Carty

Name – Carty (real name redacted for security reasons)
Birthday – 17th July (year of birth changes annually so that I remain 27)
Star sign – Cancer (other star signs are available)
Job – Freelance interrogator for MI6 (competitive rates)

What is your favourite…

Genre of music – Definitely 80s, but also dance music, oh and 80s
Food – Ah, my weakness! I can’t choose one! Oh ok…FOOD!
Film – I never seem to remember a film when leaving the cinema, which means watching the DVD is just like the first time each time I watch it. I wish they’d make a movie about my fave TV show (you never asked me that – “The Prisoner”). Kodak is my answer.

Why did you join Vitalize Radio?

Radio presenting and DJing has always been in my blood since the mid 80s. When I saw that there was a community station in my village in 2018 I just had to get in touch. Local radio is no longer served adequately by the BBC and commercial radio in our locality, and Vitalize slips perfectly into that hole. The potential to serve as an active hub for the community is bigger than I can reveal on this public document.

What’s the best thing about being part of Vitalize?

The team! Seeing new volunteers catch the radio bug is inspiring. Having an enthusiastic team is empowering. The community naturally wants to be in touch with each other. To be a part of that is highly motivating.

Name your top 3 songs of all time?

1) Adam & The Ants “Cartrouble” – my first single and the song that formed the name I now go by.
2) Massive Attack “Unfinished Sympathy” – I have a soft spot for orchestral strings.
3) Rob Dougan – “Clubbed To Death [Kurayamino Variation]” – I wish my own productions sounded like this!

Favourite show on Vitalize (not your own) and why?

This is tough as I have seen some new presenters really develop their presenting techniques over the past year into their own unique styles. Jan Thomas’ “Wednesday Babbles” as grown into something she totally owns. She was a natural from the moment she took part in our first Take Over. Not long after Graham Stowell joined us, he told me his ambition was to present a Northern Soul programme. His drive to constantly improve has given him the confidence to present two shows on Vitalize and come and interrupt mine on weekends! (Who do I need to speak to about this?)

What’s your most embarrassing moment?

When I was presenting the Weekend Breakfast Show on Touch Radio/Capitol Gold, it was at the time when I was the resident DJ at a venue in Newport. So I would leave at 2:30am, and drive to the studio to be on air at 6am. One Sunday morning, at 6:20am, I fell asleep in the studio, and no music was going out. The transmitter had a fail safe which kicked in if there was a break in transmission lasting longer than two minutes. I was instantly woken by Rod Stewart’s “Baby Jane” as it began, making me jump and waiting for the Programme Controller to call me in the studio, or worse still, summon me in for a one-to-one. Needless to say, no-one ever said anything to me about it, but it certainly kept my digestive system active for a few weeks!

What makes Vitalize Radio different from any other?

The name, silly! Also its secret is that everyone knows we’re all here to serve the community and not our own egos (that’s what this page is for). I think once you lose that sense of being of the community, by the community, for the community, then there’s no point in broadcasting. Fortunately our focus is clear and as our tagline says, we’re “the voice of Torfaen”, albeit a collective one.

If you had to partner with another presenter, who would it be and why?

Oh this is easy, but I can’t tell you in case it goes to Graham Stowell’s head! If you could hear what we talk about off mic and between songs, Ofcom would break out into a sweat. We share a similar sense of humour – unfortunately, no-one else does, so it’s best kept hidden away from the airwaves! He’s more keen on it than I am, as I am so use to being a loner behind the mic. (Can I plug my show now? It’s on a Saturday and Sunday morning…) SNIP! Sorry Carty, we’re out of time. Thanks, do call again!