Channel 4 FM Fan Blog
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Meet the DJs: Neal Bowden
You've heard him on the radio every afternoon, but here's the real lowdown on the guy behind "The Big Drive Home" - Neal Bowden!
Q1)How long have you been a RJ at Channel 4?
Too long! Only kidding. Since Jan 2004. Btw, I hate the term “RJ”. Stick with “DJ”, “Announcer”, “Mug” etc etc…
Q2)Okay, "DJ" it is! So what do you do at the studio aside from presenting "The Big Drive Home"?
I’m also the Music Director of Channel 4. This basically means that I decide what songs Channel 4 should play and what we shouldn’t. If you think the music on Channel 4 is crap, then it’s all my fault! It’s a hectic job as it involves researching all the new music that gets released form the record companies. I then have to decide what songs Channel 4’s listeners would like. I don’t always get it right, but hey, nobody’s perfect right??!!
Q3)Did you ever plan to become a DJ when you were growing up?
Of course! I knew when I was 10 that I wanted to be on the radio. I used to sit in my bedroom listening to as many radio stations as I could and making recordings of them. I would then write down everything the DJ was saying word for word and pretended I was on the radio! My friends and family thought I was mad, but l think they understand why I did it now! Ha Ha!!
Q4)You're originally from the UK, so life in the UAE must be quite different from what you're used to back home...
You’re telling me it is! We have sun here! The driving situation takes…um…a little getting used to. That’s TOTALLY different from the UK!
Q5)What do you miss the most...and please don't say fish and chips!
Ugh. I hate fish n chips! My Mom used to get some in every Friday and I hated it! Friday was fish day for some reason. The only thing I miss most is friends and family. I certainly don’t miss the weather. I miss going out to the supermarket and picking up a 12 pack of bud while eating a pork sandwich!!!
Q6)According to googlism.com, "Neal Bowden is a big time collector of airchecks and jingles from the 80's right upto the present day" Is it true that you collect radio jingles?
Ha Ha! I thought you may pick me up on that one. I think I need to explain this one. I love doing production at home and while at work. This would mean making new jingles, commercials etc. Every now and then I run out of ideas so I collect other peoples work (ie : jingles) for inspiration. As for the airchecks, those are recordings of radio stations and those I do collect as a hobby. Back home you should see my collection! I have over 3000 tapes and CD’s of radio stations from all around the world. Why do I collect them? I find it interesting to see what other stations are doing. I can often pinch ideas..um…I mean borrow ideas and add a twist to them, lol. I also have tapes of DJ’s that I look upto. Quite often I will put some of them on, kind of like an inspiration thing.
Q7)Tell us something about yourself that no one at the studio knows about you.
I was very close to signing up in the military when I left school. I got as far as the medical (which I failed for a reason). But then a job came along at the BBC. What else. Hmm. Oh yeah, I had a short break from radio in 1999 and took a very important job that involved me having to sign the Official Secrets Acts. I’m also trained in the detection of explosive devices using X- Ray (IED’s and IID’s – Improvised Explosive Device and Incendiary Devices). I worked very close with Customs and Excise at Heathrow and the Immigration service. May I see your passport sir? Are you scared yet?
Q8)You worked for 104.2 Nile FM in Cairo...Tell us more about that.
Wow. You know more about me than me! Yes I did work for Nile FM in Cairo. That was a blast! It was the first time I had ever visited an Arab country let alone work in one! When I arrived there they were still building the station. The equipment was still being installed and the building was still being painted. It took a heck of a long time getting everything set up (don’t you just hate deadlines!). Lots of 18 hour days then getting calls at 3am saying that something was wrong. Grrr. Anyway, we pulled the whole thing off nicely and the station became an instant success from day one. I learnt a lot working there. I also learnt how people do business in the Arab world. Lets just say that it’s a little different to back home, lol.
Q9)With the advent of 'podcasting', mp3 music, digital radios, etc do you think traditional FM radio stations should feel threatened?
That's the question of the decade. We are (and need to be) continuously figuring this out. The ever-increasing digital technologies are also changing around us. I feel that radio must expand and use these new technologies to become closer to their listeners. Great programmers will convert their stations from jukeboxes to community meeting places. Great radio stations will be those that help their listeners connect with each other, connect with the music, and connect with their city. The really successful Top 40 station of the 60s had their finger on the pulse of the city. They were entertaining and connected. As an industry, we got away from entertainers and moved to "less talk". We need to find the great entertainers and teach them radio. Ipod’s are great, but you can get bored of just music. You want more. You want to know what’s going on out there, and that’s where radio wins hands down.
Q10)What's the most requested song on the radio right now?
A few weeks ago it was Akon’s Lonely. Thank god its changed now! I would probably say Eminem’s Ass Like That.
Q11)Do you like it or loathe it?
I loathe it, but we have to play it as it’s a popular song.
Q12)So what do you think is the hardest thing to being a DJ?
Getting up at 4.30am for a morning show and trying to sound all cheerful and happy! Now, that’s hard!!! You try it when you are grumpy as hell at that time of the morning!
Q13)And the best part?
The freebies!!!!
Q14)Dish out some dirt on one of your coworkers...
I have PLENTY of dirt on DJ Moe, but I value what’s between my legs so I won’t even go down that road!! Ha Ha!!
Q15)Thanks a lot for your time Neal, it's been great to have you featured on the Fan Blog!
Thanks for having me!
Q1)How long have you been a RJ at Channel 4?
Too long! Only kidding. Since Jan 2004. Btw, I hate the term “RJ”. Stick with “DJ”, “Announcer”, “Mug” etc etc…
Q2)Okay, "DJ" it is! So what do you do at the studio aside from presenting "The Big Drive Home"?
I’m also the Music Director of Channel 4. This basically means that I decide what songs Channel 4 should play and what we shouldn’t. If you think the music on Channel 4 is crap, then it’s all my fault! It’s a hectic job as it involves researching all the new music that gets released form the record companies. I then have to decide what songs Channel 4’s listeners would like. I don’t always get it right, but hey, nobody’s perfect right??!!
Q3)Did you ever plan to become a DJ when you were growing up?
Of course! I knew when I was 10 that I wanted to be on the radio. I used to sit in my bedroom listening to as many radio stations as I could and making recordings of them. I would then write down everything the DJ was saying word for word and pretended I was on the radio! My friends and family thought I was mad, but l think they understand why I did it now! Ha Ha!!
Q4)You're originally from the UK, so life in the UAE must be quite different from what you're used to back home...
You’re telling me it is! We have sun here! The driving situation takes…um…a little getting used to. That’s TOTALLY different from the UK!
Q5)What do you miss the most...and please don't say fish and chips!
Ugh. I hate fish n chips! My Mom used to get some in every Friday and I hated it! Friday was fish day for some reason. The only thing I miss most is friends and family. I certainly don’t miss the weather. I miss going out to the supermarket and picking up a 12 pack of bud while eating a pork sandwich!!!
Q6)According to googlism.com, "Neal Bowden is a big time collector of airchecks and jingles from the 80's right upto the present day" Is it true that you collect radio jingles?
Ha Ha! I thought you may pick me up on that one. I think I need to explain this one. I love doing production at home and while at work. This would mean making new jingles, commercials etc. Every now and then I run out of ideas so I collect other peoples work (ie : jingles) for inspiration. As for the airchecks, those are recordings of radio stations and those I do collect as a hobby. Back home you should see my collection! I have over 3000 tapes and CD’s of radio stations from all around the world. Why do I collect them? I find it interesting to see what other stations are doing. I can often pinch ideas..um…I mean borrow ideas and add a twist to them, lol. I also have tapes of DJ’s that I look upto. Quite often I will put some of them on, kind of like an inspiration thing.
Q7)Tell us something about yourself that no one at the studio knows about you.
I was very close to signing up in the military when I left school. I got as far as the medical (which I failed for a reason). But then a job came along at the BBC. What else. Hmm. Oh yeah, I had a short break from radio in 1999 and took a very important job that involved me having to sign the Official Secrets Acts. I’m also trained in the detection of explosive devices using X- Ray (IED’s and IID’s – Improvised Explosive Device and Incendiary Devices). I worked very close with Customs and Excise at Heathrow and the Immigration service. May I see your passport sir? Are you scared yet?
Q8)You worked for 104.2 Nile FM in Cairo...Tell us more about that.
Wow. You know more about me than me! Yes I did work for Nile FM in Cairo. That was a blast! It was the first time I had ever visited an Arab country let alone work in one! When I arrived there they were still building the station. The equipment was still being installed and the building was still being painted. It took a heck of a long time getting everything set up (don’t you just hate deadlines!). Lots of 18 hour days then getting calls at 3am saying that something was wrong. Grrr. Anyway, we pulled the whole thing off nicely and the station became an instant success from day one. I learnt a lot working there. I also learnt how people do business in the Arab world. Lets just say that it’s a little different to back home, lol.
Q9)With the advent of 'podcasting', mp3 music, digital radios, etc do you think traditional FM radio stations should feel threatened?
That's the question of the decade. We are (and need to be) continuously figuring this out. The ever-increasing digital technologies are also changing around us. I feel that radio must expand and use these new technologies to become closer to their listeners. Great programmers will convert their stations from jukeboxes to community meeting places. Great radio stations will be those that help their listeners connect with each other, connect with the music, and connect with their city. The really successful Top 40 station of the 60s had their finger on the pulse of the city. They were entertaining and connected. As an industry, we got away from entertainers and moved to "less talk". We need to find the great entertainers and teach them radio. Ipod’s are great, but you can get bored of just music. You want more. You want to know what’s going on out there, and that’s where radio wins hands down.
Q10)What's the most requested song on the radio right now?
A few weeks ago it was Akon’s Lonely. Thank god its changed now! I would probably say Eminem’s Ass Like That.
Q11)Do you like it or loathe it?
I loathe it, but we have to play it as it’s a popular song.
Q12)So what do you think is the hardest thing to being a DJ?
Getting up at 4.30am for a morning show and trying to sound all cheerful and happy! Now, that’s hard!!! You try it when you are grumpy as hell at that time of the morning!
Q13)And the best part?
The freebies!!!!
Q14)Dish out some dirt on one of your coworkers...
I have PLENTY of dirt on DJ Moe, but I value what’s between my legs so I won’t even go down that road!! Ha Ha!!
Q15)Thanks a lot for your time Neal, it's been great to have you featured on the Fan Blog!
Thanks for having me!
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Freedom of Speech
[rant]
Fellow Bloggers...unite! A UAE-based blog, The Secret Dubai Diary has been proxied off for being too..er...controversial. I encourage you to visit the proxied blog and email to have it unbanned...blogs are a form of free expression and thought, and if you don't like what you're reading, then just surf to another site!
[/rant]
Fellow Bloggers...unite! A UAE-based blog, The Secret Dubai Diary has been proxied off for being too..er...controversial. I encourage you to visit the proxied blog and email to have it unbanned...blogs are a form of free expression and thought, and if you don't like what you're reading, then just surf to another site!
[/rant]
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Welcome back Tim & Neal!
Tim Klassen and Neal Bowden have returned to their regular show slots after their seperate vacations...welcome back guys! Missed you both of course... =)
Monday, July 04, 2005
Channel 4 Out and About!
All through Dubai Summer Surprises, Channel 4 will be out and about at your favorite shopping mall. They've teamed up with Dubai Shopping Malls Group and will be stopping by in the evenings, so keep a lookout at your favorite mall for the Channel 4 FM booth!
