Norman Cook said it best.

One of my suite of podcast choices is Annie MacManus’ “Changes” podcast. The last in the series 8 was a must listen for me and I found it snapped something in my brain. (This happens quite a lot!)

Norman Cook was the guest, aka Fatboy Slim. Now, I’ve heard Norman speak a few times and always been interested in his views, story and of course music. The interview though contained a comment from him regarding music and the sharing of it, that just suddenly gave me an “Oh yeah, thats it!” moment.

I’ve always found Annie Mac impressive and her Radio 1 days were supreme. Listening from across the radio divide in commercial radio I was quietly appreciative of her skill, gravitas, and credibility in the genre. I’ve never met, nor worked with her, (the closest being standing in the audience outside Cafe Mambo- see pic below), but find her podcast interesting as it shows so much more than the radio work or DJ work did, and delivers some fascinating stories from the guests.

Anyway- back to the point! Norman Cook spoke about his love of music and how when you find a new song, or hear something for the first time. The thing he said which made the impression on me was that the crystallisation of his own enjoyment of any song was only complete when he could share it with others. Play it for friends, family and of course punters in clubs. I’d absolutely always felt this myself and surprisingly it wasn’t until I heard him articulate it in this way, that it all clicked into place in my head.

I remember being passionate about a song that I really liked and wrestling with its lack of airplay or playlisting on various stations. I would get frustrated and annoyed when the station I was on, or worked for, didn’t play it and I didn’t stop to think why. At the time I would eventually stop myself and thinking “who cares, you can still play it for yourself”, but I still felt an emptiness. I forced the feeling down and ignored it as much as I could but Norman echoed what I had been thinking, and put it into words and talked about that passion. It not being shared, it not being played and heard by others had an impact on my own enjoyment. I got the added enjoyment from sharing the song with others, knowing they could hear it and experience the same thoughts as me.

Music has a passion and feeling like no other. It needs to be shared and maybe this is what I experienced. Radio can create that, generate the natural sharing moment and set off a chain reaction with the audience. Thanks to Annie MacManus and Norman Cook both for the good listen on the podcast, but also for completing a circle in my brain.