The story of David Ackles, who never recovered from putting out “the best album ever made”.
Picked up in the great singer-songwriter sweep of the late 60s and signed to Elektra Records, David Ackles made four albums which went over the heads of the record-buying public, attracted over-the-top reviews and earned the undying devotion of fans like Elvis Costello and Elton John. Now Mark Brend’s book brings together an appreciation of his work with an account of his career before and after the three period when he was going to be the next big thing, taking in…….the night he found himself supporting his biggest fan Elton John at the Troubadour in Los Angeles….his year in Berkshire planning and recording “American Gothic”, an album about his distant homeland…how two different record companies took him to their hearts but had no earthly clue how to promote him…why it is that rock fans who boast of their eclectic tastes can’t deal with anything which sounds like musical theatre…will he ever join the pantheon in which we have installed Nick Drake, Judee Sill and the other late musicians we are pleased to call a “lost genius”?Buy Down River: In Search of David Ackles: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Down-River-Search-David-Ackles/dp/1916829228Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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John Otway – Micro-stardom, 5,000 gigs and how to capture a crowd in 20 seconds
John Otway – self-billed as “Rock And Roll’s Greatest Failure” - has played 5,260 gigs in 53 years, a record possibly only beaten by BB King. There are more this autumn of course. He simply can’t stop. “People buying me drinks and telling me what a good bloke I am? Why would you stop?” We talk to him here about the art of shambling stagecraft and a life lived almost permanently on the road, which involves … ... a burning desire to perform from the age of nine. … “Don’t think before opening your mouth!” … the rhythm of life when you play two gigs a week for five decades. And the value of ‘Micro-stardom’ - “I’m at the bar when they walk in”. … seeing the Move, Free and Mott the Hoople in Aylesbury. … how people always noticed him – not least because “I was idiot-dancing by the bass speakers”. ... his first performance, a massively overwrought version of Peter Sarstedt’s Where Do You Go To My Lovely. … best-selling Otway merch - “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Better! It’s Nearly Rock And Roll But I Like It!” etc. … “You have to capture an audience in the first 20 seconds.” ... why playing the same size venues every night doesn’t challenge you. … a recent three-month ‘trial retirement’. … when he estimates he’ll play his 6,000th gig. … and his planned and bank-breaking 2026 World Tour. John Otway tour dates here: https://www.johnotway.com/gigs.htmlFind out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull and 58 years of one-legged live performance
Ian Anderson is touring again in 2026 and talks to us here about tweed stage-wear, an audience of four, his teenage heroes and the first shows he ever saw and played. There’s all sorts within, including … … playing his first gig to Catholic schoolgirls at the Holy Family Youth Club in Blackpool – “we emptied the room”. … queues round the block at the Marquee in 1968 – “the moment I knew we’d arrived.” … how Joe Cocker nicked his breakfast. … seeing Cliff at the ABC in Blackpool – “he was our Elvis.” … guitarists who played “nicely”– Hank Marvin, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Ritchie Blackmore. “Precise, accurate, they sang melodies.” … the ceremonial christening of Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond. … exotic clothes, stage names and parallels with Beefheart’s Magic Band. … recording Feel Like Makin’ Love with the 90-year-old Engelbert Humperdinck. … learning Guitar Tango by the Shadows - “not blues or rock and roll - progressive pop!” … the fine art of dressing up: Jethro Tull in America – tweeds and deerstalkers v check shirts and denim. … fund-raising shows for imperilled cathedrals. … the allure of touring by train – “I’m Michael Portillo with a flute”. … the three songs Jethro Tull always play. Tickets for the Curiosity Tour 2026 here: jethrotull.com Ian Anderson presents Christmas With Jethro Tull:Thursday 18 December 2025 - Bath AbbeyFriday 19 December 2025 - Peterborough CathedralSaturday 20 December 2025 - Southwark Cathedral Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Album sleeves the modern world would ban & the best song titles and opening lines
It’s Happy Hour in the Rock and Roll Lounge of News and we’re working our way through anything over 40 per cent proof. Which means ice, a slice and …. … how the F-Bomb lost its impact. … Mick Ralphs and Lalo Schifrin RIP – and chapeau to "There's A Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On’. … the Blush-o-meter! Album sleeves that’d get you lynched in the 21st Century – and that means you Roxy, UFO, BowWowWow, Blind Faith, Tom Waits and Supertramp! … why the TV comedy W1A was the last record of the world before Covid. … Irresistible song titles – eg Rikki Don’t Lose That Number, Misty Morning Albert Bridge, Jeannie Needs A Shooter. … where was Instagram when Roxy Music started?! … the genius of Sabrina Carpenter’s publicity machine. … “The oldest used to have the power. Now it’s the youngest.” … Jeff Bezos v a canal full of inflatable crocodiles. … I’m Getting Buried in the Morning, Paintball’s Coming Home … the eternal joy of Half Man Half Biscuit. … “Meeting a man from the motor trade - like a line from a TS Eliot poem.” And birthday guest Guy Constant on the value of lyrics - plus ‘grollies, ‘70 supergroups and Theresa May swearing. Here’s the link set up by Jon Hotten to help the rock writer (and former podcast guest) Mick Wall after he’d suffered a heart attack: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jon-hotten-2Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Bobby Bluebell’s thriving third act, ‘80s Glasgow and the gift that keeps on giving
Bobby Bluebell remembers the “cuddly duffle-coat friendship” of Glasgow bands in the early ‘80s and the Bluebells’ second act rebooted by the Volkswagen ad. The band are touring again and an even bigger part of the city’s thriving musical community, and he looks back here at the first gigs he ever saw and played, along with … … singing “When I’m Dead And Gone’ in an old folks home. … on the town with Siobhan Fahey, her sisters and boyfriends Kevin Rowland and Gary Crowley. … buying Rocket Man and Wee Neil Reid’s Mother Of Mine, aged 13. And Elton John at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall. … his side project The Golden Tree (with Grahame Skinner of Hipsway) playing ‘Scottish’ songs by Marmalade, Strawberry Switchblade, Ewan MacColl, Coldplay, the Easybeats, Talking Heads and the Bay City Rollers. … “Glasgow had six gangs. You had to choose your route home carefully if wearing Kickers.” … Clare Grogan’s sister’s part in the Bluebells’ fortunes. … Edwyn Collins and Alan Horne holding HIT and MISS signs in the front row of an Oxfam Warriors gig. … “A cuddly duffle-coat friendship”: the Glasgow bands of the early ‘80s and memories of Altered Images and Peter Capaldi’s Dream Boys. … why Dolly Parton was ditched and ‘Young At Heart’ chosen for the Volkswagen ad. … playing the Old Grey Whistle Test with the Psychedelic Furs. … “the best way to get an audience to stop talking is to entertain them.” … “All hits are luck”. … his Golden Rule when playing festivals. The Bluebells tickets here: https://www.songkick.com/artists/315250-bluebells/calendar The Golden Tree: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HO0TGE0vgPgwDoaBUMAJF?si=LUsXAtrURVWYjEkzDpI0mQ&nd=1&dlsi=65dddbf6bf6c45e4Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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.
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