The Wildhearts

I am terrified that the 'hearts will get no airplay. Is there anyone we can put pressure on, like a poll or something?

What bugs me is that this is likely to be one of the freshest, cleverest, most competent, enjoyable and downright fantastic listens of this year but it might never get mainstream Radio play. And while some of us might not care about that I DO! It was Radio 1 that got me into the Wildhearts and since I first heard I Wanna Go Every day for a week on Chris Evan's breakfast show (on the bus to school at a tender sixteen years of age) I have never held a band in higher esteem. Thank god my bus left at 0810 as if it had left 10 mins later I might still be listening to the likes of D:Ream - Things Can Only Get Better and the Pet Shop Boys - Go West. Yes folks, it's true. Chris Evans' breakfast show was pivotal in the shaping of my musical and social identity.

I have a template saved in my phone saying "Please play by The Wildhearts - You know you love them as much as I do, Love Bill, Hartlepool" which i send in every time I hear a DJ asking for song suggestion (The blank is usually I Wanna Go (as it's so accesible) but I often alter that based upon my mood or the topic of the text in). Maybe a concerted effort at a particular time on a particular show could get "The Sweetest Song" some proper airtime.

Doesn't Ritch date a R1 DJ? Or is it ex DJ - Emma B or something... Or is that Matt Willis - Or Brian Harvey? Yuck.

Who's with me!

The chances of The Wildhearts getting Radio 1 airplay for a DOWNLOAD-ONLY single? Absolute zero, I fear...

JasonH wrote:The chances of The Wildhearts getting Radio 1 airplay for a DOWNLOAD-ONLY single? Absolute zero, I fear...

Not necessarily. If it somehow makes number one, they've got to play it once.

I wouldn't worry too much about Radio 1, it's very much a niche station these days. If you want to get famous you need Radio 2 to play you, so we need to get in with the TOGS. Auld Ginger's does Radio 2 drivetime now - try him there?

You could try lobbying someone at R1, but it didn't work last time and things have changed considerably since then.

Are Ritch and Emma still together? I didn't think so.

I think a much better bet at R1 would be Colin Murray.

Phill J on 6 Music would have been a good ally, but his day are now sadly number (3 left I think!!).

Bruce Dickinson on his 6 Music rockshow will most likely play at track or two, but that is about it I think for national stations.

Just had another thought.

James Whale on Talksport would be a great choice. He often has rock bands on his show so I will drop Wildan a note tomorrow to see if they can get on.

Radios 2 and 6Music are probably your best bet these days.

(They're not still together, incidentally)

Unfortunately Radio 1 has changed substantially since The Wildhearts first got regular airplay and unless your band is mega selling and popular (U2) or new and trendy (Klaxons) you're unlikely to get featured. This is also mostly true of the niche shows and while Murray occasionally plays older 'cult' bands, I fear The Wildhearts are not indie enough for his show. Seeing as national DJ's and the shadowy figures that put together their playlists are not reknowned for taking risks, the best bet would be to harrass rock and metal shows which might at least spread the word to uninitiated rockers. BBC 6 would also be a good option as they've never been shy of playing ginger solo stuff and are quite responsive to requests. I think it's fair to say Radio 2 is out of the question, but no harm in trying! Maybe a co-ordinated attack would work, if everyone who reads and contributes to this site were to badger a specific show on a specific day, someone might take notice...

Tommy Vance on the Friday Rock Show ?

Oh shit Im showing my age now

(and hes dead)

Playlist controller at Radio 1 is a bloke called George Ergatoudis from Leeds.

I went to school with his brother, in fact I only spoke to him last week (the brother that is).

George is an out-and-out cheesy dance freak, and his last job was controller of Kiss FM. He has no time for guitars at all. He suffers them for the sake of the nation but if it were down to him we'd have nothing but wall to wall dance, rave, rnb and euro disco on Radio 1.

Perhaps next time I bump into him I should tell him all about this great, brand new, trendy, London-based band I've just discovered then let him take the credit... 'cos I bet he's never even heard of The Wildhearts.

Other than that, he's a nice bloke... he put me up once for a week in London!

geordierussell wrote:Just had another thought.

James Whale on Talksport would be a great choice. He often has rock bands on his show so I will drop Wildan a note tomorrow to see if they can get on.

He had the Wildies on his telly show once, years ago. They played Nothing Ever Changes...

Sam wrote:I think it's fair to say Radio 2 is out of the question, but no harm in trying!

I think you'd be surprised actually.

Bob Harris plays them semi regularly, as does Alex Lester - especially if you email him and request it as part of 'Listener's Library'.

During his tenure of the R1 breakfast show, Chris Evans made (I think) every WH release 'single of the week' and, as I said before, he's got drivetime now (with a completely request driven Friday show, but you have to make the effort and actually phone in).

Jonathon Ross plays all sorts of stuff (his producer Andy's probably your best bet here), and there's Stuart Maconie and Dermot O'leary on a Saturday afternoon too, who are both partial to a spot of more alternative music.

Oh, christ, and Mark Radcliffe too, and for that matter Janice Long afterwards - she's had all sorts in doing sessions.

Nothing's guaranteed, but pick the right song...

Me? A radio 2 devotee? how did you guess...

Cool, had no idea! Used to listen to radio 2 a fair bit and then went digital and BBC 6 pretty much took over my radio listening habits. I guess whether radio 2 play it or not will depend on the nature of the song, if it's a Sick of Drugs or I Wanna Go then yes, if it's a Suckerpunch or Lovebank then I'm thinking probably no!

JasonH wrote:if it were down to him we'd have nothing but wall to wall dance, rave, rnb and euro disco on Radio 1.

Errrrrrr, excuse me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what radio 1 plays from 6pm till 6am???????????????????????


AND ALL OF IT ABSOLUTE WANK!!!!!

I think the best bet is Chris Evans on Radio 2 - when he's back next week I think.

Should get his interest going with a few email requests and then bombard him with requests for the new download single when it comes out.

I say 1 email each per day for those who are up for it?

PS - SteveP

I'm from Chester-le-Street - how old are you and did you go to the Hermitage?