Interview: Steve Barker of Radio Lancashire

RADIO Lancashire presenter Steve Barker began his cult music show in 1984 — when Bananarama, Black Lace and Madonna were riding high in the charts.

While most of the world was listening to pop, Steve’s show played experimental dance music, hip hop and reggae.

A quarter of a century on and lots has changed — but Steve’s alternative music show On The Wire still lives on — even though he now records his contributions in China.

“Twenty-five years has kind of snuck up on us, but I am quite proud of what we've achieved, actually,” said Brierfield-born Steve.

“I'm especially proud that the show is on Radio Lancashire because local radio stations are always being taken the mick out of by the media, but On The Wire has an international reputation. And being a Lancastrian, it's good to stay local to Lancashire.”

When On The Wire first began there was no such thing as "dance" music. Hip-hop was confined to New York City and Smashy and Nicey still ruled the airwaves.

“We gained quite a reputation during those first few years because there was nothing else on radio similar to what we were doing," said Steve, 61, a former pupil of Nelson Grammar School.

On The Wire slowly built up a reputation throughout the '80s, reaching far beyond Lancashire and the north of England.

And many of the bands and performers who passed through Steve's Darwen Street studio in Blackburn were to go on to become global music stars. Guests included U2, REM, The Smiths, Depeche Mode and Joy Division.

"I lose track of all the bands that we had on the show," said Steve.

"The second show we ever did had Depeche Mode on, who were huge at the time. I remember there were loads of screaming girls waiting for them outside King George's Hall. There was nobody outside the station because they didn't imagine that's where they'd be."

As dance music became popular the show evolved and nowadays listeners are as likely to hear pre-war hillbilly music as dance or dub.

"What we always tried to do was to play interesting challenging new music, experimental stuff, or just stuff that people may have missed. After all you can't listen to everything, can you?"

"If people want to listen to what's popular and what's in the charts, they can just listen to any of the non-stop music shows, but we've always liked playing music that's fun, a good laugh, or annoying even. We try, above anything else, to surprise and stimulate our listeners.

"We've always had a look backwards as well as forwards — not just recent old stuff but even music from maybe 30, 40 years ago."

Born and raised in Brierfield, Steve trained as a journalist and he puts his enduring love of new music down to "never having grown out of it."

"When you're 15 or 16 you get excited by new music, but for most people that seems to stop when they're in their early 20s and they get stuck on the music they grew up with," he said.

"That never happened to me. And thankfully John Peel, who was a big friend of the programme, made it OK for older DJs to be into new music. He made it acceptable. I think more people should be open to new music."

Even emigrating to a different country couldn't stop Steve.

Eight years ago he took a job in China, developing unemployment services for the British Council.

But rather than give up On The Wire, he simply began recording his sections of the show from a studio in his apartment in the centre of Beijing and sending them over to Lancashire.

He enjoys popping back home three or four times a year to caress the equipment in Radio Lancashire's Blackburn-based studio.

Steve has fond memories of the BBC from his early days.

"I started in Radio Lancashire in 1978 so I'm one of the longest-serving employees," he said "In fact I've worked for longer at Radio Lancashire than most of the people there now have been alive!

"There have certainly been changes during my time. The BBC was very old school when I started, but it was very nice and the people were very friendly. I remember the manager was a real gentleman. It was classic old BBC style and I look back at those days very fondly, actually."

But the biggest change for the show has been the explosion of the internet, which has taken it to an international fan base.

"In the '80s we used to get letters from people abroad who'd received cassettes of our show but now, of course, we get emails from many more people from all over the world who listen via the internet.

"It's good to know that at a time when people have much freer access to music than ever before they still choose to listen to a show that makes the selection for them."

Celebrations to mark the On The Wire's 25th anniversary include special mixes created by friends and collaborators of the show from the past 25 years.

And despite the landmark, Steve has no plans to retire just yet.

"I don't know if I'll do another 25 years but I can't see myself getting tired of music," he said.

"It's a kind of Dr Johnson thing.

"He said 'When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.'

"I think if you're tired of music you're tired of life.

"And they say 60 is the new 40 so maybe I've got another 25 years in me after all."

l On The Wire is on BBC Radio Lancashire's FM frequencies 95.5, 103.9 and 104.5 on Saturday evenings at 10pm. Visit otwradio.blogspot.com for details of the show's 25th anniversary celebrations.