Mark Russell

Mark RussellIn the 80’s and 90’s I was a semi professional DJ with residences at several pubs around Luton, Dunstable and Redbourn as well as resident DJ for 20 years at what was then Strathmore Thistle Hotel in Luton. Who knows I may have been the DJ at your wedding or company party, if so it would be great to hear from you.When I was at school I played bass guitar in a band, very badly, and while the leader of the band went on to have a successful career in music, my complete incompetence with the guitar took me down other routes. But I still have a passion for playing badly, and anything to do with music.For me the golden age of radio was the pirate ships and Radio Luxemburg on AM radio. Listening to the shows on L&D on my radio brings back many of those memories and I hope to bring back many more with the music and jingles played by the DJ’s that inspired me, like Kenny Everett, Dave Cash, Alan “Fluff” Freeman to name a few.There is nothing to compare with live radio, the interaction with, and reaction from, friends that listen to the show is the next best thing to being able to play the music myself. My preference for music from these 3 decades is because of the range of music styles that got into the charts, everything from heavy metal to reggae, from soul to punk. My all time favourites have to be The Beatles so there will be at least one from them every week.One final thought, passed on to me by my sister. When I talk to my children (although you can’t call a 30 year old a child) about the 1970’s and 1980’s and they look at me like I’m ancient. Well its the same as my parents in the 1980’s talking about the 1940’s. Although I do wonder if any of the music my youngest listens to will live as long as the music from my youth