Crunch & Roll

S24 E03 - Paul 'Griffo' Griffiths

Hey man! It's Griffo!
For those of you not familiar with Griffo's work, he's a legend of the airwaves in North Wales and Yorkshire. He's tighter than a gnat's chuff and has a voice that Morgan Freeman would kill for.
As one former boss told him in a snoop, "You make my station sound BIG"!
Foxy's know Griffo for almost a quarter of a century having worked with him at V*king FM, so he has some stories to hit him with off the bat. And there's plenty of stuff he didn't know about too, including how he got his first break on air at 16; how an engineer fell on him mid-link; and there's a classic instance of a laissez-faire interpretation of GDPR with regards Phonebox.
He also reads out a memo sent by an eccentric MD in 1999, subject line: Men's Toilets. It's INCREDIBLE.
 
Griffo's website: https://griffomedia.com/
Classic Griffo: https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/audio-search?term=griffo&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC
Twitter: https://x.com/GriffoMedia
 
Support Crunch & Roll: https://ko-fi.com/crunchandroll
 

S03 E23 - Paul Hayes

We all have those moments in our lives where we look back and think, why did I do that.
In radio terms, Paul Hayes 'why did I do that' moment was HUGE. Let's just say it involved a Richard Park, Ashley Tabor and a pizza.
Paul's done a decade on the mighty Magic in London, but his career has taken in big stations in the UK, Canada and UAE, so the guides us through stories from his time at Southern FM, Galaxy, Heart and more.
Including how he once rearranged a former PD's entire house, much to his anger; how his brother made a joke about his career trajectory that unfortunately came true; and how one boss took him out with "a wad of cash" in an attempt to change his mind about leaving!
 
Hear Paul in action on pretty much all his stations, here: https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/audio-search?term=paul+hayes&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC
Paul's on Magic early breakfast, 4am-6am, Monday to Friday: https://hellorayo.co.uk/magic/presenters/paul-hayes/
Paul's Twitter: https://x.com/hayesonair
 
Like what you hear? We'd be eternally grateful for any support you can give on Ko-Fi. https://ko-fi.com/crunchandroll
 
 

S03 E22 - Mark Collins

What? Another legend from the station formerly known as Wave 105? Ambassador, you're spoiling us.
Mark Collins is another stalwart of the South Coast radio scene and still plies his trade on the mighty 105.2FM (or DAB 11B / 11C in new money), under it's new name, Great Hits Radio. You might have heard of it...
But Mark had a career longer than most before he'd ever been to the South Coast taking in Chiltern, Red Dragon, Radio City, Hallam and one single show on TalkSport amongst others.
Highlights of his chat with Foxy include learning the lesson of taking a job just for the money might not always be the best option; how he was effectively guarantor to a well know presenter he wanted to hire against the wishes of his boss; and the best story about giving away a Panasonic boombox in South Wales that you'll ever hear.
 
Here's a stack of classic Collins: https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/audio-search?term=mark+collins&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC
Hear Mark on Greatest Hits Radio South Coast, weekdays 1300-1600: https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/south-coast/
Mark's Twitter: https://x.com/SparkyTheClown
Feel free to drop down a Trainspotting rabbit hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnKLvmuo1Vs
 
Support Crunch & Roll: https://ko-fi.com/crunchandroll
 

S03 E21 - John Foster

Us radio folk wear the term anorak as a badge of honour. But no matter how big a radio geek you think you are, you're really not, because John Foster is the Anorak in Chief.
As Foxy chats to him, he produces pieces of paraphernalia, liberated from former workplaces, each with a story attached. He also has an incredible memory for details such as radio station addresses, straplines and trim levels of branded cars he's owned!
He takes us through his career, from the heady early days at Radio Cleveland, right through to the emotional times towards the end of his time in the industry.
 
Listen to some classic Foster here, with clips from pretty much every station he's ever worked at!: https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/audio-search?term=john+foster&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC
Need a voice over, some media training or event hosting? John's your man: https://www.johnfostervoice.com/
John's Twitter: https://x.com/johnfostervoice
 
Support Crunch & Roll: https://ko-fi.com/crunchandroll
 

S03 E20 - James Heming

We've featured some presenters who are synonymous with the stations where they plied their trade for an impressive amount of time - Fresh at Beacon and Elliott Webb at BRMB for example - and there's no denying that James Heming is Mr Invicta.
He spent the majority of his career at a station in Kent, somewhere he admits he couldn't have pointed to on a map before moving there! And for an incredible 19 of years of his time there, he was on Breakfast. Not bad for a cover jock...
He also opens up about his ill-fated stint on XFM breakfast; his bromance with a well-known fellow Invicta presenter; and how he dropped the F bomb on at 8.10 one morning!
So tune in and rip the knob off! (If you know, you know...)
 
James's socials: https://www.instagram.com/jamesjheming/ | https://x.com/jamesheming
James on XFM! https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/uk-airchecks/xfm-london/1990s/james-heming-aug-29th-1998-230
Listen to James, weekend mornings, 7-11: https://www.madeinkent.co.uk/shows
 
If you enjoy the podcast, just want to give you a quick reminder that we’d be grateful if you would support us on Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/crunchandroll
 

S03 E19 - Clive Dickens

For the two of you who don't know, Clive was one of the big guns in UK radio management. The King of Capital. The Duke of Jack. The Archbishop of Absolute. But then he went to Australia, and took a lifetime of radio knowledge and enough stories to fill your average-sized encyclopaedia with him.
So very early (too early) one Sunday, when British Summer Time and Australian Eastern Standard Time conveniently aligned, we embarked on a mission to liberate and disseminate some of this knowledge and these stories from the Southern hemisphere.
So prepare to find out how Elton John was responsible for him getting into radio, how he almost introduced Posh and Becks back in the 90s, and how he's not scared of Richard Park!
There's also some consumer advice on how you might go about buying a major radio group, so if your in the market for one, you might want to make some notes.
 
If you enjoy the podcast, just want to give you a quick reminder that we’d be grateful if you would support us on Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/crunchandroll
 

S03 E18 - Simon Logan

On the advice of our legal team, which as regular listeners will know is a made up guy called Gary, we were advised to give this guest the chance to rebuke a serious accusation made against him by several previous guests on this podcast. So for the avoidance of doubt, SIMON LOGAN HAS NEVER THROWN A WHITEBOARD RUBBER AT ANYONE.
Now that unpleasantness is out of the way...
Simon was the guy on the Viking FM breakfast show when a fresh-faced young John Daniel Fox was travelling to college, drenched in Joop and wearing one of those colour-changing t-shirts.
So, in the week that Viking FM celebrates its 40th birthday (and ceases to actually be Viking FM anymore, but let's not dwell on that), who better to get on than one of its legendary jocks.
Simon may have been best known for his on-air wind up calls both in Hull and on Radio Aire in Leeds. In fact he put out a CD of the best wind ups and got into the top 20 of the actual album charts, sandwiched between two Britpop stalwarts!
Most recently he's been plying his trade on BBC Radio Newcastle, a job that he got all by himself. But if a former Radio 1 legend had his way, he could have been his agent and taken a tidy 15%. More on that in the episode.
And did you know he may have been the highest paid overnight guy ever? You will once you've listened.
So many great stories and big laughs in this episode. Enjoy!
 
There is some FANTASTIC classic Logie to listen to here: https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/audio-search?term=simon+logan&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC
Hear Simon's more recent 80s v 90s shows on BBC Radio Newcastle: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004wzjk
 
If you enjoy the podcast, just want to give you a quick reminder that we’d be grateful if you would support us on Ko-Fi:  https://ko-fi.com/crunchandroll
 

S03E17 - Mike Toolan

Foxy's guest this episode is a former Whatnotter. You know, from the Saturday Whatnot on Essex Radio... No?
If that's not ringing any bells, maybe you know him from his mere 26 years at Key 103 / Hits Radio. YES! That Mike Toolan!
Of course he's one of the biggest names in the business and who's been on Radio Aire, BRMB and Capital, as well as an actual GENERATION on 103FM in Manchester, so won't need too much of an introduction.
We'll just whet your appetite with some of the contents of our hour with him:
Find out who he pretended to be to get on air in the USA.
What word did he get someone to say that got him sacked from hospital radio.
How he drove a colleague to turn up to his show armed with an actual gun!
Who got the Radio 1 gig when he was down to the final two candidates.
How he felt when he was replaced on breakfast with a former guest. And how he felt when he was reinstated.
If that hasn't got your juices flowing, you're listening to the wrong podcast.
 
Listen to Mike on the Hits Radio network weekdays from 4: https://planetradio.co.uk/hits-radio/presenters/mike-toolan/
Classic Toolan here, including an incredible snoop from a 1993 Rock FM show: https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/audio-search?term=mike+toolan&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC
Mike's Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Toolyboy
 

S03 E16 - Steve Power

Стив Пауэр любит поезда.
Just a little message for anyone who can understand Russian there. That doesn't include the guest on this episode, Steve Power, who ended up accidentally studying the language. There may have been drink involved.
Steve must have been one of the longest serving breakfast show jocks ever. 17 BLOOMIN' YEARS! And not your lightweight 6am start nonsense. He was waking up the South of England from 5.30am!
Most recently he's been on air at a much more civilised time of day, but his beloved Wave 105 has just been Greatest Hits Radioified, so he's hanging up his headphones... for now at least.
What a career to date though. He made tea at BBC Radio Sussex; ran Southern FM and Power FM under Richard Park; and went national on Virgin Radio too. But it's his mighty stint at Wave 105 that he's probably best known for.
During his chat with Foxy he talks about how he didn't enjoy being a PD; how he has no time for people who live in radio's past, and tells us about a case of mistaken identity at a nightclub PA in Wellingborough! 
 
Listen to some classic Steve here: https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/audio-search?term=steve+power&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC
Find out his next move on his Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevepowerdj
And if you enjoy the podcast and can spare a couple of quid to support it, we'd be eternally grateful: https://ko-fi.com/crunchandroll

S03 E15 - Ben Jones

Before we started recording, Ben Jones told us he has a namesake in the radio industry and wanted to check we had the right guy. Er, yeah. We're sure.
Ben was ever-present on the original Virgin Radio / Absolute Radio for a decade for goodness sake. He now plies his trade on the new Virgin Radio (amongst other pies he has his fingers in...), but it hasn't all been plain sailing to get there. After leaving Absolute there were some pretty dark times which Ben opens up about, and some of us will be able to relate to.
But the good times majorly outweigh the bad, and he tells us all about them. Like blagging his way to Spain with a Capital legend; how he was the last person to interview David Bowie(!), and how "nobody gave a shit about his shiny trousers"!
About those other pies Ben has his fingers in then. As well as radio he's also a prolific podcaster (can't see that ever catching on but, whatever) AND A BLOOMIN' MOVIE PRODUCER!
His new film Love to Hate: Nickelback is about, well, sure you can work that one out. Many radio people will totally relate to that title after playing Rockstar for the 7000th time! If you're listening to the podcast the day it comes out, you'll be able to see the film in the actual cinema from Wednesday (27th March 2024). And it's a bit good, irrespective of how you feel about its titular subjects.
 
Love to Hate: Nickelback is in cinemas on Wednesday 27th and Saturday 30th March 2024. Here's the trailer to whet your apatite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpvOigy8UR4
And there's more on the film here: https://www.nickelbackfilm.com/home/
Here's some classic on-air Jones: https://www.aircheckdownloads.com/audio-search?term=ben+jones&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC
And here's his Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisisbenjones