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I've been thinking for a while about creating this thread about my experience as a radio presenter on the Monday evening show @BBCRadioCymru My teenage years were at the height of Punk Rock - which you could NOT ignore. Today is a very different Landscape https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075t6wd
Our weekly show @BBCRadioCymru is 3 hours every Monday 7-10pm - we go for the left-field / edgy and mostly Welsh - but I thought it would be an interesting conversation to look at PR and promotion in this digital age of email and downloads. So how does all this work?
Recently we were contacted by @bwbatlarge @AtLargePR on behalf of @onahofficial2 No real connection with Wales but we loved Francis's track 'Iripia'. Also helps that its a non-English track. So we played it. We are playing it again 10.08.20
But on a more 'personal' level @onahofficial2 has engaged with the show. We have never met but a 'relationship' now exists. Our team @BBCRadioCymru are ready for the next release by Francis . This helps whereas a one off link to a download is very impersonal.
As a general rule on @BBCRadioCymru new acts and new tracks are played by @georgiaruth @LisaGwilym @huwstephens and as a show we respect that the first plays are played by one of those show. But occasionally in old school John Peel we might decide to 'champion' a band,
An example of a band we have actively 'championed' as a show are @adwaithband @LibertinoRecs @holliesinger @Gwen_Anthony purely down to the fact that emotionally their music does what music should do - inspire / provoke
Another band that we have featured regularly are @oblongpop from Llanelli. They are punky and from LLANELLI - home of Llygod Ffyrnig and members of MAN - this is good. They are independent and not part of any obvious 'scene'. aka the' Llanelli Boys' https://oblong1.bandcamp.com/
I stress here that this thread is using examples - we are a broad church and look at Monday's on @BBCRadioCymru as a community of music lovers #CymunedNosLun Another feature of the show is obscure 7" records eg this one by Trobwll #ProgRock https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075t6wd
A few weeks ago Gaynor - the partner of Richard Morris (Trobwll) and producer of some records by #Crys #YCyrff #MaffiaMrHuws @sionmaffia @Mrcyrff got in touch via email [email protected] with new acoustic tracks they have recorded together - we played 'em https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000l1gy
Of course there are bands out there who hardly 'need our support' on Monday evenings - they are well known and established but we do feature bands like @superfurry @gruffingtonpost on a regular basis for obvious reasons. On Friday 31st July 10pm we look back at @eisteddfod gigs
On the 20th Anniversary of Mwng we played the album in its entirety @superfurry @BBCRadioCymru and got a fantastic response from the listeners. We can do this as a show - play a whole album and not worry https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08cvzhs
Arguably another act that does not 'need our support' is @BrynfonFn one of the most successful Welsh acts of all time and a regular on @BBCRadioCymru But Bryn's earlier band #Crysbas is right up our street. Take this track 'Amser' which has a reggae / synth feel to it
Two weeks ago we had a request for @BrynfonFn and my feeling was that it was important to support this request. I would not play a track if I didn't think it works. Requests allow the listeners to have ownership #perchnogaeth of the show. This is good. https://open.spotify.com/track/3rv0K3XCCY1IxJhHrm1oWG?si=ZclcB2BNQ4mB5ZBtRCB8-A
Initially the show was aimed at the 1980's / 1990's audience with an overlap to the 70's and #PunkRock and some new stuff like @gwennosaunders which was really happenning when we started @heavenlyrecs @ChiltonBell and we reached out to popstars from that period @THEWENDYJAMES
Wendy @THEWENDYJAMES was kind enough to record a clip for our Tribute show @BBCRadioCymru to @themaryhopkin @MaryHopkinMusic @jessleemorgan https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08dxjgx
Part Time Rock Star and Full Time Legend and still going strong @petewylie was also kind enough to record a clip for the Mary Hopkin show. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08fmk4r
Our aim as a show is to widen the 'reach' and get more people turned on to music from Wales - sometimes highly obscure stuff. Over the years we have had contributions from @martynware #VivAlbertine @alicenut1 @midgeure1 @TheDJohnsonR3AL @AndrewLoganAMW https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075t6wd
We have recently got behind @GreenGartside @scrittipolitti new single 'Tangled Mind' @RoughTradeRecs @beggarsgroup and Green in perfect Welsh recorded a little jingle for us. This all helps https://open.spotify.com/track/12rgcYtNy60qyEcRKDV1LI?si=w90AZDiKQYqEPMGlUQHBtQ
And on a similar theme of how all this works / can work - Crator's 1979 single is something we've played regylarly - New Wave - but Gareth went on to record a jingle for the show - we didn't ask he just did. He is now considered #Family #CymunedNosLun - engagement!!!
Welsh Record Labels have been BRILLIANT from Day One of the show - its a small scene and most of us know each other. When an album like 'Hiraeth' is re-released @Sainrecords @EndafEmlyn @GwenanGibbard we all work together to do a 'Special' https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000l1gy
Getting back to the previous point of our fellow shows on @BBCRadioCymru @georgiaruth @LisaGwilym @huwstephens we all need to figure out which show is most appropriate. This is something PR and Labels need to be engaged with - where to pitch artists https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075t6wd
I need more than a link to a download. There needs to be an angle / a story / a reason - or it has to be brilliant - there's a lot of stuff out there. Get a Tank. I think we can all agree that @superfurry are BRILLIANT and radio friendly but look at their campaigns .....
Then you hear this @CerysHafana - we @BBCRadioCymru have shared with @cerysmatthews @BBC6Music because you JUST KNOW that Cerys Hafana is genius and has got it. A session by Cerys is lined up for August. Reminds me of hearing early Catatonia demos https://open.spotify.com/track/21fpelsJTgF6x8dwqk5AnY?si=AF7H4rsdT_a2VU34zjef2w
Back to PR and @RealWorldRec have sent us the new track by @amazonesafrique again we love it here at Bangor HQ @BBCRadioCymru and it will be on the show 10.08.20 along with summer tunes curated by @colorama_sound from the @Sainrecords back catalogue https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075t6wd
