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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 Prince story by 200 people who knew him – and John McKie
byMark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold

Prince’s commercial peak was Purple Rain but John McKie thinks Sign O’ The Times was his creative masterpiece and tracked down over 200 collaborators, girlfriends, “Prince whisperers”, assistants and admirers to piece together the story of its construction (without allowing himself to use the word “genius”). Which leads us up some colourful, spot-lit alleys, among them …

 

… “a man in suspenders playing funk”: why a disastrous support slot on the ‘81 Stones tour was pivotal moment  

 

… Mozart/Salieri levels of rivalry: he once told a Paisley Park engineer to stop singing Culture Club “as that’s the competition”

 

… battles with Warners president Lenny Waronker: “he believed he was right and the rest were wrong”

 

… “creative incontinence”: an autocrat in need of an editor

 

… bodyguard “Big Chick” Huntsberry, performative stunts and the BRITS moment that immortalised him

 

… the controlling, manipulative nature of anyone who can play 27 instruments

 

… “he changed his cars to match the colour of his album campaigns”

 

… artistic parallels with his hero Joni Mitchell

 

… why he loved comedians in the way he loved jazz musicians

 

… what we know about his “secret” wives Mayte Garcia and Manuela Testolini

 

… and the four acts with eternal mystery – Prince, Bowie, Dylan, Dolly Parton.

 

Order ‘Prince: A Sign O’ The Times here:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/prince-a-sign-o-the-times/john-mckie/9781785121944

Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear


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The Prince story by 200 people who knew him – and John McKie
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