4.52am Issue: 029 13th April 2017 The PJ Harvey Issue

and moved around the country over the
next 25 years as I moved up the radio
ladder. I’ve moved house a lot with my
radio job and have lived in Bedford,
Bristol, Milton Keynes, Newcastle,
Sheffield, Southampton, Worthing,
Brighton, Birmingham and Devon. I now
live back in my home town in
Cambridgeshire. A lot of people
remember me from my shows on
Kerrang! Radio from 2004 to 2009. I
must say, I had the time of my life there.
It was a shame it had to end.
Besides my radio shows, I’ve done TV
presenting, gig promoting, written two
books to help musicians develop their
careers, taught radio, hosted seminars,
cut ribbons of supermarkets (yes, this
actually happens!) worked at a record
label and plugged music to radio stations
to help the bands and artists I was
working with at the time.
All this ran alongside the 6 radio shows I
did each week and I was knackered!
When I reached my 25th year in radio in
2013, I decided I wanted to take a break
from being on air and take some time out
for me. I still haven’t decided what I
want to do with my life - and that was
nearly 4 years ago!!
At the moment I run Pluggin Baby full
time. It’s nothing to do with plug in
babies - it’s a radio plugging company!
I’m in charge of everything here...
Getting new clients, getting radio plays
for the clients I have, website updates,
social media updates, accounts,
administration, meeting clients, talking to
clients, making contacts in radio, having
meetings with radio stations in order to
get airplay for my clients. Sometimes I
even get a lunch break and the
occasional cup of tea.”
How does plugging differ from,
say, what a PR company offers?
“Well, I’m just playing at this plugging
lark, but the main difference is I aim to
get my clients played on the radio -
rather than get them reviews and press
coverage. Although, I must say, I do a
bit of both. I send music to all sorts of
radio stations - from community
stations, local FM stations, regional FM
stations and national brands like BBC
Radio 1 and 2, BBC 6 Music, Radio X,
Kerrang! Radio and Planet Rock Radio.
Most of my contacts seem to like what
I send them, which is good ;-)
Often it’s hard to keep up with the plays
I get for my clients. Which is also
good.”
You seem to have the brilliant
knack of getting (with all respect)
unknown bands onto the radio. Do
you prefer helping to break acts
compared to working with
established artists?
“Thanks! I got into the record label,
the gig promotions, writing music
industry books and then radio plugging
because I wanted to help bands and
musicians get a leg up the music
industry ladder - so definitely the
former. It would be a LOT easier to
plug an established artist though!!!!”