Gareth O' Callaghan, and a serving of incessant, unadulterated cheese.

RoundyMooney

Gareth, as many listeners know, has resumed his afternoon niche (after a prolonged absence) on 4fm.

Actually, he's been there quite a while now. I'm only clarifying that, because many may not be able to receive 4fm, or simply choose not to tune in.

Latterly, (I assume after criticism of their miniscule playlist) 4fm have also been trumpeting the fact that the now go all day without repeating the same track twice.

For Gareth, it's like he's never been away, although I think he may have recently been forced to ditch the godawful canned cheering that he nicked from Steve Wright about twenty five years ago, and possibly the puke inducing "your song" segment as well.

His show is what it is, mindless popcorn for people who are only half listening anyway, but as a predominantly music driven station, his song choices are downright appalling, camp, synth driven Eighties and Nineties nonsense. He's just playing Sunburst as I type, which is the first half decent song he's had on in an hour, and certainly the first by a proper band that doesn't rely on synthesisers, drum tracks or falsetto wailing. Many other DJ's on 4fm manage to get by without the Pet Shop Boys, Bananarama, and other mid chart pap that people ground their teeth at, at the time, let alone today.

Big Tone gets a lot of flak on here, but repetitive as his choices are, at leat they're "proper" bands.

He's just made a liar of me by playing The Knack (although it's My Sharona), I guess even a stopped clock is right twice a day!

JoeA3

Love the show!!

As for what he plays, I'm not so sure he has that much say. The music sounds similar right across the day on that station, regardless of who's presenting.

RoundyMooney

Maybe so, Joe. I tuned out for a while, bar the odd listen to Niall Boylan, because on any occasion that I did move over to 4fm in the late afternoons (usually to avoid the gibbering Mooney, and for a break from Moncrieff) Gareth was there playing all the Blue Oyster classics!

I know he stuck out a mile for me at one point, in terms of the poor quality of the music content (as an example, in the last half hour we've had the Spice Girls, Barbara Streisand, and those one hit wonder Echo Beach and How Bizarre crowds), but you may be right in that the rest of the station's music content has now (IMO) been "naffed out" to suit.

One would think the life of an Oldies DJ/producer would be a pretty easy one, they have many decades of great stuff to choose from!

Welsh Megaman

I remember listening to Gareth on 2fm in the afternoon around the turn of the millenium , even then he copied Steve Wright by ending the show with the closing bars of 'Wichita Lineman'.

After reading his book about his struggle with depression, I felt bad for e-mailing him regularly to tell him his playlist sucks!

grey_so_what

I'm not bleeding at the eyes reading those playlists.......

Each to their own taste I'd say OP........:)

RoundyMooney

[Sorry lads, I just realised this post turned out ridiculously long!]

Well, yes-I considered that. There must be some draw in what he plays, especially in a station that nearly went to the wall, but for a classic hits demographic, they could be doing so much better.

The only reason I'm laying this at Gareth's door (and he's quite a nice guy, whom I like) is that it's precisely the same stuff he was playing on 2fm all those years ago, with very few nods to the decades since then.

I'll link a few youtube videos of what I've heard there in the last few days, maybe I'm the only one that's seeing a pattern of banality here.

-Climie Fisher:Love Changes Everything http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRh9YNteGPQ

-Starship:Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBQVrCflZ_E

-Bananarama:Robert De Niro thingy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDXtM8XaSKw

-Cutting Crew: Died in Your Arms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dOwHzCHfgA

-Madonna: Holiday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X7RyGBq2E8

-Kylie: Wouldn't Change http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzGy7KAQCnQ

Now, I know the Eighties was the decade that taste forgot, but there must be better options out there than this sort of lovestruck mid chart banality. And the Seventies and Nineties seem to feature just as much on the afternoon 4fm playlists.

Here's what I'd be playing (one from each year of the Eighties, seeing as all my examples above are from that decade, and deliberately kept as middle of the road as possible), surely this would meet with at least equal audience approval?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNaA7fVXB28

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHOevX4DlGk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyX75NpibdU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcu7OCIqlqE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuz94ZIPfJk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8mWG6HlmU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFXheatfJ7E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyfu_mU-dmo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejorQVy3m8E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD6Pq0bSMPo

RoundyMooney

Welsh Megaman wrote: »

After reading his book about his struggle with depression, I felt bad for e-mailing him regularly to tell him his playlist sucks!

Did you read his novels WM?

I'm afraid writing was not his calling! (never read his autobiography though, to be fair to him) Like you, after hearing of his troubles, I felt almost guilty for thinking so. I'm sure Gareth would tell me not to be so daft, but there you go

Chris 80

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Gareth, as many listeners know, has resumed his afternoon niche (after a prolonged absence) on 4fm.

Actually, he's been there quite a while now. I'm only clarifying that, because many may not be able to receive 4fm, or simply choose not to tune in.

Latterly, (I assume after criticism of their miniscule playlist) 4fm have also been trumpeting the fact that the now go all day without repeating the same track twice.

For Gareth, it's like he's never been away, although I think he may have recently been forced to ditch the godawful canned cheering that he nicked from Steve Wright about twenty five years ago, and possibly the puke inducing "your song" segment as well.

His show is what it is, mindless popcorn for people who are only half listening anyway, but as a predominantly music driven station, his song choices are downright appalling, camp, synth driven Eighties and Nineties nonsense. He's just playing Sunburst as I type, which is the first half decent song he's had on in an hour, and certainly the first by a proper band that doesn't rely on synthesisers, drum tracks or falsetto wailing. Many other DJ's on 4fm manage to get by without the Pet Shop Boys, Bananarama, and other mid chart pap that people ground their teeth at, at the time, let alone today.

Big Tone gets a lot of flak on here, but repetitive as his choices are, at leat they're "proper" bands.

He's just made a liar of me by playing The Knack (although it's My Sharona), I guess even a stopped clock is right twice a day!

And you fell out with him why???? Sounds a bit like sour grapes. Sorry. You're just SOOOOO passionate.

Skid X

RoundyMooney wrote: »

his song choices are downright appalling, camp, synth driven Eighties and Nineties nonsense ... Many other DJ's on 4fm manage to get by without the Pet Shop Boys, Bananarama, and other mid chart pap that people ground their teeth at, at the time, let alone today.

That's a bit harsh. There isn't much point in him playing the same music as Tony Fenton every afternoon. Nothing wrong with a bit of Pet Shop Boys or Bananarama of an afternoon. If it gets him the JNLR numbers then I'm sure 4FM won't complain. He probably doesn't have much input into the playlist anyway.

Having said all that, I can't listen to him. His accent has gone very strange since he left 2FM.

RoundyMooney

Christ, you again.

RoundyMooney

Skid X wrote: »

That's a bit harsh. There isn't much point in him playing the same music as Tony Fenton every afternoon. Nothing wrong with a bit of Pet Shop Boys or Bananarama of an afternoon. If it gets him the JNLR numbers then I'm sure 4FM won't complain. He probably doesn't have much input into the playlist anyway.

Having said all that, I can't listen to him. His accent has gone very strange since he left 2FM.

Sorry Skid, my last wasn't aimed at you

Do you know, I just realised after I banged up all those youtube vids, that they were exactly what Big Tone would have played! (Cheesy and all as Tony is, I always liked his "choons").

I assume the show is quite successful, Gareth has always done well. It's just way too banal musically for my liking. As someone said above, maybe the whole playlist throughout the day is like that by now (I haven't listened throughout the day in ages).

My main reason for starting this was to see if I was the only one who felt that way, if I'm not, that's fine too

Skid X

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Sorry Skid, my last wasn't aimed at you

Do you know, I just realised after I banged up all those youtube vids, that they were exactly what Big Tone would have played! (Cheesy and all as Tony is, I always liked his "choons").

I assume the show is quite successful, Gareth has always done well. It's just way too banal musically for my liking. As someone said above, maybe the whole playlist throughout the day is like that.

My main reason for starting this was to see if I was the only one who felt that way, if I'm not, that's fine too

I hear ya Roundy!, I'd love to hear most of the tunes you posted above of an Afternoon, to be fair. I wonder is Gareth interested in music at all, he always seemed more like a Radio 1 presenter, even in his 2FM days.

RoundyMooney

I think, despite the fact that Tony is pretty much covering the music side of things in his own unique style, that there's scope in Gareth's show for him to put more emphasis on that as well. I'm not talking Dave Fanning levels of nerdship (some of the stuff Dave plays is absolutely awful anyway-but for the fact that he has excellent credentials, I'd be marking him down as an aged hipster), but, while recognising, as you say that he has to play the 'oul bit of Stock/Aitken/Waterman pop rubbish as well to keep people happy, he could do a lot more in terms of the content of the show, which is over-ridingly track driven.

As you rightly say though, the man may have little or no control over that in the first place. I'd hate to imagine him washing his mouth out with soap every time he has to play Sinitta, but I'd take a guess that the songs take second place to the format with him, and that it's pretty much a slot for people who treat the radio as background noise at that time of the afternoon/early evening.

My OP may have come across as a dig at Gareth, but as I said, I actually think he's a good guy-just don't like the soundtrack that accompanies him each day.

snubbleste

He worked on GalwayBayFM for years before he moved to 4FM. Inflicted his musings and tastes onto the refined denizens. Luckily, GBFM have incredibly long commercial breaks..

Fran1985

i find it cute that you all think he picks the music he plays

grey_so_what

Fran1985 wrote: »

i find it cute that you all think he picks the music he plays

Cute. Poll looming. :eek:

I like him anyway (and I liked the post RM with the YT clips)....:)

Travismccoy

Brilliant to hear Gareth is now on an hour earlier!! The man is a radio Godfather at this stage.

RoundyMooney

I tuned in (randomly) at about ten past three today, and stuck with him for about six minutes, until he launched into some Shania Twain hen party rubbish.

"Let's go Girls!"

Bye a while, Gareth. Having listened on foot of some of the posts here, to the rest of 4fm's current music content on and off, I have to stick with my initial opinion that his show's playlist represents a low point to say the least...

Oh yeah, he claimed credit for Mrs. Brown today as well-I wouldn't be shouting that from the rooftops if I were you, G.

Lady Chatterton

Roundy, you're just after reminding me of ... that song .....:mad::mad::mad::D

The year I got married 'From This Moment' was really popular, it was played at almost every wedding I attended and featured on lots of wedding videos (except mine )

Skid X

I heard a bit of the show this week and I am inclined to agree with RoundyMooney now, it does seem to be stuck in a cheesey ballad timewarp


Anyway, I see Gareth has another show on Sunday Mornings ...

0800 – Classic Long Songs with Gareth O’Callaghan

http://classichits.ie/schedule/

I am intrigued by this one. Does he play Bohemian Rhapsody, American Pie and Bat out of Hell every week? Or is it a typo and he actually plays love songs?

RoundyMooney

MrsD, like Gareth (and I'm going along with Skid's thesis that the name of the show is a typo), you appear to be an incurable romantic!

hufpc8w3adnk65

If people here are used too Mooney and Duffy of course you'll find his show Cheesey and Camp.I like Gareths show and enjoy the canned applause and all "now lots of you have been asking me about bla bla bla...Well don't go any where as I'm going too tell you all about if after this break" which is just his way of forward selling

Lovely Bloke

"Classic Long Songs" - maybe he's a closet Floyd fan.

Bard

Skid X wrote: »

Anyway, I see Gareth has another show on Sunday Mornings ...

0800 – Classic Long Songs with Gareth O’Callaghan

http://classichits.ie/schedule/

I am intrigued by this one. Does he play Bohemian Rhapsody, American Pie and Bat out of Hell every week? Or is it a typo and he actually plays love songs?

Yes, it's a typo... it's supposed to be "Classic Love Songs".

radiofreak

I am intrigued by this one. Does he play Bohemian Rhapsody, American Pie and Bat out of Hell every week? Or is it a typo and he actually plays love songs?[/QUOTE]

Yes, he actually does play love songs cos he is trying way too hard to sound like Steve Wright on Bbc radio 2.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01scy3z

Bard

radiofreak wrote: »

Yes, he actually does play love songs cos he is trying way too hard to sound like Steve Wright on Bbc radio 2.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01scy3z

Yes, you'd be surprised at the sheer volume of Irish radio listeners who know who Steve Wright is, have listened to him regularly and care that Gareth may bear some amount of resemblance to him, style-wise. Yes...

Oh wait, did I say sheer volume? I meant complete lack. Whoops...

RoundyMooney

It's a fair comment that posters to this forum may be, sorry, *are* far more clued in to radio as a whole than the average joe.

That if anything should lend further credence to their opinions, even if the majority of the listenership don't know or care enough to disagree. Anyway, time marches on, I think Steve Wright has moved to weekends on BBC2 in the intervening decades, if my ears didn't deceive me, recently.

On another note, it's a long 'oul haul for Gazza now-with the demise of David Harvey's programme, which I always thought was competent enough.

Skid X

RoundyMooney wrote: »

It's a fair comment that posters to this forum may be, sorry, *are* far more clued in to radio as a whole than the average joe.

That if anything should lend further credence to their opinions, even if the majority of the listenership don't know or care enough to disagree. Anyway, time marches on, I think Steve Wright has moved to weekends on BBC2 in the intervening decades, if my ears didn't deceive me, recently.

On another note, it's a long 'oul haul for Gazza now-with the demise of David Harvey's programme, which I always thought was competent enough.

No, Steve Wright still does the weekday shift.

But he also does a 'Sunday Love Songs' show (as does Gareth), believe it or not.

Seriously, Gareth. I don't mind a bit of copying but there is a limit. It would be cheaper to just simulcast Steve Wrights shows.

Kim_Lee

I saw a Facebook memory the other day that it was the 5th anniversary of Gareth's last ever radio show 🤔

padd b1975

What happened the rare debilitating terminal illness he was diagnosed with some years back?

It's never mentioned now even when he was involved in a fairly serious car crash last year.

Kim_Lee

Misdiagnosis according to word in radio circles

Pelvis Parsley

Gazza stretches the bounds of credibility at times-and definitely found the right career for himself, as he loves the sound of his own voice, but I have to imagine he truly thought his broadcasting days were done at the time.

He doesn't strike me as the type to walk away from a career (whatever about an employer) unless he thought he was done.

Last time I heard him, he was in for PJ Coogan on 96.

padd b1975

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121108128#Comment_121108128

Really??

He often spoke about the pain and discomfort it was causing him, then absolutely nothing.

TheBMG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121108128#Comment_121108128

I hadn’t heard that but would be delighted if it’s the case. G O’C isn’t my own cup of tea but total credit and respect to him for still obviously loving and having the enthusiasm for his radio shows.

squonk

Yeah he has some condition that must have been causing him discomfort but if he was misdiagnosed then that’s very bad. At least he not had a chest diagnosis. Is he still presenting? I hope so. Not crazy about him but nobody should have to walk away from sobering they love.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121109786#Comment_121109786

Gareth had retired from radio in 2018 after a diagnosis (misdiagnosis?) of Multiple System Atrophy. He returned to Classic Hits as a weekend presenter last year. Gareth is currently the only presenter left from the original line up of what was then called 4FM. Gareth spent the first few years as the weekday breakfast presenter and then was moved to an afternoon/drivetime slot which he continued with until his departure in 2018. By that stage, he was also presenting a love songs show during Sunday mornings.