BACK 2 BASICS
SUNDAY 8 – 10PM
Upfront Soul, Funk, Gospel & Jazz – predominantly Soul Inspirational/uplifting soul that hits home & reflects the vast array of amazing musicianship available in the 21st century
Paul Bobb-Semple born Dublin Ireland 1962. Discovered love of music early at age 12, progressing to love of Black music after fateful first meeting with local cambridge soulman Max Rees which introduced me to a world of soul clubs/weekenders & like-minded people.
I absorbed radio intensely listening to many broadcasters & studying presentational style & substance from such as Robbie Vincent/Brother Louie/Peter Young/Tommy Vance etc. Not just listening but breaking down/analysing interview techniques/orders of song rotations & on-air timing, pretending at home with a needle & some records that i was on-air, not Robbie Vincent. So often in fact i accidentally trained myself to the point where by the time our first Aurora Roadshow did it’s first gig in front of a live audience in 1982 with my old mate Ian Roy, it was just another ‘practice’ session for me.
I moved towards radio in 1992 thanks to information received from Max, taking to it like a duck to water. Over the years flitted between stations starting with as CCR., Cambridge University Radio, Impulsive FM, Eagle FM, Star FM etc. then jacked it in for 3 years. Both my partner Jasmin & Max Rees kept pushing me towards going back into radio again & honestly without them i don’t think i would have done. Max recommended me to Tony Monson & i joined Solar Radio in late 2006.
Jasmin & Maxwell turned up at a pivotal point in life for me when things were all-consuming, & at a time when ‘growing up’ and doing away with soul seemed the logical thing to do. 3 huge music collections were thrown away to stop myself – all replaced larger than ever before. Eventually i realised you can’t fight what you are, i love Soul, always have, so i got back into it.
The mission then is furthering the cause of Black Music in my own manner, making other Soul jocks aware of some of the available talent, in order for maybe some independent artists to receive the attention that they otherwise may not get. Making the show as entertaining/spiritually uplifting as possible especially given the covid situation is important -people need to be raised up today more than ever.
It has been an honour to perform with my brothers & sisters here on Solar Radio, i have met some incredible people i might otherwise never have known, including many of Solar’s wonderful listeners at events & some of my own musical heroes: Roy Ayers/Leon Ware/Miki Howard/Howard Hewett/Michael Henderson/Al Jarreau/Martine Gerault…..i shall continue doing so until the time is right to stop.
Wakanda forever.
