The heading of this tribute is rather misleading because as a serious cyclist living in hilly south London, Zero was anything but porky. However when you consider the range of his interests, the extent of his knowledge and the sheer size of his personality, it seems unbelievable that he managed to squeeze it all into such a lean frame. 

It didn’t matter whether the conversation was about music — in all of its glorious variety — films, books, philosophy, politics, Crystal Palace FC, or an apparently inexhaustible range of other subjects, he always seemed to display a depth of understanding and a level of insight that belied the all encompassing nature of his interests.

His musical taste is best summed up by the intro to Surface Noise (on his noises website) which states: 

“You can expect to hear Surf, Funk, Soul, Reggae, Glam, Disco, Synth-Pop, New Wave, Bossa Nova, Post-Punk, Rock, Prog, Ska, Garage, Bluebeat, Rockabilly, Punk, Doo Wop, Be Bop, Hip Hop, Power Pop, Jazz, Klezmer, Mariachi, Psychedelia, Country, Rhythm & blues, and whatever else he can lay his hands on. Probably not techno, heavy metal, or polkas. Probably.”

And his show Manifesto boldly declares:

“I aim to play:

at least one tune you’ve always loved,

at least one tune you’d forgotten you love,

at least one tune you’ve never heard before but now love,

& just one tune that you hate…

…but always with love”

ExileFM has always been very much a family affair and it always hits hardest when you lose a family member; but Zero had come to terms with his circumstances and he left this life the same way he lived it — on his own terms and surrounded by family and friends. He will be massively missed, but his legacy will live on as long as this station does.

Zero
13th September 1958 ~ 30th March 2022

Rest in Music

- Dave Gurman 
(on "An Appropriate Adult")
3rd April 2022

"[T]he purpose of this book is not to offer a catch-all definition of what constitutes genuine independence in the current music industry.  Its purpose is to offer as much useful advice, information and experience as possible to anyone who aspires to make some form of living (full or part time) from his or her involvement in, mainly but by no means exclusively, what is very broadly categorised as popular music" (p. 5)

Chapter titles include "Royalties: How they work and what you will get", "Social Media", "Designing an Electronic Press Kit", "Live Music - Playing and Promoting Gigs", and "Applying for Funding", to name just a few.  We are especially proud to note the references to ExileFM in Chapter 11 ("Promoting your music to radio and other media") and Appendix A ("Radio Shows supporting independent music").  

The Independent Music Sector 2019 is available as an e-book for £8.98 and as a paperback for £10.00 through Demerara Records.  Written with an insider's eye (and ear) for detail, it is an invaluable, contemporary travelogue to an exciting and rapidly-changing world.

Check out Part Six of Neil March's "Emerging from the Mist", an "independent music conversation" which focuses on the genuinely independent (non-commercial) radio shows and stations...including ours...that are supporting new music.  #NewMusicNewThinking

This week, Ming Nagel tells us a little bit more about Exile FM as well as the variety of music shows that it has to offer!

Can you describe your project and the idea behind “Exile FM” in a couple of words?

Open-minded, eclectic, and inclusive: radio as it should be!

Prior to this, did you have any experience in the radio world?

Our three founding members had previous online radio broadcasting experience. The experience of our other presenters ranges from extensive (including the BBC and college, commercial and community radio) to none at all. What we do all share is a love of music, and a sense of adventure.

How did you hear about RadioKing?

We found RadioKing through online searches when we were developing the idea of creating our own radio station.

In your opinion, what are the essential features that RadioKing offers to a radio station?

We chose RadioKing because of its competitive prices, the range and flexibility of the different packages it offers, and the ability to broadcast “live”.  We were impressed with the bandwidth and streaming quality, and liked the fact that RK was looking to become more established in the UK.  The website that we’ve created using RK’s template means that we can express our individuality as a station, while still connecting up to RK and streamlining our management functions with relative ease.

What are the different ways to listen to “Exile FM”?

We encourage listeners to access ExileFM through our website, exilefm.com.  They can, of course, listen through the RadioKing website too, and our ExileFM Facebook page has a radio player function.  Most of our shows are broadcast live, but we’re really pleased to report that all our shows are now uploaded to our website as “podcasts”, so listeners can access them at their leisure after the live broadcast.

Can you tell us about your audience profile?

Our audience is relatively small, but far-flung, diverse, and growing.  Most of our current presenters are located in the UK, but we also have a presenter based in Melbourne, Australia and one in Denver, Colorado; and our listenership reflects our international and well-travelled team. 

Most listeners have heard of the station through word-of-mouth.  Some of them are drawn in by specialist shows, such as Wil Walker’s folk-themed Take On Tradition and Marc Golding’s jazz/blues show Birth of the Cool.  Others appreciate the varied music provided by the more eclectic offerings, such as Zero’s 7” single show Surface Noise, Whispering DG, and Martin Haskell’s popular Sunday Brunch; and the interaction they can have with presenters through our “Shoutbox” facility and social media platforms. 

What do you value most about this project?

Personally, I have always secretly wanted to be a radio broadcaster with my own station in order to celebrate and share the music that I love.  What I did not anticipate when taking on this project was what a naturally warm and interesting community ExileFM would be come, through our presenters and listeners alike.  There is a real spirit of joy and discovery in what we do.

How do you select the artists broadcast on “Exile FM”?

Each presenter has free rein in selecting the artists that they play on their respective shows.  This is part of what makes ExileFM so exciting.  As a station, we also welcome unsolicited material and presenters often listen to each other’s shows for pleasure, education, and inspiration.

Do you have a quick anecdote in connection with your radio station or the setting up of this project?

Without going into detail, the three founders were unceremoniously dismissed from another online radio station because we asserted our principles of equality and anti-discrimination.  I think our shared values and loyalty to each other, in addition to our taste in music, set the scene for a project in which all the presenters feel invested and included.

What’s next for “Exile FM”?

We have more UK-based and international presenters lined up, so we hope to get them set up with their shows this year.  We’re also looking at developing some promotional merchandise for the station.

To finish up, do you have any words for anyone wishing to embark on this adventure?

Decide what your priorities are, get organised, communicate clearly and listen to the music.

16:00-18:00 - So you've stuffed the stuffing, gobbled all the turkey up and pulled the crackers. The dishwasher's loaded, grandad's snoring on the sofa and you're still wearing that silly hat...
Once you've taken that black bag of wrapping paper outside in your new slippers, it's time to pour yourself something nice and escape the Christmas afternoon stupor by tuning into ExileFM for Martin Haskell's 'Great Escape' - two hours of great music featuring a few seasonal numbers that you're not sick of hearing, a few Christmas facts, and a trip to the North Pole...

After months of anticipation, ExileFM is proud to finally announce the official launch of our station and station website.  This is your personal invitation to catch some of the most varied, innovative, and endorphin-producing tunes that have ever been made, brought to you by our exclusive stable of music-loving misfits.  No doubt we'll be celebrating for at least the next month, but Zero is kicking things off on September 28th, 2017 with a special edition of Surface Noise, 21:00-23:00 UK time.  You can also catch Sunday Brunch, Whispering DG, Take on Tradition, and Other Noises at their respective timeslots, and The Monday Night Ride-Out with Ming and Jon will have its inaugural broadcast on ExileFM on October 9th, 2017.  

Tune in directly right here, now and in perpetuity!