Words and music by Bernie Connor
SOMEONE I know had a brilliant idea. Some time ago.
Someone else that I know encouraged me to act on that brilliant idea, again, some time ago. What was suggested was that I should do a 'radio show', of sorts, on the internet. It was such a great idea that, with a little help some friends, I picked up and ran with it. That was March 2009. That idea - The Sound of Music- has now reached its 200th episode. This is a major milestone.
I had no idea when I started it where it might lead to, if anywhere at all. Today we feel we have touched people's live in a microscopic way and hopefully turned them on to some music they may never have encountered. That's what we do.
In the present, we cobble together a show on a weekly basis, the only way I know how: play some groovy records, announce them, maybe enlighten the universe marginally by your actions.
I find it really hard writing about myself in anything other than a self-deprecating form of gentle insult. If other people love the sound of music then that's a major plus for us. I get embarrassed having to talk up me own handiwork, it's the Catholic in me. I always feel obliged to apologise for everything I've done, good, bad or indifferent.
Listeners Of All Shapes And SizesHaving said that, I understand we must have done something right somewhere. For four and a half years we (mainly Simon Kember and I, there have been others) have strove to concoct something different to the average mainstream radio show. I suppose that comes from having the freedom to play what I want. Nobody tells me to play or do anything and all the selections are always mine.
Every week we skirt around the edges of pop and all its ugly children and dumb relatives.
That broad spectrum of music is called upon all the time.
Indeed one of the biggest problems we face in any week is trying not to play the same type of music twice in one show.
Quite early on, our original producer, the great Wesley Storey, coined our motto, WE WILL NOT SHY AWAY FROM POP MUSIC, and I guess we never do. All its myriad forms and genres are presented all the time, I only ever make the show I'd like to hear if I could be arsed to listen to the radio, and to that end, I'm glad that we have an audience that feel pretty much the same.
Like I said, I have no idea where it's going, but I like where it's been.
We have seen our audience grow from a piffling handful to a loyal audience of thousands in every corner of the globe. I love the audience we have and their almost religious devotion to what we do.
I sincerely hope we make it to 300 shows, that would be just ace. But again, I was really chuffed when we'd done 10 shows. I'm very easily pleased.
I'd like to thank everybody who's supported us over the past 200: yer all lovely and you know who you are.
The Sound of Music loves you. Thanks.
