THE FANNING PROFILE

JACKIE HAYDEN: Dave, what's the difference between doing the Rock Show on radio and 2TV which is also a tv programme?

DAVE FANNING: I have to wear trousers on 2TV whereas I can do the radio show stark naked! No, seriously, the music is very different. I play stuff on 2TV that I would never play on the radio show. There's some stuff I wouldn't even play at home, whereas what I play on the radio is often exactly what I'm listening to at home at the time.

At what point in the production planning for 2TV do you come on board?

I don't really get involved in the production at all. There are people doing all that who are far better qualified than me. I just arrive on the Sunday morning, get a script and go for it. Can you just imagine it, if I got involved like that I'd be pushing my own music. I've over 20 years on radio and people know what I like and how I do things. Ed Darragh will give me advance notice of who's in for interviews, but I've got total confidence in the production team and I let them get on with it.

2TV goes out simultaneously on Network 2 and on 2FM radio. Does this pose any special problems for you?

I suppose it does, but I've never actually heard the radio broadcast! I present 2TV as a tv show. Ian Wilson can worry about the radio end of it! But the approach with 2TV is to keep it loose and I think "loose" is under-rated.

What's the worst thing that can go wrong?

You see, I don't give a hoot if something goes wrong! That's the way I am. If it does it becomes part of the programme! I have no problem if the viewers see that I've forgotten something or screwed up a link or asked the wrong question. It's all part of the fun and I've been getting away with it for years! I just do it as if I was in a flat in Rathmines or somewhere and I'd invited a few friends around to watch a few music videos and so on. The show's not rigidly formatted so it can cope with a few boobs, no problem.

What's the music policy as you see it?

The music content has to be chosen with the specific audience in mind and I like to think there's a specific reason for showing any video, whether it's a new release, it's in the charts, the band's touring Ireland, there's an interview, or a competition or whatever. There's talk of the show becoming more formatted in the future, but it won't ever get like daytime radio. Anyway, I don't care what they throw at me! It's all great fun and I'll still enjoy it!

You would never have interviewed bands like Boyzone on your radio show. Were you aware that a lot of people were a bit startled when you started doing a lot of mainstream pop stuff on 2TV?

Yeah, I was conscious of that at the time, and initially I said no. But then I realised it could be a bit of a laugh and that maybe I shouldn't be so precious about it. And when you think about what I do on 2TV, it's probably a lot more relevant to most people than the stuff I play on radio.

But were you aware of the effect it might have on your image and "street cred"?

I never gave two hoots about any image! Anyone with any sense can see that the music on 2TV is not my own personal choice. I'd never worry about credibility anyway. Let's face it, it's only rock music and pop music. It's not the Peace Agreement, for God's sake.

What's been your fondest memory of 2TV?

Without a single doubt, interviewing George Martin on the show last week. Meeting him was the nearest to talking to a real Beatle and he's so good to talk to as well. I also liked Tori Amos although I wasn't a huge fan of hers. But her interview was nearly on another plane and I suspect that it went over most people's heads, including mine!

And who's been your most disappointing interview subject on any of your programmes?

Mel Gibson. I've interviewed him three times and I get the impression that he doesn't quite understand what interviews are actually all about, whereas somebody like Keanu Reeves makes a bit of a fight of it. He knows that he's got 15 minutes to make an impact and he goes for it, and makes it work for him, just like Queen at Live Aid grabbed the spotlight and turned themselves into international superstars. But not Mel, he hasn't quite twigged it yet and he just doesn't seem to understand why anyone would want to ask him certain questions.

Have you any unfulfilled ambitions regarding television?

No, I'm doing exactly what I always wanted to do, but my radio show is still the most important thing to me, and always will be.

What's your favourite music video of all time?

The Beatles Anthology. No question. I dip into it regularly, especially to look at the 'A Day In The Life' montage with the orchestra and Donovan and Mick Jagger and the rest of them. I'm a sucker for anything by The Beatles. Their promo video for 'Strawberry Fields Forever' is still as magical as ever, with all that backward jumping into trees and all - and don't forget it was practically the first promo video ever made.

Do you never get tired of the music thing, with all the radio and tv you do, most of which is music based?

That's terribly insulting! Music is the blood of life! Not for one second have I ever got tired of it. Never. You see, I think the secret to keeping that interest is to stay in touch with what's happening all the time. Keep up to date and you'll never get tired of it, that's what I really believe and that's what keeps me goin'.

So what do you do to turn off?

I don't. I love music and I love films. When I go on holidays to Portugal or somewhere I'll bring about 40 CD's and a discman. I'm not one for going to all-night discos or night-clubs, so I'll make sure the hotel has a video machine and I'll spend the evenings watching videos. I'll almost certainly watch every minute of all 64 matches of the World Cup. Anyway, why would I need to switch off when I really enjoy what I do? n