03 Dec 10

‘Our Tune’ never sounded so sweet

by Jane Stewart, Account Manager

The opening bars of Rota’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is enough to transport me back to my teenage years, when Radio 1 DJ Simon Bates would read a heartbreaking story during his ‘Our Tune’ feature with this playing in the background. The story invariably had a theme of tragedy, often starting with a happy courtship but followed by a disaster such as illness or death. The story would conclude with a record chosen by the correspondent.

When Simon moved to Classic FM in 1997, ‘Our Tune’ was no more. Beethoven and Brahms were more to the listeners taste. But from January 2011 Simon will once more be gracing the airwaves, no more with classical music, more classics full stop. He will become the national breakfast show presenter on Smooth Radio.

As with other stations who are consolidating their regional stations into one ‘national’ station, such as Capital and Heart, Smooth are also turning their five regional stations into a single ‘national’ broadcaster available on DAB, satellite TV platforms and online. With Capital gunning for Radio 1, Smooth aim to take on Radio 2.

But it’s not just Simon that will be in the Smooth stable - it is a veritable who’s-who of Radio 1 and 2 past stars: Lynn Parsons, Mark Goodier, Andy Peebles - even Pete Waterman does a turn on the decks . Smooth Radio Scotland will be keeping with their own breakfast show ‘Smooth breakfast with John and Sharon’, but have no fear if you have a handy DAB beside you, you too can tune in to Simon of a morning (or even Pete on a Friday night).

Smooth are being very savvy, creating a new listener relationship from an existing one. John Simons, Group Programme Director at GMG Radio said “We are delighted that Simon Bates will be joining the station in the New Year. He was part of our audience's youth and his warm style of broadcasting will no doubt be a great draw for listeners".

I for one will be tuning in on the 4th January to hear his first show. Even if he doesn’t do ‘Our Tune’, he will certainly be playing tunes first aired in the 70s and 80s when legwarmers and piano-key ties were the rage. Now, where’s my Country Born hair gel?