Brian in 1989

Brian Martin

 Interview by Roland Beaney.

 Where and when were you born? 

 

I was born in the small village of Morcott, near Uppingham in Rutland in 1953. I'm a country boy at heart you see. We lived there Mum, Dad, brother Bob and I until I was twelve when we moved eight miles to Stamford in Lincolnshire where I was at school and Dad also worked.

 

Where do you live now?

 

I live on Sheppey an island just north of Sittingbourne on the north Kent coast with my wife ,the beautiful Moira, our son Oliver 13 and our daughter Francesca 9.

 

What is your favourite part of the Country?  

 

The pubs mostly! There are so many beautiful places in England and the rest of the UK it's very hard to make a choice but if pushed there's no place like home. Or visits back to Rutland & Lincolnshire.

 

How did you get into radio?

 

Via the forces networks during my time in the RAF in the early 70s I started tentatively at H.B.S, RAF Hereford and learned more than almost anywhere else at the Wattisham Forces Network at RAF Wattisham in beautiful Suffolk.

 

When did you first join Caroline?  

 

That was back in 1977 on the Mi Amigo when I got the call from my old RAF colleague Roger Mathews. we'd been at WFN together at Wattisham.

 

What other radio stations have you been involved with?  

 

The Voice Of Peace.Hospital Radio Swale in Sheppey, Coast AM in Kent, Invicta. EKR (The First One)

 

What are your earliest memories of Caroline? 

 

Oh that's easy. Listening to Walker doing his "Cuddle In The Car" headlight flashing bit whilst a teenager and yes, listening to a transistor radio hidden under the pillow !

 

What's your favourite station other than Caroline?

 

I listen to many depending on the mood I'm in or perhaps more accurately the mood I'd like to be in. ClassicFM, I find I invariably return to Radio 2 at times. I love Quasar AOR on the net as I do CCRN the best "Oldies" station I've yet found anywhere.

 

Who is the most famous person that you have met?

 

I've been fortunate in my life in this respect having  worked in the record industry for many years previously. Those whom I consider famous may not be everyone's favourites but I've had the honour of meeting Chris Rea on several occasions also Chas 'n Dave, Samantha Fox Simon Cowell and many others. Also touring for so many years with The Caroline Roadshow I met many interesting people. I have great affection for Dumpy Dunnell of Dumpy's Rusty Nuts  Google them or check out Youtube  and I guess the most famous from those  days would be the guitarist with a band who toured several times with the Caroline Roadshow, a fun bunch from the North East known as White Spirit. He later went on to play with Iron Maiden and his name, Janek Gers.  

 

Who do you particularly remember in your offshore days?

 

I am fortunate to still be in touch and or work with most of them, Roger Mathews, Stuart Russell (Nigel Harris) Bob Lawrence (He'll always be Buzby) Mike Stevens, Tom Hardy, Stevie Gordon, Tom Anderson, Marc Lawrence, James Ross and of course Tony Allan. More recently Cliff Osbourne. Also my Dutch colleagues, the inimitable Marc Jacobs, Dick Verhul,  more recently Ad Roberts, Herman Der Graf, Frank van der Mast and who could possibly forget Kees Borrell ?

 

Who influenced you the most?

 

Johnny Walker, Andy Archer, Tony Allan, James Ross, Marc Lawrence and Kerry Jubie.

 

What is the best and worst thing about radio today?

 

The best is the development of internet broadcasting bringing us such a plethora of excellent stations from which to listen. The worst..............The way it has developed into an industry out of an art form and now, for the most part, exists purely to fuel greed and make a few rich people even richer.

 

How much music freedom do you have on Caroline?  

 

Oh! Enough.

 

What's the most embarrassing or funny thing that's happened to you?  

 

No comment.

 

What do you do for your day job? 

 

I'm a mortgage broker

 

What's your favourite food?

 

Indian and Turkish cuisine.

 

What do you dislike doing the most?  

 

Oh! Heavens that's just too obtuse I'm afraid. Washing up!

 

Who would you like to get stuck with on a desert Island?

 

A woman who can cook well...................one who is very sexy and one who cleans but that's three I guess. Seriously? The beautiful Moira, without doubt.

 

What's the most important thing that you learnt about radio?

 

Nothing to say...... shut up and play some music."   Tony Allan, Don't always smile when you speak. Unless you want to sound like a smiling idiot of course.You can buck the system within ILR, as it then was and keep your sanity.....just!   Kerry Jubie

 

What was the first record you bought?

 

Otis Redding  Otis Blue. (Otis Redding Sings Soul.)

 

What are your favourite bands and who is your hero?

 

BJH Jackson Browne Glenn Miller Band Jon Martyn Hero ?    Captain Albert Ball. No, you see, footballers are celebrities NOT hero's. Women are NOT hero's either. By definition they may though be heroines . All this merging of genders is unspeakable!  

 

What are your 5 most iconic tunes?

 

Moonlight Serenade. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (Title track) The Flower Duet from Lakme by Delibes. (The BA Ad music) Whiter Shade Of Pale. Mockingbird BJH  

 

When did you last go on board the Ross Revenge?  

 

August bank Holiday 2009 year. Now That's What I Call radio.......  

 

What plans have you for the future?

 

To keep breathing.

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