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CRAIG
PILLING
THEN:
Presenter/Cultural Warrior -1995-98
NOW: Presenter/Producer
- SBN
Craig
joined URB shortly before it was awarded its full time FM
license. Worried that he wouldn't be accepted, he managed
to successfully scam his way onto the airwaves without producing
a demo tape, "I sneaked in and added my name to the on-air
schedule whilst nobody was about". And that was that. For
the next 3 years Craig was the presenter and producer of a
2 hour Monday night alternative music and comedy show on Bailrigg
87.7FM, called THE DARK PLACE ("named after an infamous toilet
in Accrington").
"The show
was basically an excuse to play fantastic music from the last
40 years that wasn't getting the recognition it deserved…and
also to fuck around with people's heads." says Craig. Telephone
calls to the organizers of local 'sheepdog trials' ("to find
out what the dogs were accused of and if they were getting
proper legal council"), exclusive exposes of Lancaster University's
shady past and present ("it turns out the whole place was
designed as a mass prison!"), and rants of anger against the
social injustices of the world ("I was a bitter angry young
man"), were all part of the regular DARK PLACE broadcasts.
Craig
was also part of the panel of the flagship new music review
show SOUNDSCREEN ("it was on during the afternoon and yet
oddly had more swearing and bad taste than my night time show").
Behind
the scenes at BAILRIGG FM Craig was one of the key organizers
of BFM events, such as parties, club nights and of course
the ROSES WEEKEND broadcasts.
In the
second term of Craig's final year at Lancaster (1998), THE
DARK PLACE went national as it was now appearing on the STUDENT
BROADCAST NETWORK, broadcasting via satellite to student radio
stations across the U.K. It was at this point that Craig realised
that he actually wanted to make a living out of this radio
marlarkey and when the opportunity arose to join the STUDENT
BROADCAST NETWORK full time as their main presenter, Craig
applied for the job. And the fools gave it to him.
So now
you can still hear him every weeknight on the LATE SHOW, between
11pm and 3am on BAILRIGG 87.7FM and on 45 other student stations
across the land (as well as on the internet at: www.sbn.co.uk
). LISTEN TO IT!
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