Riding the Radio Waves

Radio since its invention over 100 years ago has played a powerful role in shaping music culture. It’s curious that in these times of i-pods, mobile phones and U-Tube that radio still remains relevant.

Melbourne is a prime example of how radio still packs a punch. Community radio stations have played a big role in shaping Melbourne’s identity as a music and arts city. Over a quarter of Melbourne radio listeners listen to community radio. Triple R FM and PBS FM are two of the most popular and have been broadcasting in Melbourne for over 25 years. Both stations have significant listenerships with Triple R’s recent radiothon, generating over 11,000 subscriptions.

Melbourne is renowned across the world for its thriving music scene. A major driving force in fostering this scene has been RRR and PBS who give local artists an opportunity to get their music played on radio and provide regular gig guides providing free advertising for musicians. They have also created a radio culture where people will listen in to discover new artists and events that wouldn’t get a mention in mainstream media.

My pick of Melbourne radio announcers would be Stephen Walker (The Ghost) host of The Skull Cave on RRR on Fridays 4-7 who also writes a blog called Noise Pollution for The Age.

Influential Radio Shows

King Biscuit Time is an example of the cultural waves that radio can create. King Biscuit Time was a blues program broadcast on KFFA in Helena, Arkansas from 1941 – 1965. The show went for 15 minutes beginning at 12:15 every day, which was timed to correspond to the lunch break of many African American workers in the Delta. It was the only radio station at the time broadcasting African American music. Many of the world’s most prominent blues musicians were inspired by the show to take up music. Some famous listeners included B.B. King, Robert Nighthawk, James Cotton and Ike Turner.

Maximum Rock n Roll was a radio show that became synonymous with the U.S. punk scene. The show was broadcast out of San Francisco and gave listeners a chance to sample the latest punk songs from the US and around the world when this music was very difficult to access. The show also ran interviews with touring punk bands and regularly incorporated guest DJs who would bring their records in to play. Maximum Rock and Roll became very successful in the underground and was broadcast from stations around the world. The radio show went on to spawn the famous Maximumrocknroll zine which is still going today.