Sounds Of The 60's

[Bowlswidow]

I heard the sad news that Brian Matthew will not be returning to Sounds of the 60's. I suggest Mike Read to replace him, he has a great voice for radio.

[Togo]

Quite enjoying Tim Rice now I have got used to Brian Mathew not being the presenter. Great show this morning. Plus he knew a lot of the "artistes" from back then himself, as did Brian.

[Bowlswidow]

I am also enjoying Tim Rice. He has a mellilfluous voice and great knowledge of the music but should he not wish to be permanent presenter I would suggest Mike Read.

[Togo]

You are probably right Bowls, Tim Rice may not see the programme as a long term commitment, as he has other irons in the fire so to speak. Mike Read would be a good choice or Simon Bates. Anyone but D.L.Travis though.

[Togo]

Or worse still Ross.

[Buenchico]

Tim Rice always sounds like he's simply reading from a script to me (which, of course, he is actually), rather than enthusing about the music.

I'd like to see Johnnie Walker take over Sounds of the Sixties. He's an excellent presenter and, as a former Radio Caroline DJ, of the right era to present the show. (I've got one of these in a drawer somewhere. I really must put it on my current car! https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1200/646467568_2a4128afce_z.jpg?zz=1 ).

JW could either retain his current Sounds of the Seventies show or hand it on to someone else. (I'd be happy to hear him on both programmes).

Although I'll miss Brian Matthew in the slot, at least I won't have to suffer the pangs of guilt, every time I listened to him, which had lasted since my childhood. I was only allowed to listen to the children's show on the Light Programme on a Saturday morning on the strict understanding that I turned the radio off immediately afterwards. If my mother heard just the first few seconds of Saturday Club coming from the radio, she'd race into the room shouting "I've told you before! We don't have THAT sort of so-called-music in THIS house!". I'd then be in disgrace for the whole of the next week and barred from listening to the children's programme for the whole of the next month.

[Jackdaw33]

The late Ronnie Hilton used to present a show called Sounds of the 50s. It brought back so many memories of tunes I heard as a small boy.

[Zacs-Master]

I'm not bothered who gets it as long as they're a black underprivileged one armed lesbian. There just aren't enough of them on the BBC.

[Jackdaw33]

You missed out dwarfed and hunchbacked. Peterborough in the Telegraph used these terms over 40 years ago.

[corylus]

I remember listening to Brian Matthew on 'Saturday Club' back in the 60s and have enjoyed listening to his 'Sounds of the 60s' programme over the last few years, his knowledge of the performers and their music is always interesting and has brought back many memories for me. Very sad to hear that he won't be returning to his splendid programme.

Good luck Brian!

[Buenchico]

>>> The late Ronnie Hilton used to present a show called Sounds of the 50s

Far more recently, Leo Green presented 'Sounds of the 50s' in the Friday evening slot vacated by Desmond Carrington's retirement. It ran throughout November and December last year, before Tony Blackburn's new show was moved into that slot.

There's just one day left to catch up with the last programme in Leo Green's series:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b085hbwv
(I'm not actually sure about whether '1 day left' means that it disappears at midnight tonight or midnight tomorrow)

[goodgoalie]

As I've just written on another thread about this, it doesn't really matter who presents this programme, as it only involves reading out Phil Swern's script!

[Buenchico]

. . . but, as I've indicated above, GG, it helps if the presenter can read it in a way which sounds like it's 'off the cuff'. With Tim Rice it's all too obvious that he's just reading it out.

(As an analogy, Desmond Carrington always made it clear that the record selections for his programme, along with much of his script, were all the work of his producer. However he still managed to deliver that script with a warmth that others would find hard to match and he'll be much missed).

[Caran]

Brian Matthews didn't leave voluntarily, he was pushed and is very unhappy at this.

[tonyav]

Why did he get the push, Caran ?.

[Caran]

I read it in the paper this morning. He had a fall and was off for a while. When he was ready to go back they told him he was finished.

[tonyav]

Thanks Caran
Mmmmm sounds like the BBC took an opportunity to get rid then.

[goodgoalie]

They're having a clear-out at Radio 2 - Alex Lester and Janice Long have just had their marching orders, to be replaced by repeats of earlier programmes, though Huey Morgan is coming back at midnight on Fridays, I think

[vulcan42]

So long as it's not Steve Wright, Chris Evans, Craig Charles and the ubiquitous Jeremy Vine, I don't mind who presents it. I shall miss Brian Matthew though, his presentation was excellent.

[tonyav]

I think Johnny Walker be a great replacement.
Unfair what the BBC have done regarding Brian Mathews though.

[Buenchico]

A link to go with Caran's post (even though I don't like linking to the Daily Wail website!):
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4166016/Radio-presenter-centre-BBC-ageism-row.html

However to accuse the BBC of ageism seems a bit much when Desmond Carrington was allowed to stay until he could go on no longer (at the age of 90), 74-year-old Ed Stewart was given a prime-time Christmas Day show to end his career when it was known that his health was failing, Terry Wogan was still broadcasting until his late 70s, Tony Blackburn has just been welcomed back at the age of 73, Russell Davies is approaching his 71st birthday, Paul Gambaccini is 67, Elaine Page is nearly 69, Frank Renton has his 78th birthday this year and Don Black has his 79th coming up. Radio 2 is hardly operating a 'youth only' policy!