John Earls
Encyclopedia
John Earls is an influential British music journalist, broadcaster, and columnist, best known for his work as chief writer and editor of Planet Sound
on ITV
's and Channel 4
's Teletext
on analogue television and online. He has contributed widely in UK media by writing for the News of the World
, When Saturday Comes
, and the Sunday People amongst other publications.
. He wrote reader reviews for Blue Suede Views on ORACLE
and for Doctor Who Magazine
in 1987 at the age of 14. He started writing professionally as a freelance in 1990 for football magazines 90 Minutes and, after completing a month's work experience
there, When Saturday Comes
. After completing a year's journalism course at Harlow College
in 1992, Earls became a showbiz
interviewer for The Sunday People, a post he left in 1999. Two months later, he became a teen entertainment interviewer for Teletext
, the successor to ORACLE.
. During his career, Earls has interviewed many acclaimed musicians. He is considered by the BBC
as one of the most influential and impartial UK-based music critics and broadcasters of recent times. Earls has set up a record label
, WET, with friends. He also makes irregular appearances as a stand-up on the London comedy circuit, and has shared bills with comics including Brian Damage, Ross Noble
, Paul Foot
, Paul Chowdhry and Iain Lee
.
Planet Sound
Planet Sound was a Teletext music page on ITV and Channel 4 in the UK. It was broadcast on analogue Teletext from page 340, and on digital Teletext from page 820. From May 24, 2007, Planet Sound was also available to read online via the Teletext website...
on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Teletext
Teletext
Teletext is a television information retrieval service developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. It offers a range of text-based information, typically including national, international and sporting news, weather and TV schedules...
on analogue television and online. He has contributed widely in UK media by writing for the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
, When Saturday Comes
When Saturday Comes
When Saturday Comes is a monthly magazine about football, first published in London in 1986. "It aims to provide a voice for intelligent football supporters, offering both a serious and humorous view of the sport, covering all the topics that fans are likely to talk about, whether serious or...
, and the Sunday People amongst other publications.
Early career
Born on 25 August 1972, Earls grew up in Milton KeynesMilton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
. He wrote reader reviews for Blue Suede Views on ORACLE
ORACLE (teletext)
ORACLE was a commercial teletext service first broadcast on ITV in 1974 and later on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, finally ending on both channels at 23:59 GMT on 31 December 1992....
and for Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
in 1987 at the age of 14. He started writing professionally as a freelance in 1990 for football magazines 90 Minutes and, after completing a month's work experience
Work experience
Work experience is the experience that a person has been working, or worked in a specific field or occupation.- Volunteer work and internships :...
there, When Saturday Comes
When Saturday Comes
When Saturday Comes is a monthly magazine about football, first published in London in 1986. "It aims to provide a voice for intelligent football supporters, offering both a serious and humorous view of the sport, covering all the topics that fans are likely to talk about, whether serious or...
. After completing a year's journalism course at Harlow College
Harlow College
Harlow College is a Further Education college in Harlow, Essex. It was preceded by its homonym, a boys' boarding school situated in Old Harlow, which closed in 1965 ....
in 1992, Earls became a showbiz
Show business
Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz, is a vernacular term for all aspects of entertainment. The word applies to all aspects of the entertainment industry from the business side to the creative element ....
interviewer for The Sunday People, a post he left in 1999. Two months later, he became a teen entertainment interviewer for Teletext
Teletext Ltd.
Teletext Ltd was the provider of teletext and digital interactive services for ITV, Channel 4 and Five in the United Kingdom.-Origins:Teletext Ltd started providing teletext services for ITV and Channel 4 on 1 January 1993, replacing the previous Oracle service which had lost the franchise...
, the successor to ORACLE.
Planet Sound and beyond
Earls became a writer for Teletext's music section, Planet Sound, 18 months after joining the company. He was named chief editor of the publication in 2001 and was at the post until its end in January 2010. He wrote the whole of the magazine, including news, single and album reviews, and features. Earls became synonymous with Planet Sound and his work was often cited by other publications. He currently writes the Rated music column for the News of the WorldNews of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
. During his career, Earls has interviewed many acclaimed musicians. He is considered by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as one of the most influential and impartial UK-based music critics and broadcasters of recent times. Earls has set up a record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, WET, with friends. He also makes irregular appearances as a stand-up on the London comedy circuit, and has shared bills with comics including Brian Damage, Ross Noble
Ross Noble
Ross Markham Noble is an English stand-up comedian, brought up in Cramlington, Northumberland, England.Noble rose to mainstream popularity through making appearances on British television, particularly interviews and on celebrity quiz shows such as Have I Got News for You...
, Paul Foot
Paul Foot (comedian)
Paul Foot is an English comedian. He commands a significant cult following called The Guild of Connoisseurs. Foot is known for his musings, rants, 'disturbances' and apparent aversion to pop culture...
, Paul Chowdhry and Iain Lee
Iain Lee
Iain Lee is a British comedian, and a television and radio presenter. His career began when he performed stand-up comedy gigs across venues in London. He subsequently became co-presenter of the comedy current affairs show The 11 O'Clock Show on Channel 4 and RI:SE...
.
Music reviews
Earls lists the following albums as ones readers should own, apart from "the obvious great ones they'd already own":- Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
– Very - My Life StoryMy Life StoryMy Life Story are a British indie pop group who peaked in the mid to late 1990s, when they were regarded as part of the Britpop movement. Fronted by singer/songwriter Jake Shillingford, the group was formed in London around 1991, and inherited their name from an earlier group in which Shillingford...
– Greetings from Mornington Crescent - The DelgadosThe DelgadosThe Delgados were a Scottish indie rock band from Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The band was composed of Alun Woodward , Stewart Henderson , Paul Savage and Emma Pollock .-Biography:...
– The Great Eastern - The Teardrop ExplodesThe Teardrop ExplodesThe Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single "Reward" the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s, the group also launched the career of group frontman...
– WilderWilder (album)Wilder is the second album by neo-psychedelic Liverpool band The Teardrop Explodes, and the final completed album released by the group.... - The NationalThe National (band)The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
– AlligatorAlligator (album)Alligator is the third album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band The National, released in April 2005. The album brought The National critical acclaim and led them to headline a tour, with opening act Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The album was on many year-end top 10 lists, including Uncut and Planet...
External links
- John Earls at Planet SoundPlanet SoundPlanet Sound was a Teletext music page on ITV and Channel 4 in the UK. It was broadcast on analogue Teletext from page 340, and on digital Teletext from page 820. From May 24, 2007, Planet Sound was also available to read online via the Teletext website...
- John Earls at News of the WorldNews of the WorldThe News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
- Interview with John Earls at The Music Fix