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Articles by David Hepworth

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The Word Podcast live on August 19th

July 6, 2014 David Hepworth 0

In response to public demand we’re putting on a recording of the Word Podcast live on August 19th. It’ll be at the Islington. Mark Ellen, […]

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Our first Manchester Word In Your Ear – with Stuart Maconie and Mark Ellen

May 9, 2014 David Hepworth 0

There’s nothing like speech. It’s amazing how many subjects you can touch on, buttons you can press, situations you can recall and pictures you can […]

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Keep May 19th free and stay tuned for a details of a second Mark Ellen show

March 6, 2014 David Hepworth 1

The show with Mark Ellen at the Slaughtered Lamb on May 12th has sold out but we’ll be announcing another one to take place a […]

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Revision notes for Sunday’s WIYE at the Lexington

November 27, 2013 David Hepworth 0

Here’s Rhodri Marsden’s piercing analysis of the umbilical connection between the words “waiting” and “aniticipating” This is “Build A House Of Love”, an Andy Gregory-arranged […]

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Did anyone take any decent pictures of last night’s show?

October 10, 2013 David Hepworth 0

I was somewhat preoccupied so I didn’t. Which is a shame because it seemed to go very well. Can’t tell you how much simpler it […]

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I’m 540 pages into Mark Lewisohn’s book…

September 24, 2013 David Hepworth 0

…so I’ve written about it here.

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A night playing records and talking with Richard Williams and Kate Mossman

September 17, 2013 David Hepworth 0

Last night Richard Williams and Kate Mossman were  guinea pigs for our experimental evening in the small upstairs room to the Betsey Trotwood. In my […]

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We’re back from our holidays

August 22, 2013 David Hepworth 0

News about two exciting shows in September and October coming soon. Keep the 16th of the former and the 15th of the latter free. More […]

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We few, we happy few, will be talking about those Duckworth Lewis shows for weeks

July 10, 2013 David Hepworth 0

Alex and I have just got back from Nottingham, having seen the Duckworth Lewis Method royally entertain the Playhouse Theatre with a slightly longer set […]

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Handful of new tickets for Duckworth Lewis at Lord’s on Monday!

July 5, 2013 David Hepworth 0

Because of public demand and media interest, Duckworth Lewis will now be playing two shows at Lord’s on Monday night and therefore we have issued […]

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The Word Podcast

Word In Your Ear
Word In Your Ear

David Hepworth, Mark Ellen and chums cast an occasionally jaundiced eye over the goings-on in the worlds of music and entertainment.

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The glorious story of Funk from James Brown to Off The Wall
byMark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold

Old friend of the podcast Lloyd Bradley wrote Bass Culture, the defining account of reggae, and he’s now turned his attention to funk, from its deepest roots and via the jazz, arts, TV, radio and pop culture that flavoured it. The main 10-year focus of ‘Funk Has Its Own Reward’ is from James Brown’s ‘Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud’ to Michael Jackson’s ‘Off The Wall’ but free your mind and all this will follow! …

 

… the importance of radio being “colourblind”

 

… Cab Calloway’s Jive Dictionary and the impact of DJs Martha Jean ‘the Queen’ Steinberg and Daddy-O Daylie

 

… how James Brown floor-tested his records and saved a fortune making them  

 

… funk’s deep roots in America’s marching bands

 

… why jazz is funk’s closest relative and what it stole from white rock  

 

… how the Family Stone’s Larry Graham made bass the place

 

… how solo singers gave way to the ‘funk gangs’  

 

… how Richard Pryor gave mainstream America a window on a whole new world.

 

… the influence of Soul Train and Sesame Street (19-year-old Nile Rodgers on guitar!) in bringing funk to the masses

 

… George Clinton – “I can’t dance, can’t play, people tell me I can’t sing … but without me none of this would have happened!”

 

… plus the Chambers Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Funkadelic, Bootsy, Quincy Jones, Parliament and the greatest funk record ever made.

 

Order copies of ‘Funk Is Its Own Reward’ here: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/lloyd-bradley-2/funk-is-its-own-reward/9781472123411/

Help us to keep The Longest Continuous Conversation In Rock’n’Roll going: 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 glorious story of Funk from James Brown to Off The Wall
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