Entertainment For Lively Minds
It's here! The two-in-one podcast!
Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry present the weekly Word Podcast, in which we mull over the chances of paying $5,000 for dinner with Richard Thompson or $1,500 to get Linda Thompson to record our outgoing answering machine message, attempt to properly answer gunnerboy's question "whatever happened to groups who were justalaff?", pay tribute to the man who used to know all the news in pop and run down how much Brewers Droop would have cost you in 1975.
But there's a bonus. This podcast also features – in audio-only form – our first shopcast. This is a new series we've done with Universal Music. In the first one Mark Ellen and David Hepworth discuss the music, career and legacy of the Kinks as represented in their box set "Picture Book". If you want the whole thing in glorious televisual colour then you can subscribe to the stream for free here or view them on YouTube (in two parts) here.
Otherwise you can subscribe to the weekly Word podcast here or stream the latest one below.
Thank you, kind gentlemen
Top 'cast as always. As previously mentioned, if you ever decide you want to record a podcast that includes a slightly bumbling and gauche member of the Massive, then count me in.
It also reminded me how much I love the Kinks as well as wonder why does no-one write songs like that about London any more? London's still a vibrant place and although it's changed so much since the Kinks' days, it's still ripe for mining for pop song gold. The only artists who do the London-song thing (Lily Allen, Jamie T et al) seem preoccupied with the grittier, depressing and - dare I say it - edgy side of life.
Pete Doherty occasionally over-romanticises his land of birth but where's the paean to the London Eye? The ode to the O2? The heartfelt prose extolling the virtues of the Docklands Light Railway?
nice podcast
Re: goodtime bands: at the danger of repeating myself the Mighty Cud were such a thing but did have artistic merit. They suffered critically because they didn't take themselves too seriously. They did have an ironic edge but i think most good time bands do have their tongues in their cheeks We do like irony (for good or bad) in UK.
Also good time bands are alive animal?
RE: London songs isn't the problem that if you write them the chippy beggars elsewhere in Britain get all whingey and don't buy your lps? I don't think I truly loved "waterloo sunset" until I moved to the smoke.
I don't think these regional songs are disliked as much in a America.
Waterloo Sunset
It surprises me you say that. I'm not a Londoner but I've always loved Waterloo Sunset. I think it's so evocative (and a fantastic song to boot) that you could enjoy it even if you'd spent your entire life in Switzerland.
regional identity is still surprisingly important in britain
one of the things people were annoyed about was american actors failing to do Uk accents properly mainly because they didn't included any regional inflection.
As to waterloo sunset I think knowledge of london and of the journey the song takes deepens your affection, it's a cliche to say the view across the bridge lifts your heart but I have to be in really bad mood not to be cheered by it or at least just interested it's rare i keep reading my paper.
Other views will do the same elsewhere but it is a very dense sensory experience, especially if you've got your special someone hang off you arm and your off for a light and ale up in soho.
Great stuff...
particularly the concept of 'doing some old' at the poetry reading... I haven't laughed so much for ages.
The Shopcast was wonderful too and very interesting... I feel my appreciation of The Kinks' music and Ray Davies' songwriting has been enhanced after watching it.
Finally, good to see a copy of The Isley Brothers' Brother, Brother, Brother album on the wall behind you... I love that record.
Great podcasts.
As for comedy bands what about The Darkness....remember them? At first they appeared to be having a laugh but seemed to think everyone who laughed with them was laughing at them.
There was also a dreadful band called The Bloodhound Gang "Let's do it like they do on the discovery channel" kicking around a few years ago.
Strikes me you won't get another Mud or Darts as 50's rock and roll isn't as revered as it was in the 70s (Happy Days etc) and everyone's too precious to laugh at themselves. Plus, as you hinted at, working musicians with no artistic pretentions will join a tribute band instead and not need to have hits or a TV presence.
Also love the way DH announces early on in the podcast that there are no more secrets in modern life and then proceeds to keep plans for the 100th podcast under his titfer. Amused me any road.
Good news everyone!
The Bloodhound Gang are still a going concern though they haven't released an album since 2005's Hefty Fine (one of the worst-ever albums, according to MetaCritic).
For completists, you may always want to purchase their previous studio albums:
Use Your Fingers
One Fierce Beer Coaster
Hooray for Boobies
Available for weddings, bar mitzvahs etc.
Novelty bands....
Goldie Lookin' Chain are a corker....
see also Blink 182
Two for one
Like it.
The Kinks'
best song is Shangri-La (I think), closely followed by Celluloid Heroes. Shangri-La is horrendously neglected.
Breathlessly yours...
So what if the BBC did report "breathlessly" that Dylan was about to be number one? It was Bank Holiday sodding Sunday and there was nothing else around!
As a humble drudge on the hourly bulletins, let me tell you those three minutes don't just fill themselves - as I'm sure your late - and estimable - colleague Derek would have attested.
Fair enough
But why not do the "Album Sales So Flat Even Bob Dylan's New Album Of R&B Retreads Gets To Number One" story?
LO
and, if you will, L.
At that point...
we ring you on your mobile and record a quote to that effect.
Good time pop of today
You could say Scissor Sisters did this fairly well and more recently Noisettes also provide quality fun hits. It's in the dancier end of the pop world you get more of this kind of feel good stuff these days. Not much sign of it in the rock part of the spectrum though.
Tip of Hat
Blimey! Have jsut listened to the Popcast and heard you spend ten minutes on my polite enquiry. Ever so 'umble guv. Much obliged. Back in my box now.
Kinks box set
Enjoyed the Kinks shopcast. Now, that's CD 1 done with. Will you discuss the other discs in the set as well - or will you spare Universal the embarrassment?
Listenig to the whole of "Picture Book" I got the feeling that the Kinks must be the worst-produced band among all those "classic" groups. Even wonderful singles like "Waterloo Sunset" or "Days" sound two years behind if you compare them to contemporary stuff from the Beatles, Who or Stones. And from the early 70s on that shoddily recorded acoustic guitar ruins everything...
Groups not taking themselves seriously
What about Half Man Half Biscuit:
"you two geezers is top bananas. And the old knob twiddler
Frazemeister. Where vem 2 birds today? Out shopping? Eh? Nice one. Y'should given vat Ipod twat a right tasty slap. Sweet. Laters yeah?"