MIM - S02 EP02 - James Campion

01/16/23 • 56 min

Misadventures in Music with Ian Prowse & Mick Ord

Millions of words have been written about The Beatles so why would James Campion spend 2 years writing ANOTHER one?

You could be excused for thinking, "Either he's jumping on the bandwagon to earn a quick buck or because he has something genuinely original and thought-provoking to say."

Thankfully 'Take a Sad Song - the Emotional Currency of Hey Jude' charges headlong into the latter category.

In Misadventures in Music episode #14 Ian Prowse and Mick Ord meet New York based author, journalist and broadcaster James who reveals many of the fascinating layers to Hey Jude.

Yes, it was written by Paul McCartney for John Lennon's son Julian who'd just seen his parents split up after John left the family home for Yoko Ono, but the song is SO more than that, as James explains in his critically-acclaimed book.

He takes us back to 1968 (the Year of Revolution, according to many social historians) when the band appeared on the David Frost show in front of the cameras to sing Hey Jude in front of a studio audience (well, THREE studio audiences actually) for the first time in 2 years, having given up touring in 1966.

James takes us behind the scenes of that performance and explains why and how the song became a worldwide number one single and why, in his view, it's the best song they ever recorded.

As one of the contributors to the book says, " It was 7 minutes we needed at the time'

Find out more on James' website - www.jamescampion.com

Millions of words have been written about The Beatles so why would James Campion spend 2 years writing ANOTHER one?

You could be excused for thinking, "Either he's jumping on the bandwagon to earn a quick buck or because he has something genuinely original and thought-provoking to say."

Thankfully 'Take a Sad Song - the Emotional Currency of Hey Jude' charges headlong into the latter category.

In Misadventures in Music episode #14 Ian Prowse and Mick Ord meet New York based author, journalist and broadcaster James who reveals many of the fascinating layers to Hey Jude.

James takes us behind the scenes of that performance and explains why and how the song became a worldwide number one single and why, in his view, it's the best song they ever recorded.

As one of the contributors to the book says, " It was 7 minutes we needed at the time'

Find out more on James' website - www.jamescampion.com

Previous Episode

MIM S02 -EP01 - Post Punk with Russell Craig Richardson

In the new season of Misadventures in Music' (episode 13) Ian Prowse and Mick Ord take a deep dive into the UK's Post-Punk music scene (1978-1982) with New Jersey-based writer and filmmaker Russell Craig Richardson who has been working on a documentary film about the genre, having lived among many of the musicians in the UK at the time.

He talks about some of the leading characters, including those he interviewed such as Jah Wobble from Public Image Ltd. and Paul and Steve Hanley from The Fall.

Russell's a great storyteller and his musical choice contains more than a few surprises as well as post-punk classics.

Watch the trailer for the documentary on the website here

Next Episode

Frank Collins and Sweet Soul Music

It's difficult to imagine now but back in the early sixties, soul was 'underground' music in the UK - rarely played on the radio, and only appreciated by a small number of aficionados.

Within a few years, records by artists on the Tamla Motown label would sell in their millions but in the very early 60s, very few people had heard of it.

Among a small cult of fans was a Liverpool teenager Frank Collins who went on to form a blue-eyed soul band The Excels who later played at the Cavern Club, not singing rock n roll or Merseybeat, but soul music with intricate harmonies.

Frank's 60-year career would take him onto the singles chart with the band Arrival then the British soul/funk pioneers Kokomo and later working with Bob Dylan, Bryan Ferry, Tom Robinson and many more.

He's still writing and performing regularly today.

We're delighted to have Frank as our special guest on this month's Misadventures in Music with Ian Prowse and Mick Ord

'Bill Harry's Sixties Snapshots - on Arrival/Kokomo' - https://sixtiescity.net/Mbeat/mbfilms191.htm

BBC Four soul documentary- 'When Motown Came to Britain'.

Urbanista Music Podcasts

Playlist :

Money - Barrett Strong

Be My Baby - The Ronettes

Friends - Arrival

I Will Survive - Arrival

A Little Bit Further Away - Kokomo

Romance in Durango -Bob Dylan