HEART OF GOLD
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The device that can save a life
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A rock'n'roll club is raising money for a life-saving defibrillator after a gig-goer died of a heart attack.
The tragedy happened last October during a gig by the band Rockola at Pill Memorial Club in Bristol. The victim was a recently widowed 62-year-old man who had come for a night out with a couple of friends. He had gone outside for a cigarette during the band's second set when he suddenly collapsed. The gig was halted while a first-aider rushed to help the man, carrying out chest compressions. A 999 call was made, but paramedics didn''t arrive for 20 minutes. It was too late to save the man.
Now, club organiser Dave Clarke is putting on a special gig to raise money for a defibrillator, in the hope of preventing another death at the venue. The gig on February 18th features the band, Revival.
"We need £1,000 to buy a defibrillator," says Dave, who with wife
Shirley has run gigs in Bristol for 17 years, raising £25,000 for children's hospices and other good causes. The October event at which the heart attack happened wasn't actually organised by Dave, but he still feels the club and all its various users should have access to the life-saving equipment.
Survival
A defibrillator delivers a controlled electric shock to revive the heart after cardiac arrest. But treatment needs to be prompt. Research shows that applying a shock within five minutes of collapse provides the best possible chance of survival. For every minute that passes without defibrillation, a patient's chances decrease by 14 per cent.
The British Heart Foundation says at least 230 lives have been saved by the 6,000 defibrillators placed in public places since 1996.
"It would be a good idea to have a defibrillator located in the club," said Dave. "There's no special training required. The instructions come with it and anyone can use it. If it prevents another death, it'll definitely be worth it."
Revival play the Pill Memorial Club, 1 Lodway, Pill, Bristol BS20 0DH on Saturday 18th February.
Doors open at 8pm. Admission £7. More info from Dave on 01275 374965.
Radio revolution
A new breed of DJ is bringing rock'n'roll to the airwaves of Britain. From Exeter to Ebbw Vale and Oldham to the New Forest, formulaic playlists are being ripped up, as new community radio stations give volunteer presenters the freedom to play rockabilly, rhythm'n'blues, jump jive and doo-wop seldom heard on mainstream channels. Here, four DJs tell us they're in it for the love of rock'n'roll....
I've been doing a two hour weekly show for nearly three years now and love every minute. I used to compile the show with interesting facts etc about the tracks I played, however I don't get the time these days so just put two hours of music together as varied as I can get it with a bit about some of the artists played. I play anything with a beat from The Boswell Sisters, Carter Family through to late fifties and early sixties doo-wop, as you know there was some really good up tempo doo-wop from that era.
It does tend to be mainly early fifties r'n'b and late fifties rockabilly though, but I mix it the best I can. I tend to stick to this as it's what I grew up with so feel easy with it. I have been into rock'n'roll since the late 70's and did most of the all dayers and weekenders in the UK. We used to think early Hemsby was the best until Tom Ingram went off to Vegas....
We tend to go into Europe these days as the music tends to be more roots and better quality. We don't go to many gigs in the UK now as we don't like the way the scene is going, I'm not keen on most of the new names out there... Si Cranstoun, Imelda May etc. It must be me. I just don't get it....
When we do get chance to go out it tends to be the same dance records they played the last time we went out. I think with all these "new" so called DJs out there and the availability of music you think they could shake it up a bit. I used to DJ a lot and have put gigs on over the last 20 years including visiting bands such as Omar & The String Poppers from the USA and Barnstompers from Holland, and a few all dayers in the last few years but I can't get any local DJ spots these days as what I play is really good dance music but because people don't know it then they won't dance.
You can't educate pork, ask Rohan! Hee hee.. I hadn't done radio before and found it quite difficult at first as I used to use CD's and quite often got in a muddle, but now it's all sorted and flows quite nicely. I have quite a varied assortment of listeners, mainly other DJs who take the music and play it in the clubs and quite a few old Teds from the Welsh valleys who really know their stuff.
I used to do a regular spot called Codgers' Corner where some of the old Teds used to come in and talk about the old days, bands they'd seen and places they'd been but because we are quite high up at the top of the Welsh valleys it is quite hard for people to get here. I have had a few local bands come up here as we have a TV studio as well and bands have a small interview and finish off with a 30 minute set. I did a 30 minute telephone interview with Si Cranstoun before he played the Rhythm Riot and took off. A year or so ago we had Charlie Gracie who spoke on TV with his wife and gave a 30 minute interview and a few numbers solo. This is still available on our "Vault" which is our library of bands played.
I think the start up of these internet local radio stations are a good thing. They open the whole spectrum of rock'n'roll to the public. I think rock'n'roll comes from the roots music that I play, but then as some of my listeners will tell you, it only started with Elvis and Jerry Lee.
I don't get paid for doing the show and even have to pay my petrol for the 35 mile trip. I just love playing the music I love. I sit there with the door closed, and the music up full and the occasional guest, what more could you want? Maybe the odd booking would be good.
Scatman's Rockin' Radio Show, Phonic FM 106.8, Exeter, alternate Saturdays 4-6pm
I started
doing Scatman's Rockin' Radio Show on May 10th 2008. My
show has been 100% live for three years now, on alternate Saturday afternoons.
It is totally unscripted and with no playlist. The response
I have been getting has always been highly positive as I like to keep
my show upbeat, very lighthearted and full of humour. I receive
many UK and worldwide emails and calls throughout my shows which indicates
to me that this style of music has a large following.
It also shows
me that people enjoy my rapport and appreciate my delivery on air.
I also have a fun "no-playlist" and if tracks gets requested from it, there will be a short humourous rant and don't be surprised if told to switch off and tune in elsewhere. This is done with respect and humour, but it has also increased my listenership with the audience out there in radio-land.
Recently I've been fortunate to get nominated for a local radio award
within the Devon region. I hadn't done any radio before this.
One day I made enquiries at Phonic FM about doing a rockin' show.
The following week, I was thrown into the deep end when I got a phone
call asking me if I was available to do a show the next Saturday.
I did it without receiving any training, sat down at the deck, made myself at home, and as for mastering the art, hell I just pushed the right buttons and out came the rockin' tunes.
I've had many memorable moments on my shows (some of which can't be told
here), but there are a few that stand out.
One guest I interviewed live on air brought along a Johnny Cash CD (not
a good idea), and asked me to play a track from it. I threw the
CD back at him, told him: "There's the door mate," along with a minor
insult. We both burst out laughing and carried on with the show.
Shortly afterwards an email came through and thanked me for not playing
Johnny Cash and I said to my guest on air: "See, even the audience don't
like it."
On another occasion, one of my guests got so carried away with the tunes I was playing, he ended up boppin' all over the studio sweating like a hog over a spit-pit, lost his footing, tripped over and knocked himself out.
Eventhough I don't get paid to do my show, one of the motivations for me is the fact that I am able to play my own music collection of rockin' tunes, such as rockabilly, rhythm'n'blues, jump jive, doo-wop, hillbilly and anything else I can find in my little box of tricks.
Over the the years I think you can only play standards and number 1 hits of the 50s for just so long. Also my other motivation for being DJ is all the girlies waiting for me outside the studio to rip my clothes off. LOL. Given the lack of airplay for rock'n'roll on mainstream radio, the latter seems to be about money not music. With community radio it's the opposite and it plays a vital role in allowing DJs to play rock'n'roll, which in turn keeps this music heard, keeps the rockin' scene alive and hopefully attracts more people.
The Wednesday Night Rockin' Party, Forest FM 92.3, Verwood, Dorset, Wednesdays 8-10pm
The Wednesday
Night Rockin' Party has now been running for five years and four months
on East Dorset's Forest FM. After endless promotion via flyers
at the rockin' clubs and major weekenders, plus adverts in various weekender
programmes and rockin' magazines, the response to the weekly show is now
very positive in many ways.
The role of the show is to play everybody's rockin' favourites, inform
listeners of forthcoming weekenders and events and play and promote new
releases by today's bands. Regarding listening figures, well to
be honest I'm unsure.
I think every time I have a band come into the studio and play a live
set it's memorable in its own way and a recording of that show is kept
in my archives collection.
The list of guests that have come on the show over the last five years
or so is now quite large and some say impressive as well. Previous
shows have included Big Boy Bloater & Lil' Lisa Jane, John Lewis, Lynette
Morgan, DJs Dave Crozier, Wildcat Pete, Leon Oddsocks, Rockabilly Rave
promoter Jerry Chatterbox, Bill Fadden, Steve Willis from Rollin' Records,
Alan Wilson from Western Star Records, Dollar Bill and his one-man rockin'
blues, Slim Slip & The Sliders.
Most of the guys in the bands have day jobs, so it takes quite a lot of
planning to get four or five musicians in the studio on the same night.
But I do find most bands and DJs are more than willing to travel
quite long distances to be on the show because of the exposure they'll
receive in the long run
and I think my guest list proves this.
The one show that really stands above the rest was when I had the pleasure
of interviewing Graham Fenton of Matchbox. He talked about his early days
touring with Gene Vincent in 1970-71, life on the road in general and
playing at the various rock'n'roll clubs alongside other bands of the
day like Crazy Cavan & The Rhythm Rockers and Shakin' Stevens & The Sunsets
etc, before joining Matchbox, then the music chart success that came with
Matchbox during the late 70s and early 80s, and finishing the show with
recordings from his most-recent release on Western Star Records.
What more can I say? Our scene is built upon guys like Graham Fenton!
I receive no payment for my show and that's is fine with me, because it's
not about the money. It's the love I have for our great music and
being able to put my record hop onto the radio every week, so others can
enjoy.
I think community radio stations that play rockin' music are a good way
of introducing new people to our music, help to promote our underground
scene and give good listening pleasure to many.
Debs'n'Dave's Rock'n'Roll Diner, Oldham Community Radio 99.7, Tuesdays 8-9pm
The show
started a few weeks ago and we're already getting a good response from
our listeners. This is my first time on live radio but Debi was
on the radio back in 1980s on GMR's Rock Back The Clock.
I'm a musican and I also DJ at rock'n'roll venues, so there is not to
much of a problem in the studio. Debi and myself feel quite relaxed.
Our motivition is playing the music we love and making people happy.
Community radio is good for everyone. All types of music can be played on the air and people can get information on local events. Local community radio is the future of rock'n'roll.
• Other
shows include Dave Zodiac on
All FM 96.6, South Manchester, Thursdays from 6-7pm; and Terry Earl
Taylor's Rocky Road Radio Show on
Cat Radio in Cheshire on Mondays from 3-5pm.
If
it jumps, jives, bops or strolls we want to know about it.
or call 07833 703189.