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Nick on Phonic FM 106.8
Playing classic ska, reggae, and dub from the 60s and 70s.
Interview
When are you on? I’m on from 2pm to 4pm every Friday except the first Friday in the month.
What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
I normally start with some classic ska from the 60s, Prince Buster, The Skatalites, Don Drummond. Then I play a bit of rocksteady, which was the music of the late 60s from Jamaica. Then I move into the 70s where reggae really started to happen. It became really interesting and experimental during this time, there was a lot of dub played with people like Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, King Tubby and Prince Jammy who just went wild in the studio and messed about with the mixing desks to get load of echo on tracks. That has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance recently with a lot of English bands being influenced by that era of music. I do play a bit of new ska so Jazz Jamaica and even some new Skatalite tracks.
How did you get into this type of music?
It goes back to where I grew up. I grew up in Birmingham and reggae music surrounded me. It was a great unifying force because it brought black and white kids together at a time great social and political upheaval. It was magical, and I still love it today. I’m into all sorts of music; I’m a passionate music fan but that kind of music really floats my boat.
How long have you been DJing?
I’ve done discos. I did a John Peel tribute disco up in Birmingham. But I’d never done any radio broadcasting before I came to Phonic FM. The principle is fairly similar to doing discos but you do have to think on your feet a lot more when you are on the radio.
How did you start DJing?
It’s always been a long time ambition. I’ve always loved music and listed to a lot of radio. Not mainstream radio, which I don’t listen to at all actually, but I’ve always loved specialist music shows. These days I listen to lot of internet radio because its very innovate and interesting. I think the logical next step was for me to do my own show.
I’m a journalist by profession and I interviewed Alan, the station manager, for a magazine I write for called the Plymouth Diary. During the course of the conversation he mentioned that Phonic FM were looking for presenters and he could tell I was interested and knowledgeable. I suggested I do a show and he invited me in – the rest, as they say, is history.
Can we find DJing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
No, only on Phonic FM.
What was has been your most embarrassing DJing moment?
Playing the wrong track, especially when you have built it up as being fantastic saying “you’ve got to listen to this,” then you play something completely different – that’s is embarrassing.
What has been your best DJing moment?
This whole presenting experience had made me look around for more music and buy more CDs. I really don’t mind that because it has expanded my knowledge and appreciation of the kind of music I play.
Who is your favourite artist?
There are so many they are too numerous to mention. Unfortunately some of the great reggae artists are no longer with us and some of them died quite young like Mikey Dread, Dennis Brown, and of course Bob Marley. It’s a great shame that the reggae scene has died down because some of these great artists are no longer with us.
I think any reggae artist that is still on the scene is worth seeing because they’re a dying breed and they’re not being replaced. The music scene in Jamaica now has completely changed; the golden age was definitely the 60s and 70s.
What is your all time favourite album?
I’ll stick my heck out and say the The Congos and Heart of the Congos.
Where do you shop for music?
I shop on Amazon.
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