I agree with rockchicklet here, I prefer some of the weekend DJ's, but perhaps their shows are more enjoyable because they have less time to fill each week. They can focus more on the obscurities because their show is more concentrated. Whereas someone like John Cadell (sp?) has more time to fill each week, so we get alot of the old reliables - Greenday, Depeche etc

I like Richie McCormack but I only hear him when he's filling in for Cadell, I must have something else on during his regular show. I think he strikes the balance between new music and old UNfamiliar music pretty well. In fact I've only ever texted in once to Phantom, I think they overplug the phone number a bit, I sent one into him and he told me he wouldn't play the song because that album was rubbish. I laughed. He didn't mean it to be offensive and I liked his honesty. He was right too, the album was a bit rubbish.

You lucky, lucky B*stards..!! All we have down here in 'Fab' City is ONE show on a Sunday, Live95's "Green and Live" that would even contemplate playing half of the decent music Phantom plays. What I wouldn't give to be able to throw on a decent radio station on the way to work or while stuck in traffic going home and give the auld mp3 player the break it deserves!

I hate to have to say it but Phantom FM are also supporting us (Vesta Varro) more than our own local radio station.. plus I've heard some class up and coming bands on there when I've had the pleasure of tuning in.

I have 105.2 on preset for every time I get up to Dublin.. Enjoy it.. you seriously don't know how good you have it guys!

Strangegravy

Ah good ole Phantom - its a cool station. Of course theres things we would all like to chage about it but i think thats because we all hold it so close to our hearts! Sure if i had it my way it'd be post punk 24hrs a day.... but then it'd just be BenniFM! (hmmm enterprising idea....!)

Phantom has done lots for Irish bands - i've become aware of plenty of acts doing their thing since the station came to air. What i also like is that there is a very personal touch to the shows like Edels and Simons in that they'll play and have on bands and people that they like and are interested in - not just allocated guests that they HAVE to have on.

And also Jack Hyland is a legend! :-)

erk! think i may have opened something of a can of worms with my initial 1995 comment re phantom!
twas meant to be tongue in cheek for the most part (perhaps didn't come across that way though)
i commend phantom on how well they've done in the last year, sure there's room for improvement but the same applies to all the other stations too

one place i think phantom does fall down somewhat though is in the one off shows like for instance the 10 year Jeff Buckley show that was on recently
am not sure who was presenting it, but my girlfriend (who is a massive JB fan) had a listen and was pretty disappointed with it
perhaps it's not fair to compare with RTE Radio 1 who are funded by our license money, but i found the recent shows they had on on iconic albums of the 70s, 80s and 90s were excellent, in their presentation, in the guests they had on and most importantly in how au fait everyone on the show was with the album and artist/band being discussed (something my girlfriend felt wasn't particularly the case with the Buckley show on Phantom)

Would be interested to hear from anyone else who heard that show and whether they would agree?

It's no belfield FM, that's all I'll say :p

I think Phantom is one of the best things that happened to Irish radio in ages. Funnily enough, I was discussing this on another board (non music related, car enthusiast site) and the general concensus is that even if the playlist isn't 100% perfect, at least it plays decent tunes for when you are driving to and from work rather than having to listen to a talk show about how some overpaid football player in England tore his cruciate ligament or something. No disrespect to people who like sport, but some of us aren't interested and want some tunes.

I'll preface the following comments by saying they are not intended as critical: If there is one thing I would like to see Phantom embrace more, it is a wider definition of alternative/independent music. Lots of people make independently released music, it just isn't "indie" rock (that isn't intended as a criticism of indie rock by the way). Stuff like the techno or electro thats released on labels like Bpitch Control or Kompakt rather than just the "indier" side of dance music like LCD soundsystem (which is also great) or more avant garde stuff? other genres? How about some Soul? Maybe there are shows on Phantom that cover this sort of stuff that I'm not aware of? Like I said, not a critcism, more a wishlist

They're really plugging the hell out of this Lennon album.

I wouldn't have thought a few months ago that HMV would be placing Lennon's album in amongst all the high profile new releases, just shows the power that RTE have, doesn't it?

Thanks all for the continuing comments and suggestions. All are much appreciated. Im not going to bore you to tears with some of the contractual reasons why we cant do certain shows or can only do certain shows at certain times but needless to say, its complicated! We have percentage quotas for various musical categories and age groups, all watched closely by the regulator and even more closely by our competitors. We will continue to work on it though and as time goes on, hopefully bring some of your suggestions and our own plans to fruition.

On the topic of the Darfur/Amnesty album, we were asked to help out with publicising its release and we were happy to oblige. Anything that keeps situations like that currently going on in Darfur is good in my book. Awareness is no solution, but its a start.

Simon

Binokular, have a look here at jim carroll's playlist which is the only show which seems to be playing a mix of stuff like that - http://www.phantom.ie/content/view/126/179/

Also check out Pearl's show is probably the best show on the station IMHO - http://www.phantom.ie/content/view/124/188/

question to rockchicklet...'challenging' music..please explain and give examples. To me 'challenging' music is one of two things:

1. a term often used my music snobs
2. happy hardcore

I loved phantom FM when i lived in the capital 10 odd years ago, when travelling back from the north on sunday evening, couldnt wait to get near to the city limits to tune in, ahhhhh good music! Always tune in anytime I'm down. keep her lit.

PQ

Fair enough, it was for a good cause. You have to admit though, it was a bit overkill. In the past few days almost every show I heard was plugging the album as if they were the first of the day to do so, then it would be on during the ad breaks aswell.

And as a Lennon fan, I find most of the tracks played were pretty poor covers (stand up U2 and Greenday). Thats just a matter of opinion though.

Imagine being at a party, and someone says, "em, I think the choice of music isn't challenging enough"....

sweet jesus, listening to music on the radio isn't supposed to be like doing the f*ckin high jump...

I think Phantom does a great job and they have the hardest task, they are the only radio station that have a stated mandate to stick to and over the last twelve years since the start, Phantom is the only station worth a toss in this town...

still awaiting my education.......surely would have rolled off the tongue?

PQ