My interest in broadcasting goes back 20 years. When I was 10 years old I started getting involved in the hospital radio station at North Devon District Hospital, Tarka Radio. I rang the studio to request a song and they invited us to see the studio. From that moment I was fascinated with the equipment and as soon as I got home started to make my own radio programs with an old cassette recorder and record player.
That Christmas I recall not asking for a games console or the latest toy as expected for someone of my age, but requesting an audio mixing desk and a decent microphone!
It wasn't long until I joined Tarka radio as a full member and my parents would drive me there twice a week so I could train to use the equipment, visit patients and file the records and I was soon offered the chance to present my own program for children in the hospital. This gained some media attention locally and nationally. I knew this was the career route I wanted to take from then.
I continued to present my program through my school years and also did some volunteer work for the Radio Devon sports program on the occasional Saturday and was involved in the Lantern FM daily community program.
As I reached my teenage years, along with my ambitions to work in radio broadcasting, I also played bass guitar in several indie bands in and around North Devon. I got in touch with the local gig promoter and started to help him set up the gigs and eventually started doing the sound for all the shows we arranged. Along with my college commitments this was taking up all my time so I chose to stop volunteering for Tarka Radio.
Me on the left in an old band aged 18.
My time at college studying Performing arts satisfied the musical and creative side to my personality but it wasn’t until I started to study Music Technology a few years later that I felt I had found my true calling - audio production. I enjoyed working with wave editors, experimenting with equipment and microphones, making sound tracks for TV programs and recording bands. This led to some work on tour with 70’s Singer Elkie Brooks when I was employed as Drum technician and general roadie.
In 2002, with my wife Gillian, I moved to Exeter, adopted two cats and settled in the area. This was a very optimistic time for me. There were several radio stations in the area I could try and get work with and a healthy music scene I could get involved in. I set up an internet radio station for local musicians ‘Alternative Devon’ and joined a local punk band.
I worked in various call centres to pay the bills and settled at a local CCTV company, for 3 and a half years. They promoted me to telesales manager but in the back of my mind really wanted to find a career in program making and audio production for T.V. or radio by either setting up an independent production company or working for someone like the BBC. Up until now this search has proved difficult due to lack of recent experience and relevant qualifications. This is why I have chosen to apply for university.
Relevent links:
http://www.tarka-radio.co.uk/
http://www.elkiebrooks.net/
1 comment:
Hi Tom,
That's a reallly interesting introduction to yourself, you've done so much! I liked being able to click on the links to Tarka Radio and Elkie Brooks. It would be good to hear about what you have been doing on the course next. Don't forget to add some photos, maybe one of you in a band or one of you at a radio station? Kim
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