Cartwheeling into 2026 with the usual cast of rock and roll heroes and pantomime villains. Behind you this week you’ll find …

… Boy George? Rick Wakeman? Chas Smash? Vanilla Ice? Pop stars who’ve done panto

… will there ever be another Rock Knighthood?

… Dylan, Elton, Chrissie Hynde and Lil Wayne mention Brigitte Bardot in songs: but who’s seen any of her films?

… “the Brigitte Bardot idea of beauty was conceived at the same time as the idea of rock and roll”

… Chris Rea’s obsession with Miles Davis – and the tale of Benny Santini

… Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ and ‘Hello’ by the Beloved and their roll calls of saints and sinners

… David saw Bob Marley at the Lyceum but now thinks he’s seen a show that was even better

… the great attraction of cinema is “our furtive dreams in the dark”

… what Van Morrison owes Hugh McCracken for the intro to Brown-Eyed Girl

… and birthday guest Andrew Slattery’s Hepworth v Ellen SmashWaddy reviews quiz!

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Peter Hammill has spent nearly six decades building the most devoted following imaginable – Bowie, Peter Gabriel and Mark E Smith among them. ‘Rock And Role’ tells his invigorating story, beautifully illustrated with photos, cuttings, artwork and memorabilia. Author Joe Banks looks back at his life, impact and captivating way with words, and stops off at …

… the value of looks and charisma in the days when labels hadn’t the faintest idea of the future

… how Hammill “created a world to live inside and broadcast from”

… psychedelic cabaret with wolf masks and blood capsules

… meeting Hammill’s muse and former girlfriend Alice: “50 years later, each still think the other one left them”

… “songs that ask the big questions about life”

… discovering VDGG in 1984 (via Marillion) and piecing together their story in the days before the internet

… public school, Gilbert & Sullivan and the Hallelujah Chorus

… the influence of A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers on Genesis’ Supper’s Ready

… his plans with Mark E Smith and how Bowie had every new album delivered to him all his life

… Charisma, Tony Stratton-Smith and the freedom to experiment

… the intensity of his following in Japan and Italy: “there’s no such thing as a casual Hammill fan”.

Order ‘Rock And Role’ here: https://burningshed.com/store/kingmaker

Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear

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Deck the halls with cheese and Bolly! … and a dish of the usual rock and roll distraction which this week throws the following logs on the fire …

… the greatest Xmas single ever?

… Metal Machine Music, Cut the Crap, Two Sides of the Moon … can panned records ever be rehabilitated?

… how Roxy Music invented ‘rock brand-value’ and turned it into pictures

… Joe Ely and the romance of songs about the American landscape

… Rob Reiner and why that scene in When Harry Met Sally is the greatest marriage of people and ideas

… the real-life moment that inspired Spinal Tap

… “most American pop music is about geography”

… "I keep my fingernails long so they click when I play the piano"

… Jordan Carl Wheeler Davis? Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr? Mystery acts playing Wembley Arena

… the British think America is “fabulous and otherworldly”. Americans think Britain is “quaint”

… plus the magnificent McGarrigles’ Christmas Hour, farewell Hofner and we name the Finnegan’s Wake of rock music!

Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com.wordinyourear

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.