Tommy Boyd Q & A
January 7, 2012 – 11:53 amThe ‘Can we have our Boyd back?’ blog needed a follow up and what better way to do that than hearing from the man himself. Heres 13 questions from me and 13 answers from Tommy.
Q1) Do you do new years resolutions and whats your take on them (before we talk about radio)?
No I don’t, if I need to do something or change something why wait til Jan 1st?
Q2) In the radio world you are fondly remembered for your work in talk radio, do you miss the cut and thrust of doing a regular show? (if yes or no, why?)
Q2) In the radio world you are fondly remembered for your work in talk radio, do you miss the cut and thrust of doing a regular show? (if yes or no, why?)
No, not a bit. Looking back it was all a bit inconsequential.
Q3) What would you class as your radio glory days?
Q3) What would you class as your radio glory days?
Glory days is a bit strong, but the comedy phone-in afternoons on Talk Radio, where the proposition was a clear joke, but 5% of listeners believed I meant it, was very popular and had I’m told, a staff of 7 at the Radio Authority whose full time job was investigating complaints against me. So I did my bit for employment. Not one complaint was upheld BTW. Peter Gee of TalkSPORT fame (the UK’s most awarded audio man) was unofficial ideas man, he is just short of being the greatest genius in radio. Although he’d say he’s just short.
Q4) Are you surprised the Human Zoo is still talked about even now and was it really any good in your opinion?
Q4) Are you surprised the Human Zoo is still talked about even now and was it really any good in your opinion?
No, anything which frissons is subjected to nostaligia. Watch an old TV show on Gold that you remember with fondness and you’ll wonder why you loved it after 5 minutes. I think the secret was Asher Gould, the tech op/2nd voice.
Q5) What really happened during the infamous Queen Mother incident on talksport that led to you leaving the station?
Q5) What really happened during the infamous Queen Mother incident on talksport that led to you leaving the station?
I was in a commercial dispute with Kelvin McKenzie, the owner, who wanted to buy 50% of a wrestling promotions company I owned, and I was holding off. My 2 years as a freelance was almost up ( after 2 years a freelance acquires rights). And I was fed up with late night radio. A caller came through who wanted to praise the late QM and I took the opportunity to go through a stack of emails that had arrived while on air. I noticed a change in the guys tone of voice and heard him say “So how’s that on live radio?” and kind of spooled back in my mind and pieced together he’d said something out of order, but all you get is 7 seconds. I looked through the glass and the boys were looking relaxed so I said “I let you say your piece to show what kind of people are out there”. That gave the knife to the men in suits. Funnily enough I got a phone call at home from the Radio Authority who said they’d have taken no action, just “Complaint upheld”.
But they wanted me out, I wanted out, so I was happy.
Q6) What are your thoughts on the current state of talk format radio in this country and is there room for another talk radio station?
Q6) What are your thoughts on the current state of talk format radio in this country and is there room for another talk radio station?
There’s room. There’s room for lots more different things than there are in every walk of life. But humanity is heavily centripetal so all our activities gravitate inwards: everything is the same. Anything that misses that pull is flung out of orbit and that’s probably talk radio as far as the UK is concerned. I blame the shareholders of Talk Radio who couldn’t see beyond trying to duplicate Radio 5, which is not a talk station, of course, though it’s excellent at news/sport/chat.
Q7) What kind of lessons could we learn from the Americans and how they do radio?
Q7) What kind of lessons could we learn from the Americans and how they do radio?
I’ve worked for American TV and radio, and it’s breathtakingly driven. Starting with the commercial imperative (how to make money), they drill into every aspect of the product until it shines and belches gold. We just “do it like we always have done”. We say “If it isn’t broken don’t break it” They say “If it ain’t broke…break it!”
Q8) Is there any particular show that you still remember fondly from the Talkradio Afternoon days and how much prep used to go into putting them together?
Q8) Is there any particular show that you still remember fondly from the Talkradio Afternoon days and how much prep used to go into putting them together?
I enjoyed “Deja Vu”, where we did “Deja Vu” the following day (ok bit obvious, but it worked)
I enjoyed “The Show With nothing in it”. Where I said all the guests (which we never had anyway) had pulled out, and we had nothing planned, so I just whistled and tidied the studio for 2 hours. The Radio Magazine phoned and complained that if I couldn’t come up with a show there were plenty of young people trying to get into radio who could. Honestly.
Mostly I enjoyed the show where I turned off the mike, pretended we’d gone off air “in some counties” , then came back and “apologised” for something I’d said which only a few listeners had heard. there was a huge bandwagon of people who complained, claiming they’d heard it. Even the Jewish Chronicle called the station to complain, saying they’d heard the remark but could not bring themselves to repeat it.
Prep? Peter Gee would come into the boardroom (we weren’t shy, we prepped for 60 minutes around the huge mahogany table) with a vicious grin on his face and say “Let’s arm dustmen!” or “Why don’t we give Yorkshire to the Red Indians?” It would be Peter, me, a phone op and a tech op. We’d spend 10 minutes on topics for the following day. then we’d go through what I’d got in my mind for the show we were about to do. Then we’d record the trail (Peter) for the following day, so I’d have 24 hours to research and plan points for the following day’s show, much of which I’d do on my 2 hour trip into London.
Q9) What’s the best way to grab an audience?
Q9) What’s the best way to grab an audience?
You don’t grab an audience in radio, just like you don’t hey presto grape juice into wine. It takes time, and the key is word of mouth. Oh and being good, or even brilliant.
Q10) Who did you most enjoy working with in those days and who were your main on air rivals? (was there a Stern/Imus thing for you (Tommy/?)
John Simons (PC at Talk, now a big cheese with the Guardian group), Scott Chisholm, a real life Crocodile Dundee. Peter Gee (see above). Many others too. I never had anybody who wanted to go head-to-head in a feud. Shame.
Q11) What radio do you listen to now (if any) and who do you enjoy listening to presenter wise?
Q11) What radio do you listen to now (if any) and who do you enjoy listening to presenter wise?
Chris Evans is fantastic, of course, and a lovely man, although I’ve not actually met him. I like Radio 4 and Radio 3, Isle of Wight Radio and Spirit FM down my way.
Q12) Do you have any aspirations to get back behind the microphone in 2012 and do you have any plans in the pipeline for more podcasts etc ?
Q12) Do you have any aspirations to get back behind the microphone in 2012 and do you have any plans in the pipeline for more podcasts etc ?
I’m being talked to by a group planning something a bit weird in the comedy line, which I like, and I get approached by podcasting outfits quite a lot. I guess I’m lazy and I’m vain, and like to wait for the phone to ring.
Q13) And finally, If you could give a short 2012 new years message to the people of the UK what would it be?
Q13) And finally, If you could give a short 2012 new years message to the people of the UK what would it be?
Continue to pay no attention to anyone else, or meaningless messages of goodwill. You’re in this on your own, and nobody gets out of this one alive. But it’s a hell of a ride.
Right those are the questions , anything you want to ask me?
Right those are the questions , anything you want to ask me?
Yes, why are you so enthusiastic and kind?
I’m one of the good guys. However would one of the good guys actually call themselves ‘one of the good guys’?
6 Responses to “Tommy Boyd Q & A”
Love the insights to the Talk Radio afternoon days. I can picture Tommy and the team sitting round that mahogany table prepping. The A levels afternoon show is a really good listen. It’s somewhere on the Tommy Boyd Shrine.
By Cam on Jan 7, 2012
You forgot to ask a vital question… Can I pleasure your wife?
By Gavin on Jan 8, 2012
Even such a tiny snippet of Tommy is cherished. Thanks for uploading and thanks for teaching me how to spell cherished.
By Jamie on Jan 9, 2012
Fantastic
By Eric Franklyn on Jan 9, 2012
“Continue to pay no attention to anyone else, or meaningless messages of goodwill. You’re in this on your own, and nobody gets out of this one alive. But it’s a hell of a ride.” – Tommy Boyd
Oops, I wished him a happy new year on his blog… I like his overall philosophy though. There isn’t many like Tommy Boyd about. I don’t think there is anyone radio presenter out there that can work the callers like him either.
By Alex on Jan 10, 2012
I always loved Tommy and Ash with their banter on a Sunday night. Pure gold!
Anyone remember the Human Zoo caller who claimed to be holding Ash’s cow underpants for ransom?
By Craven Moorhead on Feb 6, 2012