R2OK!

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

Never mind Blue Monday, it sounds as though Simon had a bit of a Wet Tuesday, according to a friend somewhere else...

The first 20 minutes of the radio breakfast show this morning was music (and occasional commercial) and no DJ prattling whatsoever.

Turns out that Simon Bates (the DJ) came out of his house at 4.45 this morning, tripped and fell into a huge puddle of water.

Eventually managed to get to work, made himself a cup of coffee, and promptly dropped it on the control console in the studio. Smile

They all then stood back and watched a rather splendid fireworks display!

It was much better without having to hear his prattle!!!
_________________
Ron

ColinB · Guest

Sounds like good format for R2!! Smile

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

It was very funny Ron but actually although I wasn't looking forward to Mr Bates appearance on the network I have to admit I now quite like his show

I don't always listen before 9am but the Golden Hour is a must for me just as good as in the old days on Radio One

I know he can be a bit cheesy at times but he's much preferable to the Radio 2 alternative

After all I love cheese and I'd much rather have it than constant shouting Smile

_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

MadeinSurrey · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:26 am Post subject:

I often seek refuge there when "Today" loses it's appeal and I'm not in classic mode. This morning's Golden Hour featured O.C.Smith "Together" - when do you ever hear that on Radio 2?
_________________
MiS

MadeinSurrey · Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:21 am Post subject:

Great Golden Hour this morning:

Just Another Day - McCartney

Stoney End - Streisand

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart - Bee Gees

Maggie May - Rod

Not bad for starters - and no shouting!
_________________
MiS

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Yes, I'm listening now and Simon has played Badfinger tracks two days running in the Golden Hour

How often would you hear even one of their tracks on Radio 2?
Once in a blue moon I would suggest

All the other tracks have been superb also including the George Harrison one now playing Smile

_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

Ian Robinson · Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:48 am Post subject:

ColinB · Guest

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Yes Colin but I'm talking 2 in two days not thirty days and I dare say the Radio 2 plays may not have been in prime time daily output

Obviously as the Golden Hour plays tracks which were hits in the respective years covered only those tracks wich were in the charts can be played rather like POTP on Radio 2 so it's not really a fair comparison

I entirely agree that we should hear more of their lesser well known offerings on all networks including the original version of 'Without You' which hardly ever gets played anywhere
_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

ColinB · Guest

Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

I've never listened to Smooth as I'm put off by the name. 'Smooth' surely implies bland/ sickly/ unimaginative/Ken Bruce.

I spent some time this morning listening to Gold, which admittedly does mainstream 60/70/80s but it's all good stuff that you never hear on tedious Radio 2 (though they did play Mr Blue Sky today, just like Radio 2!).

It certainly beats the endless Queen/ELO/Abba/Blondie dross that R2 inflicts upon us.

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

You should give The Golden Hour on Smooth a go Schiz

If you like POTP and SOTS I'm sure you'd enjoy it

9am till 10 every weekday

I'm not a huge fan of Simon Bates but he is the original and best for this type of thing
_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

Ian Robinson · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 1:45 pm Post subject:

I did listen to Smooth this morning and, much to my surprise, it wasn't bad. Even had the new single by Eliza Doolittle. But I'm afraid I do find Simon Bates nearly as annoying (in different ways) to Chris Evans.

I noticed a question in Popmaster today was to name "2 of the 3 hits" Badfinger had! Wonder if they've been reading this thread?

MadeinSurrey · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:04 pm Post subject:

[quote="Ian Robinson"]I did listen to Smooth this morning and, much to my surprise, it wasn't bad. Even had the new single by Eliza Doolittle. But I'm afraid I do find Simon Bates nearly as annoying (in different ways) to Chris Evans.

I noticed a question in Popmaster today was to name "2 of the 3 hits" Badfinger had! Wonder if they've been reading this thread?[/quote]

I noticed that and thought the same Ian! Can't agree howevver that SB is anywhere near as irritating as Evans..
_________________
MiS

Ian Robinson · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:08 pm Post subject:

MadeinSurrey · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:14 pm Post subject:

Crystal

Give me Bates anyday, although have to run a mile when "Our Tune" Rolling Eyes

comes on...
_________________
MiS

aviddiva

Re: Badfinger - Rock Of All Ages always got played on Sixties Souvenir (Radio Leeds).
_________________
We are loonies and we are proud!

- Campbell Bain in 'Takin' Over The Asylum'

oldgreymare · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 37 Location: Cambridge

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

What a great Golden Hour today with some excellent selections of music from 1971 and 1988

Certainly many of those tracks are rarely if ever played on Radio 2

For example when did we last hear a Lobo track on Radio 2, certainly not recently, and I don't think I've ever heard any tracks by Debbie Gibson even on POTP despite the fact she had several successful ones in the late 80s

Makes me wonder whether she's a long lost relative of a certain Mr Glitter Shocked

_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

I didn't hear the show Ruddles, though I must tune into Smooth as I know you've recommended it.

I presume the Lobo song played was Me And You And A Dog Named Boo, a charming song about travelling and working his way around the US with his partner and his dog. I have the vinyl single somewhere. You're right, it's never played on Radio 2.

Some years later Lobo had a great song called I'd Love You To Want Me.

In the late 80s I met Debbie Gibson, a lovely charming girl, and very attractive. I can't remember any of her songs though.

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

'Foolish Beat', 'Shake Your Love' and the track played today' Only In My Dreams' Schiz and I promise I haven't Googled that information - I remember all those tracks because they were so good

A very underrated artist somewhat eclipsed at the time by Tiffany if I recall even though she had only one major hit and even that was a cover version whereas Debbie Gibson wrote all her own material

Nice to hear her music being played - I must check who produces the Golden Hour because they seem to have very good musical taste Smile

_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

I don't know how you can be so sure that Radio 2 has never played either Lobo or Debbie Gibson, since you all profess never to listen.

It is just the sort of 70s/80s pap, sorry, pop (actually I've got the singles as well) that Radio 2 does play during the day, especially Ken Bruce, and which everyone complains about.
_________________
Ron

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

In the interest of curiosity/fair play/masochism I tried to listen to it (Smooth) for an hour this morning.

They're certainly economical with the payments to PRS - eight tracks in an hour:

Rose Royce - Is It Love You're After
Michael Jackson - One Day In Your Life
Spandau Ballet - Gold
George Michael - Careless Whisper
Take That - Back For Good
Imelda May - Inside Out
Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Daryl Hall - Kiss On My List
Sade - Smooth Operator

I thought you were supposed to wake up for breakfast. If that lot didn't send you to sleep Simon Bates deep bass delivery has slowed to sonorous and soporific - the non-anecdote about meeting Yasmin leBon would have been hilarious if it had been told by a sleepy Smash or Nicey - and the text thread from listeners was about staying in bed.

The most lively things are the commercials, and boy are there a lot of those.

Not Smooth - it's Cr*p.
_________________
Ron

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Ron, I'm sure most of us do listen to Radio 2 when there is something on there worth listening to

I regularly listen to Ken Bruce, Jeremy Vine, sometimes Steve Wright and Simon Mayo not to mention SOTS, POTP, Johnnie Walker and the like so please don't carry on peddling the line that we don't

As for Lobo, yes I do recall Ken Bruce playing one of his tracks about three years ago but I have never heard any Debbie Gibson music on Radio 2

You mentioned that you gave Smooth a try and I would be the first one to admit that their playlist is somerwhat limited and the adverts can be irritating but I was specifically talking about the Golden Hour in my previous post NOT Smooth in general and I still maintain it's an excellent daily hour of music

As for Smooth the rest of the time I for one tend to listen simply because even with all its faults it is still far superior to the inane crap that Radio 2 serves up for a significant part of the day
_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

The Golden Hour could be good - second half today was 1970.
I know the ads are their livelihood, but they are so intrusive. Like the television, the volume goes up a couple of notches for them Evil or Very Mad

_________________
Ron

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Yes Ron, I very much agree about the adverts and that's what sets the BBC apart from its rivals

I just wish we could have Simon Bates doing the Golden Hour back on the BBC even if it was just for the one hour between 9am and 10am - with a decent producer I hasten to add
_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

Ian Robinson · Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:20 am Post subject:

I'm sure I've heard Debbie Gibson on Radio 2 but maybe that was only in my dreams...

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

I've been listening to Smooth since I eventually surfaced around 11am this morning and they have devoted the whole day so far to continuous 'Golden Hours' or rather actually half hours not presented by Simon Bates but instead by a host of artists covering their own periods of dominance on the music scene including Dean Friedman,Kenny Thomas,Lee John,Tasmin Archer,Paul Carrick and currently Pete Waterman.

I've not only had the pleasure of hearing some great music but also some very interesting anecdotes from the individual presenters who can closely relate to the years which they are covering

A very interesting idea I think and despite the adverts far preferable to anything which Radio 2 has to offer at present Smile

_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Toggy · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239

I think I must be one of the only people in the UK who has always liked Simon Bates, and I'm going right back to his Radio 1 days here.
I've never found him irritating and I don't think I've heard him shout Laughing