Q & A

How did you become involved with the station and your program?
When I showed former Indymedia presenter Alex Whisson an LP of The Third Man soundtrack he insisted I come in a play a few tracks for his dear ma. Ray Grenfell (Indymedia coordinator) figured I may as well come in every week and do the tunes so they could focus on the news and Interviews. I got into Spoonful of Blues by accident when the host didn’t turn up so I raced home, picked up the first pile of records I saw hoping they contained something that resembled blues (fortunately they all did) and hosted the show myself. The other Spoonful guys must have figured that kind of initiative was worthy of a regular gig.

How long have you been with RTRFM?
29th June, 2009.

What do you enjoy most about presenting?
Well to begin with, it legitimises my vinyl habit. It’s the perfect alibi. Also, I relish the challenge of having to come up with something different to present every week – that really lets you know just how much or how little you have on your shelves. Again, good reason to horde more vinyl. Other than that, I do enjoy taking calls from the listeners who are digging the tunes. They’re always very appreciative. Getting to speak to the one and only Joe from Midland when hosting Soulsides (hopefully not for the last time!) was an experience I would recommend to anyone who hosts – the man is a gem.

Strangest experience at RTRFM?
Getting a call from former Spoonful host Tim Walker a couple of hours before I’m due to do a show and he tells me that Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges is coming to the studio to do an interview and discuss the Bridgetown Blues Festival. Of course I agree to do the interview never minding the fact that I have no idea who Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges is, I’ve never heard his music and I’ve never been to Bridgetown. Somehow I managed to pull it off to the degree that nobody listening in would have been any the wiser. Good thing the man was a chatterbox.

Favourite RTRFM program/s?
Soulsides, Spoonful of Blues, Woodstock Rock, Soulsides, Rock Rattle and Roll, El Ritmo, Saturday Jazz, Giant Steps, Soulsides, Global Rhythm Pot, Nostalgia, and I must not fail to mention Indymedia. I also really dig Soulsides.
What do you do in real life?

Currently earning my keep working for DIAC but I tell folks who ask that my real job is presenting on RTR. The studio is easily my favourite place to work. I collect records, mostly of the soul/funk/blues variety. I read whenever I get a spare moment, I’m either reading, eating, watching a film, playing a record, purchasing a record or doing all of the above at once.