It was scant consolation for Notts County's abject dismissal from two cups this week (don't ask) but the domination of the Student Radio Awards by URN, the station based at the University in god's own city, was at least one reason to be cheerful. They won six (or was it seven? it was one of those evenings) prizes at the ceremony presided over by Scott Mills and Jo Whiley at the New Connaught Rooms in London. It was like the Sony Awards but with more swearing. Chris Moyles' revelation of the size of his salary in front of 400 students who do radio for nothing, was roundly booed. But otherwise he was on good form. I particularly liked his description of a certain midlands DJ as "bi and large." My favourite entry in a really impressive field came from the University of Southampton where Nick and Moggs had mixed together the voice of BT landline texts with the original track of Queen's 'We Will Rock You' - you've got blood on YOUR face, you're a big disgrace - very funny. And congratulations to Steve Lamacq who's stepping down after three years chairing the awards. If you were there, then yes Steve's story about me was true. If you weren't, I didn't get mentioned, honest.
I was also thinking about my home town and about comedy at Jeremy Nicholas's wedding on Saturday. I first heard Jeremy hosting local football shows for BBC Radio Nottm in the mid-80's where he managed to make the dullest local sports news not just bearable but compellingly funny with a barb here and a grimace there. I brought him down to GLR where he formed the much-loved partnership with Kevin Greening on what I think is still my favourite radio breakfast show. Off air Jeremy was acerbic to a point which wasn't likely to endear the top brass. At the height of Nigel Chapman's campaign to take music out of GLR, someone cut out a photo of Nigel with some children from the pages of Ariel. Jeremy added a speech bubble - "one more disc Trevor and the kids get it."
As you may have seen on the Radio Academy site, Nicky Campbell has kindly agreed to interview me at Borders on Oxford St in London on Thursday at 6.30. Please come along. It's free, there'll be some refreshments and you can probably force us to sign copies of our books if you're so minded. Nicky's will of course be the bigger pile.
The Festival 2007 committee met for the first time last week round half of John Bradford's old desk. We've ordered a proper meeeting table and I'll show you a photo as soon as we've worked out what IKEA's hieroglyphics mean. I think the Festival will answer all the criticisms of last summer's but if you have ANY ideas or suggestions please get in touch.
Welcome to Abi Willey (pronounced Wiley) who's joined the HQ team. We're now fully staffed - Lucy Mackay with Lauren Beer in the events team and Becky Ross with Abi running the office, liaising with the SRA and our regional committees and supervising the website. Call them to say hello when you can : 020 7255 2010.
Arrividerci from NAB Europe in Rome. "You wouldn't go if it was in Rotherham" (Mrs Dann). More on what they're talking about in Radi-Eu next time.
Trevor
