radio nova

Ratings were down

Saw this on Facebook, sounds uncannily like Nova...

As a matter of interest, here is some of the previous experience of the current staff at Radio Nova of playing rock music on the radio - leaving out stuff that they got involved with after they joined.

Starting with...

Kevin Brannigan, CEO - the operator of two temporary license runs for 949 The Rock. It was the forerunner for Radio Nova, with much more actual old classic rock and more album tracks.

Marty Miller - presented Dad Rock on Today FM - a classic rock show

Pat Courtney - the "Classic Hits" era of 98FM when a significant proportion of the music was classic rock; an entertainment news slot on the aforementioned 949 The Rock for one of its runs

Greg Gaughren - rock show on early '80s pirate Kiss FM; "Classic Hits" era of 98FM; and the Rock104 era of what is now FM104, when the playlist had a significant proportion of classic rock.

Matt Dempsey - Capitol/Nitesky Radio, where he played mainly alternative rock but also some classic rock depending on the time; one of the temporary runs of 949 The Rock

Pat James - rock shows on various pirates in the 1970s and 1980s; one of the temporary runs of 949 The Rock

Tony Ainscough - at least one of the temporary runs of 949 The Rock and probably two

Kieran McGuinness - TXFM, former licensed alternative rock station. He is also a musician.

There is a curious LMFM connection with Nova over the years- the station for Louth and Meath.

The following past and present presenters and/or producers on Radio Nova have also been involved with LMFM:

Andy Clarke, Paul McGuinness, Johnny Bowe, Phil Cawley, Gareth O’Connor, Adrienne O’Hora, Peter Dunne, Moss Breathnach/Jack Hyland (presenter on Nova as Jack Hyland, involved with production on LMFM as Moss) and Enda Caldwell, who did production on Nova for 8 days and was a producer/presenter on LMFM. I don't know if there any more, but that is a good number of names to start with. Arguably you could also include Dalton Mac Namee, who is a content writer for Nova and did work experience in LMFM as a transition year student!

I don't use echo but on Google to differentiate it with the Melbourne station I had to say "play radio nova 100".

Some of Elton John's stuff does stray into rock, but not necessarily all of it!

Gareth O'Connor did sports news for a period on Radio Nova. I remember hearing him on Nova - mainly weekends I think. I seem to remember that much was made of the fact that Nova had secured his services. He has cropped up on many stations (including LMFM) over the years, but is particularly associated with 2FM and RTE Sports. In recent years, he has been a presenter on Christmas FM. As regards Peter Dunne, all I know is that, according to him, that Radio Nova took him on having heard him on Midlands Radio. Midlands Radio, where he returned to after other stations including LMFM, also mention his connection to Radio Nova. Maybe he was a filler presenter.

I think Gareth is now a producer on Virgin Media's Tonight Show

Thanks Declan for the post , however Nova is not a Rock Station - its guitar led.

Classic Hits 98FM was not a classic rock station - it used the Classic Hits format similar to WCBS and today's Classic Hits (4FM) - unless you define the Eagles as 'Rock' !

I don't recall Greg Gaughren doing a rock show on Kiss - thought Dennis Murray did the rock shows on Kiss 102.7 (as an aside considered by some as the greatest station ahead of the original Nova). I am open to correction on that one.

PJ was on the Late late earlier, seems he went through a breakdown and had to spend time in hospital hence why he wasn't on the morning show for a few weeks at the start of the year.

Really glad that he's on the mend and great to hear him back laughing. Just a shame Ryan kills such an important topic, rushed through PJ's story trying to wrap the show up.

Jim also interviewed him about it for their podcast show which thankfully is longer and more insightful. Fair play to him for being so open about it, can'thave been easy.

Seems that Greg's show has that little bit more leeway - in particular his Saturday Soundtrack show.

It pisses me off that Nova advertises the upcoming Volbeat show but doesn't actually play any Volbeat.

I remember an ad for * Steve Hackett a few years ago on Radio Nova. He was a guitarist with Genesis for much of the 1970s until the late 1970s. It included a snippet of a well-known Genesis tune from well after he had left the band! I also remember a promo they used to play for a show presented by former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. A snippet of Owner of a Lonely Heart was played, which he had no involvement with as he was not in the band at that time! That kind of stuff is annoying.

*Edit: I should have also mentioned that you would never hear any Steve Hackett on Nova, except possibly on Tony Anscough's show and Pat James' Off the Record on digital sister station Classic Rock. Not even the most well-known Genesis tune during the Steve Hackett era: I Know What I Like (in your Wardrobe). The latter song was also part of the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis, which you would never hear on Nova, with those honourable exceptions.

In fairness, I have heard a few songs by Guns n Roses on Radio Nova. Welcome to the Jungle has been played a number of times.

It is true that Metallica does not get played much, but Enter Sandman does turn up on the playlist. I think I heard One once one evening!

I don't think I ever heard Iron Maiden on the station. Possibly Tony Anscough might play them.