1980 audition tape - David Lloyd

When you’re 19, work in a bank and there are only 19 commercial radio stations to apply to, a real radio gig is a bit of a dream. Your teachers always thought so; and your parents probably quietly thought so. I thought so too.

So, after a few demos were received unfavourably, I churned out this one in the middle of the night, having sneaked in to my hospital radio station.

It got me three frightening interviews: Radio 210; Beacon; and Trent. I can barely recognise the high voice, but I guess those stations saw something in it. Looking back, it was quite a production job, tape loops and layering using a Ferrograph and a Revox. I slid it in a DYMOed cardboard tape box along with a cheap blue ‘business card’ and posted it.

I was rudely dealt with at the 210 interview in Reading, Beacon just seemed a little politely puzzled by me; and Trent said yes.

Thus, March 1980 saw the tentative beginning to my decades in radio. It’s been a career I have loved and one which has been hugely good to me. I have been exceptionally lucky. 

More fond and very personal reminiscences of a time and place in radio history in my book. Radio Moments.