Do all panned albums end up loved? And what’s the most significant record sleeve?

Dec 21, 2025
53 mins

Episode Description

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.

See all episodes

Never lose your place, on any device

Create a free account to sync, back up, and get personal recommendations.