Mark Ellen and David Hepworth defined the UK’s music papers from the eighties onwards, with the wonderful Smash Hits, Q, Mojo and The Word. They presented The Old Grey Whistle Test and Live Aid – apparently because they and their Whistle Test producer were the only people “who knew how to put a thing like that on television”.
Mark Ellen was even in a band called Ugly Rumours.
With former prime minister Tony Blair.
Both have written acclaimed books, with David Hepworth’s latest release “Overpaid, Oversexed and Over There: How a Few Skinny Brits with Bad Teeth Rocked America” out now.
And in between all of that, the dynamic duo also continue the spirit of The Word Magazine through a YouTube channel in which they interview the celebrated music writers of the day.
And also, as it turns out, this writer.
They were both extremely charming and let me babble away about my book and my record collection. The result can be found in the latest episode of Word In Your Ear.
I’m especially pleased with their description of me as a “revered vinyl addict”, only the last two words of which my family would agree with.
The whole thing is, of course, perfect for anyone wanting to hear me wittering on about the book: Every Record Tells A Story: A Vinyl Handbook, which I’m sure you hardly need to be told is available from the i40 shop (demand has, rather wonderfully, been strong, and we’re having to print another run, so do get your order in fast!) – link is here.
Every record tells a story 
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