One Thursday night I go to The Promethean to hear a local Big Band. This group is very popular, and plays at this venue each month, but until now I haven't managed to get there.
This month I'm making the effort because they have a special guest - the brother of guitarist Mike, who is based in Japan and plays sax and a variety of other instruments. A week earlier I managed to get to the show where the two of them played together.
I arrive a bit late for the Big Band show. People are standing at the back, gathered around the bar. I scan the room, searching for a place to sit. I notice a spare seat, and I ask the guy alongside if it's free; he tells me it is. This afternoon I've had the photo shoot for my Cabaret Fringe show. I'm still in full makeup, big hair and massive false eyelashes - I must look like a drag queen. I get talking to the guy alongside me. John hosts a community radio show about Big Band and Swing music. It turns out that all the guys in this row have their own jazz radio shows, and John introduces me to all of them. John asks if I'd like to come onto his show as a guest, to talk about the influence of Brazilian music on Big Band, and also about my forthcoming show.
Next morning John follows up with an email, offering me a choice of two dates. I respond straight away, accepting the first one. He sends me a list of questions to guide our conversation, and asks me to bring some songs which I will introduce. He would like me to be on air for about an hour. That's fine - it's community radio, and should be pretty low-key.
But the day before this show, I get a call from a producer at the ABC, our national radio station. This guy was a lawyer in the UK, and had contacted me in the lead-up to his move, to discuss how he might get a job here. He has "fallen on his feet", quickly getting a job at the ABC. He has seen my update on social media reporting that I'll be on the Big Band show. He'd like me to do an interview with a very well-known local media personality. This show has a big audience - it's not at all low-key; in fact it's rather high-profile. He wants to book me for the following evening - so I'll be doing two shows at different stations in one night.
Right. Two radio programs, at two different stations, including the ABC (the ABC!!!), about an hour apart.
I'm so happy that this is not my first experience of going on radio. I was interviewed on another community radio show last year, so I have some idea of how to do it. Without that experience I'd be feeing very anxious and overwhelmed. But now, I don't feel daunted - just excited about the opportunity.
I've prepared thoroughly for the Big Band show. All my CDs are labelled and organized in sequence. I've made notes of how I will introduce each track, and reviewed the talking points.
I arrive at the radio station in a sparkly evening dress - this is a tip I've been given, to dress in costume to give the announcer something to react to. John sets me at my ease in the studio and the interview goes quite smoothly. In fact, it is very enjoyable - not stressful at all.
Leaving John's studio I jump into my car and head straight for ABC headquarters. This time I have no idea what to expect. I wait with the other guests, then suddenly it's my turn. I shimmy into the studio in my sparkly dress. When I greet the announcer it's like meeting the Wizard of Oz. I take my seat at the microphone.
First he asks me about my business. Great! Free publicity! But that's not what I'm there to discuss. "Let's talk about cabaret!" I cajole. Undeterred, he starts asking me about a big criminal law case that is in the news at the moment. I say that I haven't had much experience in criminal law. Thousands of people are listening to this. I certainly don't want to be drawn into this discussion and run out of time to talk about my show. I point out that on the way to the studio I jumped into a phone box and swapped my business suit for a sparkly evening dress - and it was really very hard to find a phone box. This draws a chuckle from him. Finally I get the message across that I have a show in the June Cabaret Fringe, and manage to spit out the name of the show just as he signs off and plays a song to end my segment.
Feeling very hyped-up, I finish my evening with a visit to La Boheme, where a local jazz band is in full flight. The loud, edgy music, a glass of wine and a chat with a musician friend all help to calm me down and prevent me from replaying the two interviews in my head.
This month I'm making the effort because they have a special guest - the brother of guitarist Mike, who is based in Japan and plays sax and a variety of other instruments. A week earlier I managed to get to the show where the two of them played together.
I arrive a bit late for the Big Band show. People are standing at the back, gathered around the bar. I scan the room, searching for a place to sit. I notice a spare seat, and I ask the guy alongside if it's free; he tells me it is. This afternoon I've had the photo shoot for my Cabaret Fringe show. I'm still in full makeup, big hair and massive false eyelashes - I must look like a drag queen. I get talking to the guy alongside me. John hosts a community radio show about Big Band and Swing music. It turns out that all the guys in this row have their own jazz radio shows, and John introduces me to all of them. John asks if I'd like to come onto his show as a guest, to talk about the influence of Brazilian music on Big Band, and also about my forthcoming show.
Next morning John follows up with an email, offering me a choice of two dates. I respond straight away, accepting the first one. He sends me a list of questions to guide our conversation, and asks me to bring some songs which I will introduce. He would like me to be on air for about an hour. That's fine - it's community radio, and should be pretty low-key.
But the day before this show, I get a call from a producer at the ABC, our national radio station. This guy was a lawyer in the UK, and had contacted me in the lead-up to his move, to discuss how he might get a job here. He has "fallen on his feet", quickly getting a job at the ABC. He has seen my update on social media reporting that I'll be on the Big Band show. He'd like me to do an interview with a very well-known local media personality. This show has a big audience - it's not at all low-key; in fact it's rather high-profile. He wants to book me for the following evening - so I'll be doing two shows at different stations in one night.
Right. Two radio programs, at two different stations, including the ABC (the ABC!!!), about an hour apart.
I'm so happy that this is not my first experience of going on radio. I was interviewed on another community radio show last year, so I have some idea of how to do it. Without that experience I'd be feeing very anxious and overwhelmed. But now, I don't feel daunted - just excited about the opportunity.
I've prepared thoroughly for the Big Band show. All my CDs are labelled and organized in sequence. I've made notes of how I will introduce each track, and reviewed the talking points.
I arrive at the radio station in a sparkly evening dress - this is a tip I've been given, to dress in costume to give the announcer something to react to. John sets me at my ease in the studio and the interview goes quite smoothly. In fact, it is very enjoyable - not stressful at all.
Leaving John's studio I jump into my car and head straight for ABC headquarters. This time I have no idea what to expect. I wait with the other guests, then suddenly it's my turn. I shimmy into the studio in my sparkly dress. When I greet the announcer it's like meeting the Wizard of Oz. I take my seat at the microphone.
First he asks me about my business. Great! Free publicity! But that's not what I'm there to discuss. "Let's talk about cabaret!" I cajole. Undeterred, he starts asking me about a big criminal law case that is in the news at the moment. I say that I haven't had much experience in criminal law. Thousands of people are listening to this. I certainly don't want to be drawn into this discussion and run out of time to talk about my show. I point out that on the way to the studio I jumped into a phone box and swapped my business suit for a sparkly evening dress - and it was really very hard to find a phone box. This draws a chuckle from him. Finally I get the message across that I have a show in the June Cabaret Fringe, and manage to spit out the name of the show just as he signs off and plays a song to end my segment.
Feeling very hyped-up, I finish my evening with a visit to La Boheme, where a local jazz band is in full flight. The loud, edgy music, a glass of wine and a chat with a musician friend all help to calm me down and prevent me from replaying the two interviews in my head.
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