[peel] Re:Current shows

[Neil Jenkins]

Hi Colm,
 
I agree with you entirely, although we shoud have a few things in mind.
 
I too consider that Ras Kwarme is difficult for us Peel listeners to come to terms with.  I have the following criticisms of him (which strike a chord with what you said):
 
1.  He bigs himself up so much.  After hearing two of his shows I'm convinced he only plays stuff at the very beginning of his show if it contains the words "Ras" and "Kwarme" in the lyrics!  And the first few minutes is just his "jingle" which goes on and on.  I don't know about you, but I tend to listen to the show to hear the new music, and maybe some great older ones too that I didn't know about.  I don't particularly want to hear about Ras (although I'm sure he's a lovely bloke!).
 
2.  He talks over the music ... to the point of annoyance.  John seldom did.  Rob Da Bank is good at not talking over the records, and I challenge anyone to find Andy Kershaw talking over any of the music he plays on his Radio 3 show.  For me the question is simply this:  What's more important ... the DJ or the music?  Ras goes on about the importance of the "homegrown" music he plays.  Well, if he shut up for long enough I might see what he's on about.
 
3.  His "sphere" is very one-dimensional compared to John's.  Ras certainly doesn't have the "what's coming next?" factor.  You know that the next record is probably going to be another RnB/hip-hop crossed thing.  Huw Stephens does to a certain extent, and I think Rob Da Bank learnt a lot from John's late playlists and the input of Louise and Hermeet.  Ras's sphere is definitely quite a small one, on the basis of what we've heard so far.  And when he plays something slightly different he make a point of going on about how he likes to "mix it up".  Yeah right.  However, this is where we should start to be cautious.  Remember, John IS irreplaceable.  This is a point recognised by Ian Parkinson at BBC Radio and the reason why they've gone with THREE replacements for John in order to replicate as much of the same coverage he had.  And remember also that Ras is very much connected to the grassroots of his "scene".  Within the RnB/hip-hop/garage scenes he's apparently held in as much
 regard as John was in tons of others.  We should try to remember that Ras is part of a whole ... a very small part of what John would have represented.
 
4.  He makes it very obvious when he plays something he doesn't like.  I remember in his first show he played a grime track.  He clearly didn't like it, and went on about how people may well find it annoying (because he clearly did) and then proceeded to read out text messages and e-mails over the top of it before letting us hear a minute or so of it then talking over the end!!  OK, I like a lot of grime but wasn't overly keen on the one he played.  However, that's not the point!  Louise told me that she would try to influence what the three DJs played and to get them to mix things up as much as possible.  She is very passionate about what John was doing and she dearly wants that to continue.  And remember that Hermeet is the assistant producer on Ras's show, which is another angle of influence.  I think Ras just needs time to "open up".
 
5.  Is his OneMusic show really any different to what you hear on 1Xtra most nights?  Certainly not now, but maybe time is the key.  Maybe not.
 
For radio shows, Sarah Nelson (of Listen With Sarah fame) recommends the "Another Fine Mess" show presented by John's friend Marcelle van Hoof on Radio 100 Amsterdam on Tuesdays between 6pm-8pm GMT.  Check out http://www.listenwithsarah.org/ and click on "Links" for more info.  (While you're at it, why not check out Sarah's album "Are You Sitting Comfortably?"  Containing Peel faves and a Festive 50 entry, and one she could do with selling a few more of to break even!)
 
Keeping It Peel,
The Bloke Called Neil


Colm Gallagher <colmgallagher@...> wrote:
Well I know I am an old git who should probably know better... But I am 
still listening to the 11pm slot on Tuesdays and Thursdays... Sorry Raz your 
show and music does not do it for me at all... I think it is all the 
shouting and bigging up and one dimensional feel of the show... nothing 
personal... Huw's show is OK and Rob has been influenced by standing in  I 
Think.

I think someone wrote in this group some time ago about replacing the 
irreplaceable... in Peels case it obviously can't be done so we probably 
have to search about  for more challenging music in more far flung places 
... for myself I only listened to Peel on Radio One and am not that Loyal to 
the Station as such... this is probably crucial to the thinking of the 
Sation management... I would humbly suggest that a lot of this group were 
loyal to Peel and NOT  Radio One.

Perhaps it would be a useful endeavour to create a list of great stations 
and Shows that play great music and mention them here..

As I type I am listening to WFUV from New York the Kind of Americana/ Alt 
Country at the minute.....

Bye for now

Keep it Peel 



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