It's Boom time for Roger
BAY Radio presenter Roger Day is adding his talents to the team behind the launch of a new national radio station in the UK - ‘Boom Radio’ which will play the music of the 60s, 70s and 80s to the baby boomer generation.
The veteran DJ, who cut his teeth in the days of pirate radio, is one of a 15-strong group of presenters, including some of the legendary names of radio, broadcasting the favourite sounds people born between 1946 and 1964 need to hear.
The launch of the new station for music lovers is set for Valentine’s Day on Sunday and Benitachell-based Roger – using his home studio rather than needing to return to the UK – hosts ‘My Generation’ bringing sixties music to the airwaves between 08.00 and 10.00 on Saturday mornings, and is back on air on Sunday afternoons from 14.00 to 17.00.
Initially, Boom Radio can be heard over the internet, with a staggered rollout on DAB, starting in London, Portsmouth, Bristol, Birmingham and Glasgow.
Roger, also known by his long-standing nickname ‘Twiggy’, will join the likes of David Hamilton and Kid Jensen, together with former Magpie presenter Jenny Hanley, agony aunt Anna Raeburn, and Graham Dene, who was the voice people woke up to in London for many years as the host of Capital Radio’s breakfast slot.
“It’s very exciting; a new national radio station going out on DAB as well as the internet,” he said. “I think it’s going to go really well. A lot of people who used to listen to Radio Two from Terry Wogan’s day onwards are now faced with rap music… which is not exactly what they want to hear.”
Back on Bay Radio, Roger presents the Sunday Brunch show between 11.00 and 15.00 as well as regularly substituting for colleagues, and has a long career in broadcasting with a CV that includes Radio Caroline, Radio Luxemburg, Piccadilly in Manchester, BRMB in Birmingham, and Victor Radio in Kent.
He said he knew the people behind the new station, it is apparently a small world in radio and was looking forward to going live. “I started presenting in 1966, it’s my 55th year in radio.
“It came out of the blue; I got a telephone call and they said they were starting a new station aimed at disaffected Radio Two listeners and targeting baby boomers and asked me to join. I was delighted.”
JÁVEA U3A members might not be able to attend monthly general meetings because of Covid restrictions, but that doesn’t stop them getting together in other ways.
A total of 50 members turned out for the January meeting via an online Zoom link.
They were able to enjoy an excellent presentation by fellow member Peter Atkinson entitled ‘A Trip Around the Coast of Spain and Portugal: Denia to Jávea the Long Way.’
Thanks to U3A Jávea secretary Margaret March for setting up the Zoom meeting.
The online presentations have proved so popular that there are more planned.
The U3A’s executive committee has also been holding meetings online during the pandemic.
While most of the U3A groups have had to suspend activities because of the coronavirus restrictions, some are continuing to operate online and via home participation, including photography run by Steven Staus, and Rummikub led by Krystyna Stfanczyk.
For more information on Jávea U3A and details of how to join, visit the website at u3ajavea.com