The Original 106 Fugitive

The Original 106 Fugitive was let lose on the North East of Scotland yesterday, and after only 2 days, the hunt to find him is taking the area by storm.

Each day there will be differnet bounty periods where the Fugitive will be in different locations. Each bounty period has a clue with it. Find him within the right time and ask the question “Are you the Original 106 Fugitive?” and you could walk away with a wod of cash.  Today each bounty was sitting at £1500.

My involvement with all this?  Well, as well as the Fugitive featuring on my radio shows, I was also given the task of creating the Original 106 Fugitive “minisite”.

One of my proudest pieces of web work to date, certainly considering I was a bit rusty when it came to designing websites.  Also my first attempt at a Web 2.0 esque site.  After we got radio web wizzard Matt Degan involved,  the site was integrated into WordPress to allow the Fugitive himself to update the site, post photos and comments from wherever he may be hiding in the North East.

What’s also fascinating is watching Twitter to see what people are saying about the Original 106 Fugitive, and watching as they desperately try to locate him and win some money.  The Fugitive himself is posting after hacking the Original 106 Twitter page @originalfm

Will be interesting to see how the site pans out over the next few weeks.

Interview with Twitchhiker

Paul Smith (aka Twitch Hiker)

It has taken me a week to get this online, so I apologise, but it is my telephone interview I did with a man called Paul Smith.  He is better known as the Twitchhiker. It was broadcast on my Sunday breakfast show on Original 106 last week.

He is using the ‘micro blogging’ site Twitter to attempt to travel as far away from his home as possible during March.  He can only accept donations of accommodation and travel through people on Twitter, and he’s doing it all for charity.

For more information, you can visit http://www.twitchhiker.com

Flying home for Christmas

Off home to Shetland for a few days tomorrow.  Took the unusual step this year of booking the plane instead of the boat. I’m quite glad I have, the boat has had its fair share of cancellations in the last couple of weeks. The plane also has the added benefit of only taking an hour, versus 12 on the boat. I don’t mind the length of boat trip, I quite enjoy it at times, but when you are only home for 4 days it seems a waste of time.

I’m not sure Emma is too impressed that I’m disappearing for a few days, especially over Christmas.  We had our Christmas at the end of last week, spending a couple of days in Glenshee which is where the above photo was taken.  It snowed which was nice (but apparently it always snows in Glenshee at this time of year – it is a ski resort after all!)

Radio wise, Christmas is/was always my favorite time of year.  You get to hear your favorite presenters doing different shows at different times. With that in mind, here’s what I’m doing over the next couple of weeks.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of this week I’m on air my normal shifts 7-10pm.  (Despite being off to Shetland tomorrow, try and work that one out if you want).

Christmas Day/Boxing Day off.

Saturday December 27th normal shift of 2-6pm (including Aberdeen v Hearts live football).

Sunday December 28th, normal shift of Sunday Breakfast, 6-10am.

Monday 29th, Tuesday 30th, Wednesday 31st, Drivetime 2-7pm (looking forward to this one)

Thursday 1st January Breakfast, 6-10am. Working that early on New Years Day should be interesting.  Will sleep from 10am onwards!

Friday 2nd January, back to normal, on air 7-10pm.

106.3/106.8FM in the North East of Scotland and online at www.originalfm.com

David

Dr Karl

Everytime I meet a “celebrity” I end up having a little bit of a smile on my face for the rest of the day. I’m sure it is something that will soon wear off after a few years in the radio industry.

Today was the the turn of Dr Karl Kenney from Neighbours (his real name is Alan Fletcher, but he answers to Karl).  What a nice and friendly man.  More than happy to take part in anything you asked him, and more than happy to get your photo taken with him (take note Noel). I suppose he thrives on this sort of thing.

The work load has been increased recently. I’ve gone from 14 hours on air a week to 23 hours (if only it was in one go, I could host nearly a whole day of Original 106).

You can now hear me,

Monday – Friday, 7 till 10pm.
Saturday, 2-6pm, the Saturday afternoon sports show (hosting a sports show still amuses me slightly).
Sunday, 6 till 10am, Sunday Breakfast (strangely was a really good experience despite being up at ridiculous o’clock on a Sunday morning).

106.3/106.8FM in the North East of Scotland, or www.originalfm.com if you want to listen online.

David

Attic Lights do Minder

Attic Lights, Wickerman Festival 2008 – by edinburgh photographer on flickr

A lot of up and coming bands come through our door.  A lot of those bands show a massive amount of talent. Naturally I prefer some bands sessions to others, but I have begun to start noticing a theme running through all my favourite sessions… they have all been well mannered bands who aren’t big headed and are genuinely appreciative of the support we’ve just given them.

Favourite sessions include The Little Kicks, Frank Turner, The Red Light Company, Mia Riddle and our most recent session… the Attic Lights.

Attic Lights are an up and coming indie band from Glasgow who have had a fantastic 2008 and by the looks of things are going to have an even better 2009. Their debut album “Friday Night Lights” is one of those albums that you can listen to from start to finish and not skip any track, something I find very rare these days.

When they came in on Sunday, Andrew spoke to them about the recent news that they had been asked by Channel Five to perform the theme tune for the newly recommissioned 80′s comedy drama Minder… they then performed the theme for us.

A bizarre but rather enjoyable session.

Attic Lights do Minder

You can download the session (including an acoustic version of Wendy) and the interview on Episode 52 of the Sunday Showcase podcast.