Internet radio; it’s a funny thing. Done well, it can reach millions and done badly…well, your mates will think you’re cool anyway.
But in the heart of W1 London lurks an internet radio show that seems to be doing rather well for itself (thank you very much for asking) and that show is called VS Re:Charged.
Broadcasting new bands and underground culture from Maple Street Studios, the show seems to be currently enjoying a bit of a golden period. “We’re lucky,” says Jordan Thomas, who presents the show, “We have a great team and according to all vaguely reputable sources we seem to be doing a job to match”.
After a few years out of the internet radio loop, Jordan restarted the show back last July and has watched it grow ever since. From just one show and a team of two, they have now expanded to four shows per week and a team of five, who all eat, sleep and breathe new music. Consequently, they aren’t very healthy but the shows are going well. A coup for the show came when they met Sam Bully of the Only Lovers Left Alive Record label. He liked what they did so much that he and his label mate (who was none other than Marco Pirroni, of Adam and The Ants fame) now do a regular show with the ‘Recharged crew'. This show takes a slightly different tack to the rest of the schedule and focuses on the history of the underground scene in the UK, peppered with anecdotes from people such as the Sex Pistol’s Paul Cook, Joe Corré and Andrew Weatherall.
VS Re:Charged’s aim is to get as many bands as they can from their playlist into the basement studio for interviews and sessions. Working on a first come, first served basis, they’re now booked up until July. This is a bad thing, apparently; it’s a struggle to get people on who really deserve time on the show!
Plans for the future include doing a lot more of the same. “It’s a lot of fun right now,” said Jordan, “Many people are asking if we’re aiming to become a station in our own right. I don’t think that should be our aim at all. It would dilute what we do too much. We do have some exciting things coming up though, so watch this space.”
Finally, the show is supported by the team at Maple Street Studios. Paul Golliker, Head of production at the central London studio was asked for a small quote for this piece. “£180”, he said. He was then asked again for a sensible quote and he replied with “The lowest I can go is £130. Final offer.” We then asked him to say some words about Maple St Studios and VS Re:Charged and he replied with “Who? Oh them, are they still here? Apparently so. Anyway, Maple Street Studios(.co.uk) – commercial production, studio hire, website soundscapes, programme production and a beer tap. All at a good rate!” He then went back to his desk.
Anyway, for more information on internet radio done well:
Myspace.com/vsrecharged – loads of information!
Tourdates.co.uk/vs-recharged – loads of content!
Maplestreetstudios.co.uk – Their hutch (and pictures of it).
So that’s a snapshot of VS Re:Charged. Only thing is, however, their mates think they’re losers.
Ah well. At least the music is good.