What a year..

On Saturday night, my hard rock and metal show 'Distortion' celebrated it's 1st birthday.

The show is a babe in the woods on the radio landscape of Melbourne and Sydney where it airs on Saturday nights, but I'm stoked it's done so well so far.

When I was growing up, I was introduced to a load of new music through radio. Community radio. Those stations were the ones who lead the charge with hard rock and metal shows. As a 16 yr old I would scan through the green guide looking for shows to listen to, word of mouth was also crucial coz back then, the internet simply didn't exist.
I was put onto bands like Deicide, Sepultura, and Pantera (amongst many others) via community radio.

And now, I get to play the music I love, on commercial radio. Triple M.

To me, it makes sense, we're a rock station, we should be paying this stuff, it's an opinion I know is shared by literally thousands of people as is apparent on the Distortion Facebook page. But up until a year ago, it just wasn't going to be... until..

I asked.

I asked the head honcho if I could do a show, he said yes. And so it began.

He was willing to take a chance on a hard rock and metal show because he knew how much I love the music and how important it is to showcase new Australian bands.

Not taking anything away from what Triple J, Triple R, 3PBS and other community stations do for local hard rock and metal bands, I just figure, the more the merrier. The metal community is extremely vocal, passionate, and protective. They buy the albums, go to the shows, buy the merch, wear it proudly like a badge because hard rock and metal is a lifestyle and I wanna help it grow. This kind of music is just as deserving of publicity and support as anything else out there, it's just that it has an unfortunate stigma attached to it that will, hopefully, go away one day.

I wish these musicians were celebrated for their talents rather than derided and shunned. I know it's certainly not everyone's cup of tea, and I can understand why, some of it is just downright frightening. But then, that's part of it's charm innit.

So publicly, I wanna thank the people that have helped me along the way. Sure, it's a one man operation when it comes to the music, putting the show together etc etc, but behind the scenes, there are so many.

Chris Maric from RIOT! Entertainment. Legend. Thanks for your undying support and introducing me to so many great bands. Lets not forget John Howarth from RIOT! as well, coz without the head cheese, where would we be. Champion.

Janine Morcos from Roadrunner. You are a bloody gem, plain and simple. Thanks for being awesome.
P.S. All the Roadrunner staff have been amazing, it's just that Janine is my front line gal and a legend.

Karen McLennan from Warner Music, thanks for sharing my enthusiasm for this show.

Tim Charles and all at Welkin Entertainment, for putting me onto such brilliant music and presenting excellent festivals (and Ne O of course)

Chris, Troy, Mel and everyone at Soundwave. GREAT people putting together the BEST festival this country has.

Everyone from Firestarter records, great tunes from the west.

All the bands who send in their music, the standard just keeps getting better and better.

But most of all, I wanna say thanks to everyone who listens every week, who jump on the FB page and get involved, suggesting music and ideas.

Oh, and Fisty, if you're reading this, thanks, I really appreciate it. Now, how's about we go for an hour thirty at a better time slot?

Here's to the next 12 months.

Keep it loud.

\m/(>.<)\m/



*Triple M Distortion airs Saturday Midnight - 1am Sunday 105.1 Triple M Melbourne, 104.9 Triple M Sydney.
Stream through www.triplem.com.au/melbourne
www.facebook.com/triplemdistortion
Follow on Twitter @MMMDistortion