Yesterday was a long one. I was awake at five past six and fifteen minutes later, I was starting to record this week's 'Pure Grooves' show.
I don't know why, but I feel that I do better shows if I'm up early. Like I've said before, I ought to have been a breakfast DJ. Quite a good mixture of music in the show and I was happy with it. Now if I can just sort out the way I speak, it should all be honky dory!
Once I'd finished the show I set to work on the magazine again. I sorted a couple of the features for this week and typeset them. We have a new feature starting in the magazine this week that I hope people are going to like. And I had to get some photos for that. And I needed to write the opening piece for it. Debz has started work on this week's featured artist. You'd be amazed how much searching she does each week for the information she requires to do the piece. And then once she's got what she needs, she goes through it and then writes it.
Once I'd spent a couple of hours on the magazine there was the little job of getting the new music I had ready to go on my computer. I added another 52 tracks to the database yesterday - 20 of which were new entries to the Top 40 from the last two weeks. I really don't know why I bother. Maybe I'll play five of the 20 over the next 2 years.
Since the charts have reflected downloads, they seem to have lost credibility in my eyes. As an example of why I think this, I point to something like the Glee Cast. Over the past year, they've had around 10 different tracks in the charts. They're not necessarily singles as we'd have bought in the past. And as far as I'm aware they're songs from the show. Now while I think this is OK - the problem is that each one never seems to be in the chart longer than 2 weeks before its another one.
Longevity seems to be over in the singles chart as we used to know it. Whilst there are still a few good records in the charts, overall it seems to be fairly poor. I realise it's always had poor records in it. I point to 'Shaddup Your Face' and 'Grandma We Love You' as examples, but the situation where I'm getting 20 new entries in a fortnight also tells the story of how disposable chart music is becoming.
The other day someone was asking how long current music would last in our memories and most people said less than a year. I have to be honest. when I'm DJing, I sometimes look at last years tracks and struggle to remember 75% of them as I'm looking at them. And I'm sure it's not just because my memory is going.
So onto the evening and this week's 'Requestfest'. No doubt you've read the title of today's blog and thought to yourself 'I wonder what that's all about?'. Well now you'll find out why.
I've just been speaking about the charts and what's in it. Well, I started last night, played a record to get it started, only to find that I was playing to a room that was 90% people younger than 20. Joy of joys I thought to myself as the requests started to come in.The usual N-Dubz, Eminem and charty tunes that I love to hear.....not.
As usual the thing that always happens - 'lets choose some junk tunes' - this week's were Bob The Builder's 'Mambo #5' and The Cartoon's, 'Wicth Doctor' and I was quickly losing the will to live.
I was thinking what have I done to deserve this, when in walked a couple of people, one of whom I recognized. A soulster had arrived! and about 20 minutes later, some more turned up! then with the exception of the odd request from someone else, it turned into a great night with some proper music. You know, with real instruments - brass and strings and real drums.
So well happy in the end. Especially when as the people who'd been in the pub started to dwindle away, and it was left with this group of soulies chatting and having a good time. I would so love it if we could build on that and get more coming. Afterwards the Landlord was pleased that some new people had come into the pub that hadn't been in before.
It would be so great if we could turn the Requestfest night into one that resembles a soul night out. Is that too much to ask Lord?
So here's the play list for your perusal and you'll see what I mean about how the requests changed as the night went on.
1 George Michael - Too Funky
2 N-Dubz - Say It's Over
3 Kelly Clarkson - Because Of You
4 REM - Losing My Religion
5 JLS ft Tinie Tempah - Eyes Wide Shut
6 N-Dubz - Feva Las Vegas
7 Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are
8 Pasadenas - Riding On A Train
9 Bob The Builder - Mambo No 5
10 Nelly - Just A Dream
11 Kinks - You Really Got Me
12 Lou Reed - Walk On The Wild Side
13 Eminem ft Lil Wayne - No Love
14 David Bowie - China Girl
15 Cartoons - Witch Doctor
16 Killers - Mr Brightside
17 Bruno Mars - Grenade
18 Chris Brown - Yeah Yeah Yeah
19 Nero - Me & You
20 Keni Burke - Risin' To The Top
21 Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now
22 Cee Lo Green - Forget You
23 Black Slate - Amigo
24 Bashiyra - Mistified
25 Chase & Status ft Liam Bailey - Blind Faith
26 Take That - Greatest Day
27 Temptations - I Wish It Would Rain
28 Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
29 Roxette - Joyride
30 Chi-Lites - Hot On A Thing
31 Stylistics - People Make The World Go Round
32 Emotions - Flowers
33 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue
34 Source - You Got The Love
35 Odyssey - Don't Tell Me Tell Her
36 Westlife - Home
37 Procul Harum - Whiter Shade Of Pale
38 Kevin Rudolf ft Lil' Wayne - Let It Rock
39 Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
40 Mitch Ryder - Devil With A Blue Dress On - Good Golly Miss Molly
41 Bobby Hebb - Love Love Love
42 Pendulum - Witchcraft
43 Aerosmith - I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
44 Lighthouse Family - Ocean Drive
45 Otis Redding & Carla Thomas - Tramp
46 Betty Everett - Getting Mighty Crowded
47 Barbara Lewis - Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far
48 Doris Troy - I'll Do Anything
49 Marvelettes - I'll Keep Holding On
50 Chris Clark - Love's Gone Bad
51 Carla Thomas - B.A.B.Y.
52 Irma Thomas - What Are You Trying To Do
53 Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
54 Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up
55 Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing
56 Yvonne Baker - You Didn`t Say a Word
57 Fred Hughes - Baby Boy
58 Dee Dee Warwick - Do It With All Your Heart
59 Jackie Ross - Selfish One
60 Tammi Terrell - All I Do Is Think About You
61 Tammy Montgomery - If I Would Marry You
62 Jimmy Ruffin - Lucky Lucky Me
63 Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - You're All I Need To Get By
64 Joe Hicks - Don't It Make You Feel Funky
65 Tommy Neal - Going To A Happening
66 Billy Prophet - What Can I Do
67 Darrell Banks - Open The Door To Your Heart
68 Jack Montgomery - Dearly Beloved
69 Eydie Gorme - Everybody Go Home
See you next time.....
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