FEATURE:
Station to Station
PHOTO CREDIT: BBC
Part Sixteen: Chris Hawkins (BBC Radio 6 Music)
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I have included several broadcaster/D.J.s from…
PHOTO CREDIT: BBC
BBC Radio 6 Music already for this feature. There are a couple of reasons why I want to alight on and explore Chris Hawkins. If you are up to listen to his early-morning weekday show, I would recommend it (one can listen back on BBC Sounds if you are not awake then!). Having been at BBC Radio 6 Music since it started out nineteen years ago, we hope that Hawkins is going nowhere anytime soon! He loves being where he is and, though the years, he has built up a loyal and impressive listenership. Not only is the music Hawkins spins excellent. Features like Friday’s Awesome Segue (where he plays two bangers back-to-back) are a must-hear. That feature often gets some cheeky ‘hate’ from listeners – if Hawkins plays something a bit cheesy or boring. Aside from that, we get interviews, great features and a connection with a D.J. who is inspiring so many upcoming broadcasters. I think that Chris Hawkins has a book in him. In terms of being a D.J. or recalling his experiences and stories from throughout his career. The other reason why I want to highlight the excellent Hawkins is because of his series, How to DJ. The series consists of Hawkins and a guest each episode discussing being a D.J. and how they (the guest) got into that career lane.
It is a fascinating and revealing series that, I hope, continues and has a lot more life in it. The latest episode was Hawkins chatting with Christian ‘The OC’ O’Connell. I really like O’Connell (and, as I used to live near him when he was in the U.K, I passed him in the street once or twice). He has done something I am tempted to do in the future: he has moved to Melbourne (Australia). It was illuminating listening to O’Connell discussing his decision to leave the U.K. and move to Australia without much knowledge of what to expect and whether he would be successful. Hawkins’ series is warm and engaging. He, as you’d expect, is an excellent interviewer and gets the very best from his guests. With a series under his belt, I hope we get more episodes. It has been interesting listening to him chat with everyone from Jamz Supernova (a BBC Radio 6 Music colleague) to Ashley Beedle. There is no doubting that Chris Hawkins is one of my favourite D.J.s (he would prefer that term to ‘broadcaster’) – and one of the main reasons why I tune into BBC Radio 6 Music. There are few who have the same sort of passion for the job and the continued enthusiasm for new music. Having been at the station for nineteen years, one could forgive Hawkins for playing it safe or coming across as less engaged or curious. That is not the case. To hear his genuine love for a new act or song makes him an important tastemaker. He has extolled and promulgated artists who I really love now (including The Lathums).
Whilst there are older interviews from Chris Hawkins (where he has been interviewed by a magazine/website/paper), it would be nice to see a new one. I get the feeling that, alongside his work on BBC Radio 6 Music, Hawkins will be taking on new challenges and responsibilities in the coming years. Whilst this interview is a little old (I think 2019?), Camden Live spoke with Hawkins. I have selected a few of the questions:
“Your playlists are always particularly eclectic, covering everything from Mogwai to The Roots. Do you think that early slot gives you a lot of freedom to showcase such a wide variety of music?
Yeah, for sure. It’s about mixing up the music that people might want to break into the day with, in a kind of a heavy-headed way to make the start to the day that little bit easier. But also about big wake-up tunes. It’s a mix that tries to accommodate both ends of that spectrum. (People are going about their business pretty quickly of a morning, schedules are often tight, and people try to get up as late as possible so I try and provide something that they will love for the amount of time that they’ll be able to listen.)
How do your own tastes fit into that?
It’s all my taste. One of the great things about 6 Music which is quite unusual, particularly these days, is that we are able to play the music that we love. So whether it be old, or brand new, a huge amount of work and a lot of love goes into to choosing the right music each day.
Do you enjoying seeing the reactions from the artists themselves?
Yeah, I mean, 6 Music is well loved by the music industry. Bands often get in touch, even during the show.
In fact, James Righton from Klaxon’s just got a new solo album and just this morning I played a new song about his daughter called ‘Edie‘ on the show. By the time that the song had finished playing, James had tweeted me to say “Thanks so much for playing my new song on 6 Music”. So clearly, yes, we have a strong relationship with artists, I try to go to as many gigs as I can and it’s great to have those relationships.
Aside from the exposure you’ve given artists on the radio, you’ve also hosted your own nights, you regularly shout out new artists on your social media feeds and you were even a curator for Off the Record festival last year, which was specifically geared at new music. Who would you say is the artist you are most proud of having given exposure to, that has gone on to do great things?
I hosted a night at the Queen’s Head in Islington. where for example Catfish and the Bottlemen played upstairs. They came and played to a pretty small audience … in the tens and have now gone on to be virtually a stadium band, you know? They’ve become huge! That for me is the absolute standout example.
But there are lots of bands that I played early on and it’s been amazing to see how they’ve grown. I’m excited by young, new bands. The Lathums, I’ve mentioned. There’s a young band called Weird Milk, Porridge Radio, they all have great potential. I think for me and more broadly, for 6 Music, having seen Amy Winehouse, Adele. Keane, even Coldplay go from relatively new bands to the big acts that they are now, it’s gratifying. It’s amazing to see them grow.
What do you personally listen for in new music?
Something catchy. Something hooky. Something different, something creative. So for example, an artist like Anna Meredith is a creative powerhouse. She’s doing something different. She’s one on her own. She’s really forthright in what she’s, she’s trying to create, pushing boundaries. Also, Michael Kiwanuka who I mentioned earlier. They’re very different artists that stand out in different ways and encompass all that I love about music. You know, great songwriting, a passion, soul and something different that catches your ear that you’ve never heard before. It’s hard to achieve that. You know, everyone makes comparisons. A new band always gets compared to an old band. When a band are hard to define, I think that’s pretty exciting”.
On a station that has some of the finest broadcasters in the country, Chris Hawkins is definitely up there with the best of them. I feel he will be there for years to come. Even if he leaves the station, Hawkins has decades more in him as a D.J. I know he will be raring to get back to festivals and D.J. to the masses. A bright, warm, funny, passionate and professional presence on early morning BBC Radio 6 Music, Chris Hawkins is one of…
RADIO’S best and most inspiring.