Radio Greats

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For the past four decades, Chris Farrell has been on radio stations across the country. He was part of the launch team of Heart 106.2 in London, where he hosted shows for nearly 17 years. He has also enjoyed stints on stations that included MFM, TFM and Horizon Radio.

This week Chris sits down with Luke to share stories of his radio journey. Some of the stories include joining Essex Radio when he was just 10 years old, and working on stations around the country, to landing full time work on MFM, before moving down to Horizon and the Hot FM. Joining a new service in London called Heart 106.2 and what the launch date was like. Moving to America and coming back to the UK to take on work with Radio Jackie and GHR 80's.

Check out some of these airchecks of Chris courtesy of Aircheck Downloads

Also why not give Chris a follow on Instagram @chrisfarrellradio

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He is often dubbed as the King of Nightime Talk Radio, and is currently LBC's longest serving presenter. Having worked in all fields on the station from producing, reporting and presenting - but there is one question, who is Clive Bull?

Well this week he joins Luke to chat about his life and career on the radio and how he became associated with talk radio. Some of the stories we touch upon including getting that passion for radio and starting up a school radio station, before going to the National Broadcasting School. How he turned down a job at Southern Sound to join LBC. How he became associated with nightime radio and also how Peter Cook started phoning in his show as Sven from Swiss Cottage. What the split of FM and AM was like and some of the calls he has taken over the years and what it was like to see LBC go from a Local London station to a National one.

Remember to listen to Clive on LBC every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 1AM and 4AM.

Also follow Clive on X: @clivebull

And listen to these Airchecks of Clive, coutesy of Aircheck Downloads

And watch this documentary of Clive on LBC from 1991 on Youtube.

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Robin Banks is now a Middle East-based executive presentation and communication coach, helping professionals build executive presence, communication coaching, public speaking confidence, presentation coaching and boardroom communication skills all across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and all over the GCC. 

In this second of two parts, Robin sits down with Luke to chat extensively about his radio career. In this episode we range from joining Beat 106 and making great content and breaking almost every rule in the book. Joining KISS FM and beating Capital Radio, before taking time out and starting up a business before returning to the wireless with Leicester Sound and then joining Orion Media and presenting shows across the midlands with Theo the Greek. Moving around the country with stations that included Star FM and Radio Jackie, before moving out to the Middle East, where we find him today.

You can find out more about Robin by visiting his website right here: robinbanks.com

Also check Robin out on Facebook, Linkedln and on Instagram

Also check out these airchecks of Robin, courtsey of Aircheck Downloads

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Robin Banks is now a Middle East-based executive presentation and communication coach, helping professionals build executive presence, communication coaching, public speaking confidence, presentation coaching and boardroom communication skills all across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and all over the GCC. 

In this first of two parts, Robin sits down with Luke to chat extensively about his radio career. In this episode we range from developing the bug, and getting a job at 13 years old on a station in Kilkenny, before joining Chris Cary's Radio Nova. Moving over to Atlantic 252 and what it was like broadcasting on Longwave and some of the Antics he got up to in Trim. Topping the Smash Hits magazine and moving over to Virgin 1215, where he famously announced Chris Evans had died. Joining XFM and how he punched Richard Park.

You can find out more about Robin by visiting his website right here: robinbanks.com

Also check Robin out on Facebook, Linkedln and on Instagram

Also check out these airchecks of Robin, courtsey of Aircheck Downloads

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Currently broadcasting from the Salford Rivera often on a Weeknight after midnight on BBC Radio 2, OJ Borg has had a stellar career on the radio. Whether it was on Galaxy, Kix 96.2 FM, XFM South Wales or Key 103. OJ has many stories to share in this weeks edition.

Why not listen to OJ sit down and reflect on the last three decades on the radio, with some fun stories about his time on air and how a specific programme on Leicester Sound inspired him to start a radio career.

Listen to OJ on BBC Radio 2.

And follow OJ on X: @OJBorg and on Instagram: @oj_borg.

Also listen to this aircheck of OJ on Radio 2 from Aircheck Downloads.

We would like to extend additional thanks to Robin Blamires and Radio Moments for additional content that was used in this weeks edition.

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He's launched the careers of so many singers and bands. He hung out with Wham! and Bananarama back in the days. He's presented on Capital, GLR and XFM. But there is one question.. Who is Gary Crowley?

Well this week Gary joins us for an edition to chat about his career on the radio. Have a listen to how Gary got the bug from radio and how he interviewed members of The Jam whilst he was still in School. How his first radio show was presenting In Concert for BBC Radio 1. What joining Capital Radio was like, the shows he presented and the gods he was around. Why he joined BBC GLR and what the launch of XFM was like and what its like to be back at the BBC with Radio London.

Currently you can catch Gary every Saturday afternoon on BBC Radio London.

Also why not listen to Gary launch XFM here on Aircheck Downloads.

Also listen to Gary here on Youtube, interviewing George and Andrew from Wham!

And follow Gary on X: @CrowleyonAir and on Instagram: @garycrowleyonair

We would like to extend additional thanks to Random Radio Joittings, Radio Rewind, Depeche Mode Wiki Live, Things we Lost in Tapes, FrutierThanThou and TheSoundMaster for additional content.

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For over 33 years Tich McCooey was one of the most recognised presenters on MFR (Moray Firth Radio) presenting almost every show on the station, including Lunchtimes and Breakfast. During his time he came close to presenting The Big Breakfast on Channel 4. And Even presented his show from London, which involved a alteration with Chris Evans on BBC Radio 1.

This week Tich joins Luke on Radio Greats to share many memories of his time on MFR, from getting the bug for Radio, how a demo lead to the Programme Controller offering him the Saturday Chart Show. Presenting Lunchtime and Breakfast, what MFR was like as a station and coming back to present the Tich Mix.

Discover more about Tich and listen to some cracking promos and jingles at Vintage MFR.

Read also about Tich's alteration with Chris Evans here at The Scotsman.

And listen to Tich on MFR Country here on Audioboom.

And MFR's thirtieth anniversay on Aircheck Downloads.

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If you grew up in Ireland during the 80's, then you will no doubt remember listening to Jim O'Neill on RTÉ 2fm. From a career that initially began in the music industry Jim was part of the launch team of 2FM in May 1979, before going onto present shows for stations that included Radio Nova, Century Radio, 98FM and Today FM.

In this weeks edition, Jim sits down with Luke at the formers home in County Wicklow to talk about his radio life. From getting the bug and being part of the launch team of RTÉ 2fm and Century Radio. Creating a character called The Thing, working with Chris Cary on Radio Nova and why he never fancied a career in the UK. Joining 98FM and returning to national radio with Today FM, before returning to local radio with East Coast FM.

Catch Jim every Sunday Mornings for Solid Gold Sunday on East Coast FM 

Also listen to some of Jim's production work here on Soundcloud.

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Often dubbed as The Ugliest Man in Radio or The Mouth, Chris Ashley has spent half a century across the radio, working on stations in Australia, New Zealand, Spain and the UK. These have included being the first Breakfast presenter on Red Dragon in South Wales, hosting shows with Brian Clough and pulling stunts on Radio Trent and presenting Breakfast on Beacon Radio.

In this week's edition, Chris sits down with Luke and shares stories of his life on the radio. Some of these stories include listening to Bob Monkhouse on Radio Luxembourg, and listening to radio in Australia - before joining BBC Radio Brighton. Working on Radio Trent and presenting shows with Brian Clough and pulling stunts at the station. Becoming one of the launch presenters with Red Dragon Radio and banging Madonna records, which lead to a spot on LWT's The Six O'Clock Show. Going up to Wolverhampton and joining Beacon Radio, before moving over to the BBC and presenting shows that included winning a Sony Radio Award and also joining forces with John Challis.

Chris currently host's Breakfast on Celtica Radio and Saturday Breakfast on 45 Radio.

Listen to Chris present on Talk Radio from August 2001 right here on Youtube.

Also listen to Chris presenting on Beacon Radio here from 1987/1988 on Youtube.

And watch Chris' apperance on LWT's The Six O'Clock Show right here.

We would like to extend additional thanks to Bill Everett and Tim Cooper for content and help in this episode.

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If you grew up listening to BBC Radio 2 in the mid 90's then you will probably remember listening to Frank Renton present Listen to the Band, a show he presented for nearly 23 on the network.

But did you know long before he took over presenting duties, he was a musical conductor with the BBC Radio Orchestra and had been a bandmaster in the army. Well in this weeks edition, Frank sits down and shares his memories of how he got into radio and how he took over presenting duties on Radio 2. Also did you know his first presenting job was actually on BFBS?

Have a listen now!

Have a read of Frank's bio right here.

Also listen to Frank host Listen to the Band from December 2017 right here on Youtube.