"He was our champion!" says Jerry Fish
Irish musicians have been recalling the support given to them by Larry Gogan, the legendary 2fm man who passed away overnight.
“We got to meet Larry at the roadcaster back in ’97,” say The Hitchers, the Limerick band that spawned The Cranberry Saw Us. “He shook hands with each of us. He was featuring Fun & Games on his show that week and was affording ‘Killed It’ way more airtime than it merited on what was supposed to be a chart show. We were number 58. Slán Abhaile Larry.”
"Larry Gogan was a radio star," ventures Thomas Walsh of Pugwash and The Duckworth Lewis Method. "He was our Simon Dee. He played The Honeybus on the Golden Hour in 1983 and it was my introduction to a band who I got to know and do liner notes for iconic releases. That was Larry. Playing stuff that was brilliant but often overlooked. He had time for musicians and artists of all kinds but mainly just people. It was always a real honour to see Larry in the RTÉ Canteen because everyone who'd enter, their eyes and smiles would simply go straight to Larry. He played 'Summer In The City' by The Lovin' Spoonful which was where I first heard it. In February I travel to LA to sing one of their classic songs along with musical legends, for the Autism Think Tank charity. That's all Larry. He was 81. That's still young in today's terms but boy he packed 181 years into those 81 and I/we are all the more enlightened and musically educated for it. Oh and my brother Damien still has his Just A Minute Quiz plaque in his house."
Adds Jerry Fish: “Our champion! A charm to bump into this gentleman any time of the day! Always supported Irish music and created many hits for yours truly by bringing our music to the people. Thank you Larry for all the sunshine!”
Echoing those sentiments, the Aslan lads say: “So sad to hear the news this morning of the passing of Larry Gogan. A great supporter of Irish music and will be sadly missed. We used to call him ‘One Spin Larry’ as no matter what Irish band you were, Larry would always give you at least one play on 2fm. Rest in Peace Larry!
“So sad to hear of the death of Larry Gogan,” rues Paul J. Bolger. “A champion of the underdog. I made an album in 1995 and chanced my arm and sent it into RTÉ. Larry made it his album of the week and played a different song from it every day of that week.”
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“I will always remember the excitement and pure joy of one Sunday chart show when Larry announced the first Stockton’s Wing chart entry,” says Mike Hanrahan. “Etched in my memory. He forever supported Irish music and was a total gent. Thank you Larry."
"Very sorry to hear of the death of great broadcaster and lovely Larry Gogan - as so many have already noted, a truer supporter of new Irish music than many more celebrated tastemakers," reflects Fat Lady Sings man Nick Kelly.
Pete Holidai from the Radiators From Space says: "Larry Gogan was hugely supportive and genuinely interested in Irish music whatever the genre. He liked the Rads and often played them on his show. The last single, 'Heaven', which I dropped into him while he was on air was played before I got out of the car park."
"He was an absolute gentlemen and did so much for Irish music," Johnny Cronin of Cronin and The Aftermath states. "Larry gave us one of our first plays on national radio in Ireland on daytime and said we sounded like Echo and The Bunnymen! It was a big break for Larry to play you! Rock on."
"What a gentleman," agrees Rory Gallagher from The Revs. "Like a pop Dave Fanning he used to just play a CD sent in by young Irish acts on daytime national radio if he liked it, a rare gem in a less corporate time."
"We loved Larry Gogan," say The Stunning. "He was hugely responsible for getting our music heard. When he mistakenly announced 'Romeo's On Fire' as 'Rosemary's On Fire' we didn't mind, Larry could do no wrong in our book! Rest in Peace Larry, you deserve every plaudit coming your way."
Meanwhile, President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina have joined in the tributes to the beloved broadcaster.
“People all over Ireland will have been greatly saddened by the news of the death of Larry Gogan, legendary broadcaster and much loved DJ," the President says. "For six decades, Larry Gogan made an indelible impact on Irish music, having promoted both up-and-coming and more established Irish musicians and sharing his infectious enthusiasm and passion for pop and rock music of all kinds.
“Blessed with one of the warmest voices in Irish broadcasting, Larry Gogan not only defined RTÉ’s coverage of music, but also shaped the mould for many generations of DJs. His ‘Just A Minute’ quiz will continue to live in the minds of Irish people everywhere. It was a great privilege to have had opportunities to meet him and discuss our shared love of music. Sabina and I extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.”
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This is how entrenched in our culture Larry was.
The Dog in The Snapper was called Larry Gogan. pic.twitter.com/MuHw2N5Z8g— Mango (@MangoDassle) January 7, 2020
Here’s Larry’s very first and last link on 2FM. 40 years apart.
You were the greatest to ever do it.
The King of Radio, Larry Gogan x pic.twitter.com/oGVdJpN1s2— Larry Gogan FM (@RTE2fm) January 7, 2020
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In my youth, Larry Gogan was always a great man for playing The Blades @TheBladesBand , here they are playing playing 'Downmarket' outside his @RTE2fm front door.https://t.co/GI3BFkjBCU
— Dave O'Grady (@daveGildedALM) January 7, 2020
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