This week on the Humourology Podcast, we’re joined by the one and only Pete Paphides — music journalist, broadcaster, author of the award-winning memoir Broken Greek, and founder of the record label Needle Mythology. If you’ve ever wondered how humour and heartbreak co-exist in the melodies of memory, Pete’s your man.
Pete’s extraordinary journey from a shy, silent boy in a Birmingham chip shop to one of the UK’s most distinctive voices in music journalism is at once hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply human. With a mind tuned to the subtext of pop and a pen that turns pathos into poetry, Pete masterfully connects the dots between music, identity, and emotion — all while making us laugh out loud.
🚀 What to expect from the episode:
🎧 Humour as a Superpower: Why Pete believes the funniest people are using their ‘cleverness to spare’—and how humour can elevate storytelling, communication, and connection.
🎒 From Elective Mute to Cultural Maven: How silence gave Pete the superpower of observation—and why being a misfit might be your biggest asset.
🎶 The Soundtrack of Self-Discovery: Why Brotherhood of Man, The Baron Knights, and Baggy Trousers meant more than just pop—they were survival, satire, and soul.
In this intimate and illuminating episode, Pete shares why he believes bathos is the highest art form, how the voice in your head can be both your worst critic and your best comedy writer, and what happens when you meet your childhood idols and they’re… human. With references from Peanuts to Paul McCartney, from Spinal Tap to Greek sitcoms, it’s a rollercoaster of wit and wisdom.
And yes, he also reveals the worst thing Willie Nelson could say to you after an intimate encounter — and why knock-knock jokes might just be the perfect punchline to life’s most profound moments.
Pete also speaks about the funniest businessperson he knows — his wife, Caitlin Moran, the brilliant columnist and bestselling author, whose wit and wisdom light up every room (and home).
📚 If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favour: Pete’s acclaimed memoir, Broken Greek, is available now. It’s a beautiful, moving, and funny exploration of childhood, music, identity, and family. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry — and you’ll never hear Brotherhood of Man the same way again.
This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt out of place, obsessed over pop lyrics, or just wondered why the Bee Gees meant so much more than disco. Pete Paphides proves that humour isn’t just a tool for survival — it’s a language of love.
See you next Tuesday.
Warmest,
Paul x
