Andrew Boak first appeared at Radio b with a demo of his mod band The Regulators in 1980, and soon after became one of the "Gang of Andrews", the team who transformed the station into basically what we know today. He went on to NZ's first commershull FM station while still spinning discs on b's Resurrection Punk Show and playing guitar in the legendary No Tag. (Episode 25 Parts 1 and 2 of 2)
Renee Jones - longtime Saturday Afternoon host, cartoonist, and industrious music industry worker -- tells of arriving at 95bFM in 1989, after an obsessive love affair with the station which began in her first year of high school. Being fired from Freak The Sheep, being considered "old school" while in her mid 20s, and deciding to marry her husband after hearing him on the radio (but not meeting him until later). (Episode 26 Parts 1-2 of 2)
Another of "The Andrews" who stormed the hippie b-astion of Campus Radio at the dawn of the 1980s and got the radio station on the path to the future with consecutive broadcast licenses and ready for FM. Andrew was one of the crew who transplanted the station to Ohakune for a legendary 3 week stint, and was the station manager for two years - without his parents knowing until they saw him on TV. (Episode 27 Parts 1-2 of 2)
Hugh Hughes, the character formerly known as Hugh Sundae, was something of a broadcasting prodigy after he found his way into bFM at age 14. By age 17, he was standing in for breakfast host Graeme Hill for a 6 week period, ensuring that high school lost any appeal whatsoever; and before he was 20 he was co-hosting a TV show with Bic Runga. He's even been to Mongolia (tho he doesn't talk about that here). (Episode 28 Parts 1-2 of 2)
Gemma Gracewood 1993 to 2000 During the 1990s, Gemma single-handledly reinvented the approach of 95bFM's News & Editorial, taking the station's news content from lifting from the NZ Herald and Time magazine to a fully-functioning, national class newsroom. A Pioneer of sorts, she championed women's roles at 95bFM and had a hand at producing the Breakfast show with Mikey Havoc. She also rethought the idea of how 95bFM threw parties. (Episode 34, Parts 1-3 of 3)
Chris Esther was part of the post-punk generation which transformed Radio b in the early 1980s. He steered the New Zealand Music Show into a territory where what he played was an accurate reflection of a new breed of young musicians, and became the programme director at the age of 19. He was also a co-conspirator in Auckland's first rave, Housequake. (Episode 36, Part 1-3 of 3)
How do! Murray was the host of Land of the Good Groove between 1983 and 1993, playing classic soul, modern soul & funk, & early hip-hop at a time when b's airwaves were biased towards music that did not emanate from those streets on that side of the Atlantic. Amongst his many towering achievements, Murray introduced the "continuous mix" to NZ, and of course, the reason had something to do with food. (Episode 37, Partis 1-3 of 3)
Steve Simpson 1996 to 2006 Does anybody recall when he was Steve "The Jaguar" Simpson on Monday Drive? No? But you remember when he was "Natalie" on Breakfast. Anyhow, Steve was a Drive host, Wire host, Breakfast producer, Sales rep, Sales Manager, Brand Manager AND member of a bunch of bands formed for bFM events. Oh, and he was in Pash: they played the Nth Shore Events Centre with Garbage & Ash, on a bill which should have been listed "Ash, Pash, and Trash". (Episode 39, Parts 1-3 of 3)
Dom Nola, former bFM Programme & Music Director, discusses her time at 95bFM from the mid-80s to early 90s. During her time at 95bFM Dom was also the manager of Flying Nun's NRA and later The Jean Paul Sartre Experience. She was the co-producer of the first syndicated New Zealand music radio programme called Crashhot, which aired on the B.Net, & on College Radio Stations throughout the U.S.A. Currently, Dom owns an indie label - & since 2013 became one of the Co-Hosts of the 95 BFM Jazz Show. Dom also enjoys DJing around town, & babysitting visiting rockstars. (Episode 1)
Peter Urlich (1986; 1993 to 2001, 2008 to present) and Bevan Keys (1995 to 2001). I'll never forget whats-is-name...Peter Urlich & Bevan Keys inspired an entire radio station based solely on their Sat AM show, issued 3 mega-selling compilation CDs that made it as far as the Egyptian desert, sold out parties nationwide, and peculiarly enough are two of the most pleasant and level-headed individuals in radio. Peter currently hosts Bright & Urlich after becoming a multi-media sensation; while Bevan is no longer a boxer. (Episode 38, Parts 1-3 of 3)
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