Yesterday’s radio show was one
of the most fun ones that I can remember for a while. Okay so we still trudge
and fumble our way through the weekly gig guide, and there was a sizeable part
of the show where I didn’t have my microphone turned on, but I do feel that
after seven months together we are establishing NottinghamLIVE
as a hot ticket. It certainly throws up a fair share of what American
television bosses refer to as ‘water cooler moments’. My favourite bits are
when I take on the persona of my character; the arrogant, self-interested,
grump who slags off bands he doesn’t care about, and says potentially
slanderous things about people. I am pretty sure that they are Darren’s
favourite moments too, (they are not).
I like a busy show like this
week’s, with an interview guest and a live band. We had George Aitkin in during
the first hour, who is one of the brains behind DHP, who own Rock City, Rescue
Rooms, and a couple of other places on a sliding scale of size and prestige,
Rock City being the top. Darren interviewed him, but shied away from asking our
two stock questions, so we will never know the identity of the cartoon
character he would have sex with, nor do we know his opinion on the outcome of
a fight between a Moomin and a Care Bear.
Our live band was DH Lawrence and
the Vaudeville Skiffle Show, who were immediately at ease with us and joined in
straight away. Although I haven’t met them all before, I knew Daniel and Stevie
from their other band The Most Ugly Child, one of my favourite bands from
Nottingham.
There was a relaxed atmosphere
at the studio, with the band sound checking and mingling around, and playing
instruments in the studio car park before their performance time. After the
eight o’clock news we played one of their studio tracks, and as is our way,
they played straight after. Most of our guests have done a three song set, but
DH Lawrence ATVSS were the first band to take the hint when we casually reply
with “oh, three or four it’s up to you” and played four songs live to
Nottingham and the world.
Our ‘silly question’ idea
continued as an idea to break the ice with the acts. A lot of the time a singer
will banter with us and play a storming set before changing persona when placed
in an interview situation and forget how to talk. This way they are able to
relax and gain our trust, while they contemplate which cartoon character they
would like to have sex with.
With regards the Moomin versus
Care Bear fight, (we are a serious music show but I think all interview based
shows should use this ice-breaker policy*; it would make Question Time
interesting), I introduced a couple of stipulations to even things up. The Care
Bear has that beam from his or her chest picture, but all that can do in this
situation is push someone six feet backwards. To counter this, the Moomins have
a baseball bat.
*It is of course an idea we stole from Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast and Edinburgh Fringe Podcast.
*It is of course an idea we stole from Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast and Edinburgh Fringe Podcast.
On Christmas Day this year, it’s
a Wednesday so technically a show day. We won’t be doing the show live of
course, but will be pre-recording a best of the live sessions special that will
also see the announcement of Nottingham musician’s cartoon sex partner of
choice and the final say on the winner in a Moomin versus Care Bear fight. For
the record, DH Lawrence ATVSS chose Marge Simpson* and Care Bear.
*Although not quite as
obviously sexually attractive as some cartoon characters, Marge Simpson appears
to be quite a sexual person. Her and Homer have regular sex, usually at her
instigation, and they did it in a crazy golf windmill once, so she wouldn’t immediately
turn down your more unusual requests.
On the subject of cartoon sex, (it’s taken Nottingham by storm) we received a tweet from Bainy nominating Velma from Scooby Doo. During a song I looked on Wikipedia at Velma’s page to check if she was a lesbian or not. She is, but might use that as an excuse to not have to have sex with Bainy. While I was there, I edited her page to add the fact that Bainy chose her. Luckily we got a shot of it before they take it down.
Gary also joined in with Cheetara from Thundercats, not something I'm familiar with but will hopefully remember to adjust her Wikipedia entry accordingly on next week's show. I think this should become a feature of the show.
I am nearly 37!
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