On Air Now: Just Great Songs
Monday
Rob Gallichan
I’m proud to say it, I’m a Jerseyman with one of those names that, lets be honest, is quite hard to pronouce correctly, sometimes if I haven’t ventured out to the country parishes for I while I may even start saying Rob Gallishaw instead of Rob Gallichan (pro.Gallie-shon Jersey style).
I was born on March 23rd 1970 in the maternity hospital to a lovely young couple (hi Mum & Dad) , who had already got their hands full with my older brother by three years, Steve.
Being brought up in the parish of St. Helier, I quickly learnt the difference between a car and a cow (this definitely wasn’t St Ouens – too many cars) and as the years went by I soon learnt to spell both. I guess I can thank the teachers at La Pouquelaye primary school for that. Eventually, I was allowed a long pair of trousers which meant it was time for warmer legs and big school. In this case, De La Salle (not to be confused with De La Soul, the group from the late 80’s).
Music and Science were my best subjects, or should I say the ones I most enjoyed and I had always had a love for tape recorders and all things technical from an early age. Anything with buttons, wires, lights or speakers was always what made me tick (or was that clockwork?). The tape recorders, and we’re talking real to real in those days were always handy for recording my favourite DJ’s off the radio and the top pop hits they played (home taping is killing music – isn’t it?), Smashie and Nicey style. This led me onto DJing which was an easy way to impress people and “make” them have a good time.
DJing at clubs and private parties was great fun but it always involved carting lots of heavy equipment around so in the late 80’s I jumped at the chance to join Radio Force 7 (broadcasting from France to the Channel Islands)……..years later in 1992 Jersey was eventually granted it’s own commercial radio licence and by early 1993 I was lucky enough to get a job at Channel 103FM, Jersey’s first commercial radio station as one of the Freelance Presenters. A dream come true, especially as I was often told as a child “You’ll never be on the radio”!!!!!!!
So there we have it, that’s enough about me. If you haven’t yet heard the shows, I hope you’ll join me, the “Chartmaster”, as Chris Halford calls me, on Saturday’s from 11am for the CD Countdown, and if you don’t mind, I’ll also share your Sunday evening roast with you between 7pm and 10pm - yum yum!!!!
Getting to know Rob Gallichan :
Questions :
1 Where were you born? Jersey
2 What was the first record you bought? Einstein A Go Go by Landscape.............. no don't ask.
3 Who is your favourite group/artist? Depeche Mode
4 What made you want to be a radio presenter? I always wanted to be a musician but my abilities with a guitar were limited. I discovered DJ’ing and found that playing other peoples music (all be it on vinyl ) could entertain people and it was guaranteed to be note perfect every time. So I guess you could say I just wanted to make people enjoy themselves and playing records was an easy way of achieving this. Radio was the natural progression from there as it meant you didn't have to cart around lots of heavy equipment.
5 When did you join 103? In the dark ages.... Early 1993 about six months after the station launched.
6 What is your favourite 103 moment (on or off air)? There's been so many, but the one that springs to mind has to be the legend that is Mr Stevie Ocean singing Christmas carols live on the breakfast show. For anyone who's heard Stevie sing, you'll know what an experience this was...... roll on Christmas!
7 What is the best concert you have ever been to? I was lucky enough to see the Jam at Fort Regent as a teenager. They had such power in their delivery and you got the feeling Paul Weller meant every word he sang.
8 What is your all-time favourite record? At the moment it has to be either Goldigger by Kanye West, I still love that song, or Surrender by Depeche Mode, but it changes all the time.
9 What is your other occupation? When I'm not presenting, I'm a Lift Engineer.
