Worcester Music Forum

Andrew presents The Friday Session Introducing... on BBC Hereford & Worcester every week from 7pm. 

Do you see yourself as a radio presenter who is fan of live music, or a fan live music who just happens to have a radio show on the bbc?

I've always been really keen in working in radio - right from an early age, because of my broad love of music, plus an appreciation of all things local. Before getting involved with The Friday Session Introducing... I was organising band nights in Hereford on a weekly basis. Having DJ'd for years, and seen some incredible bands, I thought it was such a shame not to see any of it being promoted locally. So I took the bull by the horns, chose the quietest night of the week, and made it busy.

I did that for about two years and regularly pulled packed out venues. I never thought of putting two and two together, because I never thought BBC Local Radio would buy into it. So I was amazed when I had a phone call saying "Andrew - we're going to start this show - and we want you to be part of it". I already had hundreds of local music CDs!

So to answer the question, a bit of both. I have great fun doing the show - and I'm really loving the 7 to 10pm slot just talking about what's happening locally and having a great laugh in the process.

You do alot for local music on the Friday session, but do you think that local radio (bbc or commercial) could do more?

 I think the BBC is doing all it can in the present climate. I'm part of a panel of "new music experts" across the BBC - and together we try and listen to every CD sent into us. 26 local radio stations are playing local music - many of which have been inspired by us (take Shropshire, for example).

We've also helped pave the way for BBC Introducing to work well on BBC Radio 1. BBC 6 Music are the latest guys to jump on board, and now everyone is sharing their best tracks, and we're hearing some absolutely blinding tracks. This year Malvern's Sam Isaac played Glastonbury, Redditch's Sunset Cinema Club played Lattitude, I went to Bestival - and this was all the beginning of BBC Introducing. Then Sam played the BBC Electric Proms. Recently Sam Isaac and Luke Leighfield have played Maida Vale - and seriously, they wouldn't have had that opportunity if it wasn't for the Friday Session.

Steve Lemacq explained it well - they quite simply isn't enough hours in the day to listen to the volume of music sent into national radio. So with us guys giving them one CD a week, they can forget entirely about an area - and they do send stuff back to us. So from festivals to gigs to airplay - I think we've achieved tonnes in our first 8 months or so - and we're soon to get together to talk about where we go from here. I think the BBC website will be next thing to really get on board.

 I think the music scene in Herefordshire and Worcestershire has exploded in the last couple of years. Everyone was so nervous about original material musicians - and were sticking with cheesy covers bands.

The music scene was just boring and old. I remember starting band nights in Hereford and started working with loads of other pubs and clubs, and really getting things off the ground. Then one pub landlord got really funny feeling I was taking his trade away from him - yet I was offering to do nights for him too. I think he learnt the hard way - there was a demand for good quality original music - and a great crowd to follow it, and unfortunately he wasn't prepared to embrace it. Since then, and going on BBC Hereford & Worcester, loads of venues have tuned in and take our word for some of the best local musicians - plus the active musicians have heard a whole lot of talent through the show.

I know everyone talks about MySpace - but it's a great website if you know what you're looking for - and that's where we come in. There's also a load of festivals starting up and we're not seeing a single covers band gracing the stages - so maybe the success of local music has been to the peril of those playing Mustang Sally every night of the week

Any bands that you can recommend looking out for?

I think all of the names you know are the ones to watch out for in 2008. Because it's a Worcestershire based website, I'll rattle off a few from this side of the border. The Capital could really go far - they've won so many competitions - it's just a case of getting their music into the right hands. And What Will Be Left Of Them? still never cease to amaze me - and could go as far as the B52s! Sam Isaac is certainly one to watch out for in 2008 - he was described by Huw Stevens on BBC Radio 1 as "incredible - I recon he's going to be bigger than James Blunt" - chance'd be a fine thing! The regular Lockjaw Records signings will continue to be successful - particularly overseas because of their signings. The Amateurs, The Brazilians and Man Over Board are also groups who could sit comfortably on the BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 playlist - which is the key to a number of top ten singles. Speaking of which, Dodgy from Pershore and Redditch will chart again. That's for sure.

What do you like best about being on the BBC?

I like the variety the job will throw at you. One minute you might be listening to a local music track, the next you may be out reporting on a big story, then working in an office, getting lost in a radiocar somewhere, interviewing somebody with a fascinating story to tell (which I guess, you shouldn't be interviewing them if they're boring), then programming a stage at a festival. The variety is amazing - and it's great to work around a group of people who're so switched on.

They call it "the most creative organisation in the world" and I think if you're given the free run we're allowed, you can certainly achieve it. It's very fun and you don't go home until everything's done - so there's no stress either.

What are your plans for 2008?

I'm currently working with about 7 local festivals, and arranging our own stage for us to put on who we want. This won't just be a great opportunity to play in front of a large audience, but will also be broadcast live on BBC Hereford & Worcester. We get loads of press that way too. For the show, I'm currently recording bits with all the bands I can so they introduce their own music, rather than me becoming repetitive. That'll free me up to have a good laugh, make the show fun to listen to, while always getting the message right.

I'm also working with a load of industry professionals who I'm going to pass some tracks on - so we can offer expert advice on some of the tracks people have been sending in.

Personally, I'd like to get away on holiday more often this year - I was a little stranded this year with all the flooding - and was involved in all of the flood coverage and aftermath. I too, wasn't able to get home!

What music is on your Ipod at the moment?

I don't actually own an iPod - and my MP3 player still has the 30 second demo on it - I've never used it!! I listen to a lot of music - and I don't listen to the same track more than three times or so. I feel there's so much great music out there, it's a shame to keep listening to the same old stuff all the time. In fact, it drives me up the wall. There's nothing worse than DJing at a party and all they want is Abba all night. So whenever I'm in my car, I listen to demos. I still have a boot full. I've got about 1500 songs to listen to at the moment - about 150 which I'd like to listen to sooner rather than later. But I listen to about 150 local tracks a week anyway.

Nationally, I'm a big fan of commercialism! I like dance, hip hop, rnb and really getting into drum n bass at the moment. So to answer the question, I'll pull ten random songs out of the mix - Daft Punk: Better, Harder, Faster Stronger,  HiTack: Let's Dance, The Killers: Mr Brightside (Thin White Duke Remix) ,  Royksopp: What Else, Pendulum: Fasten Your Seatbelts, Girls Aloud: Call The Shots,  Sugababes: About You Now, Rozalla: Everybody's Free, House Of Pain: Jump Around (Hip Hop Mix),  Cornershop: Brimful Of Asha.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I'd say presenting in general. It's been great fun - and I think you can really hear that on-air. I loved working at the Big Chill. It was pouring down two years ago and the DJ put on 'Here Comes The Sun' - no joke, the clouds parted and sun shone down and 35,000 people looked to the skies and cheered! A true festival moment. I love being up on stage too and introducing some of the acts - and acting like a clown really! Plus the biggest buzz has to come after doing a live gig and having a great crowd who are so broad minded about their music. Great fun!

Is there anybody you want to say thanks you to?

To my boss James Coghill for having the faith to make a brave move like this. I really didn't expect the quality of the tracks I received. There were doubts as to whether we could sustain a 2-hour live broadcast every week - but we could do 2 days a week (non stop) - we have that much! It's a really great opportunity and I love every second of it.

I also have to thank every band for sending in their stuff and keeping in touch. It's great to have a relationship like that - where somebody send in their music and you really do see them as a mate - so when you're on air, you have a great laugh - and it doesn't matter what you talk about. Also to my friend Chris to dragging me into DJing when I really didn't want to do it. Once I was bitten by the bug, I was infected!

Also to Hospital Radio in Hereford, where I spent 4 great years getting away with murder - and meeting some great inspirational people in the process. But mainly, it's all been down to hard work and effort. I love what I do now. So I guess the best people to thank is mum and dad for being behind me every step of the way - and being my best/worst critics

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