Phantom - More changes for the worse in mid Sept.

lordgoat

So a little birdy tells me that Phantom are wiping out the entire weekend evening staff. Well the more obscure shows and replecing them with pre recorded shows from the boring morning and afternoon shows.

Great work phantom, I can safely say I will never listen to you once this happens.

Sunday morning coming down with Pearl - GONE.
James Byrne - GONE
Dee Reddy -GONE
Derek Byrne - GONE
Shane Galvin (?)- GONE


EDIT:
Not sure about any Tim O'D - think he might be saved.

I'm guessing it's a cost saving measure. But to be honest the little slice of phantom that was worth listening to is no longer with us.

I'd urge you all to tune in the last few weeks and bid a fond farewell to some great music and some great people. I'll update this as i hear more.

littleredspot

How will I come down on Sunday mornings? Seriously though, my favourite radio show, eases into the day. Madness to lose it.

Adiaga 2

It is a good show and part of what made phantom a bit different and a nice break from the vaccines or whatever the latest flavour of the month. If true then Peardle will be missed.

Eggonyerface

Ah no, Sunday mornings are great

Rudy

This is a dreadful strategy from a station that seems intent on self-destruction. Phantom isn't Phantom without Pearl.

ghostdancer

only heard about this today from another Phantom DJ, can't believe it, WTF is going on with the management there?
James and Derek's shows are 2 of the best on Phantom by a mile.
why in the name of god would i want to listen to a repeat of Alison Curtis interviewing someone about some BS topic on a Sunday night, instead of good new music like there currently is.

sure why pay people to play good music when you can pay Jason Byrne and Eamonn Fennell to have "wacky banter" instead.

is it any wonder that the station has been going to **** and losing listeners since they pushed all the decent music shows to stupid times, and the day time is full of generic chat shows that could fit in just as easily on TodayFM or 2FM....


in other news, Michelle Doherty is leaving Phantom completely too.

Ultimate Ultan

Sad news indeed. Sunday Morning Coming Down is a great show. What they should do is have more shows with varied play lists instead of the same ****e all the time. They should differentiate themselves by NOT playing the fecking Killers for a start. Anyway, I hope they survive as everything else out there is much worse.

Should we start a Facebook campaign to keep Pearl? And another one to get rid of Tim O'Donovan?

Slutmonkey57b

I think the new management have already proved they're not interested in your opinion.

lordgoat

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

I think the new management have already proved they're not interested in your opinion.

Word on the street is the new management will be taking over the morning show...

silaf

Guys this is terrible, I only discovered Pearls show a few weeks ago and it is by a long distance the best show I have ever heard on radio.

When is her final show? Can anyone tell me if Pearl works for any other station? Does she have an internet radio show? Is there any way we can continue to listen to what she does?

Thanks

lordgoat

silaf wrote: »

Guys this is terrible, I only discovered Pearls show a few weeks ago and it is by a long distance the best show I have ever heard on radio.

When is her final show? Can anyone tell me if Pearl works for any other station? Does she have an internet radio show? Is there any way we can continue to listen to what she does?

Thanks

As far as i know her last show is next Sunday. And i'm not aware of her working elsewhere...

Declan A Walsh

silaf wrote: »

Guys this is terrible, I only discovered Pearls show a few weeks ago and it is by a long distance the best show I have ever heard on radio.

When is her final show? Can anyone tell me if Pearl works for any other station? Does she have an internet radio show? Is there any way we can continue to listen to what she does?

Thanks

Pearl did a stint at some stage in the '90s with Radio Caroline from Bayside, Sutton, before joining Phantom when it was a pirate. She has been with Phantom ever since, including its two temporary licence runs in 2003 and 2004. Since the launch of the full licence, Pearl has always been on Sundays - used to be be 11:00am - 1pm. I have to assume her main source of income is elsewhere.

As regards the general changes in the weekend schedule, I would worry about the direction the station is going, particularly the idea of more repeats. If the remaining programs are playimg more mainstream stuff, why would fans of alternative-oriented music bother listening to it at all? I hope Phantom survives because if it goes there will be less opportunities for imaginative radio on our airwaves.

ghostdancer

so Richie leaving Pure Morning too....

https://twitter.com/RichieMcCormack/status/244058429231079424

Next week is going to be my last presenting Pure Morning on @phantom1052. 100% my call too. Meself & @michelledohrty are going out in shtyle

Ragnillum

Any idea where he is going? another station maybe??

ghostdancer

98FM apparently...

@RichieMcCormack 2h
First shift at the @98FM desk-o-sport today. Preparing 'first day'/Tibor excuses for breakages already.

Declan A Walsh

ghostdancer wrote: »

98FM apparently..@RichieMcCormack 2h
First shift at the @98FM desk-o-sport today. Preparing 'first day'/Tibor excuses for breakages already. .

So Richie will be at 98FM's sportsdesk. In the days of the syndicated newservice INN (Independent Network News), Phantom used to have a couple of people double-jobbing between INN and Phantom. One of them was Richie McCormack. At the time, Richie was presenting a couple of times a week (and producing Stadium Rock on Saturdays) on Phantom and was also doing the sports news for INN (which was relayed on Phantom).

Just for completeness: Dara Brophy used to be on after Pearl on Sundays at 1pm, but he also was a newsreader for INN (again relayed on Phantom).

Richie goes back to the temporary licences (first from October 2003). I suspect he was there for some of the pirate phase as well. This is going to be a big move, especially as he has AFAIK never been with any other station.

CamillaRhodes

Bloody hell This is a seriously upsetting thread. I've listened to Phantom since I was a teenager, in the pirate days, and whenever there's been a massacre clear-out of voices and names, it feels kinda like I'm losing friends.

I haven't been too keen on the direction the station's been taking recently (all the 'zany banter' and constant repeats of the heavy rotation playlists, with so much less of the discovery and re-discovery of the old days) but this still comes as a big shock.

I don't know how the hell I'm going to cope with sunday mornings without Pearl's show, I've loved it for so long. Nicest memory was waking up last Christmas to the sound of This Mortal Coil - magical. I have the fear of god in me of who they're going to replace Richie McCormack with... if it's Jason Byrne that will sadly be the end of weekday mornings for me too And am really surprised to see they've axed Derek Byrne too, I had the impression he was one of their bright shining upcoming stars, always seemed to be filling in for anyone and everyone, and the boy really knows his tunes too... Very, very odd, esp seeing a bunch of them just got nominated for awards too.

Will miss y'all. Please can you all go away together, pick up Simon Maher, and just start another pirate station again, without all this big business overlord crap? That'd be great. K thx bye.

Declan A Walsh

So after the dust has cleared from the big clear-out, who will be left from the original lineup of presenters for fully-licenced Phantom launched in 2006.

Assuming that Shane Galvin and James Byrne will be gone, this would appear to be who will be left from that original lineup: John Caddell, Richie Ryan, Ray McGowan, Cathal Funge, Nadine O'Regan, Laura Lee Conboy and Jack Hyland... unless Orlagh Donnally was the original presenter of Carraig Crua.

With the exit of Pearl and possibly Richie McCormack, the only presenters left from the pirate days (AFAIK) will be: John Caddell, Richie Ryan, Ray McGowan, Cathal Funge, Jack Hyland and Alison Curtis, as well as PD Keith Walsh. This group, minus Alison and Keith, will also be the only ones left who were involved in the temporary licence runs.

keltchick

This is such sh*te, Love Pearl's show and Pure Morning And Richie McCormack. HATE Jason Byrne & Claire Beckwith a passion.
What the hell will I listen to now. Any good pirates out there these days??

whiskeyman

keltchick wrote: »

This is such sh*te, Love Pearl's show and Pure Morning And Richie McCormack. HATE Jason Byrne & Claire Beckwith a passion.
What the hell will I listen to now. Any good pirates out there these days??

I feel your pain!

Ciaran

So sad that Pearl is going (I assume it's not her choice), those two hours on Sunday mornings were the best on Irish radio. Not much left from the good old days now.

folan

havent listened to phantom for ages, except for the breakfast show for richie and michelle. now theyre gone, i wont be listening again.

kieslowski

This is really really bad. I wasn't a huge fan of The Doc when she first arrived but once I acclimatised to her accent and her chemistry with Richie got going it became a great breakfast show. I will really miss the two of them, is Charlotte going aswell? As someone said above it was more like listening to friends than to DJs. I think Richie's wit and intelligent banter will be hugely missed, he was a huge element in the craic on that show which was by far the best morning radio show around imho.

The loss of Pearle really puts the tin hat on things, they are sucking the lifeblood out of the station at this stage. May aswell just call it Spin and be done with it. The only reason people listen is because it's been an alternative to the schlock on other stations. Now it seems the broad-shouldered, 51% shareholders are intent on turning it into a square, gentrified and utterly uninspiring clone of the other stations. It's tragic really, but all these places sell out in the end I suppose.

totallegend

Another one bites the dust. Pearl plays out with Closing Time by Leonard Cohen.

Another show that brought something different to the radio is gone, no doubt to be replaced by the sort of show that can be found anywhere else on the dial.

It's been a bad weekend for people who like music and a great one for people who like anodyne background noise.

Moghead

Are they keeping the week night line ups as they are? Sad that many of the stations better djs are going. Music on the station is getting more and more repetitive and boring. I don't get all the praise for Richie and Michelle here though, I always thought pure morning was a terrible show with really irritating presenters, know a lot of people who felt the same. Really put me off the station until the evenings, glad their gone.

RichieMc

Moghead wrote: »

Are they keeping the week night line ups as they are? Sad that many of the stations better djs are going. Music on the station is getting more and more repetitive and boring. I don't get all the praise for Richie and Michelle here though, I always thought pure morning was a terrible show with really irritating presenters, know a lot of people who felt the same. Really put me off the station until the evenings, glad their gone.

There goes your Christmas card in the bin.

COF the elder

Just listened to Pearl's last broadcast...one of the best shows and coolest atmosphere's snuffed out without cause in my opinion

Ritchie & Co will be missed - another classic faux pas on the part of the 'Management by numbers' types. Wonder if there is an 'MBA' in there somewhere taking the hard decisions...

I'm signing off Phantom as well. I'll miss it but I'd rather leave it when I still like the idea, ideals and I can ignore the slow erosion of the station that made me a music fan, a music 'expert' and a music snob.

Hopefully there will be some online alternative or the people who know something about music will syndicate their own shows so that we can download them and listen to them.

C.

punchdrunk

I guess the crux of the issue here is what people want and what do you deliver to them?.
Put people on air with a certain taste in music/wit/charisma/outlook/background/way with the banter (****ing even a certain accent winds up some of the more delicate listeners it seems!) and it's (apparently) bound to be divisive with the public
some folks will love the DJ,to others it's audio equivalent of Bovril.
for sure it's a balancing act,and no doubt an unenviable task for the station management to tackle but this just seems like a very short sighted approach to it all

I guess my point is,do you want the stations to all become utterly beige with the dullness of presenters who all play it safe to appease the masses or do you stick your neck out and say "**** the begrudgers "

I'd rather my radio had personality,and an identity-both in playlist and staff

it used to be that I could tell our radio was on Phantom during the day because I heard the likes of Grandaddy or Nick Cave coming out of the speakers,I didn't need a dial to tell me what station that was;it was hardly Larry pumping out this kinda stuff was it?
(not to slander Larry,the man's a legend!) these days the playlists are just becoming so ****ing boring and derivative!

in my teens I listened to the likes of Donal Dineen into the wee small hours because it was the only real outlet for what I can only call "my music" when Phantom got the license I practically skipped through the streets at the thoughts of it

Good tunes,new music without having to become an insomniac!

well if you ask me the stations bosses are pissing away a perfectly good station and for what? higher ad revenue? it's a logical fallacy because they aren't going to gain new listeners by moving the playlist more mainstream Ireland's listener base is too small to really generate any big revenue money but they could really carve out a niche on-line if they had the gumption
look at the likes of 6music for the beeb,Triple J in Australia,or KCRW in the states-huge online listenership there for the taking

besides the playlist,if they also kill off the the DJ's who give the station it's personality.you are going to end up in a no man's land somewhere between Nova and Today fm with a disjointed listener base and no real focus on just who you are pitching the station too.
let Today FM earn the owners the cash and let Phantom plough their own furrow and get on with what matters-playing good music!!

unfortunately it's looking like I'll be listening to even more NPR and digital stations from elsewhere

gracielooks

keltchick wrote: »

This is such sh*te, Love Pearl's show and Pure Morning And Richie McCormack. HATE Jason Byrne & Claire Beckwith a passion.
What the hell will I listen to now. Any good pirates out there these days??

Have you tried BBC6 music? I love it. I only listen to Paul McLoone on Today FM & BBC6 Music now. Every time I switch on Phantom I'm disappointed, except for Pearl, and that's over of course.

I like Marc Riley on BBC6 when I'm making the dinner, Jarvis' Sunday Service, lots of great sessions with bands on too.

dharma200

I second bbc6 music, sunday is great, I only listen to that now on phone or laptop. All Irish mainstream stations are woeful. Cerys show on Sunday is always really good... have found loadsof new music listening to bbc6.. the only downside is some of the accents and the british news over and over.

micar

Ah!!!!!!! I going to miss Pure Morning with Richie, Michelle and sometimes Charlotte. Always liked Michelle ever since seeing her on Channel 6 many years ago.
Texted in on Friday looking for the new Killers album. Didn't win!!!!. Did win a Manics Street Peachers CD/DVD with all the singles a few months ago.
Richie, can I get a x-mas card?
BTW, is Michelle single?;)

dathi1

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

Pearl did a stint at some stage in the '90s with Radio Caroline from Bayside, Sutton, before joining Phantom when it was a pirate. She has been with Phantom ever since, including its two temporary licence runs in 2003 and 2004. Since the launch of the full licence, Pearl has always been on Sundays - used to be be 11:00am - 1pm. I have to assume her main source of income is elsewhere.

As regards the general changes in the weekend schedule, I would worry about the direction the station is going, particularly the idea of more repeats. If the remaining programs are playimg more mainstream stuff, why would fans of alternative-oriented music bother listening to it at all? I hope Phantom survives because if it goes there will be less opportunities for imaginative radio on our airwaves.

eh no she was on Xfm

Big Nasty

Dafuq couldn't they have got rid of Oh-My-God-I'm-SOOOOO-Rad Claire 'Spin FM' Beck and held on to Richie!?! :mad::mad::mad:

kieslowski

There's no way Michelle is single, Micar, and even if she is she's out of your league! I nearly cried myself when I heard her cry on the show on Friday. It would be a difficult choice between the lovely Michelle and the beautifully breathless Nadine O'Regan. Not forgetting Richie, he's nice too

I knew I didn't like the direction the station was going when Jason Byrne was brought on board for Monday mornings....why? Sounded like they felt they needed a 'big name' to bring in the punters or something. It was an ominous sign...

Ragnillum

kieslowski wrote: »

There's no way Michelle is single, Micar, and even if she is she's out of your league! I nearly cried myself when I heard her cry on the show on Friday. It would be a difficult choice between the lovely Michelle and the beautifully breathless Nadine O'Regan. Not forgetting Richie, he's nice too

I knew I didn't like the direction the station was going when Jason Byrne was brought on board for Monday mornings....why? Sounded like they felt they needed a 'big name' to bring in the punters or something. It was an ominous sign...

Just made aware via twitter that orla donnelly and that clown eamon fennel will be doing the morning show for the next three weeks..Absolute disgraceful that this pair are givien that slot considering the drivel that is random access and derek byrne tara gleeson etc being axed..people with actual music knowledge being looked over for people (fennell) that know nowt about the music their supposed to be presenting!

ghostdancer

Ragnillum wrote: »

Just made aware via twitter that orla donnelly and that clown eamon fennel will be doing the morning show for the next three weeks..Absolute disgraceful that this pair are givien that slot considering the drivel that is random access and derek byrne tara gleeson etc being axed..people with actual music knowledge being looked over for people (fennell) that know nowt about the music their supposed to be presenting!

at least it's only for 3 weeks. wonder who its going to be then, someone who's unavailable until then perhaps? i'll give it a chance in the morning but going on their Sunday afternoon slot, I'm not expecting much....

Derek will still be covering for people every now and again too it seems, just no Lounge after tonight, which is a pity as it's probably my favourite Phantom show.

COF the elder

Eamonn fennell is seriously bad...jeez...

Ragnillum

ghostdancer wrote: »

Ragnillum wrote: »

Just made aware via twitter that orla donnelly and that clown eamon fennel will be doing the morning show for the next three weeks..Absolute disgraceful that this pair are givien that slot considering the drivel that is random access and derek byrne tara gleeson etc being axed..people with actual music knowledge being looked over for people (fennell) that know nowt about the music their supposed to be presenting!

at least it's only for 3 weeks. wonder who its going to be then, someone who's unavailable until then perhaps? i'll give it a chance in the morning but going on their Sunday afternoon slot, I'm not expecting much....

Derek will still be covering for people every now and again too it seems, just no Lounge after tonight, which is a pity as it's probably my favourite Phantom show.

I could be wrong but i thought they made reference on pure morning last week to comedian jarleth regan filling in for a number of shows. I certainly wont be listening to donnelly/fennell as neither are funny or bring anything remotely entertaining to the table. Phantom hang your head in shame..

Ragnillum

COF the elder wrote: »

Eamonn fennell is seriously bad...jeez...

As ghostdancer pointed out i think phantom were trying for a 'big name'..how they came up with him i'l never know..maybe an appearance on the worst tv show ever made (take me out) qualifies you as a 'big name'

Piriz

this is very disappointing news...

in my opinion Irish media entertainment is dull and boring (besides boards), it seems like its all derivatives of RTE muck decided by dopes in Donnybrook but phantom had an identity that was far more connected to what was cool and interesting and could deliver this to its listeners reliably. Now it seems like the RTE types are moving in and enforcing their media model on us listeners... there will be nothing left on the radio to identify with... sh*t news...

thank you for the music:P p.s im keeping my phantom car sticker as a memento of a great radio station

totallegend

TBH I don't mind Orla Donnelly, I think she's a bit of craic.

Since it's only for three weeks while they find some other tool on Spin who fancies a change and doesn't mind sticking religiously to Phantom's playlist of Killers/Vaccines/Mumford, this is the least of the problems affecting Phamtom.

Dee Reddy played some absolutely brilliant tunes yesterday that I had never heard before, my Shazam app was going into meltdown. Now that's what 'alternative' radio should be. [A few snarky comments about having to play Kasabian and Heathers too...]

Ginny

http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/eamon-fennell-i-just-loven-the-spotlight-my-next-goal-is-to-be-a-tv-star-2892651.html


Great stuff:rolleyes:

ghostdancer

saw this on twitter, mp3s of the last shows (and some previous final shows):
http://songbiscuit.tumblr.com/phantom

also, the playlist for Derek's final Lounge:
http://phantom.ie/blogs/190.191.196.251/697/-/The_Lounge_Playlists%20-%20The_Very_Last_Lounge_-_Sunday_16_September

justsomebloke

hopefully only 14 more shows of that drivel that was on this morning.

Ragnillum

ghostdancer wrote: »

saw this on twitter, mp3s of the last shows (and some previous final shows):
http://songbiscuit.tumblr.com/phantom

also, the playlist for Derek's final Lounge:
http://phantom.ie/blogs/190.191.196.251/697/-/The_Lounge_Playlists%20-%20The_Very_Last_Lounge_-_Sunday_16_September

Great post mate, cheers..

Ragnillum

How did the show this morning on phantom go? Anybody..

CamillaRhodes

totallegend wrote: »

Dee Reddy played some absolutely brilliant tunes yesterday that I had never heard before, my Shazam app was going into meltdown. Now that's what 'alternative' radio should be. [A few snarky comments about having to play Kasabian and Heathers too...]

I was just thinking yesterday how I wish Dee had had the nerve / freedom to play her own choices of tunes more prior til now, yesterday's show (well, the first hour, that was all i was able to hear) was fantastic and much more diverse than usual (I gotta admit I usually used to turn off after SMCG cos couldn't face the onslaught of Heathers & Kasabian...)

If I want to listen to the same tunes over and over, I've an ipod shuffle. Phantom used to be a way to discover new and different music (certainly SMCG always was). Makes me so sad that that's going away

Big love to everyone who left the station this week, hope yiz can see how much you'll all be missed.

CamillaRhodes

Ragnillum wrote: »

How did the show this morning on phantom go? Anybody..

In fairness I thought it was fine, Orla D was grand and yer man didn't contribute much, which is the way it should be, and they played plenty of tunes, variety of which was non-existent and just the heavy-rotation setlist, but I guess that's to be expected.

Not the same as before, but don't want to take it out on the new presenters, I'm sure it wasn't their decision either to be placed in that slot, nor have they the clout to influence the playlists that much.

Big Nasty

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

In fairness I thought it was fine, Orla D was grand and yer man didn't contribute much, which is the way it should be, and they played plenty of tunes, variety of which was non-existent and just the heavy-rotation setlist, but I guess that's to be expected.

Not the same as before, but don't want to take it out on the new presenters, I'm sure it wasn't their decision either to be placed in that slot, nor have they the clout to influence the playlists that much.

Music was pretty much the same as usual, presenters didn't seem polished at all but then again it's their first day. Competition was very poor, cringe worthy listening.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I haven't listened to the radio for years, used to listen to Phantom back when it was pirate, and like many others have said, was delighted when it got a proper license. I've started tuning in over the summer and was really getting into a lot of the shows and was very confused as to why everyone seemed to be talking about leaving!

This thread has cleared it all up a bit for me, but it's still very disappointing. I know there's probably technology out there for listening to foreign stations when you're out and about, but for me I can only listen to the likes of 6music when I'm at home with internet, or on the TV, but when I'm out and about I'm restricted to Irish radio and Phantom was the only one I could tolerate. I know we'll have to wait and see what the new line up is like but still, if it ain't broke.....

Deediddums

Cheers Camilla, I appreciate that. It was bittersweet - was obviously hugely saddened to be doing the last show but I had a lot of fun playing my own choices.

Here's the playlist as it went out in the end:

Killer Queen – Queen
Pictures of You – The Cure
Don’t Let It Bring You Down – Neil Young

An English Lady of a Certain Age – The Divine Comedy
Such Great Heights – The Postal Service
And I Remember Every Kiss – Jens Lekman

Hail Bop – Django Django
Do You Remember The First Time – Pulp
Don’t Stop – Foster The People (St Lucia Remix)
Sleep Alone – Two Door Cinema Club

Runaways – The Killers
Under The Westway – Blur

Switchblade Smiles - Kasabian
Gonna Be Sick – The Do (Mylo Remix)
Super Trouper – Camera Obscura

I’m His Girl – Friends

Anyone Who Knows What Love Is – Irma Thomas
Hold On – Alabama Shakes
This Must Be The Place – Talking Heads

The Maccabees – Ayla
Do It Anyway – Ben Folds Five

Cocaine Blues – Escort
Five Years Time – Noah and The Whale
Yet Again – Grizzly Bear

Peace (Leave Anger in the Past) - Depeche Mode

The Bleeding Heart Show – New Pornographers
1904 – The Tallest Man On Earth
Bad Girls – M.I.A.

Forget Me Knots – Heathers
What I’m Trying To Say – Stars

Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right – Bob Dylan
Our Own Pretty Ways – First Aid Kit
Ruin – Cat Power
Atomic – Blondie
Changes – David Bowie
Human Elevator – Cast of Cheers

Mazy Haze - Empire Saints
Sail On Sailor – The Beach Boys

Bowl of Oranges – Bright Eyes (with a bit of help from Ferris Bueller)