Rick O’Shea can’t be your real name. So what is it ? Tony Fenton!
Your earliest ambition? To be an accountant.
How did you first get into radio? I first tried to get into radio through a competition for DJs when I was 15, but I lost.
Who beat you? A farmer from Meath.
What motivated you to enter? Greed! The prize was worth £50,000.
So was it a waste of time? No. It interested me in radio as a career. Through it I met David Dennehy and Paul Kavanagh who later gave me gigs on commercial radio.
Did you ever work on hospital radio? Yes, in St James’ Hospital. But after I worked there for week I realised I was the most experienced person they had, so I scored a slot on college radio in UCD and later became programme director.
Did you do any courses in radio or communications? I did a course in broadcasting and journalism at the Senior College, Ballyfermot.
What was your first jobs on commercial radio? A weekend show with East Coast and then a spot six night a week. Later I worked with Atlantic 252 and FM 104.
Which radio people have inspired you? Marty Whelan. I used to send him notes telling him what tunes to play.
So when are you going to start dying your hair? I’ve been going grey since I was 19, so it’s too late!
What was the first record you played on East Coast? ‘Sweet Love’ by Anita Baker.
What was the last record you played? ‘Buck 65’, a track from the album called Roses And Blue Jays.
What do you listen to at home? I listen to everything, from Noel Coward to Limp Bizkit.
How did you get into 2FM? After I left FM 104 I was out of work for three months. But I did fill-in for Dusty Rhodes on 2FM and got a permanent spot.
What is your audience? Fifteen to 25s. I imagine my average listener is about 20/21 and at college.
And what is your music policy for the programme? No boy bands! You won’t hear Westlife or D-Side. You’ll hear Outkast, Justin Timberlake, Future Kings Of Spain. I’m not restricted to the 2FM playlist and I can virtually play whatever I feel will interest the audience.
What do you regard as the key feature of your 2FM show? The right mix of pop, rock, hits, new releases, listener requests, competitions and interviews with artists.
Which artists have you interviewed that you can recall? There’s loads of them. God Is An Astronaut, Metallica, Linkin Park, Halite, Josh Ritter, Stereophonics, Woodstar, The Walls, All American Rejects, Feeder.
What about Irish records? In one programme recently I played Bell X1, Chop Luey, Decadence with Steve Wall, Future Kings Of Spain, Messiah J & The Expert, Paddy Casey, The Revs, Turn. I’ve also played that new band Bunny from Athlone. There isn’t enough Irish music on Irish radio, but my show certainly does its bit.
Is it fair to say there are a lot of people working in music radio who have no interest in music anyway? Yes. I’ve friends in radio I’ve known for years and although we meet regularly we rarely talk about music. But I’m passionate about music and I spend a lot of my spare time listening to records. I’ve got an outlet through which I can play the great music I find, but there are others who couldn’t care less.
What was your biggest mistake on air? I often mispronounce words on Monday nights. It takes me a while to get used to speaking into a mike again after the weekend break!
Does the job vary from station to station? Basically it’s the same job, but there might be different emphases from programme to programme. On Atlantic 252 some songs were played every 90 minutes. On a really long stretch you could play the same song several times. That doesn’t happen in 2FM.
Did you enjoy the Atlantic 252 experience? Of course. We had six million listeners, mostly in Britain, and it was weird knowing that while looking out from the studio in Trim at sheep in a field. There wasn’t much choice for kids who just wanted to hear current chart hits in those days.
If you were told next week that you were taking over John Clarke’s job as head of 2FM, what would you do? I feel I’ve got a good head for radio programming which I’ve learned by watching people I’ve worked with in the past. I’d probably put myself immediately into the breakfast spot! Sorry, Ryan! Or I could do about 5/6 hours every day to cut costs! Maybe the smartest move would be to immediately re-appoint John Clark
Who do you admire on radio outside 2FM? Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1. He plays some amazing music which I often pick up on. But although I listen to a lot of music, I don’t listen to a lot of radio.
Have you ever been offered a bribe to play a record? Not even a bar of chocolate! I’m obviously not important enough. I would at least like to be approached, but so far… nothing. (laughs).
So what could you do if you had no job in radio? I was a movie reviewer for the Sunday World, so maybe I’d do some journalism like that.
Do you take yourself seriously? You can’t take yourself seriously if your radio name is Rick O’Shea. But I take radio and music seriously and I take my job seriously.
So when are you going back to accountancy? I didn’t actually complete my studies in accountancy, so that’s out. When I was out of work for three months it gave me time to evaluate my life. I realise how lucky I am now to work in radio with the national broadcaster. I just want to keep on doing it and enjoying it and giving it my best shot. b