Last week I had the pleasure of joining with some familiar faces and voices from the last 25 years of On The Wire at BBC Radio Lancashire's studio in Blackburn. Most notably an old and outrageously talented friend called Adrian Sherwood the Genius behind On-U-Soundz who has recently released another Lee Scratch Perry album. The entire show lasting 4 hours featuring an interview or two with Adrian is available for download at this link http://otwradio.blogspot.com/2009/09/playlist-19th-september-2009-on-wire-is.html which you may have to paste into your browser. When you get to the page look for the audio link and you can download a podcast of the full show. The same will apply to the next couple of shows which will be featuring more special anniversary guest mixes from stations in the USA.
On the Wire is still available each Saturday night in the North West of England on FM at 10 pm, British Summer Time and via the BBC Radio Lancashire Website and later on listen again and at the On the Wire Blog address above.
In this increasingly commercialised and dumbed-down world, music programs catering for more rarefied and diverse musical and cultural tastes are about as rare as rocking horse shit and since the sad loss of John Peel it has become glaringly obvious how blinkered the BBC has become. It tried to end On the Wire in the early nineties when the John Birt reign of terror and rolling news threatened to squeeze every bit of individuality and regional accent from Local Radio in the UK. Only thanks to a truly enormous and indeed magnificent response from its many loyal fans was it saved at the last minute.
The North of England and its major cities harbour a truly extraordinary volume and quality of musical talent but without programs like on the wire and the work of Steve Barker and Michael Fenton (Fenny) much of it would probably never even get a first chance to be heard. And this dedication to music and creative talent rather than merely the latest D rated Celeb which has earned not only its loyal audience here in the UK but also many new fans via the net and even DJs and presenters on stations across the Pond. Maybe its now impossible to credit all who have contributed in their various ways but there's no harm in trying. It gives me great pleasure to reprint the Roll of Honour of those involved with On the Wire over the last 25. Thank you one and all and here's to the next twenty five.
Mike Martin, Jethro Binks, Steve Baldwin, Nick Shimmin, Gaynor Hegart, yAjay, Sarah Champion, Allison Martin, John Kerr, Roger Brough, Dr. Steve Redhead, Dr Alan Woods, Uncle Joe Wilson, Twin Boys, Mark E Smith, Mike Chapman, Ian Cooke, Christian Virant. Baked Goods Boys, Comix boys & girls,Black Banana, Brian Jackson, John Peel, Andy Kershaw, Harry Hawk, Terry C,Dr Starngedub, Eastern Bloc, Martin & Graham & 808 boys, Action, Gordon & AckerBoomkat, Shlom & Alex,Probe, Annie & Bob, Steve Hardstaff, Geoff Davies, Roger Eagle, Gary Hickson, Daniel Miller, Mrs Cakehead, Adrian Sherwood, Kishi Yamamoto,Blood & Fire boys, Dom, Bob and Steve Barrow, Alex Fenton, Brian Cox, Hovis Presley, Fredd Dootson, Phil & Mick Orch, Nigel Blackwell. John Tree, Buzz Bury, Pete Haigh, The Madhatter, Colin Joseph, Jah Wobble, Alan Bishop, Paul Rooney, Enrico la Rocca, Andrew Neal, Marvin Scott. Professor Les Scott, Neil Robbins, Phil Smith, John Cuckold, Astonihing Sounds, Beatherder Boys Nick & Tim, Gary Ward @ Darwen Music Festival, Richard Finlayson, Mr Wiz, Krispy, Gerry & Brenda Kenny, Coldcut, Negativland, Dave Katz, Martin Kelner, Russell and Melissa at Dubhead, Ray Hurford, Paul Meme, John Eden, Laurent at WTM, Martin Mills, Annie Bandez, Alison at Southern, Tony, Chris and all at the Wire, Charlie Gillett, David Toop, Dennis Bovell, Jan & Christoph at Jahtari,
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