As I write this blog, we are three weeks into 2024, and the last year ended on the most bitter of notes. Over Yule we lost Steve ‘Chuffer’ Beastie to cancer. He fought the hateful disease with such openness and courage, and the outpouring of love for him, has rightly been resounding. Steve presented “Beastie’s Rock Show” and “Beastie’s Blues Club” on Thursday lunchtimes, and he will be harder than I can imagine to follow.

Only two months ago we also lost the inimitable Mike Bowden, whose passing has also been a huge source of sadness to his radio family, his “Laveau Lounge” was always such an uplifting and joyful thing to experience. At the end of every show I present, I always say how fleeting life is, and that if you love someone, or care about them, that you should always tell them – and not live with regret – these are not just hollow words – and the deaths of these two wonderful men just rams the point home harder still.

From the start, I always said that everyone who joined Voodoo Radio was part of a family, it’s something I have always felt strongly about, and something I will always continue to impress when people come to us in whatever capacity. I hope we make our listeners feel important too, without them we have nothing, and we are eternally grateful for the time they give us in ever-increasing numbers. 

As we enter this new year, we will continue to try to bring new talent to the station, to increase our already impressive roster. We do so, remembering those who have either moved on to other stations, or have lost their lives – and being grateful for them as we work. At long last the much vaunted ‘Gob Radio’ section of Voodoo Radio is taking flight – the talk section I have planned and planned with Grant Orino, and a raft of our DJ’s is now involved and loving it, and we earnestly hope that you will too.

When I founded Voodoo Radio back in 2019, I naively imagined/believed we would keep the same roster that we started with, and grow it. Of course, that has not been the case, but that belief in belonging, and genuinely being the very best ‘family’ we can be – has never wavered or weakened. It is something I try to impress on every one of our DJ’s or contributors – call it a “mission statement” if you will. Yes, it may be naïve, but it really is central to what we do. I hope as you read this, you will feel genuinely welcome onboard.

I have no doubt that Voodoo Radio will continue to grow and evolve. If you had told me at the start, that we would have 50+ DJ’s within five years, I honestly would never have believed you – yet it is so. On 1st April, we hit our fifth anniversary – I’m in awe that we have got this far, and are going from strength to strength. In the words of the immortal Stan Lee … 

“Excelsior true believers!”.

22-01-24

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Preacher