A couple of jingles to announce the station and the presenters, and things kick off with 'Firework' by Katy Perry.
I haven't listened properly to Wayne Bavin's Saturday morning radio show before, although I have dropped in on it. The main problem lies with the time, and the fact that I have an aural appointment with Danny Baker on Five Live on Saturdays. But today I am listening to Wayne, an old friend of mine from years back.
In the mid-late 1990s I worked for a man called Paul Raffique, who monopolised the clubs and pubs of Redcar, (not exactly a big brag but he enjoyed his time as a big fish in this very small pond).
Wayne has just announced his interactive game, Celebrity Miss, Mr or Mrs. The clue was "You could have put something on the end of it". Quick jingle and then "more fun in the morning with Deacon Blue".
The bar-staff at Sharky's, along with the staff at our sister club Klub Kudos, were all involved in a scam that ensured our wage packets were not opened ever as their really was no need. As soon as the staff finished we would go and drink at Kudos, with an entire round costing £1. After the club, sorry Klub, we would end up round someone's house. Usually mine, as I had my own house. My parties started after work on Saturdays and ended on Monday.
Wayne is sounding very bouncy for a Saturday morning and is now dedicating this link to Bob Taylor, an annoying train conductor who seemingly ruined Wayne's morning. Then we went into the adverts. Followed by a song I don't recognise.
Wayne was the DJ at Sharkey's and was made for the job. He knew exactly what to play and when, and engaged with the dance floor in a way that only years of experience could teach you. I eventually got relieved of serving drinks on Friday and Saturday nights and instead had to stand in the DJ booth with Wayne selling tickets for Kudos. As many tickets as I was given, we would always make sure that we had several more to sell, for our own cash bonus.
Clue number two, "Does he need a lie detector?" I haven't a chance of a goody bag, Wayne says it is cryptic but this is just mad. Maybe it is because I'm not really up on 'celebrity'. Anyway, here's Flo-rider, whatever that is.
Wayne and I lost touch after the bubble burst on this delightful era. Gradually Paul Raffique's empire was sold on, and as it was common knowledge that his bar staff were ripping him off to the tune of hundreds of pounds each, as soon as someone bought a Raffique pub, the staff were out. This was 1998, and I found Wayne again last year through that magic find-your-friends service that is facebook.
'Hot and Cold', isn't this another Katie Perry song? Seriously, I don't know. Anyway, it is being played.
When I knew Wayne in the old days he was always involved in volunteer radio, hospital and community stations that sort of thing. According to his website he lost his way a bit and went into a series of 'proper jobs' when he became a dad. Can't fault him for that, but the hunger was there, and now he seems to be on every radio station in the north of England.
In radio, the weekends are not traditionally the big days, (as opposed to television where being moved to weekends is a promotion), so I'm surprised to see Wayne on weekends. Everything about Wayne's show smells of the weekday breakfast show; competitions, upbeat songs (not to my taste but his style of presenting makes up for it) and short sharp links with a smile in his voice.
A problem with buttons means that we can't have the music clue for this competition. We've got about five minutes left to find out who's won and hopefully what the answer was. 'So What' by Pink is on now.
"One of my favourite colours, that's Pink (see what he did there?), and 'So What', 9.41 GOOD MORNING DONCASTEEER, how ya doing? Hello Vera, how ya doing love? How's your dodgy knee? Okay, let's wrap up Celebrity for today..." The quiz is won by Chris and Martin, who win a goody bag. But the listener doesn't find out the answer.
Wayne and myself come from totally opposite ends of the radio presenter spectrum. There is no way I could be that breezy and 'DJ like', it just isn't my style. Then again I don't think Wayne would be suitable for an unsigned, alternative show like mine. But we don't live in a world where everything wants to be the same, although we are heading there. Local radio needs people like Wayne Bavin as much as it needs people like me.
I thoroughly recommend Wayne's Weekend Wake Up if you need a feel good pick me up type of radio show. Wayne has the perfect morning broadcaster voice, and he should by rights be on every morning. The music might not be to your taste, very pop, but the people of Doncaster must know what they want.
Wayne Bavin is the sort of kind hearted, warm, listener friendly DJ who enquires about Vera's dodgy knee. I personally couldn't care less about the knee health of my listeners. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong!
Sine FM can be listened to here.
