New to GRTR!,
Sundays 21:00; Tuesdays 16:00, Thursdays 21:00
(repeat)
Latest playlist
David presents 'Assume the Position', a weekly show
signposting new additions to the website, upcoming tours and
playing the best new and classic rock tracks, and 'New to GRTR!'
showcasing latest additions to our playlist.
David Randall
grew up in the sixties on a diet of pirate Radio Caroline North
enchanted by both the music and the informality. Like many
enthusiasts, as a youngster he made home recordings of an
imaginary radio station using an early reel to reel.
David was far too young to join the 'pirates' and
therefore comforts himself with the thought that - having grown
up intimately with their output - he may have subconsciously
absorbed their presentation styles and enthusiasm.
Whilst at
University he worked at BBC Radio Birmingham witnessing first
hand the work of Alan Dedicoat (the voice of the National
Lottery) who was then a station announcer. He then
auditioned for Radio 210 (Thames Valley) when Bob Harris was
Head of Music and Presentation and Mike Read and Steve Wright
were on the DJ roster.
David
was unsuccessful and decided that he would pursue an alternative
career. However he maintained his radio interest in the
1980s when he worked for Liverpool's biggest hospital radio
station, later becoming station manager. David says:
"Technically, the station was kitted out with some of the best
ex-BBC equipment and it provided an excellent training ground
not least with the roadshows which entailed engaging the public
and of course raising funds for the hospital.
Unfortunately the studios were next to the morgue!"
The Internet
gave David a chance to rekindle and develop his lifelong radio
interests and study of rock radio. He says: "Amazingly,
much rock radio is still driven by a fairly restricted playlist
rotating the familiar big name artists. There is a lack of
real depth in the programming. With GRTR! Radio we like to
give a voice to independent and upcoming artists as well as the
more mainstream and we take great pleasure in searching out
those who may have been overlooked or forgotten about over the
years but who nevertheless repay greater investigation.
There are also specialist presented and continuous music
sequences for a range of genres under a general classic rock
banner."
"It's amazing that the Internet now gives an opportunity to
reach a global radio audience - it's created more of a level
playing field - and much of our feedback comes from
outside the UK as listeners discover the refreshing music mix.
For example, we've had some great comments from listeners in
North America which traditionally has been a stronghold for FM
Rock Radio."
David established the radio channel after the
demise of UK City Radio which broadcast his weekly show from 16
June 2007. The idea was to complement the reviews and
interviews that appeared on the well-established classic rock
website Get Ready to ROCK!
His biggest
radio heroes are those who trailblazed rock music in the UK
sometimes in the face of adversity: Alan Freeman, Bob Harris and
Johnnie Walker. He aims to bring elements of their style
and spirit to his own programming. In particular, he was
always very impressed with Bob Harris' overnight show for BBC
Radio 1 in the early-1990s: "If there is a model for GRTR! Radio
it is that. Bob calls it a strip show, rather than a
specialist sequence, but he played a really healthy selection of
music with interviews and live sessions and before his
subsequent more specialist Country and Americana interests."
David's own musical tastes came full circle with
the start of the Get Ready to ROCK! website in 2003. For a
period in the eighties he was very interested in disco and funk
music (with pop this formed the staple output of his hospital
radio station) and the 1990s was something of a blank as music
became less important in his life almost coinciding with Bob
Harris' removal from Radio 1 as part of an old-school DJ cull in
1993. Now fully reformed and enlightened, David cherishes
that he started buying records in the early 1970s in what was a
glorious and formative period for classic and progressive rock.
If you'd like
to make your own suggestions for any of our features (see below)
or request a particular track please
contact us.
The 'New to GRTR!' sequence is broadcast on Sundays at 21:00 showcasing new
releases and gives a flavour of the range of music played on the station.
You can also hear David interviewing artists for our special features. These have included Steve Hackett, Rod Argent,
David Coverdale, Joan Armatrading, Geoff Downes, Martin Barre, Paul Rodgers and many others.
Selected shows are now available to listen again at
Mixcloud
Photo: Steve
Goudie
Sunday 5 July, 22:00
NEAL SCHON SPECIAL
In the first hour of this week's show, David chats to Journey guitarist Neal
Schon about his career
Sunday 8 February 2015, 22:00
Sunday 8 March 2015, 21:00
ALAN PARSONS
In the first hour of his show, David chats to legendary Abbey Road
engineer/producer and leader of The Alan Parsons Project.
Alan brings The Alan Parsons Live Project to London, Shepherds Bush
Empire, on Wednesday 18 March.
Regular features
Anniversary Rock feature
If you have a suggestion for this sequence, please let us know by
email, you can also suggest tracks for those
forthcoming shows listed above.
2015
Sunday 11 January: James Griffin, Joe Jammer, Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Sunday 18 January: Status Quo, Barry Manilow, Eric Clapton
Sunday 25 January: Jim Capaldi, Seven Thorns, Fleetwood Mac
Sunday 1 February: Keith Emerson, The Blues Brothers, Shocking Blue
Sunday 15 February: Joni Mitchell, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Badfinger
Sunday 22 February: Anthony Phillips, Alan Parsons, Average White Band
Sunday 1 March: Squeeze, Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits
Sunday 15 March: Paul Kossoff, Quiet Riot, The Runaways
Sunday 22 March: Allanah Myles, Ian Dury, Blondie
Sunday 12 April: Jimmy McIntosh, ABC, Bonnie Tyler
Sunday 26 April: Focus, Steve Perry, Mick Ronson
Sunday 3 May: Jefferson Starship, The Stranglers, Rolling Stones
Sunday 17 May: The Isley Brothers, John Sykes, David Bowie
Sunday 24 May: Gov't Mule, Dave Grohl/Stevie Nicks, Edgar Winter Group
Sunday 31 May: Saxon, Seal & Jeff Beck, Electric Light Orchestra
Sunday 7 June: Elton John, Wilson Phillips, Phil Collins
Sunday 14 June: Fleetwood Mac, Rory Gallagher, Van Morrison
Sunday 21 June: Captain & Tennille, Rainbow, The Corrs
Sunday 28 June: Eagles, Rare Earth, 10cc
Sunday 5 July: Heart, Cream, Jimi Hendrix
AC/DC, Michael Chapman, Alice Cooper, Allman Brothers Band, America, Argent,
Asia, Atomic Rooster, Jeff Beck, Pat Benatar, Black Crowes, Blue Oyster Cult,
Joe Bonamassa, David Bowie, Brinsley Schwarz, Jack Bruce, Budgie, Paul
Butterfield, Roger Chapman, Eric Clapton, Cream, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young,
Deep Purple, Dio, The Doors, Edgar Broughton Band, Europe, Fairport Convention,
Fish, Fleetwood Mac, Focus, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Free, Rory Gallagher,
Gamma Ray, David Gilmour, Groundhogs, Steve Hackett, Richie Havens, Hawkwind,
Jeff Healey, Heart, Heaven And Hell, Jimi Hendrix, Alan Hull, Humble Pie, Ian
Gillan Band, Iron Maiden, Jefferson Airplane, Jethro Tull, Janis Joplin, Judas
Priest, Richie Kotzen, Led Zeppelin, Lindisfarne, Linkin Park, Magnum, Man,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Marillion, John Martyn, Megadeth, Michael Schenker
Group, Molly Hatchet, Gary Moore, Mott The Hoople, Mountain, Nazareth, Nektar,
The Nice, Ted Nugent, Alan Parsons, Pink Floyd, Robert Plant, Procol Harum,
Queen, Queensryche, Rainbow, Todd Rundgren, Stone The Crows, Thin Lizzy,
Thunder, Toto, Pat Travers, Robin Trower, Roxy Music, Rush, Santana, Saxon, The
Scorpions, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Status Quo, Supertramp, Taste, Ten
Years After, Tesla, Thin Lizzy, Thunder, Toto, Traffic, Walter Trout, The Tubes,
Twisted Sister, Tygers Of Pan Tang, UFO, Uriah Heep, Van Halen, Whitesnake, The
Who, Wings, Johnny Winter, Wishbone Ash, Neil Young, ZZ Top, Zzebra
David
was unsuccessful and decided that he would pursue an alternative
career. However he maintained his radio interest in the
1980s when he worked for Liverpool's biggest hospital radio
station, later becoming station manager. David says:
"Technically, the station was kitted out with some of the best
ex-BBC equipment and it provided an excellent training ground
not least with the roadshows which entailed engaging the public
and of course raising funds for the hospital.
Unfortunately the studios were next to the morgue!"
