CHARLIE Charles has been at the forefront of Reading’s music scene for a whole decade– and his show is still going strong.
Now part of B Radio, he said that he and his team: “started 10 years ago, the three of us doing a show at Reading 107, Reading Unplugged.
“Me, Dean, and Adam, who replaced somebody who just didn’t turn up one day and never came back.”
Despite this setback, Mr Charles would find a keen audience.
“We went out on a Sunday night, and I believe it was the most listened-to show in the area at that time.”
“Reading 107 started in 2002, but in 2012 they were trying to turn it around a bit with an X Factor type of thing.
“They were looking for new presenters, and I was sort of talked into it, and then made the final five.
“Towards the end we got an opportunity to present two hours on the breakfast show with Robert Kenny, and that became our pitch.”
With his first show at the station now broadcast, Mr Charles heard back from then programming manager Gavin Harris, who also works with B Radio.
“They’d done their research and found that people wanted to hear presenters from the area, who knew their audience.
“I got an email shortly after, along with Dean, one of the other finalists, offering us a radio show, and then they said ‘I’m off on holiday, I’ll see how you’ve got on in two weeks.’
“We had a blank piece of paper and a start date, and by the time that rolled around we weren’t quite ready, so one week later we were ready, except for the title.
“So the next Sunday night we started, and called it Reading Unplugged.”
He said that the slot following the Top 40 charts show was a bit of a drop off of listenership.
“We kept it low-key and didn’t shout about it too much, but it turned out that we didn’t really have to.”
Reading Unplugged saw local unsigned bands come onto the show to speak to the presenters and they’d broadcast the band’s music.
During his time with the show, Charlie would cover Public Enemy performing at Sub89 and broadcast from Reading Festival twice.
“What we were doing stood out from everyone else completely– we’re a music and entertainment show, but with local music.
“We’d chatted to Sundara Karma and Matt Maltese– I gave them their very first on-air sessions.”
In 2014, the station would come under new management and soon change to Jack FM.
Charlie would continue the show in the form of a podcast, working with Alt Reading, and is now working with B Radio.
“Here at B Radio we’re a community radio station, so it’s not for profit.
“Everyone works on there does it for free – it’s all done on a voluntary basis.”
B Radio recently worked with Reading Pride, broadcasting the soundtrack of the Pride parade live, with live coverage of the festival’s acts and events.
And Charlie has continued to champion unsigned acts through the station with his show, Berkshire Unplugged.
“We play dance, indie, rock, all from unsigned bands from in and around Berkshire, making it ten years that it’s been going in some form.
“We have to be consistent, or you get forgotten about.
“There’s such a lot of creative talent around Berkshire, and it’s about helping them become professional, and it doesn’t just start with BBC Introducing.”
