J*9: How did the Diesel Radio Station Start?
Lucy Pink: It all started in May 2008 and it was a pop up project and we were above the Amersham Arms in New Cross and it was just meant to be for 6 weeks. The idea was that we got bands, musicians, DJs and artists to host their own shows where they come in and take over. Then we went off air and were never to come back again, but in September 2008 they asked us to come back for another 6 weeks and then we went off air again. In April 2009 we started off again and we have been going ever since. Its kind of varies between 6 weeks being really full on and the few months with one live show a day.
J*9: So how did you get involved?
Lucy Pink: Emma our Creative Director put the idea to Diesel and we had done a similar thing for Bestival and I have been doing that for 6 years. I worked with Emma and the team on the Bestival radio as well so when this came up, she picked her radio team and I was on that list. I was working full time when the first project happened and my work gave me six weeks off because they knew this is what I wanted to be doing. The second time it came up, I thought I can’t ask them again but then I thought I could ask them again. I know this is really cheeky but I want to go do it again they were like yeah go do it! It was like having a family as a work place who were so supportive.
J*9: What has been the response since you first started the project?
Lucy Pink: It’s been huge, huge, and huge. When they know about it they like this is great. When the artists come down to do their show they are like we have had the best time. Or people who come as guest see the space and feel the vibe, they like I want to come back and do something here. Dawn Pen did that recently she was like when you are going to get me to do a show? I was like anytime, she came and guessed with Roots Manuva. She just dropped by but after spending the night here she was like I want to do one. As it is Internet based we are getting a good international response and it is not just listeners from the UK. We have done broadcasts out in New York, which was insane, Berlin and Milan and venturing out here there and everywhere. When they [artists] are doing their show we guide them we don’t tell them what to do. They will be like can I play this really random record that I found and we will be like of course you can.
J*9: Is there a set format or is it down to the artists?
Lucy Pink: It is completely down to the artists as the shows are one-offs. I do a weekly show for Diesel and Tom Ravencroft as well we are in-house producers but every other show was one-off. It’s not that format of breakfast or drive time, its completely random you could have Drum & Bass at nine o’clock in the morning, or Smooth Jazz at eleven at night. You don’t really know what is going to happen throughout the day, which is pretty cool.
J*9: What guests have you had on the show?
Lucy Pink: The one show that stood out was the Banana Clan showcase. We had Roots Manuva, The Banana Skins Bands, Ricky Rankin, Jimmy Screech. Roots had guessed on my show and I was like why don’t you do your own show. So he came down to do his own and took over the space and made it into a performance area. Roots had invited Dawn Penn she turned up with her guitarists and they rocked with this full live show and were being broadcasted at the same time. Everyone had so much fun; it was like friends coming together to do an event.
J*9: What were the highlights?
Lucy Pink: Being in New York was the biggest, I got to interview Consequence and Ryan Leslie these huge super stars out there which was mind blowing. I got to link with the End of the Weak out there and did some stuff with them. In show wise there have been so many!
J*9: Did any guests surprise you?
Lucy Pink: I think the most comedic and random one had to be Kashmere and DJ Ghost. They were using stuff here like xylophones and random instruments that you find at children’s parties they were not even trying to be musical. Dan Greenpeace and DJ Excalibah were getting involved it was like they were at their mates house having a laugh. We keep things under control but we are like do whatever you like. Sometimes it can go the other way, people turn up and you think they may do one thing but come with a complete band. I thought Speech Dubelle was coming in for an interview and she turned up with a full live band. This is fantastic but now I need to run around the studio and set everything up.
J*9: How did you get into radio?
Lucy Pink: I started at uni and I got involved straight away. I started spending more time on radio than my degree. I did a weekly show there and it built up and we were getting sponsorships from local record shops that gave us all our music. I guess that was how I got into hip-hop, but I was more drum & bass back then. When I left I came to London and did hospital radio and did just as much as I could. Starting making pod casts, going out on the scene, interviewing people, I guess I saw it as practice and to get to where I am. Practising and perfecting my craft and just meeting people, understanding it all, I’m not there yet, I have still got a lot more learning to do.
J*9: How long you been on radio?
Lucy Pink: Seven years, it has only been in the last 2-3 years that it has become more established and more regular. There is still so much more to do and I write my to do list every day.
J*9: What items are on your to do lists?
Lucy Pink: Perfecting my editing and DJing skills. I am more a radio DJ than live a DJ so practising my mixing so I can do gigs. I don’t want to be one of those DJs that are really bad! I just want to get the show built up and not miss any opportunities.
J*9: Are you more into indie radio or something major like the beep?
Lucy Pink: I would love to do something like the BBC because that is like the top point. I enjoy doing this [Diesel FM] and I love doing this and I’m seeing where it can all go and what happens. It just the case of contacting people and getting everything perfected. If 1Extra came knocking, I’ll be hell yeah! Nothing is really permanent it is always leading to other stuff.
J*9: Do you remember your first show?
Lucy Pink: It was awful! I was co-presenting with this guy who is still a friend of mine. Listening back to them I sounded really nervous and a bit false, I guess you are your biggest critique. But with our shows we really loved music, once we started talking about music it sounded really natural. It was those opening links, I think because I was really nervous. But show really developed and they kept us going for three years and we had the prime time slot. Someone must have thought it was all right but when I listen to him or her I cringe!
J*9: I think it’s the case of listening to your own voice, I personally hate it!
Lucy Pink: But you have too! Especially when I have done my pod cast, I need to arrange it in way that makes sense to the listener and just ignore the fact that you hate the sound of your own voice. Now I do it a lot, to work out where things can be improved or can’t be said. When you are just talking you don’t realise how often you would say a certain word or phrases. It’s like oh my god I just said wicked 50 times in half an hour and it sounds really shit.
J*9: How do you know when listeners are feeling the music?
Lucy Pink: Feedback, people using social network sites like twitter, facebook, my space sending in comments and people are responding straight away. With my show as well, there is a lot of underground and up coming artists so we get feedback from them and get sent lot stuff. The show it is really different from a DJ set, so I hand picked all my music or get sent stuff and filter through and see what I like. If I have a guest on I will play a lot of their stuff in the interview. I don’t plan to start off chilled and then heavy; it kind of just bounce around and that is what I love about radio.
Check Lucy Pink on:
www.dieselumusicradio.com
http://lucypink.podomatic.com
www.myspace.com/lucyadam
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