David Hepworth

I come from Yorkshire. I'm a qualified drama teacher, if you're interested. I worked in a London record shop in the 70s. At the same time I started writing for music papers. After a year with an independent record company I took up writing and editing full-time. I joined Smash Hits in 1979, not long after it launched, and became the editor. I then went on to oversee the launch of magazines like Just Seventeen, Q, Empire, Mojo, More and Heat in the 80s and 90s. At the same time I was also broadcasting for the BBC. During the Live Aid concert of 1985 I was sworn at by Bob Geldof in front of what was then the world's largest TV audience, an incident which has now turned up in Britain's favourite film. I write about radio and podcasting for the Radio Times. I blog here and podcast thereI suppose I became a book writer in 2016 with the publication of 1971: Never A Dull Moment. People who haven’t read this describe it as my argument that that 1971 was the “best” year in pop music history. I think it’s a bit more nuanced than that, but then I would, wouldn’t I? It inspired a film from Apple TV. I still haven’t seen that film but you might like to. Then there was a collection of short pieces called Nothing Is Real, which contains my “essay” The Beatles Were Underrated, which a lot of people seem to like. “Uncommon People”, which came out in 2017, was about the rise and fall of the rock star, from Little Richard to Kurt Cobain; A Fabulous Creation” which was published in 2019, is about our love affair with the long-playing record and Oversexed, Overpaid And Over There (2020) is about the Special Relationship between the UK and the USA as it pertains to pop music. Then there’s my history of the studios at Abbey Road and my very hard pop quiz book The Rock & Roll A Level. My next book, which will be called Hope I Get Old Before I Die, is coming out in September.

I have a few copies of the titles mentioned above, which I can sell to people who would like autographed copies. Please get in touch via the form below.


Contact me
For general stuff please fill in the form. (If it’s not working try mail@davidhepworth.com.)
I am represented by Charlie Viney at The Viney Agency. For books enquiries please contact Sally Wray at Penguin Random House.