How sweet the sound
The last show in pictures!
Obviously, the Chart Show was technically my last show, but the Chart is the Chart - it's not about me, and it's not about interaction (that dialogue I keep going on about). Thus the final two-hour Saturday show was always going to be the Big One. In the event, it was uneventful, but entirely pleasant, with Richard Herrings in for the duration and nothing specific or structured to talk about. The emails and texts poured in, way too many to read out (and if we had done it would have been a mawkfest), but love was in the room. I threw the playlist out of the window and used an iPod shuffle to dictate the music (I did this during the week and built the running order from a genuine random outpouring from 6,609 songs, from Hey Ya, a "strong opener" which really was the first song that came up, to Only Shallow by My Bloody Valentine, via Amazing Grace, Under The Moon Of Love, Pretty Park by Kevin Coyne and Integration, a spoken-word track by Ice Cube about racial intergration). The two hours flew by, but then they always have done. I've missed that third hour. Richard didn't swear, although he did say the actual name of a nature reserve in Zimbabwe (called Wankie Park) and I'm afraid I encouraged him to do so, like a digital Bill Grundy in a stripy, rave-style hooded top. It was a blast. I managed, I think, to thank everybody who's worked with me over five years, and even though I know in my bones that my voice will one day again be heard on 6 Music, it was the end of an era, and I spent it among friends. You know who you are. And here is a visual souvenir of my last show with Andrew Collins in the title, presented in the most apposite way: all the pictures taken by the two studio webcams: blurry, bleached out and fuzzy, but pure reportage. You could print them, cut them out and make them into a really short, sedentary flicker book.
I like the ones where the door obscures the view of history being made. And here's that final show again, but from the other webcam.
Jude, by the way, is the one with the ginger hair tied up, still on Nashville time, and Catherine is the one with red hair, dreaming of her horse. Note when Richard Herring the actor puts on his shades. It was to cover up for the fact that he was crying. (Unless he was acting. He has had lessons from Robert Dawes.)
Oh yes, almost forgot. Last chance to see . . .
By the way, I am sitting in for the new presenter of what's no longer called the Dream Ticket for a week from April 9. Bit of an anticlimax really, isn't it? See there, if you stay up late!
posted by Andrew Collins @ 9:20 AM
20 Comments
Contact
Andrew at
20 Comments:
Now it's time to come clean. Which were the 'rubbish' tracks you took out?
(and thanks for telling Louise her hair looked lovely, it made her day!)
There was an album track by the Kooks, but I honestly can't remember the other couple, and there's no way of checking.
I really enjoyed the final show, as I have all the others i have heard. Is annoying that I finally now have something to review, and no medium through which to air my views to the nation, so I am going to do it here - I watched about 20 of the 50 most annoying songs on bbc3 last night. It, with the exception of Mr Collins' sensible comments, was either a disaster, or a genius triumph parody of inane talking heads chart rundown rubbish.
Good luck in your new endeavours. My weekend radio listening certainly won't be the same now you've gone!
We all enjoyed your iPod shuffle. Showaddywaddy had out feet tapping & you playing Little Fluffy Clouds as an 'extra' pleased us. Is there any chance of putting up the full tracklisting somewhere, please?
Thanks very much & I hope to see you at the next series of Banter.
I forgot to watch the BBC3 Annoying Songs show, Matt, so I can't comment. Did I have long hair in it? I do hope I was as sensible as you suggest.
Jeanette: yes, looking forward to Banter myself. Here, for anyone else that wants it, is the full tracklisting of my final Saturday show, as programmed by my iPod. (I have also listed the songs that were dropped so that there was time for Richard and I to talk a bit.)
OUTKAST Hey Ya
THE CURE Close To Me (Closer Mix) (from Mixed Up)
ARCHIE BELL AND THE DRELLS Tighten Up
SONIC YOUTH Kotton Krown (from Sister)
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL Mirrorball (from Walking Wounded)
PIPE AND DRUMS AND MILITARY BAND OF THE ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS Amazing Grace (biggest selling single of 1972)
[YOUNG DISCIPLES Move On (from Road To Freedom)]
THE RACE Go Figure
BOB & MARCIA Young, Gifted And Black
TOM WAITS Clap Hands
BILLY BRAGG & WILCO All You Fascists (Mermaid Avenue Vol 2)
TEKITHA Walking Through The Darkness (Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai)
KEVIN COYNE Pretty Park (Millionaires and Teddybears)
OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN Banks Of The Ohio
ICE CUBE Integration (from The Predator – no swearing)
RADIOHEAD Morning Bell/Amnesiac (Amnesiac)
[MORRISSEY I Have Forgiven Jesus (You Are The Quarry)]
THE BOLSHOI Away (from A Life Less Lived compilation)
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA Across The Border (Out Of The Blue)
DEVO Praying Hands (from Rip It Up And Start Again compilation)
[GORILLAZ El Manana]
MY BLOODY VALENTINE Only Shallow
GEORGE HARRISON Awaiting On You All (All Things Must Pass)
THE FALL Breaking The Rules (Fall Heads Roll)
[THE THE I’ve Been Waiting For Tomorrow All Of My Life]
JOHNNY CASH The Wall (from Folsom Prison)
SHOWADDYWADDY Under The Moon Of Love
[TOM VEK If You Want]
GREG HALES JONES She Began To Lie (contains Sea Lion Woman) (The General’s Daughter OST)
CROSBY STILLS AND NASH Marrakesh Express
[AIMII STEWART Friends (Funkin 80s compilation)]
Double Big Finish:
THE ORB Little Fluffy Clouds
DAVID BOWIE Be My Wife (from Low)
Plus: The West Wing Theme
Previously I had approached the music selections on the show as an airing for some familiar tunes, and an interesting introduction to some stuff I hadn't heard before, not all of which I liked, but with the odd insight. This final show was different, as though I still knew some of the tracks and not others, I generally liked the sounds more. What does this tell us about the difference between the AC iPod and orthodox music selection policy? Possibly nothing. But the triumph of course was hearing Integration by Ice Cube for the first time. Brilliant.
It's always a bit sad when something ends. I'll be looking forward to hearing you on Banter. I watched the pictures as a flickr slideshow which was almost as good as printing them out to make a flicker book.
I enjoyed 'The Shuffle'. In the main I prefer the radio shows without a play list, particularly if I'm listening to it rather than it just being in the background while I'm working. I've nothing against the play list but there's loads more stuff ou there that is harder to get to hear. Perhaps when the wheel turns and you go back to regular radio show (as I'm sure will happen) you could have one of those kinds of no-playlist programs; like Maconie but in your own style (e.g. no Nordic Jazz). 'The Shuffle' shows you can play stuff that I have never heard before without going over to the esoteric side. I like to hear stuff from albums that aren't singles. For example, I would never actually buy the Arctic Monkeys second album but I have no objection to hearing the most interesting track off it that will never be released as a single if you see what I mean. To me the album tracks are how I judge a band more than the singles.
Don't let work eat away your weekends. I used to be blond, blue eyed, 6-3, intellegent and interesting until I started working 7 day weeks. I am now a scruffy slightly grey 5-6 bore, so watch out.
It feels wrong to say Under The Moon Of Love was the musical highlight, but it was for me. I can't believe I was six when that came out. There's probably a market for seventies nostalgia - someone should look into that.
It was a sad weekend generally. With the demise of Mint too, there's nothing left in 6Music's weekend line-up that I'd go out of my way to hear. I'm only cheered up by Shaun Keaveny's move to breakfast. I know he's not to everyone's taste but he's the only person to make anything of The Dream Ticket slot (with the possible exception of Jane Gazzo, and now you funnily enough).
Did you thank Robin Ince, by the way? I didn't hear his name but that may have just been me. I wouldn't want you to miss your once-a-series appearance on Serious About Comedy.
Thanks, Andrew
I'll miss your 6 Radio shows - lazy weekend afternoons will be a bit less tuneful for me. Hope you will be back sometime on a regular basis on BBC radio, but think of your work/life balance.
It was a pleasure listening & thanks for reading out a few of my emails. (I sometimes worked in a reference to Billy Bragg to catch your attention...oops, what a giveaway !)
I saw one of your "Banter" recordings last year, great fun, but I missed hearing it on the radio. Good luck with everything & looking forward to your next success.
Thanks for posting the tracklisting, Andrew. All the best.
Loved the show Andrew! Was gutted when your Sunday show disappeared (as you say the chart does not really count even though I still enjoy it)and now can't believe my weekends will now be totally Collins(and Herring)-free (at least for the forseeable future).....(I think I've developed bracket-tourettes)
It is something of a coincidence, though a happy one, that after hearing and very much liking the "spoken word" Integration, I find that David Byrne's radiofeed for April is based on the theme of "vox humana", a collection of recordings that feature spoken word or the human voice manipulated in various ways". Some of it is a little more on Maconie's side of the tracks, but that's cool. A lot of it is fantastic, including some of Byrne's own Music for the Knee Plays, and a couple of songs by Jimmy Durante.
Here is the relevant Hyper Link:
http://www.davidbyrne.com/radio/index.php
Please could you provide the names of the tracks that you used as theme tunes on your show?
Much appreciated.
PS - Apologies, if you have this comment several times; the word verification didn't confirm the message was submitted successfully.
Darren
Those Teatime/Sunday Show/Saturday Show theme tunes in full:
1. IKE TURNER The New Breed Pt 1 (available on Ike's Instrumentals)
2. BRASSY B'cos We Rock (from Got It Made)
3. BLOW MONKEYS Diggin' Your Scene: Extended Mix (from 12"/80s)
4. JAY Z December 4th (from The Black Album)
5. DJ YODA Intro (from The Amazing Adventures Of DJ Yoda)
Dream Ticket update: I will now be filling in for George Lamb on April 12, 16 and 17. And it's not called the Dream Ticket any more.
Thanks for the tracklisting. I couldn't resist downloading the songs from itunes and making my very own "Andrew Collins, the Album". I loved your show, not only because you were very entertaining and are immensly talented, but because you seemed like a genuine great guy who really cared for his audince.
I look forward to hearing you on the radio again on 12th April. W
It will be interesting to see what live sessions you have selected.
Good riddance Twat Voice.
Fuck off and don't come back. Please.
I'm so glad that last caller ended his comment with 'Please.'
Otherwise, it could have appeared rude.
So long and thanks for the blog. Just like The New Yorker. Only about something.
Uh oh. Looks like I'll have to switch back to "comment moderation." Honestly, you leave the back door open, and idiots come in.
I used to love your weekday afternoon shows on 6. My roomie at work and I often sent you anecdotes, which you often read out. We missed you when you went. Didn't have much time to listen at weekends, but it was good to know you were there. (A bit like having a bottle of Baileys in the fridge.) Thanks for the memories!
Post a Comment
<< Home