October 14, 2004
Not Like This In My Day
It’s been a long time since I last heard an evening show (in fact ANY show) on BBC Radio 1. I’ve just turned off a show on there at the moment that appears to be hosted by someone that is educationally subnormal on their first day at a radio studio.
This person talks over records that have barely started, he attempts to sing along, he talks loudly with his mouth too close to the microphone, he makes strange noises, and he seems to be so impressed with all of the buttons and switches with little lights on them that he has to press them all.
The name of this individual is, I am told, Zane Lowe, and apparently, he’s even DJ’d before.
Now I don’t wish to get into a rant about how Radio 1 used to be better in the good old days (Peely was/is superb, and even Lamacq’s Evening Session was OK, despite his enthusiasm for terms such as ‘boss tunage’), but come on - this Zane Lowe character seems to have no respect for the music that he plays! He seems to be more intent on coming across as some sort of watered-down, indie-loving, wannabe Westwood (another strange fella - I happen to like a lot of hip-hop, but when it’s introduced by a vicar’s son attempting to sound like some bad-ass mo’fo from da street, I’m afraid I have to leave the room).
Oh, it HAS turned into a rant after all, but what the hell! I happen to think that it might be a good idea to have a DJ that actually knows about the music itself, as opposed to one that happens to have met the musicians/producers at some sponsored gig or record company promo party.
