Sounds of the Sixties - Brian Matthew

[Gridiron]

I listened to the program and agree with Colourstar. the interest for me was in the obscure records and Brian Matthews informative approach was ideal for this. Tony Blackburn has presented some good programmes on Radio 2, (the one with a title something like "So you thought these records were hits" I thought was excellent), but the choice in the new Sounds of the Sixties seemed to be limited to the type of music Tony Blackburn is known to favour, not much from the early '60's or the heavier late 60's progressive stuff, Brian Matthew covered everything, I should imagine some things not to his personal taste.
The kind of music I like seemed to be pushed to the margins on R2 with the Bob Harris Saturday program on the early morning graveyard shift and Sounds of the Sixties starting at 6 AM.
Gridiron (Mike).

[Phil G4SPZ]

Originally Posted by Colourstar

...All that was missing was 'Hi Ho Silver Lining'...

My friend Andy was studying to become a chemist around the time this record came out. He once mistakenly referred to it as "Hi Ho Silver Nitrate" and we've known it as such ever since!

['LIVEWIRE?']

I heard the last 45 minutes or so of Tony B's first SOTS this morning, and have to agree that it has lost some of the features that made the programme differeent from many other record programmes. The same could also be said of the Friday Evening 'Golden Hour', too, and, whilst I'm sure that it wouldn't be right for new presenters to simply ape the formats of their predecessors, including some extra features with perhaps som more background info, and some less often heard records (There was one in SOTS -'This Golden Ring', by Gary Lewis & the Playboys, plus the info. that G. Lewis is the son of Jerry Lewis, which I didn't know, so maybe TonyB. will incorporate some more 'feature spots'. Time will tell, speakimng of which, I wonder if SOTS will one day return to it's 8-10AM slot?

[dave walsh]

Very unhappy letters in this weeks Radio Times which says they have had many more. They print [for balance?] what appears to be the only letter in favour of the new set up.

Dave

[Thyristor]

Sounds of the 60s fans love Tony Blackburn........

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-...-new-6am-start

Well I don't.

It's just what we all expected; and good grief; my ears are ringing with all the woffle.......

Blackburn is the wrong man for the job.
His music tates are narrow - soul, and motown, etc. And it showed.

He gleefully claimed to have co-compiled the programme with Swern. I wonder what Swern makes of this; seems rather akin to the head waiter meddling with the head chef's menu......

[ajs37]

Never liked Blackburns approach to DJ work - I caught the last 20 minutes or so - thought it was awful - won't listen again. I agree with Colourstars comments above.

[dave walsh]

Now that's interesting Thyristor! The link to the RT Website shows a completely different response from the letters page in the hard copy. Looking at population and other factors I'd suggest that the magazine itself has an older demographic and the on-line approach is a bit separate. It's a bit like reading a review column written by a younger journalist which may well focus on cable or other product eg Sky Atlantic. There is an audience [Terrestial or Satellite Freeview only] to which this does not really relate [ie people like me but I'm not overly distressed]. Judging by the numbers, it must be quite a big group-creeping ageism?

I've nothing against the presenters that they've shoe horned in. When TB started up Radio one the shouty approach was clearly what the Beeb imagined was safer "yoof music". Ironically it's all much closer to that 50 years on. I always tend to feel a bit sorry for the relentless [in my British way] they look desperate! Even Peel said that he grew to like TB as a person in the end but he sounded puzzled about it. In general the whole phasing out of sincere and venerable broadcasters like Matthews and Carrington shows the BBC in terms of up re a crass management style. It's all clearly been a "contrivance" and opportunism at the expense of loyalty. Compare it with all the ridiculous fuss when the late Terry Wogan left BH live on air-and then he came back!

Dave W

[Junk Box Nick]

Originally Posted by Colourstar

As for the new 6am time slot, in a recent interview Radio 2 controller Lewis Carnie said that as many people now work Saturday he felt there was a need to introduce a breakfast show to cater for them.

Interesting. A lot of people work nights yet the live overnight shows have recently gone from Radio 2.

I heard some of the SOTS 'repeat' early this morning - curiously it wasn't the new show but one of BM's from a couple of years ago.

[telstar]

Hi. I managed to listen to the new SOTS programme last Saturday, and drew the conclusion that it was not as good as the original. I have nothing against Tony Blackburn as a presenter, but I prefer to listen to the music without interruptions (Steve Wright seems to enjoy talking over music that on his programmes).
Also I feel sorry for those that have sent in advance requests for records to be played (birthdays, anniversaries, etc). Is Tony going to honor those requests? Not a really fair deal!
I agree with the contributor that mentioned about the offshore stations being having the better music programmes.
Personally I enjoy hearing the obscure records from the original programmes that should have had some credit in life but failed to do so because of red tape created by BBC, licensing authorities, record companies and being swamped by the emergence of Merseybeat (which was a good influence in modern music, but it was extremely difficult at that time for small bands to make any progress).

[stevehertz]

Everyone seems to be against Blackburn but let's clarify a few points. First off, he didn't sack Matthew, so be fair, don't shoot the messenger. He has a producer overseeing what he does and so simply blaming him if you don't like the new show is perhaps less than fair; it's not all down to him. His presentation style is definitely different to Brian, but personally I like them both and for sure, I'll miss Brian. But Tony is old school to boot, he knows his stuff and he's not afraid to be self effacing, unlike the the new breed of DJs who by and large are out to promote themselves as Jack the Lad characters. Yes, Tony's corny, but that's all part of his appeal if you like him! One can be light hearted you know! But he knows he's corny, it's intentional and all part of allowing the listener to laugh at him. Like it or not, Brian is gone. So if listeners want a SOTS, then they have to accept someone 'new', and believe me, it could be a lot worse than Tony Blackburn. Take a look around at the current crop and imagine one of those following on from Brian Matthew. No, Tony's the man for the job, he just has the unenviable task of trying to please an audience who loved SOTS for BM's 'soft, cuddly' presentation style as much as they did the 60s records. Give Tony a chance I say.

[Sideband]

Yes I agree with Steve. Tony B may not be everyone's favourite but he's been doing the job a long time and generally I don't mind him. He did a good job on POTP II and needs to be given a chance. My main gripe is the new time.....6am on a Saturday is really too early. 8am was just right...enabling a good lie-in (for a Saturday), time to make a brew and then sit down for 2 hrs of 60's music.

[Scimitar]

Oh yes. It could be very much worse, given the BBC's penchant for employing (I don't think I can actually use the correct description here) people who fit the PC mould.

Personally I like Tony and he was perfect for the Saturday afternoon slot that they threw him out of. Brian was the master of SOTS and I am not so keen on its new style. Perhaps the intention is to make it so difficult to listen to that the BBC will be able to close it, citing " nobody wants to hear it anymore". I am convinced it is earmarked for destruction as soon as it can be "justified".

[dave walsh]

The problem is not the presence of TB and not everyone is against him Steve H, posts 87 and 89 [just before yours!] It will suit the BBC management very well if we focus on Tony and it becomes just for and against. People felt the same about him in 1967 [ie brash rubbish v cheery excitement] and he thrives on it but that's not the point. He is being used as well to facilitate the "improvements" It would be somebody-the fault is not with him .

Study the schedule and it's obvious that they have cleared the decks and seized the opportunity to change the daily run as others move to pre-planned slots. It's the same in television with people saying whats the problem?... until it happens to them. I think I'm fairly impartial on all this as I don't really listen to "Jockeys" unless you count Private Passions or Late Junction + occasional 6 Music or Radio 2 programs.

Dave

[telstar]

As said, I have nothing personal against Tony or the other guy, it is the fault of the management. You either play(uninterrupted) music or you don't play it at all. Tony excels better on "Pick of the Pops", and he is also on local independent Radio Aire in West Yorkshire.
With regards to rare records, SOTS once featured a favourite of mine (as I personally enjoy instrumentals) "Spacewalk" by The Gemini from 1965 - well worth bringing out of the vaults! It was not by the Tornados (they were on the "B" side of the disc). It was a bit confusing as the record was accredited to The Gemini but side "A" had been recorded by a group called The Vikings (good use of a Clavioline and a Harp as well as guitars and drums)
We could do with more specialized music stations on analogue radio, which expose more rarities from the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's and possibly the 1990's.
BBC Radio Tees has a few programmes that their Leeds counterpart does not have, but even they are restricted to certain record formats.

[MurphyNut]

Irrespective to the likes or dislikes of Blackburn's style I don't like the new hours.
I used to enjoy coming downstairs switching on the kitchen radio and enjoying the program over breakfast with my wife. Now it's all over by the time I switch the radio on. I wonder how many other people used to listen to it like this and are putout with the new time slot. I think the BBC has really messed up on this!

[HamishBoxer]

Re rare records ,has anyone ever heard of "4 In The Floor" by The Shutdowns?

[Hartley118]

Exactly, Clive. The early time is a problem.

SOTS used to be the friendly nostalgic accompaniment to my Saturday breakfast.

I'm wondering about equipping the kitchen with BBC Radio Player, but I don't think SOTS would be available till I've finishes breakfast.

Martin

[Hunts smoothing bomb]

Originally Posted by MurphyNut

I wonder how many other people used to listen to it like this and are putout with the new time slot. I think the BBC has really messed up on this!

I agree with you, I haven't listened to the new show yet so cannot comment on TB's presentation, I was going to catch it on iPlayer and make up my mind.


I personally think it is because Beeb bosses are younger and have little interest in this music, they are pushing the show out, starting with an earlier start time then axing it as listening figures will be down!


Cheers

[Junk Box Nick]

In theory Radio 2's remit is to cover the demographic between 35 and 115 - a fairly impossible task. For a number of years there's been a steady lowering of the main target age and the task has not been helped by Radio 1 appealing to an increasingly younger and narrower age band.

This last became contentious a number of years ago when there was something of an outcry from older listeners that their style of programme and music was being edged out. I remember a R4 Feedback programme where a spokesperson for Radio 2 was grilled on the issue and cited Sarah Kennedy's 'showtime' tune spot on her early morning show demonstrated that this 'older taste' was being catered for. It struck me as a fig leaf - and a fairly small one at that. Around this time the BBC Trust got involved in the argument and said something to the effect of '50 and no lower'.

Anyone who was a teenager in the 1960s will now be somewhere around three score and ten and, sadly, are moving out of Radio 2's main focus. The sounds of the 1960s are probably as old hat to much of Radio 2's main audience as Henry Hall and Al Bowlly were to the generation that listened to the 1960s pirates. This is notable elsewhere with the demise of Gold stations and the competitor commercial stations concentrating on the 1980s and on. In recent years Radio 2 has moved towards lifestyle and personality based programming based around ex-Radio 1 disc jockeys and TV personalities and old-school 'presenters' like Brian Matthew are increasingly at odds with this style. You can also see how things are moving when the likes of Bob Harris seem to be gently eased aside.

The removal of Brian Matthew has become as contentious as that of Jimmy Young. While natural process has swept away a number of the old guard - and removed their programmes without controversy - some have demonstrated considerable longevity along with an equal determination to die with their boots on. The choice with longstanding uncool programmes is either to discontinue them and risk a furore from their devotees or move them to graveyard slots where they perhaps they will gently fade away. Sunday evenings - the last bastion of the older set - have changed markedly over that last few years with the removal of Sunday Half Hour and Russell Davies' art of the popular song programmes, etc., though with David Jacobs' passing the trend towards pop was bucked a little with the introduction of Don Black.

It will be interesting to see how long Sounds of the Sixties survives in its new guise. Meanwhile it is now possible to bring breakfast time on R2 more in line with the mainstream style and output of the station.

[MurphyNut]

Interesting post, what I don't understand there must be a huge following for older style music, I would imagine people 50+ would listen to the radio much more than the younger generation and the BBC should continue to cater for this age group.
I must admit I now listen to Radio 2 less and less these days and I think thats a real shame, it's not as if were're asking the station the be overtly "nostalgic" But a few programs a week would be a nice balance but they seem to be gradually disappearing. Lets hope we dont lose "Friday night is music night!"