The advice I have trawled through for demos in recent years is awesome. It's all noted down in my big notebook and I can only hope that it serves to help me make a bang-tidy 3 minutes of myself...
It's a hard ol' task whittling down hours and hours of material in to a couple of minutes. It's even harder than awards entries because with an entry, people set aside time to actually listen and judge it. With this battlefield people have genuinly made up their mind after a couple of seconds.
But heck, everybody's in the same boat. The audio sieve is a ruthless sifter, and fingers crossed my half-decent stuff has made it through to soundcloud. I've actually had a good time putting together some new showreels - it's been ace to look back over some really proud moments at Key103 and some fun & games on air at Wire FM, with Kish on Shock Radio and also doing the SRA Selector shows.
I've been having a right ball presenting, and a right ball producing! So I'm in no hurry to sway you either way, if you've got three minutes to spare then pick your poison, and I hope a smile gets bought to your face for whichever you choose...
Thursday, 2 January 2014
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Key103's Mission Christmas
Mission Christmas started back in November with the lofty target of raising £1m worth of toys for underprivilaged kids living in Greater Manchester. I had worked fleetingly this campaign in 2012 and was struck by the enormity of the whole thing. The fact that the Arco warehouse - Mission HQ - was brimmed with toys, the constant ringing of phones with listeners wanted to get involved, the many drop-off points. I think in 2012 around £850k was raised both in toys and cash donations for the cause, which was awesome.
I didn't feel my involvement in 2012 was much of note, and having stepped up my role at Key103 in 2013, I was eager to get amongst it and help make a difference.
It's always very easy to be blase about charity, what with the mass of organisations out there all doing a stirling job for the great many worldly causes, it's too easy to bury ones head in the sand. I wanted to at least try and make whoever listening to Key103 to stop and truly put themself in the shoes of somebody in the UK, in this day-and-age, NOT recieving a Christmas present. It was a heartbreaking thought on the surface of it, and when I actually delved deeper, it became apparent just how much this appeal meant. It was an education for me, too.
Over the course of the campaign I recorded a whole range of society in Greater Manchester. Asylum seekers, widows, disabled parents - you get the picture. I also spoke to some children at local primary school, who brought to life the very reason Mission Christmas exists. To hear them explain to me how Mission makes them feel - how they felt that kind donations made them think somebody cares - was the epitome of the campaign, for me.
Hearing this content come to life on-air provided quite a few proud moments, because the reaction from listeners proved the messages were hitting home. The OBs I produced from the Hamleys intu Trafford Centre and the Arco Warehouse showed just how massive the whole operation was. It was ridiculous to walk in to the toy-store of these places (well, Arco was one big toy-store), and see the outrageous volume of donations, it was genuinly awesome.
I felt very humble over Christmas, as I reflected on the work that not just myself but the whole Key103 and Cash For Kids team had put in. To raise, in the end, £1,070,611.86p worth of toys was absolutely incredible. For the 150,000 impoverished kids in Greater Manchester, Key103 made a difference to their Christmas.
I interviewed Jimmy, and after hearing his story I went back with presenter Adam Catterall and produced this film. It really was an real eye-opener.
Another film I produced as part of the campaign was totally different. I produced it as part of the show I usually work on, Key103 Hometime. OJ Borg boarded the Flight Of Dreams, which put 50 families on a plane (most of whom would be experiencing a flight for the first time), and flew them to find Santa Claus...
I didn't feel my involvement in 2012 was much of note, and having stepped up my role at Key103 in 2013, I was eager to get amongst it and help make a difference.
It's always very easy to be blase about charity, what with the mass of organisations out there all doing a stirling job for the great many worldly causes, it's too easy to bury ones head in the sand. I wanted to at least try and make whoever listening to Key103 to stop and truly put themself in the shoes of somebody in the UK, in this day-and-age, NOT recieving a Christmas present. It was a heartbreaking thought on the surface of it, and when I actually delved deeper, it became apparent just how much this appeal meant. It was an education for me, too.
Over the course of the campaign I recorded a whole range of society in Greater Manchester. Asylum seekers, widows, disabled parents - you get the picture. I also spoke to some children at local primary school, who brought to life the very reason Mission Christmas exists. To hear them explain to me how Mission makes them feel - how they felt that kind donations made them think somebody cares - was the epitome of the campaign, for me.
Hearing this content come to life on-air provided quite a few proud moments, because the reaction from listeners proved the messages were hitting home. The OBs I produced from the Hamleys intu Trafford Centre and the Arco Warehouse showed just how massive the whole operation was. It was ridiculous to walk in to the toy-store of these places (well, Arco was one big toy-store), and see the outrageous volume of donations, it was genuinly awesome.
I felt very humble over Christmas, as I reflected on the work that not just myself but the whole Key103 and Cash For Kids team had put in. To raise, in the end, £1,070,611.86p worth of toys was absolutely incredible. For the 150,000 impoverished kids in Greater Manchester, Key103 made a difference to their Christmas.
I interviewed Jimmy, and after hearing his story I went back with presenter Adam Catterall and produced this film. It really was an real eye-opener.
Another film I produced as part of the campaign was totally different. I produced it as part of the show I usually work on, Key103 Hometime. OJ Borg boarded the Flight Of Dreams, which put 50 families on a plane (most of whom would be experiencing a flight for the first time), and flew them to find Santa Claus...
Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Dave Pegg
Currently sat on a train craving a brew. WHERE'S THE SERVICE TROLLEY?! On my interior I'm having a mini rage, on the outside I'm typing away furiously and listening to Gabrielle Aplin. I found out today via a lovely email from Wembley Arena that she is supporting John Mayer this weekend. It's my Dad's birthday present from me this year - a Mayer gig, which I'm sure will promise supreme guitarwork, bluesiness and country vibes. I'm excited, and so is Papa Chad.
It'll be awesome to escape this week's rigmarole and take some down time. This week seems to have been a craze pot of constant diary events, early starts, late finishes, but above all a LOT of fun.
I'm ever so content to be working all the hours under the sun, working at my goals and having a good laugh. This week I hosted the second, and certainly my favourite of the two SRA Selector shows I have done so far. 2/2 - back of the net.
With Robbie Boyd in town I was pleased to catch up with him on the phone for the show this week - his new song Under My Skin sat alongside music that's been delighting my lug holes this past week. New additions to my favourites list have got to be Wolf Alice, Lea Lea and George Ezra - who I saw a few weeks ago in Notting Hill. He's got a brooding, deep voice and delectable acoustic guitar work. Worth a listen, and his track Budapest is a free download on his website!
Today - alongside pals Connor and Jen - I was honoured to interview Dave Pegg, who is the bass player with Fairport Convention and who has played with, and booked for the Cropredy festival, outstanding musicians such as Richard Thompson, Ralph McTell, Steeleye Span and many many more. His back catalogue of CD credits is way to vast to contain to a blog post. We once bumped in to him in a foggy-headed daze at the Cropredy after-party and he amused us for a solid 45-mins with tales of touring and his life in music. To catch up with him in the humbling setting of Banbury's oldest building, Ye Olde Reine Deer Inn, was a slightly clearer-minded affair.
I stuck 5 Hooky's on the slate and sat in the pub's Globe Room, a cute room round the back of the bar lavishly decorated in rich mahogany (no leather bound books), paintings of immense landscapes, rustic oak floor and a grand fireplace. Dave and I got talking about pubs, their importance for villages and communities, how they get on board with the Cropredy festival and how crucial real ale and local music are in village life. It's for a documentary-ballad, which we're making as a 3-parter exploring Villages, Pubs, and Hook Norton Brewery as the engine room behind a huge array of cracking local pubs.
This is one of the last cogs in the machine for the documentary, most of it is now assembled with Dave's sections, some final recording in Morton Pinkney, and finally the excellent music of our local singer-songwriter Franc Sutherland who is composing original music for the programme. It's an incredibly exciting point in production, we're so close to tieing the knot after a summer of recording and editing. I'm really eager to hear the finished doc and indeed Connor's film, which follows the same subject thread. It will be set for a December broadcast.
Monday, 14 October 2013
Back again..
This blog has been dormant for a while now, dormant like a sleepy volcano. Time to turn the page and fill you in with the current fun and games...
Since my last post a few months ago, nothing's changed on the Key103 front, still loving my work there and it seems to be snowballing in the right direction!.. Indeed I've made a wee video of all the awesome stuff:
Since my last post a few months ago, nothing's changed on the Key103 front, still loving my work there and it seems to be snowballing in the right direction!.. Indeed I've made a wee video of all the awesome stuff:
Third and final year at uni is upon me - so 5Live style radio shows and documentary projects await... I'm excited to get started with next semester's final project. We have free reign over a documentary project and can spend a whole semester producing it.
I'm currently in the throes of a doc about countryside village pubs, and how the twee, one-man-and-his-dog stereotype of the countryside is far from the case in this bustling community of pubs and locals, all fuelled by family-run nearby Brewery: Hook Norton.
I'm eager to hear the original songs created especially for the doc by a musician we're working with - as soon as they're written/recorded, that doc will be on it's way to air, and I'll be turning my gaze towards the final year doc.
Presenter gigs have been the object of my strife this past summer - demo'ing left-right-centre and working on feedback to try and land a show. Well right at the end of the summer, I managed to get one, then another!
Firstly the exciting opportunity to present Saturday afternoon's on Wire FM - part of the UTV group. A good few hours of airtime each week to have a bit of banter, tell some stories and play some music. Thrilled to bits with that - I feel like an excitable terrier.
And within a few days of the news of Wire - a show I'd applied for called The SRA Selector got back in touch to tell me I'd been successful with that!
Wee bit of background - The Selector is produced for the British Council - by top London production company Folded Wing - to showcase the best British new music across the world. The show broadcasts in 39 countries globally and reaches an audience of 4 million people! I've now got a chance - along with 5 other people - to broadcast the SRA Selector on my student radio station, which is Shock Radio. A chance to chat about my favourite subject each week - new music. First show's on Wednesday. I'm excited.
I went down to a training day at Folded Wing, which was awesome: masterclasses and tutorials about the show and presenting new music radio. As if that wasn't good enough, we all went for a few beers in the evening and sampled the local ales. Managed to get a few people keen on Strava - a cycling app that maps your routes and shows how well you compared against other cyclists! And in return I have come away with an app called Untappd - a social network for beer drinkers!
The new chapter begins with lots of exciting projects on the blend, and many more to come!
I went down to a training day at Folded Wing, which was awesome: masterclasses and tutorials about the show and presenting new music radio. As if that wasn't good enough, we all went for a few beers in the evening and sampled the local ales. Managed to get a few people keen on Strava - a cycling app that maps your routes and shows how well you compared against other cyclists! And in return I have come away with an app called Untappd - a social network for beer drinkers!
The new chapter begins with lots of exciting projects on the blend, and many more to come!
Friday, 10 May 2013
Awards and London
Last week I won the award for the most raucous celebration after the announcement of the Bauer Show of the Year nominations.
Before we get to that, I'll tell you about the fun we've had leading up to it all. Alas, here we go, whilst I crunch on my Sula fruit mix. Sugar free.
I work on OJ Borg's Hometime show on Key103, last year we had a right laugh working on bits and pieces for the show. One of my favourite but cumbersome features to produce was the House of Pain, pitting local rivalries against each other in the a physical battle for bragging rights. Whilst the nation enjoyed Bake-Off, we had the Key10-Tea Afternoon and the Key103-Tea-Mergency Services running to the rescue of those continuing to work in the rain!...we had a great year full of features and continually learning. I worked as many hours under the sun and fitted uni work in around Key103, which suited me.
Food update. Sula fruit mix have been devoured. I've found Turkish Delight from Christmas, still uneaten, which is sugar-coating my keyboard as we speak.
To progress the tale, I put together our awards entries for the various industry awards at the start of the year. I put in my own Cropredy Festival documentary too. Took absolutely ages to put these entries together, and I did so with hope but not massive expectation.
Key103 are owned by Bauer, and they have a huge internal Bauer awards party in May where all the stations from around the group put in for various things.
Last week was that very party. I awoke at 7, made for Manchester Piccadilly train station and got aboard. Gin'O'Clock arrived, and then we had our own Anchorman quiz, making up our own questions. 'What was a bad choice? Milk.' We also attempted to name, in chronology, the James Bond films. We're so middle-class aren't we?..we arrived into Euston and got aboard a coach. I was bewildered at this point with the scale of the event and couldn't believe I was a part of it. We arrived at the Park Plaza on Westminster Bridge. It's a lovely part of town and it looks even nicer with the sunshine! Blazers off, we toddled inside to the drinks reception where I necked my first drink of the day- a lemon Vodka martini - and basked in the sadness of Q Radio's demise with Kev, who also present(ed) on the station.
It was awesome to have the whole radio sector of the company in one room, about 1000 people. All downing Vodka Martinis. A few drinks in, we made our way to the... what do you call it? Awards room? Main room? Function room? It's a little more than a 'function room' - loads of tables seating the various stations, TV cameras filming everything, big bad graphics, my old boss doing the deep voiceover, a neon blue night that made you feel as if you were in the engine bay of a car from 2Fast 2Furious, and silver troughs of wine and beer on each table.
We sat down, got treated to a 3 course meal consisting of the best cut of the cow, a chargrilled courgette and a tiramisu with raspberry coolie. I'm a student. My plate was soon cleared and I made for the pick'n'mix.
Talking of food, I've just found Reece's Peanut Butter Cups (also from Christmas). I'm home for the weekend and this stuff just hasn't been devoured. I'm amazed.
The awards began and Key103 soon picked up some nominations, to the delight of all close by. Then the Show of the Year category popped up, and believe it or not Key103 Hometime with OJ got a nod! I leapt out of my seat as if my team had just scored a goal in the Champions League Final and flung my arms in the air. A little over-reaction I think. But who cares, I was delighted. Hard work had received some recognition. Although we didn't win, I felt so chuffed that we'd got noticed, really proud to be part of the show and to have had a big hand in the entry.
We'll win it next year for sure.
The awards finished, drinks continued flowing, and then the afterparty begun. I nipped off to Covent Garden at this point to meet my mate and have some dinner. We put the world to rights over a gin and tonic, then set off in search of a pint in Soho. Bad move being the bank holiday weekend. We retreated to homely vibes of a pub on Baker Street for another G&T. All in all, a very successful day, which left my brain absolutely shattered. It's one thing drinking all day, it's another to drink and socialise all day. Anyhow, we'll be doing exactly that x5 days at Glastonbury. wheeeyyyyyy, roll on Glasto.
The following morning we headed to Golden Square for a coffee and a cinnamon bun in the Nordic Bakery. I am going to build a Nordic Bakery next to my flat and have a cinnamon bun and a coffee every morning. My taste buds danced all the way back to Manchester.
Before we get to that, I'll tell you about the fun we've had leading up to it all. Alas, here we go, whilst I crunch on my Sula fruit mix. Sugar free.
I work on OJ Borg's Hometime show on Key103, last year we had a right laugh working on bits and pieces for the show. One of my favourite but cumbersome features to produce was the House of Pain, pitting local rivalries against each other in the a physical battle for bragging rights. Whilst the nation enjoyed Bake-Off, we had the Key10-Tea Afternoon and the Key103-Tea-Mergency Services running to the rescue of those continuing to work in the rain!...we had a great year full of features and continually learning. I worked as many hours under the sun and fitted uni work in around Key103, which suited me.
Food update. Sula fruit mix have been devoured. I've found Turkish Delight from Christmas, still uneaten, which is sugar-coating my keyboard as we speak.
To progress the tale, I put together our awards entries for the various industry awards at the start of the year. I put in my own Cropredy Festival documentary too. Took absolutely ages to put these entries together, and I did so with hope but not massive expectation.
Key103 are owned by Bauer, and they have a huge internal Bauer awards party in May where all the stations from around the group put in for various things.
Last week was that very party. I awoke at 7, made for Manchester Piccadilly train station and got aboard. Gin'O'Clock arrived, and then we had our own Anchorman quiz, making up our own questions. 'What was a bad choice? Milk.' We also attempted to name, in chronology, the James Bond films. We're so middle-class aren't we?..we arrived into Euston and got aboard a coach. I was bewildered at this point with the scale of the event and couldn't believe I was a part of it. We arrived at the Park Plaza on Westminster Bridge. It's a lovely part of town and it looks even nicer with the sunshine! Blazers off, we toddled inside to the drinks reception where I necked my first drink of the day- a lemon Vodka martini - and basked in the sadness of Q Radio's demise with Kev, who also present(ed) on the station.
We sat down, got treated to a 3 course meal consisting of the best cut of the cow, a chargrilled courgette and a tiramisu with raspberry coolie. I'm a student. My plate was soon cleared and I made for the pick'n'mix.
Talking of food, I've just found Reece's Peanut Butter Cups (also from Christmas). I'm home for the weekend and this stuff just hasn't been devoured. I'm amazed.
The awards began and Key103 soon picked up some nominations, to the delight of all close by. Then the Show of the Year category popped up, and believe it or not Key103 Hometime with OJ got a nod! I leapt out of my seat as if my team had just scored a goal in the Champions League Final and flung my arms in the air. A little over-reaction I think. But who cares, I was delighted. Hard work had received some recognition. Although we didn't win, I felt so chuffed that we'd got noticed, really proud to be part of the show and to have had a big hand in the entry.
We'll win it next year for sure.
The awards finished, drinks continued flowing, and then the afterparty begun. I nipped off to Covent Garden at this point to meet my mate and have some dinner. We put the world to rights over a gin and tonic, then set off in search of a pint in Soho. Bad move being the bank holiday weekend. We retreated to homely vibes of a pub on Baker Street for another G&T. All in all, a very successful day, which left my brain absolutely shattered. It's one thing drinking all day, it's another to drink and socialise all day. Anyhow, we'll be doing exactly that x5 days at Glastonbury. wheeeyyyyyy, roll on Glasto.
The following morning we headed to Golden Square for a coffee and a cinnamon bun in the Nordic Bakery. I am going to build a Nordic Bakery next to my flat and have a cinnamon bun and a coffee every morning. My taste buds danced all the way back to Manchester.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)