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I was going to tap it out on here, but if I am to occasionally buy myself a homemade flapjack at the British Library cafe, I need a bit of pocket money, so I pitched it to the Guardian and they took it. I'm sending you from one blog to another. It's my "coming out" about Smooth Radio. Read it here. So far, the comments have been anything but vitriolic, which is a change.
posted by Andrew Collins @ 10:49 AM
23 Comments
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23 Comments:
I miss Jazz FM, which when I first started listening to it in my 1st year at uni ('97) actually played jazz, so I couldn't really bring myself to listen to Smooth FM.
Besides, if I want music in the car, at home etc. I have CDs, a Media Centre etc. My radio dial is firmly stuck on Radio 4, apart from the odd stray onto Zane Lowe's R1 show.
I prefer "real time" radio in the car, especially, so CDs don't do the trick. And even though I might like the music, I am too old for Zane Lowe's delivery.
If everyone votes here http://www.goodbaad.com/topics/1022-smooth-radio you could get a pretty good idea of where you fit in with the rest of the world (when it comes to Smooth Radio)
'Too old for Zane Lowe's delivery'?
Granted he can be a bit over the top at some points, but I think his enthusiasm matches the style of music he plays. Also, he seems to be one of the few DJs who actually seems to enjoy what he plays, and his passion for it shines through when he presents.
Also, is there likely to be podcast this week? Could this be the first week without one? Not that you don't deserve the break, of course!
> I prefer "real time" radio in the car, especially, so CDs don't do the trick
Strangely I'm the opposite, as I can't abide music radio these days, but can listen to CDs or MP3s for hours on end while driving.
Always nice to see your byline in the Guardian, though as you were effectively puffing up a GMG radio station, I suspect it wasn't too difficult to get them to bite.
I'm with Tristanod. I used to listen to Jazz FM on the dark, noir-ish and melancholic drive to work as a croupier in central London in the early 2000s (and Danny Baker on the way home at 6am, gawd bless 'im) so it holds a special place in my heart and I was devastated when it was rebranded.
I've recently found that Absolute nee Virgin is dependable for the shower radio, as I can usually dodge the indie shovelware, and it seems like they're always playing One Day Like This by Elbow, which is just fine by me.
But I do give a cheer when it's Smooth not Magic on the late-night cab ride home.
BBC DAB Radio is a wondrous thing though. Spent a Sunday recently tiling my kitchen listening to Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads followed by a great show from that feller out of The Fun Lovin' Criminals....just ace.
Hoops McCann
Recording podcast this afternoon.
Thank you Andrew, I feel I can now 'come out' to being a listener of Classic Gold FM. It's like a little security blanket of nostalgic songs for me. People think I listen to XFM...
Out of curiosity tuned into Smooth FM (if that's what one does with internet radios) and they were playing the decidedly unsmooth climax to Led Zep's Dazed and Confused. But certainly not complaining - hadn't heard that for a while.
When I finally was able to access JazzFM I I didn't hang around, as by then it was dominated by really cheesy sub-Kenny G smooth jazz.
Woo Hoo! (to the podcast news)
I'm the same. I suppose I feel like I may be missing out on something by listening to cd's or mp3's in the car. So I listen to mostly talk/news radio and a little classical.
Stunningly, I firmly believe that, overall, Irish radio is better than English. RTE's classical station treats classical music as a very broad church and has some excellent world, jazz, blues shows and one in particular which is across the board and is exceptionally good. Not sure of john Jelly is well known outside Ireland but his afternoon show - The JK Ensemble - on Lyric is utterly towering if you'll forgive the hyperbole.
Whereas Radio 3 seems to play endless bloody Messien.
Unfortunately, the car is pretty much the only place these days where I can play the music I want at the volume I want. So for that reason live radio tends to give way to mp3s most of the time. Though I'll occasionally grab the radio news on the hour to see check whether a major world event has taken place where it's imperative that I know exactly where I was when it I heard about it.
I gave it a go the other day on your recommendation, and it was all going so well - but then the ads came on. I can't do commercial radio, I just can't
I'm mostly 5live these days, despite still listening to a lot of music. I'm a big fan of Capital Gold (as was) cos it plays only stone-cod classics. I'll dip into Xfm and 6Music.
The thing for me is that I used to listen to t'wireless to discover new music. I now do that entirely via t'internet.
I'm with Five-Centres here. Listening to adverts on the radio is like being continuously poked in the chest. BBC Radio trails can be just as bad, mind, but they only last around 30 seconds. So I too just don't do commercial radio.
Thanks for the tip Andrew.
I just tuned into this station thirty seconds ago after reading your article: SOS by ABBA was on, followed by Oh No Not My Baby by Manfred Mann and then unfortunately, some rubbish by Will Young, quite catchy though. They almost made it, I suppose.
I have to admit normally the prospect of Mark Goodier and Tony Blackburn would have made me run a mile. But I'm obviously mellowing in my old age.
Not great reception though, where I am in Edinburgh. But I'll tune in again and see what it's like. Though I suspect the adverts will kill me off pretty quickly.
Your former colleagues Messrs Riley, Coe and Robinson are still introducing me to new music (in much the same way Peel did) and it continues to fire my interest. Much as enjoy a good old classic, if the last 10 tracks played on Smooth are are anything to go by, I think I'll stick to 6Music (for all its other faults!)
Fair enough, Al - a fine triumverate of broadcasters, all - but I was really talking about daytime radio. A lot of stations improve after dark!
I take your point Andrew - I've kind of given up on daytime. I'd rather work in silence.
Absolutely nothing wrong with liking Smooth Radio, at least on the drive home or if Bev Bevan is on. Breakfast time it seems to be indistinguishable from Heart and local radio, in terms of playlist and banter.
I think probably the best DJs at present are (in no order)
Gideon Coe
Mark Riley
Radcliffe and Maconie
Tarbuck and Freeman
Chris Evans
Steve Lamacq
There are some local stations that offer eclectic mix, but they seem to be playing to small audiences anyway.
As for Zane Lowe - When Brand New was on - I enjoyed the exposure to up and coming artists, but save for odd guest with a personality, Gonzo is quite boring, and does he really need to shout before a track (granted it was the premiere of Stockholm Syndrome by Muse, but still), I mean Lamacq never raised his voice, but heightened your expectation by using phrases such as 'upping the ante', and 'personal favourite'.
machine levine
Bob Harris on Radio 2 is marvellous. No ads, no Razorlight, true variety of good music, and his wonderful silken tones.
Andrew, I must correct my earlier post. It turns out that what my internet radio lists as "Smooth FM" is actually "Rock Radio". Hence Led Zep.
"Smooth FM 102.2" is apparently what I should have picked and, as advertised, is playing smooth stuff (Going Loco down in Acapulco - that's going to be stuck with me for the rest of the day).
It seems there are 7000+ internet radio stations available worldwide, so the search for the best may take some time.
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