiest and saddest songwriters](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/952510ee5b6a) (2026-10-04, 54 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ac20dfdab90e256c3e237e1/media.mp3
- [Jon Savage loathed the 1976 singles chart so he’s made an album of should-have-been hits](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/655ab9ad6d3c) (2026-09-29, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6abb90f329a486156afdfae0/media.mp3
- [Stevie Wonder’s masterpiece and the daft, chequered history of Ties In Rock!](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/aa7dfec3c2b3) (2026-09-28, 59 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6abaacb5f4720dfefb25994a/media.mp3
- [Why can’t brothers in bands ever get along?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/eb8c16d9c6f2) (2026-09-21, 61 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6ab1521b683c10f2d10ea53c/media.mp3
- [Sid Griffin: the Long Ryders leader laughs at the absurdity of teenage life!](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/8145bdc92fd7) (2026-09-18, 38 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6aad856e64d244acc600b1a0/media.mp3
- [An Indie Sleaze special! – up and down with the Strokes, Libertines and Arctic Monkeys](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/8a546cb6dc20) (2026-09-16, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6aaa86315d36baebf1f76189/media.mp3
- [Nicky Hopkins’ hidden genius, the Oasis film and the best songs about rain](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/39238809447f) (2026-09-14, 59 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6aa7ffc9564171e32a284bfb/media.mp3
- [Clint Boon saw Manchester lift off twice and auditioned the young Noel Gallagher](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/b2af28791820) (2026-09-11, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6aa3e5e6eeff2d17d342b8f7/media.mp3
- [The Slits, a movie in waiting - “Marvel superheroes with their pants on the outside!”](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/56d1dcce2585) (2026-09-09, 40 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6aa15224156a52f8806d9521/media.mp3
- [Shawn Colvin – songwriter, storyteller, urban cowgirl, singing waitress](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/8a3f12e29fdf) (2026-09-08, 28 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6aa00b1be25cb7d39e88f653/media.mp3
- [The world’s greatest radio station! & things we loved about Dolly Parton](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/6e2e531670a8) (2026-09-07, 61 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a9ee9c90c7270061544b0b1/media.mp3
- [Blur’s thrilling early years in words and pictures by Dave Rowntree](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/91a4c7491f6f) (2026-08-27, 37 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a9014986634e0e9bafeff22/media.mp3
- [Natalie Merchant returns playing ‘Mother Goose as an 18th Century feminist’](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/4cd32b48860a) (2026-08-26, 30 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a8f38d6872783b80041efab/media.mp3
- [The Proclaimers know the exquisite delight of your songs being sung in football stadiums](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/fa7c2f2b70a7) (2026-08-25, 28 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a8db0a68c90bb601192bbc7/media.mp3
- [What are the great singles that have entered our bloodstream? “Nobody hums an album!”](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/bf8dfd2106a2) (2026-08-24, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a8c45adec7265947494c3ff/media.mp3
- [Martin Simpson’s 60 years on the folk circuit ‘making people cry for a living’](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/adc0e11cdb20) (2026-08-19, 51 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a85857ba835875d3796f160/media.mp3
- [The Shadows and the chequered tale of the first British rock’n’roll band](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/ca7c587b4631) (2026-08-18, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a8496c19cb9faa61af072bc/media.mp3
- [Stiff Records’ 50th birthday! – the farcical magnificent record label and why we adored it](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/340ede163f35) (2026-08-16, 46 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a81a10103af5e222ab4766b/media.mp3
- [Elliott Smith, his life, his afterlife and the friends who believed in him](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/16f07bb96357) (2026-08-14, 34 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a7f03a4f8e81c4395e07ee0/media.mp3
- [How Kylie became the whole world’s sweetheart](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/161343a83dff) (2026-08-12, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a7c4dfd7d85cbdf9675d8d7/media.mp3
- [Sandy Denny’s life and luminous talent celebrated by Linda Thompson](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/9e1e69d2c735) (2026-08-11, 29 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a7b2bce6003752573180557/media.mp3
- [The Abbey Road photo miracle, Glen Hansard and TV we’d pay to watch](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/5ef8da5b90a6) (2026-08-10, 55 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a79aece5a90490c34d169e5/media.mp3
- [Bowie, the Cure, Neil Young and the golden age of the video shoot](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/bed074d58226) (2026-08-06, 34 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a7444c1aa557e62dc019f76/media.mp3
- [Pauline Black of the Selecter, the girl who invented the Rude Girl](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/b2ffd04425e8) (2026-08-05, 35 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a730325f75191d0fae44410/media.mp3
- [Tony Fletcher - teenage label boss! – remembers the Jam, the Tube and the ‘80s pop explosion](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/907c37b4b5b9) (2026-08-04, 47 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a7234b967f03d99be26458b/media.mp3
- [Is AI wrecking rock history? – plus festivals in heatwaves and Kate Bush dancing](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/fe24a6662055) (2026-08-03, 47 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a70b1142031aa1a28e51c31/media.mp3
- [Jonathan Richman, on-the-road songs and the best-known solo ever recorded](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/e6429b98edf5) (2026-07-27, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a67c4a40bd0d38defb2d23b/media.mp3
- [Georgie Fame, Ben Sidran and the golden age of ‘60s Soho](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/d5568e6f5832) (2026-07-23, 38 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a6244dd5092e5d5712f022b/media.mp3
- [Steve Hackett remembers batwings, blues clubs and Genesis on £15 a week](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/2aaf61542547) (2026-07-22, 38 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a60ac7a44c9eabf3c25ddf5/media.mp3
- [Mari Wilson, our favourite girl about town, takes Neasden to Chelsea](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/333e326ff52d) (2026-07-21, 35 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a5facdbc6b393c90ed56a51/media.mp3
- [All music is dance music! – and the best stage name ever](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/bbe32f77d570) (2026-07-20, 53 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a5e245f46407ff54ea47dfd/media.mp3
- [Adam & the Ants, pop stardom and Marco Pirroni’s brief spell in the spotlight](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/cb90d769a750) (2026-07-15, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a5774d392be37cb7b828492/media.mp3
- [The Specials are no more! Horace Panter remembers days when it was ‘like walking on air’](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/687bf87a6946) (2026-07-14, 24 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a568a1d70c881d75c03ed9e/media.mp3
- [Is Indie the new Good Old Days? And why are there no British country stars?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/b753ec5d2481) (2026-07-13, 53 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a54e669420a266ecbca028e/media.mp3
- [Kevin Rowland, the new Dexys and what he's learnt from life](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/733ab3b9d3f2) (2026-07-08, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a4e037a195f86360508cdcb/media.mp3
- [Great rock feuds of Manchester, TV comedy & the man who invented the pop song](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/cf0cd6b9d5f3) (2026-07-05, 51 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a4a2a0704fac73b246ae8f7/media.mp3
- [Joan Armatrading, Tom Robinson and the great music meltdown of Summer ‘76](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/e3014bc0d974) (2026-07-03, 40 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a47857c04fac73b24a11c44/media.mp3
- [Prefab Sprout - a tale of mystery, eccentricity and pop’s most famous motorbike](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/4d6932ee8059) (2026-07-02, 42 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a463d1ba736775b260a7afb/media.mp3
- [Madonna smoking, the first indie PM and have we just witnessed the nadir of pop?!](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/8b7ee6672df8) (2026-06-29, 63 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a42c03e3fa89e3338b6093e/media.mp3
- [Gary Numan’s reality check – ‘I’m essentially a guy who wears make-up for a living’](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1567029088/bc331c1be9db) (2026-06-26, 40 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ff0586154e2a73589267809/e/6a3ebee4a3fa9782377f7810/media.mp3

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.