Post by Alan on Feb 14, 2024 17:18:54 GMT
Steve Wright, the BBC Radio 2 (and former Radio 1) presenter died on Monday (announced on Tuesday).
I have to say that in recent years, he used to irritate me. The “Serious Jockin’ - no g”, the “DJ Silli Boi” etc and the sloppy Sunday Love Songs were not for me, and I couldn’t stand how he used to sing over the songs (he even did it with the Pick of the Pops theme).
However, back in his Radio 1 days in the 1980s and 1990s he was brilliant. He pioneered the zoo format in the UK which many have copied since. The voices he’d have ringing in. One that amused me was Mary Decker (referencing events at the 1984 Olympics) where “Mary” would constantly ring in crying, and Steve would say “it’s only a race, Mary” and try to calm her down.
Then “David Bowie” and “Mick Jagger” (separately) asking Steve for the time/temperature etc.
Others I can remember were Linda Lust, who would read out dodgy (fake) 0898 phone lines before Steve had to stop her as she got too saucy. Then there was the January sales woman who would list all these trashy items you could buy in the sales. I also remember a camp man who - it was implied - fancied Steve and would ring up saying “l’m in the corridor” and Steve would answer “Are you really” in a disinterested way, in an attempt at humouring but not encouraging him. And of course, Mr Angry. And Mr Spoons (which wasn’t a character but a nominated listener each day).
He was absolutely brilliant back then. But not when he joined Radio 2.
It was from his Radio Luxembourg show in 1979 that my brother recorded Gimme Gimme Gimme (he used to do this in order to hear it before he got the single). I can still remember Steve’s intro to it, “Luxembourg 2-0-8, woo!” That’s probably my earliest memory of hearing him.
Also, it was Steve Wright that sparked my interest in Kate Bush. In 1985, when Running Up That Hill was out, he played a medley of her big hits up until that point on his Sunday morning show. I then made it my mission to get these songs. As she hadn’t released a greatest hits at that point, I got all five of her studio albums by Christmas that year. If Steve hadn’t played that medley, I’m not sure I would have done that.
[On a personal note, it sounds like he died very suddenly. I lost both my dad and my brother that way - 30 years apart, mind - so Steve Wright’s passing is another reminder than any one of us could literally drop down dead at any time. The positive is that there is no prolonged suffering for the individual, it’s very quick, but it’s then a huge shock for those left behind. Hardly surprising that his Radio 2 colleagues have been in tears talking about him.]
I have to say that in recent years, he used to irritate me. The “Serious Jockin’ - no g”, the “DJ Silli Boi” etc and the sloppy Sunday Love Songs were not for me, and I couldn’t stand how he used to sing over the songs (he even did it with the Pick of the Pops theme).
However, back in his Radio 1 days in the 1980s and 1990s he was brilliant. He pioneered the zoo format in the UK which many have copied since. The voices he’d have ringing in. One that amused me was Mary Decker (referencing events at the 1984 Olympics) where “Mary” would constantly ring in crying, and Steve would say “it’s only a race, Mary” and try to calm her down.
Then “David Bowie” and “Mick Jagger” (separately) asking Steve for the time/temperature etc.
Others I can remember were Linda Lust, who would read out dodgy (fake) 0898 phone lines before Steve had to stop her as she got too saucy. Then there was the January sales woman who would list all these trashy items you could buy in the sales. I also remember a camp man who - it was implied - fancied Steve and would ring up saying “l’m in the corridor” and Steve would answer “Are you really” in a disinterested way, in an attempt at humouring but not encouraging him. And of course, Mr Angry. And Mr Spoons (which wasn’t a character but a nominated listener each day).
He was absolutely brilliant back then. But not when he joined Radio 2.
It was from his Radio Luxembourg show in 1979 that my brother recorded Gimme Gimme Gimme (he used to do this in order to hear it before he got the single). I can still remember Steve’s intro to it, “Luxembourg 2-0-8, woo!” That’s probably my earliest memory of hearing him.
Also, it was Steve Wright that sparked my interest in Kate Bush. In 1985, when Running Up That Hill was out, he played a medley of her big hits up until that point on his Sunday morning show. I then made it my mission to get these songs. As she hadn’t released a greatest hits at that point, I got all five of her studio albums by Christmas that year. If Steve hadn’t played that medley, I’m not sure I would have done that.
[On a personal note, it sounds like he died very suddenly. I lost both my dad and my brother that way - 30 years apart, mind - so Steve Wright’s passing is another reminder than any one of us could literally drop down dead at any time. The positive is that there is no prolonged suffering for the individual, it’s very quick, but it’s then a huge shock for those left behind. Hardly surprising that his Radio 2 colleagues have been in tears talking about him.]
