Dave Fanning : Classic or Dud?

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A John Peel figure (although nowhere near as adventurous as Peel was) for a lot of Irish music fans, in that his show provided a gateway to a lot of indie and non-chart music and also broke many young bands in Ireland (inc. U2). I don't know what his show is like anymore (last weeks show dedicated to Tom Waits was the first I've heard in maybe 2 years), I'm assuming its wall-to-wall Coldplay\Strokes\Kings of Leon. Although I guess his show was always the more commercial side of indie anyway, no?

He can be a very irritating interviewer, always answering the question before he finishes it (a frustrated Tom Waits last week, "Jesus, man, have you just had your coffee? I'm trying to search that setence for a fucking question mark and I cant find it!"). His appearance as a judge on the abysmal You're A Star show cant have helped his cred, although I'm sure he doesn't care and his movie show was pretty bad and the Fab 50's are the same thing every year. Nevertheless, I've always found him him likeable and loved his knack of always playing 'sometimes' by MBV twice in a row without fail.

― Michael B, Wednesday, 20 April 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

Used to like him. As he ages he seems a bit like he's lost enthusiasm sometimes. In fact, he seems alot like that, was I just younger or did he really used to get a kick out of the stuff he played, he was certainly a little more alternative I thought, in the past.

apparently he's often seen at festivals drunk and leching.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 20 April 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

I could never take him seriously since he spoke at freshers week all those years ago in UCD and kept referring to the 3-4 years ahead of us as a "gig." That said he does seem fairly open minded about what he plays. He does have his favourites and has a tendency towards the Lo-Fi, low production end of things but he's as alternative as you might get on a national radio station at that time of day. I have to say that I'm not much of a listener as his voice just gets on my nerves!

I think the afternoon slot on 2FM needs someone new. In Dublin Phantom FM should be starting up soon enough (that is if Bob Geldof would stop being so childish and stopped trying to block it, bitter balls that he is), Cork seems to have an alternative station (I think it might be Red FM but that could be incorrect)but I don't know any other city in Ireland that has a similar option for the more discerning listener. My main worry is that 2FM will see dwindling figures and think that they need to replace it with something charty or 'Last Word'-ish and an important outlet for alternative music will be lost. Still, there's always 'Pet Sounds' but that's another story...

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 20 April 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

is there any chance Phantom will allow some non indie rock shows on the airwaves I wonder? I suppose not.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 20 April 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

You can check out Phantom's proposed schedule online in their application at www.bci.ie There are a number of interesting programme ideas. Phantom Rules.

― musicjohn73 (musicjohn73), Thursday, 21 April 2005 01:26 (twenty years ago)

Can't find the proposed schedule on the website. I'm sure that phantom will have the usual metal heads in situ. If they're going to really work on phantasm they should consider moving it; Whelans is a pit and the atmosphere has gone since the smoking ban. Also everytime I go someone is guaranteed to spill some of their pint down your back at the front bar.

My proposal: move it all to Tramco. Yes it's all horribly shiny and new AND the dance floor's on a weird kind of pedestal but still there's space! The two groups (indie heads and skobies) might not gel too well but time and a couple of stabbings should sort that right out...

New favourite bar has to be Carnival on Wexford Street. Nice place when hungover/tired and eyes are sore. Also you can whip across to Solas for their noodles (Not the crowd though, chin stroking to Thievery corporation or something similar)!

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Thursday, 21 April 2005 09:33 (twenty years ago)

You can check it out at the addrss below. It's a PDF file, so might take a few mins to download.

http://www.bci.ie/phantom%20fm_table.html

― musicjohn73 (musicjohn73), Thursday, 21 April 2005 12:23 (twenty years ago)

Cheers. I like their definition of Mainstream Alternative Rock. I'm impressed at how professional the thing is. I know it wasn't going to be a lot of coffee stained post it notes but still, very swish! Fingers crossed anyway.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

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