Souled Out Saturday

Show name : Souled Out Saturday

Presenter’s name: Doug Manton

Show time and day: Every fourth Saturday, 4-6pm (see schedule for dates)

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
It’s a Mod-fest of soul/freakbeat/60s RnB/Ska/Mod revival/Blue eyed soul and anything else I think works.

Why do you like this music?
I’ve always loved this music. When I was a kid – maybe six or seven years old, I had a Dansette record player and my aunties and uncles gave me loads of mid 60s singles – Beatles/Stones/Kinks/Small Faces. This would have been ’69 or ’70, so for them the records would have been a bit passé, but for me it was a sound and a world that gripped and excited me from the off, and I’ve never lost the love for that 60s sound – the golden era of British music.

What is the format of your show?
I try to maximise the music and minimise the chat, mainly ‘cos I’m rubbish at chatting, but I do feel passionately about my show and take ages to put my playlist together. It’s all vinyl and sourced from anywhere I can find the best and rarest examples of what I like to play. I do try and give some information about all the tracks, and weave a 60s feel throughout the show.

Why should we listen to your show?
See above.

How did your show come about?
Through Phonic FM. Or at least through Vibraphonic FM. I used to buy records from Ken Burt (one of the original members of Vibraphonic) from the shop he used to run in Exeter. He asked me as I bought so many discs, did I fancy doing a show. I thought he was joking so I said ‘yeah’. Fast forward a month and I’m in the studio, sweating like Lee Evans, about to play my first ever record - the first half hour took about a week to pass, the rest of the show seemed like about five minutes long. I loved it, and have been DJing on Vibraphonic and Phonic FM ever since.

What goes on behind the scenes in the studio?
Usually I can be found reclining on a velvet chaise lounge, dressed as an 18th century dandy, having peeled grapes and fresh pomegranate segments gently placed in my mouth by three former Miss Worlds, whilst hosts of angels sing me to my rest.

What has been you best on air moment?
The euphoria of my first ever set - realising how much it meant to me when I saw people appreciating the tracks from my own record collection - it’s such a buzz and still feels as good now as it did then.

What has been your worst/ most embarrassing on air moment?
Nothing too dramatic thankfully - usual stuff - playing wrong track after a big build up, lifting needle off wrong album whilst it’s playing on air, leaving the mike open and chatting away on air, turning up for a gig and realising I was naked (okay, the last one might be a fib).

Who is your favourite artist?
Small Faces, Jimmy Smith, Kinks, Pretty Things, Graham Bond, Geno Washington, The Action, Les Fleurs des Lys, Vanilla Fudge , loads and loads of obscure groups - how can you pick a favourite from this era - so much quality.

What is your all time favourite album?
Live at Leeds - The Who, The Doors first album, Funky Broadway - Jimmy Smith, The Sound of 65 - Graham Bond Organisation, Giant Steps - John Coltrane, Closer - Joy Division, Finlandia - Sibelius and Greig, Augustus Pablo . I have a different favourite each week.