As a teenager, I used to sneakily listen to Mark and Lard on Radio 1, late at night, on my walkman in bed, under the covers. Much of my musical education can be attributed to these illicit listening sessions: the huge variety of styles, eras and bands they played, underground and mainstream, broadened my horizons hugely. Their banter kept me entertained well into the night, and introduced me to a whole world of music, film and cultural stuff, which, living in rural Norfolk, I’d never normally have even heard about.
Fast forward ten or so years, and Mark Radcliffe is back on late night radio once again. Okay, it’s Radio 2, and Boy Lard has disappeared to 6 Music to host his own show; and I’m now listening in my living room in Manchester (God Bless Freeview) rather than under the covers on my walkman – but the essence of the show is still there – lots of great music, old and new, northern banter and more pop culture references than you can shake a proverbial stick at. As well as being a great show, it’s also strangely comforting to be able to hear Mark back on the show he was so clearly meant to be presenting.
Of course, knowing the way the BBC work, they’ll soon latch onto the fact that he’s popular and stick him on the afternoon slot again, give him a playlist and kill everything about the show that makes it so great. Again. So, I guess I’d best just make the most of it whilst it lasts.
Only ever heard him in the afternoons where the music was playlist and the jokes, well… repetitive, so I can’t say I’ve ever really ‘got’ Mark Radcliffe. What sort of stuff does he play on 2?
Anything and everything, pretty much. Like a slightly less crazy version of John Peel. Lots of stuff you’ve never heard of, stuff you’ve forgotten existed but are glad to be reminded of, lots of new music and the occasional good bit of standard playlist fodder.