Playlist w/c 8th June 2009

Hi All

Please find below our playlist for the forthcoming week:

Bat For Lashes - Pearl's Dream
Bruce Springsteen - My Lucky Day
Daniel Merriweather - Red
Empire Of The Sun - We Are The People
Fleet Foxes - Your Protector
James Taylor - Seminole Wind
Jon Allen - Young Man Blues
Kleerup - Longing For Lullabies
Lemonheads - I Just Can’t Take It
Lenka - The Show
Lionel Richie - Forever
Lisa Hannigan - I Don’t Know
Mamas Gun - Let’s Find A Way
Mika - Songs For Sorrow EP
Nickelback - If Today Was Your Last Day
Noisettes - Never Forget You
Paloma Faith - Stone Cold Sober
Paolo Nutini - Candy
Pet Shop Boys - Did you See Me Coming?
Pixie Lott - Mama Do
Pretenders - Love’s A Mystery
Rob Thomas - Her Diamonds
Shannon Noll - Now I Run
Take That - Said It All
Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar
The Duckworth Lewis Method - The Age of Revolution
The Proclaimers - Love Can Move Mountains
The Script - Before The Worst

Items in BOLD are new additions.

These are the new songs we will be featuring but we also play lots of classic tunes and requests from listeners. If you would like to make a request or dedication, please feel free to get in touch during the show:

Phone: 01727 839926
Email: studio@radioverulam.com

John B-S (presenter of the show Tuesdays & Thursdays) and I both have featured tracks. This is a studio initiative whereby our featured tracks get played on other shows to promote our show. Our current featured tracks are:

Danny Smith: Jon Allen - Young Man's Blues
John B-S: Mamas Gun - Let's Find A Way

You can also follow John B-S and myself on Twitter. Our usernames are:

Danny Smith - @dapperdan75
John B-S - @johnbs100

We will endeavour to follow your tweets during the show, do feel free to tweet comments, requests and anything else you choose.

So tune in weekdays from 4pm - 7pm for the best in local news, views, inane chit-chat and great music!

Best wishes

Danny Smith
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'Dear Gordon, I Quit'

Hello again.

So the elections are done, the results are flooding through and we are free to talk at last. Yesterday the ban on talking about party politics on my Radio Verulam show was a bit like Basil Fawlty: 'Don't mention the war..I mentioned it once - but I think I got away with it!'

Meanwhile we have had a cabinet re-shuffle. Earlier in the week they were (to use a cliche) queuing to jump, just like rats leaving a sinking ship; like moving the chairs on the Titanic (0 out of 10 for originality). How can you shuffle the pack when they're all jokers! (Enough I hear you say). Earlier in the week the Guardian called for the PM to go. In the Times today they put James Purnell's letter on the front page, but I have also heard pundits saying Gordon Brown may be safe after all. The calls for a general election from David Cameron and Nick Clegg grow ever more shrill. They scent blood and are not going to stop now. What is crucial is whether the PM can still command the support of his own side. This looks increasingly doubtful. In 1990 the Tories did the deed and removed Mrs Thatcher while she was still in office. These are very interesting times, and already 2009 will go down as a big year in history. I managed to talk about some of this with my partner-in-crime Danny on his Friday show.

On Thursday we heard from Warren Knight one of our afternoon presenters, phoning in live from a jazz benefit gig for Alzheimers Disease at the 100 Club in Oxford Street, London. Warren sounded like he was enjoying himself! Great music too. I also got a call from folk singer Julie Felix who appears at the Maltings on Saturday. She's from California but has been performing over here since the '60s. She has worked with the likes of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. We both agreed that Dylan's new album isn't quite as good as the last one. Also Lydia previewed her 7pm Irish show - The Emerald Hour.

Saturday marks 65 years since the D-Day Normandy landings in France on 6th June, 1944. We now know this turned the tide of the Second World War. The Allies led by Britain and America went on to victory against the Axis powers led by Nazi Germany. Four years earlier things had seemed far worse. On 4th June 1940 the troops were evacuated in the nick of time at Dunkirk. Winston Churchill told the House of Commons that day: 'We shall fight them on the beaches...we shall never surrender!' We played you that famous speech, complete with the chimes of Big Ben, V for Victory (Beethoven's 5th) and Vera Lynn singing White Cliffs of Dover. If you want to find out more watch BBC 1 Sat. 4.20pm D-Day 65: The Veterans Return.

Before that you can watch The Derby. And I'm looking forward to the final of The Apprentice on Sunday. The more belligerant Sir Alan gets, the better! As for Big Brother - I don't think I'll bother.

I enjoy writing these blogs so if you have any comments about this message or anything you hear on the radio show, I would love to hear from you. You can add a comment here, contact the studio on 01727 839926 or email studio@radioverulam.com

In the meantime, have a good weekend. I'm back on air Tuesday 4-7pm

John

Updates

Hi everyone

On Monday's show I spoke to Clare Gray from the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust and she told us about the various initiatives they are currently undertaking. For more information, please check out their website:

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/herts

On Today's show we ran a competition to win the New CD by Simple Minds, entitled "Graffiti Soul". We gave away two CDs and the first one went to Paul in Bedmond - well done!

Also on today's show Simon Carver (our resident film expert and presenter of the Entertainment Guide) told us that he wrote a chapter about the theology of Terminator 2?!?! This was included in the book Flickering Images: Theology and Film in Dialogue and can be obtained from all good book stores though if you wish to order online please use:

http://buy.at/radioverulam

As we are a community station, we are run by volunteers and purchasing items through this website helps us to raise much-needed funds.

Don't forget to tune in from 4pm tomorrow (Thursday) for John BS and I will be back with you on Friday.

Be seeing you

Danny Smith
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PS John BS is now on Twitter. His username is @johnbs100 - please follow him! We will endeavour to get his updates on here automatically in the not-too-distant future!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

D-Day Special

Hello Bloggers

On the show today: a special feature to commerorate 65 years since the D-Day Normandy landings in France on 6th June 1944 (I know I'm two days early). This will include part of a speech by Churchill and some appropriate music. I am also hoping to hear from Warren Knight up in London on a jazz benefit gig for Alzheimers and from folk singer Julie Felix who is at the Maltings on Saturday.
Plus all the usual rock & roll and other nonsense.
Today at four!

John B-S

Don't forget to vote on Thursday 4th June.

Hello Bloggers.

On Tuesday (2nd), Neil and I brought you news of the resignation of Home Secretary Jaqui Smith. Now, Miss pint features Hazel Blears has joined her on the way out. Did you see her little badge 'Rocking the Boat'? Hardly subtle is she? They're all dropping like nine-pins and even the Guardian is calling for the Prime Minister to go. Poor old Gordon, you almost feel sorry for him. I have to tell you I'm thoroughly enjoying all this. Politics is the best soap opera in town but of course it is also important. We don't know when the general election is coming but you have an opportunity to vote tomorrow. Polling stations are open 7am - 10pm. If you forgot to send in your postal vote don't worry, it's not too late as these can be handed in to any polling station as well.

Big Ben (or rather the actual clock) turned 150 last weekend and yesterday we celebrated complete with a set of chimes and bongs. We also mentioned the Queen's Coronation on 2nd June 1953 and played part of Handel's Zadok the Priest. This Saturday marks the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France and thank goodness at the last minute Prince Charles is going. We also talked about the FA Cup Final - an exciting match for a change - and Britain's Got Talent. Congratulations to Diversity while poor Susan Boyle recuperates in the funny farm. Big Brother starts tomorrow (I would rather watch paint dry) but I am looking forward to the final of The Apprentice.

Music included UFO, ELO, Billy Idol, Elvis, Echo & the Bunnymen, Led Zep, Beatles, Stones, Christopher Cross, Village People, Karen Souza, Noisettes, Fleet Foxes, Empire of the Sun, Style Council, Ramsey Lewis, Dion & the Belmonts, Jean Carnes, David Bowie, Spandau Ballet, Style Council, Kaiser Cheifs, Morrissey, Isaac Hayes and (Danny's favourite) the Eagles. The featured classic album this week is Elton John - Honky Chateau (1972). You won't get such a wide selection anywhere else on a drivetime show - certainly not on stations like Heart, Magic or Capital!

As Thursday is polling day, I will have to shut up about the politics (radio presenters are not allowed to influence the vote in any way), but I am sure to find plenty of other things to talk about. So tune in 4 'til 7pm - you know it makes sense!

John B-S

Big Ben is 150!

Hello Bloggers - It's June and summer is here!

On today's show: Big Ben has been ticking for 150 years. We celebrate - with bongs!

As Britains Got Talent proves too much for Susan Boyle, I ask was it really a bit of a freak show?

Jeremy Paxman says we are all barbarians - what is he on about now?

And did you enjoy the FA Cup Final?

Plenty to talk about, plus great music.

Today at four!


John B-S

Playlist w/c 1st June 2009 + Wildlife Interview

Hi Everyone

Below is our playlist for this week:

Billy Ray Cyrus - Ready, Set, Don’t Go
Brett Dennen - Make You Crazy
Daniel Merriweather - Red
EG White - Broken
Empire Of The Sun - We Are The People
Fleet Foxes- Your Protector
Kleerup - Longing For Lullabies
Lemonheads - I Just Can’t Take It
Lenka - The Show
Mamas Gun - Let’s Find A Way
Mica Paris - Baby Come Back Now
Mika - Songs For Sorrow EP
Nickelback - If Today Was Your Last Day
Noisettes - Never Forget You
Paloma Faith - Stone Cold Sober
Paolo Nutini - Candy
Pet Shop Boys - Did you See Me Coming?
Pretenders - Love’s A Mystery
Shontelle & Akon - Stuck With Each Other
Simple Minds - Rockets
Take That - Said It All
Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar
The Duckworth Lewis Method - The Age of Revolution
The Proclaimers - Love Can Move Mountains
The Script - Before The Worst

Items in BOLD are new additions

We do play a variety of music in addition to the above list and welcome your requests and dedications. You can contact us during the show as follows:

Phone: 01727 839926
Email: studio@radioverulam.com

On today's show we will be chatting with Danielle Porteous of the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust during the second hour of the show.

See you soon!!!

Danny Smith
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