“I discovered the radio station on the way to the Fylde bar in my first week and was told they were launching a new nightly DJ show so I put my name down.”


Richard meets Nile Rogers


He enjoyed all the intellectually stimulating discussions that were part of his course which also included modules in Marketing and Law.


As graduation moved closer in 1980, the self-confessed petrol-head, applied for a job with Lucas Industries and out of 200 other applicants was successful. With a £7,500 annual salary and a Ford Capri thrown in, Richard thought his future was assured. Those were different times.


However, after accepting the job, he was approached by Capital who had received one of the many demo tapes he’d sent to various stations.


“Capital were looking for a new voice. They were the only station to respond to my demos. Again, like at Bailrigg, it all happened quickly. They called within three days, three days later I met them, three weeks later I was on air. Although I was only supposed to stay at Capital for five weeks, I stayed 17 years.”


As a graduate, Richard was a novelty at Capital because not many broadcasters were university educated, so he often gave talks to students about radio careers.


Capital in the 1980s meant other opportunities came along, including the BBC World Service, BFBS British Forces Broadcasting to our forces overseas and VH-1, the more adult- oriented relative to MTV.


In 1997 Richard joined Radio 2 for a new Late Show, winning the first of several Sony Awards: “we had a great team, great guests and an audience who loved to take part too.”


His Saturday Afternoon Sequence featured the Wall of Sound instant jukebox which now lives on at Greatest Hits Radio.


Away from the microphone Richard launched Magnum Opus Broadcasting with the record producer Steve Levine and created The Record Producers award-winning documentary series featuring Quincy Jones, Nile Rodgers, Sir George Martin and Trevor Horn.


The father of three has returned to Lancaster once to receive an alumni recognition award and still meets with a couple of university friends regularly.


“Lancaster was a very safe place and people were very welcoming. It changed my outlook on the world in a good way.


KEEP IN TOUCH WWW.LANCASTER.AC.UK/ALUMNI | 5


Life takes various turns that no-one can plan, but I think that if you go to university for three years and graduate, you can probably cope with anything.”


Now 67, Richard will continue to broadcast as long as he stays


relevant: “Basically, I’ve been locked in a padded room talking to myself for more than 45 years and people continue to listen and follow me to stations across the country.”


Radio listening is still strong and the number of talented young people getting into broadcasting - many more of them graduates - is hugely encouraging.


It’s not that the landscape has changed since I started, it’s more like a different planet in a parallel universe. Still, I get to work alongside a great bunch of talented and enthusiastic people and there hasn’t been a day when I haven’t looked forward to doing this.”


And it all started at Bailrigg FM.


Student days at Lancaster


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