I see Johnnie Walker is starting a new Rock Show on Radio 2.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Johnnie, mainly from his time on the Radio 2 Drive time show. He’s the antithesis of the drivel-talking, fired-up local DJ: he clearly loves music, and he isn’t overly concerned with what’s popular or current. I wouldn’t say he’s changed my life, but he’s been a very welcome audio passenger in my car for many years.
On the other hand, I firmly believe that Chris Evans is a whoopee cushion in human form, and I have to change station whenever he’s on.
Which DJs do you like/remember fondly, and who makes you want to smash your wireless?
Also enjoy listening to Johnnie. The dj’s over the years who I warmly recall are only those with a clear love of the music they were playing, and it’s a sadly short list: Johnnie, Peel, Kershaw and Roger Scott. And would someone please put Steve Wright out of my misery.
Hey – let’s have the great, much-missed Charlie Gillett on that list, too.
I never was able to hear him. Living in Shetland meant that only the national BBC stations reached us in those pre-internet days.
And Whispering Bob.
I was going to mention The Bomber. Much more listenable than Peel, who I’d tune into then not like at least half of what he played.
Radcliffe and Maconie know their stuff….still unfairly get shuffled around…they should get a quiet evening spot where they dont have to put up with the BBC enforced silliness
Not so much a DJ as a general presenter but … I’m working from home today, a fairly uncommon event (dodgy knee, not virus). I have had the radio on and flipped about between Radio 3 and Radio 2, and heard a small section of Jeremy Vine’s programme as a consequence. Dear God. I already knew that he was inanity thinly smeared into human form, but surely there are limits? Back to Radio 3 it is then.
The Fantastic Four:
J Walker – since I was a kid it seems.
J Peel – hanging out the end of my tent smoking reefer with JP on the earbuds. Bliss.
Fluff – THE GODFATHER OF ROCK. No contest for weekend afternoon fun and loud frolics.
A Kershaw – when feeling lively and tolerant of a professional Northerner.
Smash my wireless? God, let me count the hosts of those.
Gary Crowley. I used to drive to the top of a hill to listen to his Radio London Sunday afternoon “Demo clash” show.
Occasionally I accidentally catch Steve Wright and his fawning minions which means that occasionally I want to throw the radio against the wall.
I like JW too. Actually like quite a few of the 6 Music jocks, probably prefer Maconie to Radcliffe. In the past, Peel, Jensen, Long, Matthew and, yes, Read.
@dai
I liked Mike Read too. Played some decent stuff. And Kid Jensen while I think about it,
Mark and Lard should be back on the Breakfast Show.
He bought me a beer once. Ages ago I worked shifts with a girl who, during the quiet moments, would ring in to his evening show. They developed a bit of a rapport and the upshot was that he asked her out for a drink.
To keep it all clean she asked me and another to accompany her to the boozer on Dover Street opposite The Ritz in London. He rolled up on a motorbike and bought us a drink. He was perfectly proper and very nice though he paid very little attention to me.
The End.
I listen to 6 Music on the computer while I’m working. I was very annoyed when Radcliffe & Maconie got moved to the weekends. Still, at least there’s the listen again feature. I didn’t like Gideon Coe at all when I first started listening to 6 Music, but I think he’s one of the best of the 6 Music presenters. I also like Marc Riley’s show. Mary Ann Hobbs’ voice drives me nuts, though. It sounds like she’s constantly on the verge of bursting into tears. I cannot listen to her.
Peel was the one, though. I liked his style, I liked (most of) the music. I heard a lot of stuff that I would never otherwise have heard. He was a big influence on my musical taste.
Agree completely on RadMac (and a thumbs up for Radcliffe’s incarnation of the Radio 2 folk show) and the excellent Gideon Coe. Also cannot bear Mary Ann ‘pretentious, moi?’ Hobbs. Peel Junior is (voicewise at least) a dead ringer for the old boy, and seems to maintain a similar philosophy (this is a good thing).
I always loved the old Alexis Korner blues show. A hugely knowledgable, talented (and very modest) man, and one of the best voices that ever graced the airwaves. Paul Jones also did a brilliant job for many years. Pity it’s now helmed by the appalling Cerys Matthews. I just cannot stand her squeaky voice. Horrible. 6 Music Sunday mornings are only bearable when Tom Robinson fills in for her.
I probably haven’t seriously listened to the radio in 35 years, but back in the 80s, Peel was too esoteric for me but I did enjoy Annie Nightingale’s show, also Tommy Vance’s Friday night Rock one. Another cautious hand in the air for Mike Read, as well.
Prior to being a teenager, Kenny Everitt was the man, also liked some guy who did a show that was interspersed with comedy clips (Adrian Just? John?), and I must admit to rarely missing the Jimmy Saville show that did 3 decades of charts – was ..um.. exposed to a lot of great music through that one.
I can’t hear Echo Beach, or Werewolves of London, or Soft Cell’s Martin, without being transported back to the Sunday evening homework shift in my teenage bedroom with Annie on the radio.
TV on the radio. Oh yes. He played all of Led Zep II the week of came out didn’t he?
I remember Peel playing ‘Viva! Roxy Music’ in its entirety when it was released in 1976.
Fluff played several tracks off Houses Of The Holy the week before it came out – sanctioned by the band of course, who held him in high regard.
I also recall Percy himself ringing in (along with Coverdale and others) when Fluff was doing his final Rock Show*.
*Thinks: I’ve got a decent tape of that show somewhere….
Fluff: responsible for my first ever exposure to the mighty VdGG….
FWIIW.
Johnnie Walker – always loved that he wouldn’t play the bay city rollers on principle.
John Peel – didn’t like all he played, but I loved listening to him all the same.
Kid Jensen (early 80s version)
Janice Long – always enthusiastic & loved her radio 2 overnight show when I worked night shifts in a power station.
Alex Lester – just made for broadcasting to night shift workers.
Simon Mayo – loves him on radio 1,2 & 5 live, but have not listened to scala radio yet.
Stuart Maconie – excellent in his own/ with Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe – always liked him (solo/Lard/Maconie)
Anne Nightingale.
Mentioned in despatches – Zane Lowe & Mike Read (before he disappeared up his own arse – OOAA).
As anyone got a clue how Liz Kershaw is still on 6 music?
I used to like Alexis Corner; lots of good r’n’b, jazzier sounds, old cuts
and fluff, alright?
Peel was great until about 1982 when he lost me.
Alexis Corner . . . brilliant, evocative theme tune:
I can remember hearing JW’s farewell show back in what would have been 1978. I’d bunked off school and just before he finished I got a call demanding to know where I was. The rest of the day went downhill pretty fast.
I was also a TV on the Radio fan – his larger than life sthick probably wouldn’t go over as well now. I’m probably alone here in looking back fondly on Chris Evans stint on Radio 1’s morning show, but I had a long commute back then to a job I didn’t like and his show each morning was 2 hours of playlist free escape. What he did on R2 was barely a shadow of what went before.
I’d love to say Peel was a staple of my listening but that only became true when he moved to Radio 4 to do Home Truths. I’ll also say that the Rev Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir do a sterling job on Saturday Live, and it’s not the same when they aren’t on.
And one DJ I could never get comfortable with – Paul Jones on his R2 blues show. Not sure why – it just sounded stilted and hard work.
Nicky Horne on Capital in the late 70s. His 9pm show introduced me to non pop stuff.
Ah yes …. “Your Mother Wouldn’t Like It”.
I used to listen to the first hour from 9 to 10 p.m., and then turn the dial to Peel on Radio 1.
I must have a shout out for Mark Lamarrs rock and roll shows, very knowledgable on a genre of music i knew little about. A have a few of his recommendations in my collection now.
Seconded. I also enjoy following his Reggae / Rocksteady/ Ska recommendations on Twitter these days.
He also should be up for some kind of special accolade for being the only DJ I’ve ever heard play ‘Raw Power’ by The Stooges on afternoon drive time radio ( on GLR in the 90s).
Yes, I miss Lamarr on the radio. If anyone’s interested you can find many of his old Radio 2 shows online at Gods Eternal Jukebox. No reggae unfortunately but God’s Jukebox, Shake Rattle & Roll and Alternative 60s are all there.
mixcloud.com/godseternaljukebox/uploads/
I read Chris Evan’s autobiogs and he came across as a bit humble, and couldn’t believe his luck being on the radio.
But he just comes across over-excited, and downright annoying.
Johnnie Walker was perfect for the drive home, and Simon Mayo did a similar job.
Never warmed to Mayo on Radio 1, but his drivetime shows were well presented, a bit of intelligence and humour, and some of the musical choices were refreshing (if he could somehow lever in Half Man Half Biscuit he wouldn’t let the opportunity pass)
Mike Read was the Radio 1 Breakfast jock when I were a lad. I liked his weekend shows too – despite reputation, he played some good stuff (and did actually like the music he was playing)
Now:
I’ve long admired Steve Lamacq’s presenting, even if he does try to be wilfully obscure
I wasn’t convinced by Lauren Laverne at first – enjoy it now.
And I may be the only person that actually enjoys Liz Kershaw’s show on a Saturday afternoon
“Mike Read . . . did actually like the music he was playing”.
He’s a real music fan, or at least he was in 1976 when he and I used to stand side by side in various Reading junk shops flicking thru the 7″ singles! He once knocked a pile of discs onto my hand and said “sorry mate” to which I replied “‘s alright”. Our new friendship never really took off after that promising start tho’.
He had a daytime show on Radio 210 with a bloke named Steve Wright (which they cleverly called the Read & Wright Show) but it was his late night solo show at the weekend that impressed me. Callers were invited to ring in and stump him with obscure music questions and he was rarely – very rarely – beaten.
He’d gone by the time I started to listen to 210 – do remember hearing the name sitting in the back of the car.
Read was one of the authors of those Guiness Book of Singles/Albums, and you just felt he’d read and remembered large chunks of it.
Turned into a bit of a Smashie and Nicey type – always playing tennis with Cliff Richard and Shakin Stevens
Shakin’ Stevens playing tennis just calls out for the Viz treatment…”Shortly after his glorious stint with Fulchester United, gifted sportsman Shakey moved on to grace the lawns of Wimbledon with his uniquely wobbly service action”.
Actually the Hep was good on GLR – “Two hours of bloody good music”. I first heard Iris Dement in a live session on that show.
I am a card-carrying member of the Peelite Tendency, even though I will confess that an awful lot of the stuff he played was unlistenable. But his enthusiasm and the way that he would play whatever he fancied, regardless of whether it was in or out, was so endearing.
If you have not seen it, this will bring a tear to your eye.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wayEYxa0xCo
Not many other Radio 1 DJs there but Fluff makes an appearance. I now begin to understand what a very decent bloke he was. And a great DJ
Peel said it best: “Fluff is the greatest out-and-out disc jockey of them all”.
Goodness me, that’s lovely stuff; cheers, kaisfatdad.
Glad I got the chance to watch that – hadn’t realised it even existed – thanks!
A wonderful half hour, thanks for posting it. They don’t mention it but he was among the crowd in Dallas on the day when JFK was killed. At the time of the shooting though, he says he was ” on the lavatory”.
Another vote for the fabulous Johnnie Walker and Roger Scott. I used to like Richard Skinner too back in the day. As for those who make my toes curl, they really are too numerous to mention – Dave Lee Travis (I cheered when he resigned from Radio 1 on air), Steve Wright, Simon Bates, Gary Davies – pretty much all of that self-regarding Smashie and Nicey crew from Radio 1.
Current pet hates include Chris Moyles (drivel as art form), Evans, and the execrable Vanessa Feltz – sample script from every identical show she has inflicted on Radio 2’s early morning listeners: ‘Me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me……….”
It’s easy to forget what familiar household names Radio DJs of the time were. There’s a good book about the end of the Smashie and Nicey era by Simon Garfield, The Nation’s Favourite. It’s out of print but sellers on Amazon have copies from 50p
Another recommendation from me for “The Nation’s Favourite”. It’s a really fascinating look behind the scenes at how DJs were hired and fired and why it needed to happen when it did..
While I’m here, how on earth has Steve Wright survived all these years? His show is completely unlistenable. All that dreadful, fake “crew” nonsense and the most pathetic “interviews” on radio. “Serious jokin, no J!” and then there’s “Love the show…” Oh get lost.
I’m afraid Radio Two at the weekend really irks me:
Anneka Rice, Tony Blackburn, Dermot O’Leary, Graham Norton, Rylan, Liza Tarbuck, Paul O’Grady, Claudia Winkelman and back to Vanessa Feltz,
You’re OK with Craig Charles then?
Yes. He chooses good music on the whole. I could do without the chat, though.
Loved JP of course, but the earliest DJ who saved my life was TV on the Radio, Thomas the Vance.
Many an early teen Friday evening spent in front of the wireless, thinking “It’s not just me, then…”
David Rodigan
“Roots Rockers” on Capital Radio, starting in 1979.
Now that was a reggae show.
Good man, Ram Jam.
Good call, ducool.
I’m sure he also co-hosted a reggae hour with Tony Williams on BBC Radio London (the station that became the beloved GLR). I learned a lot from that show & got my first pointers to nights at the Bouncing Ball in Peckham.
It was years before I learned Rodigan was white (!) & I was later very confused to discover a jazz drummer called Tony Williams & didn’t know for sure they were different people!
Another vote for JW, also Fluff, Kid Jensen (he read out a dedication for me and the future Mrs. T on our wedding day!) Mike Read back in the day, Simon Mayo was always good on R2 and most of the others already mentioned above. I loved Peel when he was on Radio 1 on Top Gear, but he lost me a bit later on. Anyone else remember the Singing Bridge Of Memphis Tennessee by John Fahey..?! Kenny Everret and Dave Cash were fun. Alexis Korner on Sunday night was wonderful – I remember him playing some live Eric Clapton and pointing out how he called the key changes to the band…I still listen out for that!
Noel Edmonds was actually good on, I think, Sunday mornings in the early 80s – introduced me to stuff like the Eurythmics. Makes me think that most DJs sort of had their moment.
I really miss Brian Matthew – I grew up with him on Saturday Club and Easybeat and I always got the impression he loved what he played – he was like an uncle on the radio.
Edmonds used to play some good stuff even earlier than that – I recall when he played Jeepster for the first time (1971) and interupted the playback to say “WHAT did he say???” at the point that Bolan yells “I’m gonna suck ya!”. Much hilarity for my friends and I at the time.
Got all the way to the end and nobody has mentioned Danny Baker. Might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but no disputing he knows his stuff & is enthusiastic.
I used to wallow in the joy of Danny on a weekend morning. Never really thought of him as a DJ though – more a presenter who could make you laugh several times a minute and keep your attention for the whole show without apparently trying.
His old Radio 5 show is supposed to be coming back as a podcast sometime this year.
It’s been running for a few months now, 2 shows a week. He’s revived the old GLR title ‘ The Treehouse’. As yet, they haven’t found a way the run the sausage sandwich game.
Available at: https://pod.link/1487661371
Thanks!
That show used to make me cry with laughter…turmoil.
I have a confession…I quite liked Nicky Campbell as a DJ, he used to play some decent stuff as I recall, and seemed to have a genuine interest in music. He also expanded his remit to include discussion and interviews with prominent figures; I remember him interviewing a young, engaging MP called Tony Blair and thinking ” I can picture that guy as Prime Minister some day”. Campbell has evolved into an excellent broadcaster, and in Long Lost Family he is outstandingly empathic.
I used to enjoy the late night Radio 1 sequence when Campbell was followed by Whispering Bob. TBH, I find him rather annoying these days, comes over as a bit too full of himself for me.
It’s been said on AW before, but Mary Costelloe ( sp?) was great on GLR on a Saturday night in the 90s – great sessions from touring artists & a superb selection of soul & country – & that great musical place where they intersect.
As far as I can tell, she disappeared off the radar completely after her GLR days & it’s almost like she never existed!
A real shame, she was a great musical guide full of passion & big pals it seems with the immortal silver fox, Charlie Gillett.
When I lived in West Wales in the mid-’70s the local BBC transmitter was underpowered and both TV and FM radio reception was poor where I was.
A stronger FM signal was often available from Ireland for some reason, especially in the evenings. “Dave Fanning Rocks” on RTE2 was pretty good listening on cold, wet winter nights.
From 1972 listening to the Tuesday Chart run down was my introduction to Johnny Walker and stayed listening to him during 74 75 when he used to get readers to send in with their favourite songs by certain artists and compile their top 5 – one song a day – Monday to Friday. Hey Jude was the fave Beatles tune.
Peel 10 – 12. From early 1977 to maybe late 80’s – then occasionally until they moved him to the weekend. Used to listen to the 7 – 10 pre Peel slightly new wave-ish slot variously occupied by Read, Jensen, Long – Long the best.
Used to listen to Dave Fanning on RTE 12 – 2 in early 80s. Music like Peel but lots of face to face interviews – Echo and the Bunnymen, U2 nearly every week, I still remember a long Bob Geldof one from 1982 at the time of In the Long Grass.
Discovered GLR in the mid 90’s – Robert Elms – which I still listen to on line, Johnny Walker again, Gary Crowley and Mark Lamarr who had every every single old punk guesting.
Started listening to Radio 2 from like late 90’s – it was documentaries that first got me in, then drive time – can’t remember who was on at first, then Johnny Walker again!, Stopped mayble 2010 when i started listening to 6 music. Now only tune in for … guess who? Johnnny Walker 70’s show – I actually think the choice of music is pretty safe and comforting – not good things in my book, unlike the supremely well curated and interesting Matthew’s 60’s show – but I like the man.
Been listening to 6 music – pretty much all day long for about a decade now. I think of it as Radio 2 for post punks – ie all the old favourites and new young bands that sound like that old stuff. No particular favourites but Liz Kershaw’s show has grown on me – always try to listen to it when I can – and I think Chris Hawkins is under-rated, although not under-used as he has more radio hours than the rest, just tucked away when no-one apart from larks like me – is listening.
My girlfriend rates Iggy Pop as a DJ. What do you guys think?
His choice of music is good, but his droneing voice is not easy to deal with.
I do like Marc Riley’s show whenever I catch it.
Alice Cooper does a radio show too. Brilliantly, he shares interesting historical facts along the lines of his cameo in Wayne’s World.
In his early years, Kenny Everett had excellent taste (early promoter of Bowie), and his shows are creations of beauty, using one-off jingles and sketches, sometimes recorded at home. Remarkable.
And my favourite American DJ Wolfman Jack. Johnny Otis was good too – I have a couple of his shows I need to post on mixcloud
I see the Controller of Radio 2 is leaving his job. This must be the easiest job to do other than very occasionally changing the breakfast and drivetime shows. Otherwise it’s Bruce,Vine and Wright forever.