SOULFUL BISCUITS Live from Minneapolis, USA
FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH 4 – 6PM
My interest in soul, jazz and rhythm and blues music started in the late 70’s listening to, and loving the amazing musicianship on the records I heard on the few radio shows in existence at the time, and from the collections of “cooler “ older friends.
With the guitar as my instrument of choice, a musician is what I wanted to be, too! Most of my friends (myself included), aspired to be in the next great Brit jazz funk band – think Incognito, Direct Drive, Level 42, Light of the World, Beggar & Co etc., (well, you gotta dream big, right?!). The band thing didn’t work out. However, I was being invited to DJ at various parties and gigs because “Shaun has all the records”… The rest has been the most rewarding and amazing journey anyone who needs a life-time to grow up could have!
In 1986, I got my first radio gig on south London’s People’s Choice Radio. The same year, I graduated from doing mobile discos to my first nightclub residency gig with Mecca Leisure. Before long, I was a full time club DJ, working 6 nights a week in various nightclubs across London and the southeast. This would become my “day job” and would over the next 15 years find me doing summer seasons in Malta at the iconic Axis discotheque, and hold weekly residencies at large venues for First Leisure (including Equinox/Destiny/Pink Flamingo Brighton and others.) I also worked for Rank Leisure/European Leisure and Granada Leisure. My favorite gigs however, were the one-off soul events and bank holiday all-dayers that I would be invited to play at through the radio stations.
Between 1986, and 1990, I presented shows on T.K.O. Radio, Big Time Radio (Time FM), as well as promoting my own successful soul events at various venues in south London.
The 90s were a whirlwind. As a full time club DJ and event promoter, my brother Matt (also an accomplished DJ) and I organised the U.K’s first (and largest) under 18s “rave.” I also volunteered as a presenter assisting various radio groups with their RSL (restricted service license) endeavors – one of which is now successfully broadcasting as Splash FM in Brighton.
After moving to the United States in 2000, life as a dad took over, until time and advances in the internet made a return to radio possible.
I joined Solar Radio in 2014 with my weekly show, SOULFUL BISCUITS.
My 35 year (and counting) journey in soul music has been immensely fulfilling. I’ve met, forged and maintained friendships with many people including many fellow DJs, some of whom are on Solar and other stations to this day. That journey of discovery in soul music continues, and I hope you can join me by tuning into SOULFUL BISCUITS Mondays at 6 p.m U.K. on Solar Radio.
