Mark Lee
|
Born and bred in Dagenham but jumped ship in 2002 to become an ‘Essex Boy’.
My introduction to the DJ world started as a roadie for a friend’s dad at 14 years old. A fine man who is no longer with us, but a connoisseur in Jazz, Funk and Soul. I soon decided that I wanted to be a DJ and with my first roadshow purchased, I was off on my own. Starting with friends parties and then moving on to paying gigs and agency work. Offers of working pubs and eventually clubs came along and it was safe to say, being a DJ was becoming a way of life. Early venues included BENS - Romford, Stop-Outs - Ilford, Piccadilly’s - Basildon, Monroes – Basildon, Big Hand Mos - Leytonstone, Rush Green Tavern - Romford & The Syndrome in Finchley to name a few. I soon became a DJ full time, working 7 nights week for over 20 years, mainly working Scottish & Newcastle Brewery venues but plenty of others to stop me getting bored. Another of my biggest influences back in the day was Greg Edwards. The Lyceum in The Strand and The Best Disco in Town will always have fond memories. Hearing a dynamic DJ commanding a dance floor to follow instructions is a life long memory. I listened in awe and decided that I wanted to do the same. (Although never as good) I decide around the age of 40 to wind it all down a bit and these days you will mostly find me doing just a handful of gigs a year and my radio shows. Having retired, I started a music steaming service that was available to just a few friends who shared my taste in music. This eventually became Cheeky Radio and the rest they say is history. My hobbies is mainly cars, clay pigeon shooting and music. I am a bit of a Mustang enthusiast but also love hot rods and custom cars. Nothing is more exciting than discovering a great new track or something that you missed back in the day. Its hard to pick favourite tracks but…
|
Lee Wells
|
I First started my DJ career ( Still do parties now etc , shameful plug !! ) with my bestie Terry Pagano, a local master of soul music in a local bar in Great Yarmouth in 1986. We were advertised as a singalong duo !!! But it was the love of soul music that really grabbed me by the turntables. The super sound or melodic orchestra and funky bassline gripped me. My DJing took me to play in the local town playing nothing but Soul funk, Funk, Rare Groove Philly and Motown and enjoying capacity crowds on a weekly basis. I was very comfortable blending trax and mixing and have done a few remixes myself. I was given the honour to play at Caister Soul Weekend radio in 2017 and other numerous soul events across the UK. I have also had the opportunity to play in Tenerife, Sidari and Lloret de mar. I'm currently on one of the biggest internet soul stations in the uk, Cheeky Radio, where I present a show 3 times a week and have regular interviews with soul stars inc, Chris Jasper from the Isley Bros, CECE Peniston, Jaki Graham, Kenny Thomas and the legend who invented the 12” Single Tom Moulton. Im Married to a Fantastic soul singer too, Ania Garvey – Wells. I’m also involved in Soul events too. If it moves Funk it !
|
Hillsy
|
It all started for me when I bought a Fidelity UA2 record player. I would take this to parties and put it next to the player of whoevers party it was and the double decks were born. Some time later, with a couple of mates, started up Takeover Sounds mobile disco. We used 2 Mark II Ford Cortinas to cart the equipment about. Around 1977 I was in The Green Man in Leytonstone. They had DJ Equipment, but never used it as they mostly had live bands at the time. I asked if I could play a couple of tracks when the band had a break, they paid me £2 and a pint. That is how it all began. I DJ'd for a further 25 years around the East End and Essex area. Family came along so hung up my headphones until started on the radio a couple of years ago. After joining The Cheeky Radio team nearly a year ago I haven't looked back. Music is a great hobby to have.
|
Digs
|
Born in 67 I grew up listening to my parents favourites, mainly 70's, Disco, Funk, Soul and Motown. During the 80's I found myself being drawn to the sounds of Ska, 2 Tone, Northern Soul and the scooter scene whilst still enjoying my soul music at many of the North East Essex Nightclubs. After running pubs, bars and clubs in Australia and the UK I brought my own pub in 96 and found getting decent DJ's bit of a nightmare. I decided to start doing a bit for myself. Then I met a guy called Soamesy through the scooter scene and he encouraged me to take DJing to the next level. I got invited to do a couple of guest slots on a soul show on local community radio which gave me the bug. In June 2020 I joined a smaller soul music station and then Cheeky in 2022. Over the last 5 years I've had the pleasure of been asked to play at various Soul all-dayers and weekenders.
|
Richard Batty
|
I started listening to Soul music at a very early age(4 years old) I was greatly influenced by my Mum's record collection, The Stylistics, The Drifters and many more. Fast forward to my teens and I found myself listening to the likes of Greg Edwards and Robbie Vincent. My record collection had begun to grow and I soon started to DJ in and around the Southeast of London until around 2000 when I settled down to start a family. About 15 years later I decided to DJ once again. Whilst working on the TV show Robot Wars I was asked to DJ all the Rap parties which was great fun. After almost four years of some very persistent and persuasive friends I finally submitted a demo tape to Cheeky Radio... And the rest as they say is history.
|
Ian Rayney
So... I first got into the beautiful world of MUSIC when i was 9... I have 3 older brothers and I took a shine to their musical tastes... Whenever possible I used to go into their bedroom and onto my brothers record players and play their LP's... And try not to scratch them!!
George Benson, Teena Marie ,Stevie Wonder & Earth Wind & Fire were artists amongst others I truly adored.. I just connected with them.... These times and the music I was hearing were just magical to listen to as a kid... In 1988 I went into a careers office and the receptionist said what do you like... I said I love music!! The next week I got a job at 16 working in a record shop named Dereks in Walthamstow... It was amazing!!
I gained extensive knowledge of the musical world at Dereks and it was such a buzz going into work, learning about & playing all genres of music, customers tastes of music, and loving Monday mornings playing new releases!!
I then spent 10 years at Our Price Records ( rememember them!!) all over London - also switching in the mid 90s to Virgin Megastores in Oxford Street & Marble Arch... Spending most of my wages ( some week's all !! ) on Vinyl, CD's , Cassettes and Clubbing!!
I loved listening to Radio stations particularly pirates in the 1980s such as LWR, Horizon & Solar - also listening in to Capital & Radio London - where I would love catching shows from legendary DJ's such as Mike Allen, Robbie Vincent, Tony Blackburn, Les Adams, Greg Edwards and Froggy... These guys were sensational growing up and I made countless cassettes from shows by them to play back during the week, and for friends & family... It was a way of life!!
If I was on a Desert Island and I could only take 5 albums with me, along with a decent supply of pie & mash, 80s fashions and a serious amount of suncream they would be-
Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue
Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life
Anita Baker - The Songstress
Earth Wind & Fire - All & All
Soul II Soul - Club Classics Vol 1
It is a real honour & a privilege to be here at Cheeky Radio...with such an amazingly talented array of presenters who really know their craft, and are so passionate about what they do on the airwaves... Les Adams said to me that when you play music on the radio that you should imagine it was a dinner party with all your favourite people and music... He taught me how to present radio shows (I am still learning 😉) and it was a great honour to know him and try and learn from him... His stories off air were amazing ... He is still sadly missed and will always be.
MUSIC is most definitely my Sanctuary... Catch me here on the 4th Thursday of each month playing specially handpicked tunes from the vaults of the musical world to nudge you gently towards the weekend... It would be great to have your company!
Whatever you do, keep it Cheeky!!
George Benson, Teena Marie ,Stevie Wonder & Earth Wind & Fire were artists amongst others I truly adored.. I just connected with them.... These times and the music I was hearing were just magical to listen to as a kid... In 1988 I went into a careers office and the receptionist said what do you like... I said I love music!! The next week I got a job at 16 working in a record shop named Dereks in Walthamstow... It was amazing!!
I gained extensive knowledge of the musical world at Dereks and it was such a buzz going into work, learning about & playing all genres of music, customers tastes of music, and loving Monday mornings playing new releases!!
I then spent 10 years at Our Price Records ( rememember them!!) all over London - also switching in the mid 90s to Virgin Megastores in Oxford Street & Marble Arch... Spending most of my wages ( some week's all !! ) on Vinyl, CD's , Cassettes and Clubbing!!
I loved listening to Radio stations particularly pirates in the 1980s such as LWR, Horizon & Solar - also listening in to Capital & Radio London - where I would love catching shows from legendary DJ's such as Mike Allen, Robbie Vincent, Tony Blackburn, Les Adams, Greg Edwards and Froggy... These guys were sensational growing up and I made countless cassettes from shows by them to play back during the week, and for friends & family... It was a way of life!!
If I was on a Desert Island and I could only take 5 albums with me, along with a decent supply of pie & mash, 80s fashions and a serious amount of suncream they would be-
Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue
Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life
Anita Baker - The Songstress
Earth Wind & Fire - All & All
Soul II Soul - Club Classics Vol 1
It is a real honour & a privilege to be here at Cheeky Radio...with such an amazingly talented array of presenters who really know their craft, and are so passionate about what they do on the airwaves... Les Adams said to me that when you play music on the radio that you should imagine it was a dinner party with all your favourite people and music... He taught me how to present radio shows (I am still learning 😉) and it was a great honour to know him and try and learn from him... His stories off air were amazing ... He is still sadly missed and will always be.
MUSIC is most definitely my Sanctuary... Catch me here on the 4th Thursday of each month playing specially handpicked tunes from the vaults of the musical world to nudge you gently towards the weekend... It would be great to have your company!
Whatever you do, keep it Cheeky!!
