Let's Chat: A New Beginning

Sinister Pete

How sad that this great little forum has become empty and angry. We used to have some great chats. A lot of you are disappointed in what Phantom has become. So am I, but thems the breaks.

If you were lucky enough to have listened to Phantom during the years when it had a unique sound, that's wonderful! We really shared a moment. I don't even think this board is linked to Phantom's website anymore so complaining will do no good. What about talking about your favourite Phantom moments? We could use it to hunt down or remember some of the songs we played. Ready? BEGIN!

mackeire

How come phantom changed so much? It went from being deadly all the time to talk shows and terrible music. Only the odd good song now!

I used to be a dedicated listener but listen to nova a lot more now.

Bring back the good music!!!!

Phantom reminds me of Liverpool these days.
Used to be great.
Now good the odd time but usually a big dissapointment.

Sinister Pete

This is what I was trying to avoid. Phantom's music policy will never return to what it was. Ever. Forget it. Running a legit radio station is expensive, really expensive. The ratings were less than expected when the music was more to your liking. You cannot sell ads at the price needed to sustain a radio station without the ratings.

Now let's go back to a happier time...

mackeire

Well unfortunatly the music thats been played now is utter tripe. The talk shows are painful. Its only the odd time that a decent song comes on.
Phantom is turning into spin 103's 'goth' sister.
I (and most of the listeners) think you would get more listeners by playing good music! Would your sponsors etc.. not be happier if more people heard their adds instead of the adds that Nova are playing?

Sinister Pete

Right! Firstly I do not work at Phantom anymore! I have no control over anything that happens in Phantom. Please stop addressing me like I am some ambassador of the station.

I, for the record, do not listen either BUT it was a good station once. It meant something once. That is what I'd like to talk about. You know, for old times sake. If all it does is make you angry, you should hear my story! And before you ask, no I won't tell you.

Skylark1n

Had a lot of love for Phantom back in the day, from the pirate era, temporary license era until it's official launch. Even showed up to support their license pitch in what I think was the Shelbourne hotel (could be wrong).

It was the only station that actively support Irish music and musicians, the music scene would be a lot worse off if it wasn't for the likes of Phantom, Whelans and Road Recs back in the late 90's early 00's. Spent far too many nights in the phantom chatroom and made a lot of friends through it and wouldn't have gone to start up Goldenplec (now in our tenth year!)without it. It is sad that things didn't work out in the end but that's life. I'm over in the UK now anyway. Some great memories though

Sinister Pete

That's the stuff. People getting off their ass and doing something. Great site. Looks well, reads well.

lordgoat

Phantom changed according to society, not anything else imo. There was never a big enough audience for what it hope to achieve. But it did try and succeed and that is to be commended.

I enjoyed the old station, i listen to a select few shows on it these days. The Lounge with Derek Byrne on a Sun night, James Byrne on a Sat evening and Cathal Funge and Nadine O Regan is about it. The rest I can easily throw away as they bring nothing different to any other station out there. The format is identical. And the music is not to my taste.

I do feel it still bridges a gap though and certain shows like Icon, the kiosk and the two Byrnes show will bring new music to people that might not have heard it.

I miss the album archive alot. A truly great show.

So while phantom will hold a place for me, i've moved on form it, i have no real anger left towards it anymore. If it annoys you, listen to something else. There really are thousands of other stations out there.

I find people just give out as they are too lazy to find a station they want to listen to.

Feeding Frenzy and Shady Lane are the two songs i'll associate with old Phantom.


Alos whoever said Phantom were the only station helping Irish acts back in the day, Larry Gogan did his fair share and shouldn't be ignored.

Sinister Pete

lordgoat wrote: »

Feeding Frenzy and Shady Lane are the two songs i'll associate with old Phantom.

.

I remember when Feeding Frenzy arrived in the station. It was my first piece of post. I listened to it and it was on the air three minutes later. A classic.

Two other stand out tracks were Patrol's September and Blow Tooth's Give Up The Day Job. Two fantastic bands that should have broke nationwide at least.

franksm

Prime Phantom years for me were 1998 to 2000... I still have some ...er... backups on tape (and now on MP3) of some of my favourite stuff.

Reason why I liked Phantom is that it had a fantastically eclectic mix of music. Nothing overly 'mainstream'. If Andy Kershaw had grown up in Ireland, he'd have DJ'd at Phantom.

Eg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IdBtXB4wCc

For the record, I still listen to Phantom, but only in background whilst driving.

lordgoat

Sinister Pete wrote: »

I remember when Feeding Frenzy arrived in the station. It was my first piece of post. I listened to it and it was on the air three minutes later. A classic.

Two other stand out tracks were Patrol's September and Blow Tooth's Give Up The Day Job. Two fantastic bands that should have broke nationwide at least.

Give up the day job was a crackin tune alright. Also a Dublin band called Brando' got played a bit too.

Adiaga 2

I saw Blow Tooth support Brando one night in Whelan's years ago. 2 really good bands. I liked the song 'Leather Tassle Style'(??) too. Bands from the early Phantom I remember are Neon and Bloom. Also, The Marbles - some really great pop songs. Who sang that song with the HST line 'When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro'? Have a feeling it was a Roscommon band too(could be completely wrong). Just tried google very quickly but nothing.

Have to agree with lordgoat re Feeding Frenzy and Shady Lane.

Anyway, hope this thread succeeds and brings back some of the spirit of old phantom :sniff, sniff:

The_fever

I can remember being involved in a pirate radio that was in the same building as phantom years ago a few doors up from whelans the lads were sound , used to give out to us the odd time for playing house music too loud . Anyway when phantom went legit I used to always listen but they Play the sane songs I've and over and over these days, would never tune in, only for the rare show Sunday morning etc but as you said them is the breaks when you sell your soul.

BrianD

The_fever wrote: »

I can remember being involved in a pirate radio that was in the same building as phantom years ago a few doors up from whelans the lads were sound ...

Was that your motorcycle that used to be in the hallway?

Tjoyce

Hello Pete! So nice to see this thread. I have so many wonderful memories of Phantom. From the small shed in Sandyford to the massive Phantasm nights at the Temple bar Music Centre. And, if it wasn't for Phantom, I wouldn't have met my husband. (BTW, this is Tara the American DJ, who ended up marrying Brian the guitar player from Brando)

Jedwardian

Adiaga 2 wrote: »

Who sang that song with the HST line 'When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro'?

Ultra Montanes.

Phantom circa 1999-2001 is the reason I suffer from tinnitus. For that I'm eternally grateful! The station turned me onto a huge amount of Irish and foreign based bands and ignited my love of music.

Sinister Pete

The_fever wrote: »

I can remember being involved in a pirate radio that was in the same building as phantom years ago a few doors up from whelans the lads were sound , used to give out to us the odd time for playing house music too loud .

Yeah I remember being bad cop and going upstairs all the time and asking you to turn it down. You also had the toilet right next to your studio, maybe that's why you played everything so loud.

Skylark1n

Adiaga 2 wrote: »

I saw Blow Tooth support Brando one night in Whelan's years ago. 2 really good bands. I liked the song 'Leather Tassle Style'(??) too. Bands from the early Phantom I remember are Neon and Bloom. Also, The Marbles - some really great pop songs. Who sang that song with the HST line 'When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro'? Have a feeling it was a Roscommon band too(could be completely wrong). Just tried google very quickly but nothing.

Have to agree with lordgoat re Feeding Frenzy and Shady Lane.

Anyway, hope this thread succeeds and brings back some of the spirit of old phantom :sniff, sniff:

Those where proper phantom songs! Others that spring to mind are The Crayonz 'Bringing the conversation down', Turn's 'Antisocial' & Polar's 'South'. Saw a lot of bands I would have missed if it wasn't for Phantom, including Berkeley, Autamata, Babelfish/Alphastates (Made of sand is a crackin album).

If you miss proper radio like that 2XM isn't too bad, bit of a mixed bag but still some champions of Irish music out there.

lordgoat

Jedwardian wrote: »

Ultra Montanes.

Phantom circa 1999-2001 is the reason I suffer from tinnitus. For that I'm eternally grateful! The station turned me onto a huge amount of Irish and foreign based bands and ignited my love of music.

And also inspired your username.... :D

Jedwardian

lordgoat wrote: »

And also inspired your username.... :D

Nah, new Phantom inspired my username. I heard them on Pure Morning a few months ago!

lordgoat

Jedwardian wrote: »

Nah, new Phantom inspired my username. I heard them on Pure Morning a few months ago!

But you reg'd in 2010. I'd view you as being ahead of the game!!

Sugarlumps

I despised that song Feeding Frenzy, utter shíte. Haven’t listened to that station in years, it’s appalling nowadays. Those disc jocks should have their mouths sown shut.

I listened to the station for 6 years solid everyday in work. Whole host of new bands I acquired from it, which I’ll always be thankful. Used to hit record on the old tape player in work, still have mixed tapes laying somewhere at home.

Howard the Duck

Sugarlumps wrote: »

I despised that song Feeding Frenzy, utter shíte.

Pfft Feeding Frenzy is an awesome song of awesomeness.

Nice idea Pete. I used to very bitter over what has become of Phantom as we used to know it but not anymore.
I miss the Phantom of 10 years or so ago. But lots of good memories of texting in looking for songs and djs texting back! that was shocking the first time it happened, Think the first time it happened it was Alison Curtis , that was probably when my crush for her started!

Sunday nights in the chatroom when the two Petes talk rubbish was on were always great craic. Phantasm in Whelans was great too, although i only went to a couple of them.
It felt like a radio station that really included it's listeners. I suppose the golden days were the pirate days. It's a real pity the licence didn't work out with the original shareholders, But thats life and like i said lots of good memories.

Shanannigan

not sure if i have the right title: sidewalk monkey baby by tenspeedracer...
I used to work in an internet cafe in Cork and used to stream phantom over the sound system in there.. I was in the chatroom the night someone won a one day ticket to Witnness in 2003, a hot lady who I then met at the festival.. fun times!!

SebBerkovich

Phantasm made my week, especially the Whelans incarnation.

But you know what i used to love more than anything Every Christmas for years had Steve Conway doing a day-long show. i used to love having that on. Always text in Steve so he knew there was an audience out there.

Howard the Duck

SebBerkovich wrote: »

But you know what i used to love more than anything Every Christmas for years had Steve Conway doing a day-long show. i used to love having that on. Always text in Steve so he knew there was an audience out there.

Yea that was a great show, actually was thinking about that on Christmas day, texted him a few times myself. Really liked the anorak hour too, very interesting stuff

ergo

lordgoat wrote: »

Feeding Frenzy and Shady Lane are the two songs i'll associate with old Phantom.

This is so true, these two were such Phantom classics ...and to hear them played at Phantasm in Whelan's just topped everything off