Archive for the 'radio' Category

How did I miss Radio 2?

One minute I’m kidding myself that I’m still too young to listen to Radio 2. The next minute I’m finding Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross’s phone calls to Andrew Sachs a bit puerile (and unlike most of the 10,000 people who complained to the BBC, I have heard them).

So that means that I’m now too old for Radio 2. What the hell happened there?!

See, George Lamb IS a tosser.

Have a look at this: http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/when-hardeep-met-les#comment-57497

I can’t bear listening to the man, but David Hepworth confirms the nation’s suspicion that BBC 6Music presenter George Lamb is a tosser, he knows or cares bugger all about music which is a bit of a failing when you’re on a station that claims to take music seriously.

A few months ago I had the misfortune to hear his interview with Martha Wainwright - he was clearly less interested in the music than in chatting her up. I assume he’d only agreed to speak to her on the strength of the cover photograph of the amusingly-titled I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too.

By the way, worth scrolling to the top of that Word magazine page to hear the cringeworthy BBC WM interview - thanks Westy!

In watermelon sugar the deeds were done…

Richard BrautiganJust took my Richard Brautigan anthology off the shelf and it looks like I haven’t read it in a while.

The bookmark is one of the strips of paper BBC World Service studio managers used to write their shifts down on.

On this day I did shift A4 which consisted of the following:

  • 1700-1730 Thai PO Box recording in S14
  • 1730 in S35 for a Somali transmission, on air at 1800. Jonathan Haine was panelling
  • 1930 in C33 for a Ukranian transmission on air at 2000. Tania Garner was the panel SM.
  • 2045-2315 in the Newsroom. So, no change there, then.

On the back of the sheet I had written the words ‘Surplus Affection’. Mmm.

Turned out nice

Two nice things happened to me today.

  1. The doctor’s receptionist casually mentioned in passing that my chest x-ray was normal. I’ve been dreading the result for weeks…
  2. Alone in a lift at work, the door opens… and Alan Johnston walked in.  Very odd, very very nice. Suddenly face to face with what is now a very famous face. I had 30 seconds alone, chatting with Alan. Put a great big smile on my face.

Radio 4 Go Home

05:20 Shipping Forecast
Nappies and motorbikes. Rising. Good.

06:20 Today
Posh bird tries to finish over-running interviews by repeating the first syllable of guest’s name. Humphries harrumphs. Sport bloke makes joke which falls flat as no-one else on the programme gives a toss about sport.

11:30 With Great Pleasure…
…I hurl the radio out of the window because I hate my middle class Le Creuset-pan-and-Dualit-toaster existence. Well, I tried but the DAB radio got snagged on its mains lead and it only got as far as the quarry-tiled floor.

12:30 Smug, Unsmug
With our host, Nigel Smug.

18:15 Loose Ends
This week Ned’s guests include comedy duo Toss and Pott, fresh from their sell-out Edinburgh Fringe show. Plus music from jazz trio Chisolm, currently appearing at Pizza on the Park.

01:00 As BBC World Service
Thank heavens, now I can get some proper sleep.