FEATURE:
A True Icon
Why Shaun Keaveny Being Back on BBC Radio 6 Music Marks Him as One of Our Greatest Broadcasters
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I guess there is no use…
IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny was interviewed by Lauren Laverne on her BBC Radio 6 Music show (the interview starts at 1:37:44) on 2nd October to promote his new series, Indie Icons Only, as part of the station’s Radio 6 Indie Forever extension/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC/Lauren Laverne via Instagram
in getting or being angry about stuff that happened a while in the past. That is easy to say, but I like so many BBC Radio 6 Music listeners, was stunned and saddened when Shaun Keaveny departed the station. Not entirely his decision, when he signed off his final show in September 2021, I guess he did not exactly know what would come next. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic, so it was extra scary! I have written about this in other features about him, but it was amazing how he built out this whole new career path in broadcasting. Having been at BBC Radio 6 Music for fourteen years, he would have thought he would continue until he felt it right to move on. Five years on from bidding farewell to his BBC Radio 6 Music family, he has built this incredible new empire. Starting and helming the brilliant Community Garden Radio, this was sort of a breakthrough and groundbreaking thing. It was founded with producer Ben Tulloh (who I hope works with him again on a more regular basis, as they have a close chemistry and great connection and love for one another). I am going to circle back to BBC Radio 6 Music, as this is the reason for me writing about Keaveny again. I do want to source once more from this interview with The Guardian from 2022. This switch from national radio to D.I.Y. radio. Although it might seem frightening or like it would lead to struggle and negatives, it was hugely liberating. You know that others would have seen what Community Garden Radio was and could achieve and have been inspired by it. Even though Shaun Keaveny broadcasts on the BBC, he still keeps that balance with the massive and smaller (or grassroots). These different communities of listeners. Few broadcasters in the world have and could do that:
“Shaun Keaveny is broadcasting to a couple of thousand people from a forgotten back room in a shabby Soho office that’s all glass and no insulation. The ambience is more knackered 1970s comp than radio studio.
“If I was me 18 months ago looking at what I’m doing now, I’d be thinking, ‘Ah, that’s a shame, isn’t it? He used to have this massive platform and now look at what he’s doing,’” says Keaveny who, until September last year, was used to six-figure audiences and the BBC Radio 6 Music studios where things, you know, worked.
“It’s taken me ages to get my head round, but when you drill down into what we’re doing here it’s phenomenal,” he says. And what he’s doing is of interest because it may possibly be the future of radio in the same way that YouTube was once the future (now the present) of video: a live, independent radio show broadcast via Patreon, the digital platform that lets supporters subscribe to projects and give creators a steady income. In this case, £4 a month to access Shaun Keaveny’s Creative Cul de Sac, a weekly Friday radio show, a podcast and daily written and recorded missives.
PHOTO CREDIT: Dean Chalkley/The Observer
It adds up to quite a lot of Keaveny (“To be honest, I’m knackered, I took on a lot when I left 6 Music because I thought half of it was going to fail. But things started working straight away.”)
But before we get to the future, we have to deal with the past, and the reason why the 49-year-old has been forced into DIY radio rather than remaining a beloved 6 Music presence. In June last year, after a 14-year run, first on breakfast and then afternoons, he announced he was leaving. “Things change, places change, people change and it’s time for a change,” he said at the time”.
The reason it took off so swiftly was because of something it’s easy to forget about in discussions of platforms and digital disruption: the listeners. And they have rallied to him in their thousands. Nothing compared to the number he enjoyed at the BBC, but these are the ultras: loyal, engaged and paying.
During breaks in the show, he scans through their emails, chuckling delightedly: “They get it. They just bloody get it,” like he’s amazed that anyone connects with what he does. But they do and many of them have been with him since the beginning when he arrived at the nascent 6 Music from nights on that great radio incubator, London’s Xfm. He came via stints at Reading 210 FM (where he started out writing ad copy in 1997, moving from hometown Leigh in Greater Manchester after a friend-of-a-friend put him up for the job) and Wolverhampton’s Beacon FM, taking on Phill Jupitus’s seat on the breakfast show in 2006.
He landed at the right time. Digital radio was taking off (6 Music is digital-only) and offering something new in a landscape where shows seemed stuck in wearily familiar formats: a studio crammed full of braying sidekicks yucking it up with a superstar presenter; the gratingly chummy host, playing it as if they’d just got in from a night on the lash with famous mates; or the DJ slinging the sanitised, endlessly repeating playlist.
Keaveny, though, didn’t do fake banter or pointless pop. He was just himself: sometimes weary, a touch melancholic, often childish, but always smart and intimate and – most importantly – self- deprecating, which the listeners bought into eagerly. So much so that, over the years, their emails have taken on the tone of a Hollywood Roast: “Keep up the work,” or “Very whelming this morning,” are favourite sign-offs”
I am so glad that Shaun Keaveny came through a period in life that, although liberating, must also have been quite sad. Leaving a station he was a part of for so long. Suddenly not being there. I am sort of pining for the comfort of radio at the moment during a bad period. In terms of my job and being very unhappy there, I am filled with a lot of anxiety and dread. Though there is something in radio that provides, at best comfort and guidance, and at worst, a distraction. Since starting Community Garden Radio, Keaveny has presented on major radio stations like Greatest Hits Radio, Absolute Radio, and BBC Radio London. In addition, Keaveny has deputised for Dermot O’Leary, Liza Tarbuck, Rob Beckett, and The Folk Show. He has also regularly co-hosted Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4. One of the hardest-working broadcasters there is, he is also one of the very best. Few could work across such a broad selection of stations and do something different but the same! His distinct blend of wit, delf-deprecation and clear passion for all kinds of music. And yet, he can effortlessly fit into the style and dynamic of stations that are not the same. Also, Keaveny has presented coverage of the Isle of Wight and Latitude festivals for Sky, and also the Mercury Music Prize for BBC2. Represented by PBJ Management, this is one of our very best, loved and trusted radio voices. When it comes to music and radio, there is nothing he cannot do! Covering shows dedicated to Blues and Folk, he now fronts The Rock Show. He took over from the late great Johnnie Walker (someone who Shaun Keaveny considers to be his broadcasting idol). The legendary Bob Harris had to step down presenting Sounds of the 70s earlier this year due to health issues. Whilst we wish him well and hope he is back on the airwaves in a permanent position very soon, Shaun Keaveny now helms the show. Two emotions or thoughts come to mind: how to follow in the footsteps of two titans of radio; also, how to present these shows and do so in a way that does not ape Walker and Harris. Instantly authoritative and a real natural, instead of mimicking them, Keaveny is very much himself. He sounds so natural and right for the shows as he knows Rock and '70s music. A huge fan of Rock (Led Zeppelin are one of his favourite bands) and growing up in the 1970s, he was the obvious choice. Even so, whilst it was amazing to get these shows, he acknowledged the incredible legacy of these decades-enduring and hugely respected radio gods:
“The shows will remain key parts of BBC Radio 2 programming, with Shaun Keaveny due to officially take over as host of Sounds of the 70s each Sunday (3-5pm), in addition to hosting the Radio 2 Rock Show (Fridays 11pm-midnight) after deputising in the Sounds of the 70s slot and various other shows on Radio 2 during the past year.
Shaun says: “As long as I can remember, I’ve loved the music of the 70s. My mum reckons Rocket Man was all over the radio when I was born in 72… guess who was playing that on the original Sounds of the 70s at that time…??”
“It was the thrill of my life to meet Bob, the man who has done more to maintain the spirit of Rock, Roll and Radio than almost anyone. I consider it not just an honour but a mission, to continue Bob’s work of showing the world the greatness of the music of that special decade. Somewhere, every week, some kid hears Won’t Get Fooled Again for the first time! You did that for me Bob, and millions like me. We’d like to say Thank You For the Music, you’ll always be our Rock n Roll Doctor”.
I recently published a feature about Zoe Ball. She is one of the absolute best broadcasters ever, and is a queen of the airwaves. Someone who I have been listening to for so many years. Formerly with the BBC, she now joins her erstwhile BBC mates Simon Mayo and Ken Bruce at Greatest Hits Radio. Having gone through some losses and struggles through the years, it must have been so tough having to shoulder that and present on national radio. Now, she is at this new home, and she sounds happier than ever! Even though life, as with all of us, is not 100% stress-free, she is at Greatest Hits Radio, and I think she will be there for many years. I can see Shaun coming over there in years to come though, as he is so in-demand and he has all these incredible shows to present, it might not be anytime soon! I look at these incredible broadcasters who have suffered setbacks and losses and this sort of thing, and I hold out hope for myself. Though my situation and life is different to theirs, I can find solace and strength in what they do. The warmth and love they spread. Getting to the point of this feature (story it took a while!). Before I get there, I sort of wonder what other stuff will come up for Shaun Keaveny. The Beatles’ Rubber Soul Special Editions came out yesterday (2nd October). Shaun Keaveny is a massive fan of The Beatles. I think he will interview Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr soon. His mate and former BBC Radio 6 Music colleague Matt Everitt has been involved in an event/interview around it (he did post about it on Instagram but I can’t remember where it was held and who he spoke to (sleep deprivation has shot my memory!).
They are really close friends, so I hope that Everitt and Keaveny do a show together again (Matt Everitt used to present the music news when Keaveny was at BBC Radio 6 Music). Thinking about Shaun Keaveny, Matt Everitt and Zoe Ball. These amazing broadcasters are all in their fifties, and yet they seem to be at the top of their game and enjoying the best time in their careers. As a journalist in my forties – and my blog turns fifteen next month -, I always associate success with your twenties and thirties. If you have not ‘made it’ or fulfilled ambitions by then, that is it. Journalism, radio and music are industries where you can actually find greater success and purpose past that point (it is a generalisation, but there is some truth in it). In addition to his BBC Radio 2 work and Community Garden Radio, Shaun Keaveny is also back on BBC Radio 6 Music. I hate when people say an artist has ‘returned’ or is ‘back’, when they have not released music for a few months. Unless they stepped away from music or retired and now have come back, they have not ‘returned’. However, in terms of BBC Radio 6 Music, this very much is a return. Here, we learn of a brilliant and must-listen new series where Shaun Keaveny gets to speak to some Indie icons:
“This October, BBC Radio 6 Music Indie Forever, 6 Music’s extension for BBC Sounds, will bring listeners Indie Icons Only - a new programme, broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays (10am-12pm), presented by Shaun Keaveny. The first eight, two-hour episodes, beginning Saturday 3 October, will feature Shaun in conversation with the iconic musician, singer and songwriter Johnny Marr, who since his time as co-founder of The Smiths has collaborated with numerous artists and released five solo albums, most recently The Age of Everything.
Shaun will hear Johnny’s reflections on his past four decades in music, his songwriting and his work with musicians including Hans Zimmer, Noel Gallagher, The Pretenders, and more.
Highlights from each episode will be available on 6 Music’s YouTube channel every Saturday at 10am.
Shaun Keaveny says: "They say you should never go back, but, to be honest, I think that is mostly advice about fireworks. It was a total no-brainer agreeing to do this show for Indie Forever and 6 Music. Getting the chance to unpick a favourite musician’s influences, craft and career over the course of multiple episodes, IN A PUB, was a proposition I could not turn down. Cheers, and here’s to more!"
Johnny Marr says: “It’s always interesting and fun to talk music and culture with Shaun Keaveny. Great to have him back on 6 Music.”
Samantha Moy, Head of BBC Radio 6 Music says: “To have Shaun return to the 6 Music family, and to be in such esteemed company with Johnny Marr, will be such a treat for music fans and for all of us at 6 Music too. I know the programmes will be funny, joyful and insightful - a true celebration of an icon who has made such an important contribution to the story of British music.”
Created by 6 Music and dedicated to the biggest and best indie pop, rock and classics that have soundtracked listeners’ lives and musical memories, 6 Music Indie Forever launched on BBC Sounds in July. The 24-hour stream plays indie music from the 1980s to the 2010s and beyond, with UK artists making up 70% of the playlist. Programmes include: The Morning Session with Steve Lamacq and Felix White; City Soundtracks, presented by Emily Pilbeam and produced in collaboration with Music Venue Trust and BBC Introducing; Indie Forever Disco with Beth Ditto; Indie Focus, presented by Lauren Laverne; Indie Cloudbusters presented by Nick Grimshaw and Nathan Shepherd; Indie Chill, presented by Huw Stephens; and Artist Collections, which unearth performances, interviews and more from the BBC’s unrivalled archive and which have celebrated Florence + The Machine, Oasis, The Smiths, The Strokes, Wolf Alice, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more”.
As I am a bit bloated and foggy-headed with all sorts of psychological crap right now, I am genuinely so chuffed for this man! He is one of the most loved and hard-working broadcasters ever. Apart from being absolutely brilliant and able to do any show that he is offered, he also provides this warmth, humour, compassion and absolute passion that few other broadcasters ever have. I would put him up there with the very best of all time! He has decades more ahead, so it is going to be thrilling to see what else he does!
Yesterday, Shaun Keaveny appeared on Lauren Laverne’s show on BBC Radio 6 Music. They have been friends for years, and they presented shows side by side at one point. I remember being at the last broadcast of Keaveny’s breakfast show that was held at Maida Vale Studios (which, sadly, is no longer housing artists and being used as a live music location). Lauren Laverne was there, as was Matt Everitt, and other BBC Radio 6 Music names. They have a closeness and natural bond that, again, I hope transitions into a show together. I believe they did used to host a show together. BBC Radio 6 Music turns twenty-five next March, so I sort of hope they pair Laverne and Keaveny for a special show. Matt Everitt in there too (though this may be a manifestation that does not materialise!). The two of them chatting yesterday was a genuinely joyous moment in, let’s be fair, a period of time when there is little to celebrate and feel happy about. Even if Shaun Keaveny’s stint back at BBC Radio 6 Music has an end date, I do hope that, one day, he gets to present more regularly there. The affection and love that greeted his interview with Lauren Laverne and his Indie Icons Only show demonstrates how missed he is! It is clear that, alongside BBC Radio 2, Shaun Keaveny should be part of the BBC Radio 6 Music family again sometime soon. It is mind-boggling how he does everything he does and rarely shows any signs of fatigue and stress! Every show has this sort of warmth and lightness that I don’t think I could pull off! The first Indie Icons Only episode went out this morning, so I wanted to publish this ahead of the second episode. The second part of Keaveny’s chat with his mate, Johnny Marr. The nation loves the bones of Shaun Keaveny – and quite rightly! The Leigh-born multi-hyphenated talent is one of our greatest broadcasters and human beings. Five years from potentially a moment where he must have genuinely been weighing up options and wondering just what to do next, he has built the Community Garden Radio kingdom. Appeared across multiple radio stations; deputised on BBC Radio 2 shows, and now he presents two of his own. Presenting work and podcasts, plus this new series for BBC Radio 6 Music and their Indie Forever extension. I genuinely hope he is involved with any twenty-fifth birthday celebrations next year for the station, as it is what it is, in part, because of what he brought! Right now, he will be thinking of what is he doing, and not what comes next. In addition to hoping he has a long-ish holiday soon to recharge and get some rest, go and follow him on Instagram, and listen to everything he does and has done. I have probably not done him total justice here, though I wanted to write about him because of this new endeavour with BBC Radio 6 Music. A sort of homecoming in a way, also check out that interview with Lauren Laverne, as you can hear how happy he is to be back at the station. All of his listening fans and followers send him…
LOTS of love!