September 2013

Bloke bringing world’s biggest 45s to next WIYE

September 30, 2013 Alex Gold 0

In addition to the chap hop stylings of Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer, as well as world Beatles authority Mark Lewisohn, further to DJ, author […]

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

September 24, 2013 David Hepworth 0

…so I’ve written about it here.

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 […]

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.

The Damned are – yes! – 50 years old with three of the originals still onboard. And just starting a world tour. In this immensely funny and touching podcast, Rat Scabies (who’s smoking!) points up the repercussions of life in a band. He looks back at their first shows, their devoted audience, “old-fashioned rules”, highlights, regrets, the value of friendship, “putting on the black suit again” and how it felt to rejoin after 30 years on the outside. And all this too …

… playing drums in an Essex panto while pelted with boiled sweets

… Dave Vanian when he was a grave-digger

… punk rock strongholds the world over – “South America was like being in the Beatles”

… Mexico and other places you can still torch a drumkit

… Mr Scabies, aged 70. “Even my mother calls me Rat. The name’s done me well over the years”

… going to the Isle Of Wight aged 14 (with the Danish nanny) and running a hot-dog stand during Hendrix

… supporting the Pistols at the 100 Club: “like letting a greyhound out of a trap”

… Tim Burton, the Goth revival, the Young Ones, steampunk and other factors that keeps the Damned in motion

… “One band’s an oddity, two’s a fashion, three’s a movement”

… rejoining the Damned after 30 years – “like a great stain had been lifted”

… Green Day, algorithms and how they acquired a whole new following.

Order Damned tickets here: aegp.uk/the-damned