Where and when were you
born? - On Christmas Day 1963 at the hospital halfway
down Shooters Hill near Welling, Kent
Where do you live now?
- In a village called Frant, East Sussex (nr T Wells)
What is your favourite part
of the Country? - That's tough because I still see parts
of the county that I have never been to before for example
I recently stayed in Littleborough nr Rochdale near a canal
and walking along there was fantastic. So ask me this question
in another 45 years and I will give you an answer!
How did you get into Radio?
- Following my 'pretend' test broadcasts from my parents
house when I was 6 or 7 ... I started helping a friend with
his disco. He also did a lo-tech AM pirate from his house
in Lower Rainham called Radio Atlantis. I got hold of an
FM transmitter so Radio Atlantis became a weekend station
for north Kent & South Essex. I appeared on there as
Ray Magnum!!
When did you first join
Caroline? - It was over 10 years ago after meeting with
Mark Stafford on EKR. I lived near the Vinters Park Maidstone
studios so they wanted somebody trained to cover programs
if the weather got bad or there was holiday cover needed.
I then covered for Mark and many other DJ's until Martin
Turner decided to go part-time and so I took the shared
Monday eve slot which is now full-time.
What other Radio stations
have you been involved with? - Most of the Kent RSLs...
TLR, CTR, Medway FM, Maidstone FM, Coastline FM, EKR, Red
Sands Radio plus an internet radio station called Gravity
Digital Radio.
What are your earliest
memories of Caroline? - My parents live in Rainham,
Kent so Caroline used to come in 'as clear as a bell' along
with the other radio stations off the coast. As I was born
in 1963, I must have been 6-7 when I heard Caroline. Our
radio stayed on Caroline and when I got my 1st recorder
- we would record the programs (and still have the tapes)
What's your favourite
station other than Caroline? - I like bits of many radio
stations playing music so dip into Radio 2 (especially when
JW is on) and like some of what XFM are doing.
Who is the most famous
person that you have met? - Well Robbie Williams I guess..
when I was doing some CD duplication following an event
at the Radio Academy. Second place I think goes to Rod Hull
who I met when he was getting in his mini (without EMU)
in Sittingbourne.
Who do you particularly
remember in your offshore days?- Well my offshore days
were limited to a visit to the Ross in the 80's and a detour
to the Mi Amigo to try and dive there but all that happened
in the end was that two of our party climbed part way up
the mast !!
Who influenced you the
most? - Kenny Everett is still my radio idol and always
will be.
What is the best and worst
thing about radio today? - The best is that technology
has meant that we can receive more radio stations, sounding
clearer than ever, wherever we go which has to be a good
thing. It means that Caroline is now in stereo and that
you can hear it around the world.
The bad thing is the networking
of all the so called local stations. In this area we have
Heart and kmfm. The Tunbridge Wells breakfast show coming
from an industrial estate in Medway is not how it should
be. I think that we will return to good old fashioned 'local
radio' at some stage.
I do however think that Caroline
should be granted a low power full time MW licence as the
tests proved that the old girl still sounds wonderful on
crackly AM!
How much music freedom
do you have on Caroline? - We have a 60/40 rule - 60%
play-listed and 40% own choice. This works well and the
good ting is that I often play an 'own choice' track then
to find that it or one from the same artist appears down
the list later in the program. I play what I think my listener
would like to hear and always will.
What's the most embarrassing
or funny thing that's happened to you? - I set up my
mobile disco in the wrong venue and it was on a Saturday
afternoon whilst waiting for the wedding party to arrive
from the church that I realised the cards and presents had
different names to my couple to be wed. After a brief panic
and a dozen people moving gear to the hall next door.. we
managed to get going in the right place!!
What do you do for your
day job? - I work from an American company as an Engineering
Manager. I manage a team of engineers that support the London
design contractors with their projects.. i.e. designing
a new oil refinery, power station or offshore facility.
What's your favourite
food? - Anything!
What do you dislike doing
the most? - Usually anything slightly technical but
also spending time with my 2 boys wins the day
Who would you like to
get stuck on a desert Island with ?- Without me presumably!
- Well it would be Jonathan Ross
What's the most important
thing that you learnt about Radio?- To respect it and
your audience but above all -enjoy it
What was the first record
you bought?- Good question - 1973 Slade - My Friend
Stan
What are your favourite
bands and who is your hero? - These change somewhat
but currently: The Cribs, ELO, The Killers, Pendulam and
The Pet Shop Boys! I really can't declare a hero... sorry
What are your 5 most iconic
tunes? - Toto - Africa Lou Reed - Satellite of Love
Christopher Cross - Sailing John Lennon - Imagine Hazel
O' Conner - Will You
What plans have you for
the future? Not an easy question - try to stay healthy,
happy, to love and enjoy my family.. plus my love of radio
and Caroline!
Thank you Ray for your
interesting interview, You were lucky that Rod Hull didn't
have his famous Emu with him when you met.
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