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Getting to this late… as Jim Carroll of the Irish Times says, “it’s a busy afternoon in Montrose”…

RTÉ’s new season has been announced, with highlights including the aforementioned all-new Late Late, “The Frontline” with Pat Kenny, “Podge & Rodge’s Stickit Inn” – a quiz game show, “Does God Hate..?” with *cough* Marian Finucane (wonder will she "do a Louis Theroux" and talk to the WBC ), and a whole bunch of movie ‘premieres’. September should be interesting on the tellybox!

There’s plenty of rumours flying around at the moment (although there’s nothing concrete that I’ve seen) regarding another major programmes/presenters reshuffle for RTÉ Radio – which is supposedly due to happen next week. Watch this space. Jim Carroll is wondering whether Clarke will make the “wholesale, seismic changes the station needs” before leaving or whether he’ll leave that task to his successor. There’s more discussion on Clarke’s departure on radiowaves and boards.ie.

On a personal level, I wish John the best of luck in whatever he decides to do!

Larry Gogan – the legend of Irish radio – now confined to the weekends on RTÉ 2fm – is well known for the “Just-A-Minute Quiz”… a quickfire general knowlege quiz that, as the title suggests, takes just a minute to complete.

Today’s contestant, Ryan Kinealy from Galway, was clearly taking the piss out of Larry – pretending not to know any of the answers, repeatedly asking the veteran broadcaster for the next question, really pushing it at one point by asking “can I go on to Google for a sec?” (with Larry somewhat angrily replying “No, you can’t!”) and even looking for a third option in a “true or false” question.

This made for very uncomfortable (but pretty bloody funny) radio. I think Larry handled it as well as could be expected! Check it out:

Aside… What was the contestant saying at the end there before he got cut off? Sounded like “Cock balls! Cock balls! Cock balls! Ha ha ha ha …” to me… (!)

Fair play, Grandad, Damien, Allan and a whole pile of others who pledged their support to Rick O’Shea (who is understandably staying tight lipped on the issue) and Nikki Hayes (who I’ve blogged about before) – who have been the victims of a “dumbing down” order in RTÉ Radio, essentially reducing them to “that was/this is” jocks who are no longer allowed engage the listeners in their brand of engaging banter.

Below is the email I sent off this evening to complaints@rte.ie. Here’s hoping that enough people do it that make them sit up and take notice (and action!).

One for the U2 fans… as the promo says, “in the history of U2, Dave Fanning has always had the first play of their new single anywhere in the world. That will continue this Monday morning on the Colm & Jim-Jim Breakfast Show…”

Watch:

So there you go… you’ll hear it there first.

This is Australian singer, Gabriella Cilmi. Not a bad looking young woman, I think you’ll agree. I believe her second name is pronounced “Kill Me” – which seems kind-of appropriate as I can’t get her song “Sweet About Me” out of my head, and it tends to drive me a bit nutty.

Oh, and what about that band all the radio stations seem to be banking on right now, – the Ting Tings? They get a lot of airplay and are seen as ‘quirky’ and ‘eclectic’ and perhaps even ‘the new CSS‘! (I’ve read that the new CSS album, “Donkey” isn’t all that great in fairness). They create some supremely head-wrecking tracks too (ever get “That’s not my Name”, or it’s B-Side “Great DJ” – the song used on the RTÉ 2fm TV ads – stuck in your head?).

Their new single “Shut up and Let Me Go” sort of epitomises their style – a repetitive pouty, shouty, grouchy female lead “telling it like it is” over an electro-rock/pop backing with a cheeky feel to it… like a modern day Transvision Vamp (well… ALMOST), except again, it has that insidious beat and infectious lyrics that grab hold of your mind and set up residence there, like a fungus on a tree, getting – as I say – stuck in your head. I’m not saying it’s BAD, per se- it’s fairly simple music, stripped back to it’s basics in some ways, … but it CAN be head-wrecking, and it’s difficult to explain why.

Actually, is it a sign of a good song when it’s stuck in your head, or just a sign of a “so bad it’s good” song, cleverly constructed in such a way that you can’t help but hum it and keep having it repeat on you like a bad cup of tea? I’m tending to lean towards the second definition/explanation to be honest.

These are the thoughts that occupy my mind when I wake up too early… must stop doing that.