In an Ideal World...

My lockdown listen of the last seven days features one of rock and roll's unsung heroes: Henry Priestman - born in Hull, raised in Liverpool - is one of life's good guys. He's enjoyed a multi faceted career, but is probably best known for being one of the Christians - the 80s/90s combo featuring the three Christian* brothers, Garry, Roger and Russell. Devotees of David Hepworth and Mark Ellen's Word in Your Ear podcasts will be aware that a spin-off video version 'A Word in Your Attic' has been open for business throughout the lockdown, inviting guests to join them via their Webcams in a delightful show and tell format that I've found absolutely riveting. Henry Priestman's episode can be found here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Indeed I would strongly urge anyone contemplating a life laundry to give it a coat of looking at.

As they should this equally beguiling piece of footage: Henry himself has been recording his own lockdown sessions in his garden shed. Here he is performing a beautiful arrangement of Ideal World - with a little help from his (socially distancing) friends.

Henry Priestman - Ideal World (2020)

* Onomasticians can rest easy - for the record, Priestman's middle name is Christian.

After the Savoy Truffle

It's common knowledge that George Harrison cribbed the lyrics from a Good News chocolate box he saw round at Eric Clapton's gaff one day. Clapton was still doing a lot of heroin at the time and, coming down, allegedly, he'd regularly eat an entire box of chocolates in one sitting. Even the Savoy Truffle.

Probably less well documented is how much of an influence on Harrison an EP put out by Lulu two years before the White Album was. The title track, Chocolate Ice (written by Mike Leander - Gary Glitter's scribe), bears more than a passing resemblance to Harrison's effort. Judge for yourself.

Lulu - Chocolate Ice (1966)

Instead of going with the Fabs, I've decided to play you the Analogues' version. The Analogues play Beatles tunes live. Nothing new there, I hear you say. True, but this bunch of Dutch musicians have taken the reproduction of Beatles music to a whole new level. Recreating every note of an alabum - in sequence - with period instruments (often with strings and horns) and with fastidious attention to detail, they really are the business. When they play Maxwell's Silver Hammer, for instance, they even bring an anvil up on stage. I particularly like the songs that not only the Beatles didn't play live (i.e. everything after '66), but also the ones Macca can't be arsed with when he tours; check out Your Mother Should Know from the Magical Mystery Tour EP. You'll be amazed. Truly amazed.

The Analogues - Savoy Truffle 

For further listening, hear what David Hepworth and Mark Ellen think about them.

The Future's Bright

Q. What have David Hepworth's latest book Nothing is Real (The Beatles Were Underrated and Other Sweeping Statements About Pop) and my friend Heidi's recent visit to London got in common?

A. As you can see Hepworth's latest tome (his third) once again comes with, like its predecessors
1971 and Uncommon People, a striking orange themed dust-jacket.

And when Heidi was in the capital this weekend she took this splendid photograph of a rather dapper individual on the tube; kitted out, from head to foot (quite literally) in, er, orange.


For exact colour matching purposes, I've included the RAL swatch for all your Orange needs.

Everything from Donald Trump's skin tone to X-Ray Spex's The Day the World Turned Dayglo.

The future's bright, the future's RAL 2004.

With thanks to Heidi

CORRECTION 13.11.18

Oops! - I don't do F**ebook, so when I was sent this tube photo I thought it was a photograph Heidi had taken; turns out it was Piley. Heidi/Piley; Piley/Heidi. See what I did there. Sorry both!

50 odd gigs - revisited

10cc? That's a lot of spunk

David Whitehall is on my Screenwriting course. The first time I met him he'd just returned from Amsterdam after seeing Lambchop over there; that's the sort of thing I do. I knew he'd be a prime candidate to list 50 memorable gigs - I wasn't wrong. Thanks for taking the time David, I appreciate it.

'Hi John, I've enjoyed doing this 50 Gigs list, though in the next life I'll definitely keep my ticket stubs! These are the ones I remember, but I was surprised to see how few I'd been to in the 90s; must've had something to do with being a parent! So, from the top:'

August 1964, The Jimmy Shand Band, Oban, Scotland. At 7 years old, first experience of live music. Remember joyfully stamping my feet to traditional Scottish music.

December 1972,  Lindisfarne, BBC recording ('Full House'), University Theatre, Newcastle. Taken by my parents, the first time I'd seen a 'rock' band: three (very loud!) songs from their Dingley Dell album.

April 1974,  Strawbs, Newcastle City Hall. First gig with mates - remember they played 'Lay Down' and 'Part Of The Union' - one of my dad's favourites: earlier that year, he'd gone on a one day strike from his job as a bank employee - my dad, the rebel!

More cc on the other side too

September 1974, 10cc, Newcastle City Hall. Re-scheduled gig so City Hall only half full. Rapturous crowd - three encores, the last one a jam : 'We've run out of songs!' Found my way into their dressing room after the gig (relieved not to find them engaged with groupies) and all four signed my ticket.

October 1974, Roxy Music, Newcastle City Hall. Knew that when I grew up, I wanted to be Bryan Ferry.

January 1975, Supertramp, (support Gallagher and Lyle, Chris de Burgh), Newcastle City Hall. Remember being mesmerised by the visuals to 'Rudy' and 'Crime of the Century'.

September 1975, Paul McCartney and Wings, Newcastle City Hall. His first tour since the split doing Beatles songs: gave my all in harmonies to 'Yesterday', until the bloke next to me told me to 'Shurrup!'

August 1976, Eric Clapton, Newcastle City Hall. In his band was young gun guitarist Larry Colyell. Remembering him doing a solo: Clapton watched, languidly put his fag on the machine head of his Strat, then did one of his own, fingers tearing up the fret board - genius.

December 1976, Joan Armatrading, Albert Hall, Nottingham. First gig I saw as a student. 'I am not in love, but I'm open to persuasion', the opening line to 'Love and Affection'. Newly arrived in Nottingham, I shared her hope.

January 1977, Genesis, Leicester de Montfort Hall. The Phil Collins Show - brilliant.

September 1977, Peter Gabriel, Newcastle City Hall. Remember him at one point disappearing off stage, re-appearing at the back of the hall, walking through the crowd and, predictably, being mobbed.

December 1977, Lindisfarne, Newcastle City Hall. 2,000 raucous Geordies welcome local heroes. So many highlights, but Alan Hull playing 'Winter Song' was/is a thing of beauty.

October1978, Mitislav Rostropovich, Nottingham Albert Hall. Dragged there by Olly, a classical music fan, I left knowing I'd witnessed greatness. The sounds he summoned from his cello were sublime.

December 1980, The Kinks, Rock City, Nottingham. Hoped they'd play 'Celluloid Heroes' - they didn't - but compensated with 'You Really Got Me' and 'Waterloo Sunset.

July 1981, Bob Dylan, NEC Birmingham. For some, his voice is an acquired taste, but I was struck that night by how powerful it was. Also remember with amusement the puzzled looks on people's faces, forced into a game of 'Guess The Classic' by his radical re-interpretations; though he did play something that sounded a bit like 'A Simple Twist Of Fate' so I, at least, went home happy.

July 1982, Rolling Stones, Roundhay Park, Leeds. Got a bus with a crowd from Selectadisc (Nottingham's late, lamented record shop). Stones supported by Joe Jackson, on stage sweetly taking photos of the crowd: 'I've never seen a crowd this big !' From our position (on a hill, seemingly several miles away) Jagger's voice drifted on the wind.

December 1982, Dire Straits, NEC Birmingham. 'Love Over Gold Tour' and Mark Knopfler's wonderful guitar playing. At the time, remember him promoting a new fangled invention: the Philips Compact Disc Player. I bought one soon after!

May 1983,: Robert Palmer, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. Always loved 'Johnny and Mary' and 'I Woke Up Laughing' - remember RP looking very stylish in a black, bolero jacket. I wanted one immediately!

December 1983, The Police, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. Took my girlfriend (who became 'the wife') - bought as a surprise for her birthday. I was definitely surprised by the parking ticket I got after queuing for tickets at 4 a.m.), and remember being unimpressed by Sting's use of an on-stage trampette.

December 1985, Dire Straits, NEC Birmingham. 'Brothers In Arms' tour. A favourite band in the 80s, and happy to catch them whenever I could.

December 1986, Level 42, NEC Birmingham. Remember a portion of the arena being curtained off, so not a sell-out, but hits got played.

August 1987, U2, NEC Birmingham. The Joshua Tree tour. Allied incredible power with melodic subtlety. A stunning gig and after it, to show solidarity, I even bought a U2 tee shirt - which inevitably shrunk in the wash.

January 1988, Eric Clapton (featuring Mark Knopfler), NEC Birmingham: marvellous duelling on 'Layla' and 'Sultans of Swing'.

October 1990 : Prefab Sprout, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. Heard 'When Love Breaks Down' on the radio for the first time and remember the DJ saying 'Not if but when love breaks down' - struck by the apparent inevitability of love failing, I've been a fan ever since. And Paddy McAloon? Up there with vintages McCartney for melodies and hooks.

October 1990 : Everything But The Girl, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. Even Tracey Thorn's voice and Ben Watt's harmonies were over-shadowed by seeing Prefab Sprout the night before.

June 1995, Ry Cooder, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. He tours so rarely, it's always good to see a legend. Played 'in the round' and remember the atmosphere being reverential - like being at a classical concert.

June 1998, Lightning Seeds, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. Loved 'Jollification' (still do) and Ian Broudie has written some superb love-lorn songs ('Telling Tales', 'My Best Day').

March 2000, Prefab Sprout, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall and Warwick Arts Theatre. Catch 'em when you can: they didn't tour very often, brilliant when they did, but sadly now, not at all.

April 2001, Neil Finn, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. So comfortable with the audience, cheerfully encouraging banter and in total control. Great voice, great songs: clearly loves performing.

April 2004, David Cassidy, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. If forced to express a preference, I would say David Cassidy over Donny, or any of The Osmonds. This was a surprise present for my wife, Therese but I was impressed: he played with an energy and a joy I really hadn't expected.

October 2004, Kings of Convenience, Warwick Arts Theatre. Two Norwegian guys playing guitar, harmonising beautifully, singing songs worthy of Simon and Garfunkel. Perfect.

Mr. Hawley's setlist: got to stay awake

May 2006, Richard Hawley, Rescue Rooms, Nottingham. Performer and stand up comedian. Brilliant. Standout track ? So many, but 'The Ocean' was especially memorable.

August 2006, Paul Buchanan and The Blue Nile, The Sage, Gateshead. Beautiful, melancholic songs, great voice: Buchanan captivated an adoring audience.

August 2007, America, Ogden County Fair, Utah. Assumed America hadd split up years before, so I was thrilled to discover they hadn't, and stunned to discover they were performing in Ogden, Utah at exactly the same time as we (me, Therese and our two daughters) were visiting family close by in Salt Lake City. 'Horse With No Name', 'Ventura Highway' - so many classics, and afterwards they signed my copy of their greatest hits. A definite result!

America in America

November 2007, Arcade Fire, Nottingham Arena. Special for me, because I took our eldest, Lucy -her first gig with her dad! It was memorable too for front man Win Butler - arenas are difficult venues for a band to connect with an audience and the band didn't: the show never recovered after a shoe thrown from the crowd hit Win Butler straight in the face. Not unsurprisingly, he vowed never to return to Nottingham. And he hasn't.

The mighty Glenn Campbell

October 2008, Glen Campbell, Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall. Catch the legends while you can, and make sure you're there for the start of the gig! Ticket said 7.30. No gigs start on time. This one did, so missed a few of his hits but did get to hear 'Witchita Lineman' - stunning. Hadn't known he was such a brilliant guitarist either. And although I hadn't intended to, I waited outside after the showe with a few hard core fans and he signed my ticket. I've been in the presence of greatness.

November 2008,  Fleet Foxes, Nottingham Trent University and Leadmill, Sheffield. Impressed with a band who, at the time, were relatively under the radar. Took our youngest, Rebecca, to the Sheffield gig: her first gig with her dad. J.Tillman, their drummer, was support. Soon after, he left; re-emerging as Father John Misty.

June 2009, Neil Young, Nottingham Arena. Not a big fan, but he's not a legend for nothing. His presence completely dominated a packed arena. A triumph.

October 2009, Kings Of Convenience, Warwick Arts Theatre. The duo returned, plus a piano accordionist and double bass player. As perfect as their 2004 show.

October 2010, Badly Drawn Boy, Nottingham Albert Hall. Sadly, a sparsely attended gig but a tremendous performance from Damon Gough showing no evidence of his apparent grumpiness. Took Lucy and delighted when he played 'The Shining' and 'Magic In The Air,' two of our favourites. Support was from The Candle Thieves - met them at the interval and we've loved them ever since.

October 2011, Bob Dylan, Nottingham Arena. Support from Mark Knopfler who acknowledged his back catalogue with a couple of Dire Straits songs. Then, a 90 minute set from Dylan during which he engaged with the audience - just the once - when he introduced his band at the end.We loved it! I watched through binoculars fascinated by the interplay between his band and the tight focus they had on Dylan's every move. Great band, and though Dylan's voice was shot, still a great gig.

March 2013, Julian Lloyd Weber (with Nottinghamshire Youth Orchestra), Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. He played Elgar's Cello Concerto - I'd had it on CD for ages, so it was a thrill to hear it live.

May 2014 : Halle Orchestra conducted by Sir Mark Elder, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, Mahler 6th Symphony : melody and melancholy combined, with an apocalyptic ending. Played nationwide on American radio immediately after 9/11 : easy to see why.

January 2015, First Aid Kit, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. Just two sisters, a slide guitarist and a drummer, but what a sound : such gorgeous harmonies. Half way through, a full house fell silent as the two girls unplugged, went to the front of the stage and did an entirely acoustic version of 'Ghost Town' to an audience enthralled.

July 2015, Chris Difford, Poppy and Pint, West Bridgford, Nottingham. Not often you get to see a rock star perform in your local! Not really a Squeeze fan, but Chris Difford showed himself to be a wonderful raconteur and performer. Great support from Arcelia and slide guitarist Melvin Duffy - and we only had two streets to walk home.

July 2015, Bert Bacharach, Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall. Sang, played piano, conducted his band - still very much got it at 87!

September 2016, Brian Wilson, Southend Pier. Glorious Beach Boys singalong : another 'oldster' who's still got it.

June 2017, Adele, Wembley Stadium. One woman and a crowd of 95,000: an unbelievable occasion. Great sound, great show 'Set Fire to the Fire' and the fireworks that accompanied it, just awesome.

David, left, and Lambchop

October 2017, Nile Rogers and Chic, Liverpool Echo Arena. Non-stop party time, a packed crowd on their feet dancing from the first note of 'I Want Your Love' to 'Good Times' 90 minutes later: the most joyous gig I've ever been to.

October 2017, Lambchop, Zonnehuis, Amsterdam. Small venue - a lovely Art Deco theatre filled with 150 knowledgeable and appreciative fans. Wonderful interplay between Kurt Wagner's guitar and Tony Crow's piano : a consistently beautiful sound.

Octobowie

I've just listened to the latest Word podcast and was enthralled by Paul Morley talking so eloquently about David Bowie: Morley's biography of The Dame, 'The Age Of Bowie', has just been published and it's Morley's very personal take on probably one of the most influential players in the history of popular music.

The Bowie section on my bookshelves is very minimalist. I bought George Tremlett's sketchy paperback, 'The David Bowie Story', whilst still at school and not long out of short trousers. Tremelett's tome was quite literally a snapshot in time, ending as it does with Ziggy's retirement bash at Hammersmith Odeon in '73.

Sitting alongside Tremlett is 'Any Day Now - The London Years: 1947-1974'. And it is just that. Kevin Cann has put together an exhaustive encyclopedia of Bowie documenting what he was doing - and who he was doing it with - every single day between being born in January1947 and the day he left Britain in March 1974.

Whilst Bowie's influences are as far reaching today as they ever were and his stock, since his demise earlier this year, has never been so high, it's the years 1971-1973 when, for me, Bowie was most exciting. Seeing him on Top of the Pops playing Starman with his blue acoustic guitar, hearing Hunky Dory for the first time and getting giddy when Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars took rock and roll into a new theatrical dimension, is a unique sequence of events I feel privileged to have witnessed first hand.

Picking out random October days from these special years you can see the speed at which he was gaining traction. Space Oddity would not become a novelty hit ball and chain he would forever drag around and he was still a million miles away from Berlin. So, with the Beatles now safely in their grave, the stage was set for Bowie's grand entrance.

1971

The Man Who Sold The World is finally released and his song Oh You Pretty Thing is released by Peter Noone. His son Zowie (Duncan Jones) is born and he meets Andy Warhol for the first time in New York. He also plays Glastonbury Fayre - just as the sun is coming up.

Tuesday 19 October. Preview copies of the new album, Hunky Dory, are pressed with a final track listing and mix.

1972

Hunky Dory charts in the US and Ziggy is unveiled for the first time. He gifts All the Young Dudes to Mott The Hoople and produces Lou Reed's Transformer.

Friday 6 October. The Jean Genie (or 'Dream Genie' as its called on the tape box) is recorded in RCA's Studio D.

1973

A year bookended by Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups with Drive in Saturday and the death of Ziggy somewhere in the middle. By now he's huge - both over here and, all importantly, over there. Over there being America and Japan and most of the English speaking world.


Thursday 18 October. Filming of the The 1980 Floor Show, a Bowie live extravaganza, begins at London's Marquee Club - to be broadcast the following month in the US on NBC's Midnight Special.

Mark Ellen

Mark Ellen has edited more music magazines than most people have had hot dinners: Smash Hits, Q, Mojo, Word. He fronted BBC 2's Whistle Test in the 80s and anchored Live Aid with his old mucker David Hepworth. His recently published memoirs Rock Stars Stole My Life charts the career of a music obsessive who still gets excited when he hears the Beatles on the radio. And, whilst at University, he played in a dodgy band (Ugly Rumours) with an equally dodgy Prime Minister in waiting (Tony Blair). Mark kindly consented to a light grilling; so, interrogation lamp on...

Who was the first band (or group, as we used to call them) you went to see and did you get there early for the support?

Appallingly pretentious but my first band was the dizzying prog-jazzers Soft Machine at the Chalk Farm Roundhouse in, I think, 1970 who played in befuddling time-signatures and were impossible to dance to. I was at that stage of teen male adolescence where this brought me a rather smug form of  pleasure as it was lofty intellectual music that only the chosen few could appreciate. The support act was Brinsley Schwarz, slightly countryish pub rockers featuring the 22 year-old Nick Lowe. I was smitten with all of it and beetled off to see Wishbone Ash at Bracknell Sports Centre soon after.

Rumours of Paul McCartney's tightness abound: can he really peel an orange in his back pocket?

Tales of his tightness are, however, unseated by stories of his boundless expenditure. He once sent a sick puppy on a 280-mile return journey to a vet's by taxi. He once ordered a pizza from his favourite place in Greenwich Village which was ferried to St John's Wood by cab, Concorde and cab. Given limitless wealth I'm sure I'd do the same - ie think up creative new ways to get rid of the stuff in handfuls.

Once a writer always a writer - are you ever tempted to buy a cheap and cheerful photocopier, a few reams of A4 and a big stapler from Office World, kick-start your own fanzine and sell copies in your local pub?

I am but I doubt anyone would buy them, especially as I'd be producing a tearful monthly tribute to the Incredible String Band. The general feeling among 'the youth of today' sadly is that print media should be free.

Ray Davies' mother always reckoned he boiled at a different temperature to everyone else. On his day, what set him apart from Lennon & McCartney?

Ray can't match either of them but he did have an incredible run of about 17 consecutive hits in the mid-'60s and mined that rich seam of suburban life that McCartney touched upon in She's Leaving Home. It's the tiny details of ordinary lives (Dead End Street) and extraordinary lives (Sunny Afternoon) that really resonate. Unlike Lennon and McCartney, there was always a sense of distance between Ray and the action, a spectator looking in, a nose pressed to the window. He really *is* tight by the way: when he was shot by a mugger in New Orleans he ran after him to try and get his cash back and when medical orderlies tore his clothes to inspect the wound he bleated "but they're new trousers!"

When all the punks are dead who will write about 1976? And will they rewrite history?

I feel exasperated reading all those pieces by 30 year-olds that begin "It was a cloudless summer morning when Joni Mitchell turned up at David Crosby's place with Graham Nash and turned to James Taylor and said ..." as the writer is so far removed from any first-hand experience of the action. It's like coverage of the Second World War now that those who fought it have gone. Which is why books about punk like England's Dreaming are so valuable as Jon Savage was actually there and gave a precise account of it all. The future legacy of punk will be in the hands of writers who wish they'd been 15 in 1976 and will romanticise the whole era beyond recognition. Viv Albertine's book is terrific - Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys: it's completely unvarnished; you can almost smell the rotting squats they all inhabited.I went to see Adam and The Ants a couple of years ago and the place was gloriously stuffed with lumpy-looking individuals with clanking chains and fading tattoos, all in their early 50s now I guess. They were so principled they walked out when he started playing the pop hits.

Do you and David Hepworth still do mix tapes for one another?

Ha! The last band he tipped me off about was The Silver Seas. We both thought the song 'What's The Drawback?' was a work of unparalleled genius. Tragically I'm just too old to have used the mix tape for romantic purposes (cassettes were only just up and running around the time I got married) but that dimension to it was endlessly interesting I'm told, hours spent pondering which tracks sent the right message and made you look deep and mysterious.

Who was the last real pop star?

There simply isn't enough mystery about people like Rihanna and Lady Gaga because their social media makes them seem so available so I'd probably go for Morrissey. He ticks every box for me - he never appears knowable or remotely ordinary. He's utterly self-obsessed and narcissistic. Every single utterance seems to be to shore up his legend. He seems magnificently other-worldly, breezing in from some distant galaxy to scatter a little fairy dust and then disappear for another six months. You can't imagine him ever taking public transport.

Know any good drummer jokes?

Poor old drummers. It's ill-deserved I think. George Martin once played me just the bass and drum tracks from Something and Come Together and Ringo's contributions and mind-blowing and completely transformational. According to Nick Lowe, a good drummer should 'tell the story of the song' and they're often the heart of the band - eg Charlie Watts - as they're the one member that doesn't threaten anyone so no-one falls out with them. That said I like 'what's the difference between a drummer and savings bond? One will mature and make money.'

Writing or broadcasting. What's your preference?

The great thing about live broadcasting is it's done, dusted and over and you can't change it, quite liberating. Then again the great thing about writing is you *can* change it.

Tell us one thing about yourself you've never shared before.

When I was on the underground rock paper New Music News my pseudonym was 'Candice B Reel': pathetic.

I've got two spare tickets for my time machine. I'm going back to 1971 to see the Faces at the Marquee. Are you coming? Hepworth's already at the bar getting them in.

Of course: mine's a pint of brown with a rum and black chaser!

1971

1971: that was the year that was

Next month the esteemed writer and broadcaster David Hepworth publishes his new book 1971. According to David, ’71 was rock music's golden year. And as comprehensive and as well researched as I know the tome will be, I’m guessing there are a few things about 1971 you won't find between its covers.

1971 It was the first year I’d been on a package holiday: the Medds went loco in sunny Spain
1971 I was preparing to sit my 11-plus and say goodbye to St. Mary’s
1971 My dad took delivery of a brand new Hillman Minx: RTL 707 J
1971 I took out a subscription to Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly
1971 I heard Co-Co drifting from a barbers window and so began my love affair with The Sweet
1971 My mother said I was too young for Clackers, Oxford Bags and a feather-cut
1971 I think I fancied Clodagh Rodgers
1971 I was ten years old when my friend Adele was born in 1971

Adele: she really is a sweetie

Falling in love again

Everybody fell in love with Clare Grogan in the eighties. And I was no exception. How could you not? She was a film star (Gregory's Girl), a pop star (Altered Images), even a TV star (who can forget Kochanski in Red Dwarf? She and Lister were like Bacall and Bogart in space. Sort of). In short, she was gorgeous.

When you count how many records she sold with Altered Images you soon run out of zeros on your calculator. And yet, when you ask her how much money she saw from her none too shabby pop career, it's a sum not far off the square root of fuck all. Now that the dust has finally settled on that part of her life (it took some of the best legal brains in the land nigh on twenty years to divvy up the spoils) Grogan netted a grand sum of two bob and a conker. And she's not bothered.

I'd love to say she told me this over a cup of coffee in her local Starbucks in Crouch End but, alas, it was just one of the nuggets that came out of her splendid interview with Mark Ellen and David Hepworth on the latest Word in Your Ear podcast. That and opening for Siouxsie & The Banshees on their 1980 tour at the tender age of seventeen.

And when she spoke so movingly and so passionately about her young daughter and the whole adoption process, I fell in love with her all over again.

David Hepworth

I've been reading David Hepworth's blog 'What's He On About Now?' for as long as I can remember. In fact if it wasn't for him and the irrepressible Mondo, 'Even Monkeys Fall Out Of Trees' probably wouldn't have got off the ground. Last year David and I both both appeared in Saga magazine's Top 50 over-50 Blogs; not quite the Man Booker Prize, but I was chuffed all the same.

David's CV, however, extends way beyond blogging. Broadcaster, journalist, publishing industry analyst, he's been spinning around  in my orbit ever since he co-hosted The Whistle Test with Mark Ellen in the 80s and continues to do so through his writing and podcasts. He is also soon to be a published author.

David kindly agreed to answer a few probing questions for this humble blog.

You're obviously passionate about print journalism, but where is the next generation of great writers going to come from?

I'm not sure I am passionate about print journalism. I read and value some of it but my children's generation don't, and they're the ones who will decide its future. There's lots of good writing all over the place, some of it long and some of it short; there's more of it than ever before. The difference is people have great difficulty getting paid for it. I don't know what the answer is. If I did I'd be a billionaire.

I understand you're writing a book about 1971. What, for you, sets that year apart from any other?

It was the last year before rock starting repeating itself. It was the last year before the music business took over and the tail began wagging the dog. It was the last year of all rock stars having hair. It's the annus mirabilis of the rock album. There wasn't a dull moment.

If you hadn't have been hosting Live Aid would you have gone to Wembley for the day?

Frankly, probably not. Those were our years for raising small children and Saturdays were spent ferrying them between swimming lessons and parties. And since I never watch music on TV I would probably have missed it altogether.

Can anything replace the 45 rpm single?

For all sorts of reasons, no. Pop flourished amid scarcity and now it's just another thing which we have an over supply of. That's not to say people don't still like music. It's just that they can never feel what I felt for Good Vibrations because nobody can imagine the background against which it appeared. Two TV channels. One radio station playing no more than ten discs a day.

Is Amazon the new HMV on Oxford Street?

Well, it's bigger, better stocked and a lot more sinister. The thing that shops like HMV offered was an education. You spent hours in the place - in my case, since I worked there, years - and you absorbed a huge amount that it's impossible to absorb nowadays. That's the problem with on-line retailing. Vast choice which you can only glimpse through a tiny window.

Is London getting too big for its boots?

The great thing about London is its complete indifference to what anybody thinks of it. We're really not bothered because we live in London and we wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Once a year Hartlepool supporters descend on the capital dressed as Smurfs or penguins or whatever. This in my experience is the only thing from outside London that impresses Londoners.

Who was the last band you paid to go and see? And were they as good as the first band you went to see?

I honestly can't remember. But since the first act I went to see was Chuck Berry I think it's safe to say that they weren't.

What a bummer, you've just had two dinner party invites land on your doormat for next Saturday night. One from Paul McCartney, the other from Ray Davies. Who do you let down politely?

I suppose I'd go to Macca's because he's living history and my wife would be tickled to meet him. Mind you, vegetarian food is a bit of a drawback. Seriously, I've met lots of famous rock stars and the overwhelming majority of them are only comfortable talking about themselves which makes them not brilliant at socialising.  If I could choose one to socialise with it would be Randy Newman, who's just interested in people and funny about them. He's had me weeping with laughter.

Can you ever read for pure enjoyment or are you always framing a 500 word review whilst turning the pages?

I am *always* reading for pure enjoyment. There is nothing I would rather do. I find it very difficult to read out of duty.  I'm never framing 500 word reviews because they're really hard work. I prefer to write something on my blog because as soon as I'm bored I stop.

It's common knowledge that Penny Lane is the The Beatles' finest hour. But what other two tracks would it share the podium with?

'Help!' and 'If I Fell'.

50 odd gigs

I have huge respect for David Hepworth: a fine writer and broadcaster who, to paraphrase Danny Baker, 'always hits the n on the h.' I found this 2009 Blog of his the other day and thought I'd lift the idea wholesale - and come up with my own 50 odd gigs that are memorable for all sorts of reasons. I hope he doesn't mind.

 Their friends included Alex Harvey and Little Feat

1. Lindisfarne - Newark Palace Theatre, January 1975. My first gig. Riggsby's mum took us. I couldn't believe how loud it was.
2. The Who - Charlton Athletic Football Club, 1976. Forget what I said about Lindisfarne. This was loud. The Guinness Book of Records said so.
3. The Stranglers - Leicester De Montfort 1977. Jean Jacques Burnel came on stage during Steel Pulse's set (who were being all but bottled) and said 'If you don't show them some respect, we're not coming on.'
4. Generation X - West Runton Pavilion, December 1978. It was Riggsby's 18th. After 35 years I finally wrote up my gig review.
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers - San Diego, 2000. They were plugging Californication. In California.
6. Rocket From The Crypt - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut. This band are so good live we recently flew to Barcelona to catch one of their 'one off' reunion gigs. The Glasgow show was ineffable.

 Brentford's finest

7. Nick Lowe - Jazz Café Camden, 1995. This was where he reinvented himself.
8. Joe Strummer - Princess Charlotte, Leicester. Can't have been long before he died. He organised the crowd so all the short arses came down the front and those of taller persuasion stood at the back.
9. Stephane Grappelli - Mansfield Leisure Centre. Can't remember the year but I remember shaking his hand.
10. The Black Crowes - The Garage, Highbury Corner. More bands should do this - they played an acoustic Saturday afternoon matinee ahead of their evening plugged-in show.

They could have been contenders

11. Paul McCartney - Sheffield. The Number One Son's heart nearly stopped when they lit the Live and Let Die fireworks.
12. The Buzzcocks - Retford Porterhouse, 1977. I'd bought their first album that afternoon: I was ready for them.
13. Joe Jackson - Hammersmith Odeon, 1989. Jenny was pregnant and Joe played his new record, Blaze of Glory, in its entirety.
14. Shack - Nottingham, 2004. They kept it together that night. Greatness always alluded them; probably because they didn't always keep it together.
15. Grover Washington Jr - Concord Jazz Festival, CA., 1998. Smooth. Hot.
16. The Monkees - Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. No wooly hats but the other three were there.

It was nearer 9.00 by the time he came on

17. ZZ Top - Marquee, 1983. I stood next to Gary Bushell and Pete Way.
18. Chuck Berry - Ice Stadium, Nottingham, 1991. Late on stage due to haggling with promoter for money.
19. World Party - Wolverhampton Civic. Karl Wallanger unveiled She's The One. It was also the night he probably sacked his guitar roadie.
20. Trippin' Over Wah - British Legion, West Bridgford, Nottingham, 2004. Ten years later and it's still one of the liveliest debut gigs by a band I've ever seen: the Police were called three times.
21. The Sweet - Rock City, Nottingham, 1981. The guitarist had a pint of beer thrown at him. Refused to come back on.
22. The Bees - Rock City, Nottingham, 2005. The guitarist had a pint of beer thrown at him. Refused to come back on. Déjà vu.
23. The Wilsons - Saltburn, 2013. Sting likes them now, apparently.
24. Martin Taylor - I've seen him so many times it's hard to pick one out; I'll go for Rolls Royce Social Club, Derby - we sat on a comfy sofa while Martin played just feet away from us.
25. Aimee Mann - Nottingham. Jet lagged and slightly tetchy she forgot the opening line to one of her songs. But when someone in the audience shouted the prompt she transformed herself.

 'Disco Dan' did the disco. Disco Dan always did the disco

26. The Next Band and Def Leppard - Grantham Guildhall, 1978. Def Leppard were good. The Next Band were better.
27. Long John Baldry - Astoria, Nottingham. He had Dick Morrissey and Jim Mullen in his band that night - they did a fabulous Morrissey Mullen set.
28. Rod Stewart - Nottingham Arena. Forty years since he and Baldry were tearing it up with Steampacket but Rod still knew how to do it.
29. The Cramps - Rock City, Nottingham. Uncomfortable viewing - Lux Interior climbed speaker cabinets and self harmed all night.
30. Arthur Lee and Love - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham. They played all Forever Changes.
31. Rory Gallagher - Nottingham, 1989.  We left after three and a half hours and he was still playing.
32. The Jam - Derby King's Hall, 1977. I remember Paul Weller being angry. No change there then.
33. Neil Innes - York, Fibbers. I love it when he Rutles.
34. Loudon Wainwright - Newark. A great evening spoilt only by Martha.

 They'd been on Top of the Pops the night before

35. Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Northampton Roadmenders. He was dying. He was helped on stage by Derek The Draw. He was sublime.
36. Bellowhead - Nottingham, seven or eight years ago. When I first began to notice people talking, loudly, during gigs.
37. Field Music - Leeds Cockpit, 2012. Field Music were on form; the audience were not - the talking throughout drowned out the band. We walked out.
38. Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby - The Milton Rooms, Malton, 2012. Still railing.

'Do the rat'

39. The Boomtown Rats - Derby, 1977. We went backstage afterwards and got their autographs. Well I was only 16. Bob and the band signed my ticket.
40. Tony Bennett - Nottingham. Proved during one number he didn't need a microphone.
41. Eddie and The Hot Rods/Squeeze/Radio Stars - Leicester De Montfort, 1977. Jools Holland tried to play the concert organ. 
42. Richard Thompson - a pub, the name of which escapes me, in Nottingham, 1986. Just him and his guitar fighting to be heard over the tills.
43. Girl - Marquee, Wardour Street W1, 1980. I saw them plenty around this time - they'd got a residency at Soho's finest music club.
44. Clive Gregson & Christine Collister - The Narrowboat, Nottingham, 1987. Gregson & Collister split. The Narrowboat was razed.

This gig was considerably cheaper...

...than this one

45. The Bootleg Beatles - numerous. Too young to see the real thing, I've filled my boots (as it were) many times - Hucknall Leisure Centre and The Pigalle Club in Piccadilly spring to mind.
46. Dodgy - Exeter Big Top, 1997. The Number One Son's first gig.
47. James Yorkston - Nottingham Bodega. The most respectful audience I've ever seen. Anywhere.
48. The Slackers - Nottingham. Picking up where The Skatalites left off.
49. Jah Wobble - The Maze, Nottingham. He turned his bass up to 11.
50. Pete Morton - The Sun, Pickering, 2014. When we sing together, that's the best of all.

Tune In

Mark Lewisohn, possibly the real Fifth Beatle, is currently having vast quantities of smoke blown up his jacksie for his new epic Beatles tome Tune In; I’ve been following David Hepworth’s attempt to climb the North Face of same and it really is, or so it would appear, the last word on the group’s early years. Forget 1962-1966. And as for 1967-1970, you can only see that far ahead with the aid of the Hubble telescope. No, for this scene setter Lewisohn is concentrating purely on 1942-1962. That’s right; there was still a war on.

I shall, of course, read it myself in the fullness of time; my interest in all things Beatles goes way beyond passing. Until now my main reference point for this period of the group’s life has been Allan Williams’ The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away. Co-written I know, but Williams (their first manager) was there. Many of Lewisohn's references are culled from this book which was written in 1975; only five years after The End. Take the story of a young Richard Starkey writing to the Houston Chamber of Commerce in 1961 looking for work. Williams lobs that in to the mix on page 209, Lewisohn doesn't reach October '61 until page 493. And, still being alive, Lennon (allegedly) read Williams' account and even endorsed it. I wonder if Macca will be as generous with Tune In?