Used to love Mark & Lard on the 10 'til midnight slot on Radio 1 quite a few years back. The eclectic choice of music was unlike anything else on radio at the time - or since - where you could here the likes of The Byrds, The Icicle Works, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Dr John, Creedence Clearwater Revival, R.E.M., James Brown, New Order, The Charlatans, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, etc + many new indie/rock bands all within 2 hours. Their comedy shtick was fresher and funnier then - and a little more 'out there' - and they also covered other areas such as cinema, with regular reviews by Mark Kermode & Kim Newman. Great stuff!
Where is that kind of programming now? We really need it in this evermore bland and sanitised media world of ours.
When they were 'promoted' to the breakfast show, I knew they were doomed. I listened when I got the chance and even though the show was often hilarious, it was also a little shambolic. Fine by me - had much more character and genuine laughs than the likes of Sara Cox (or now Moyles) could wish for in a lifetime - but it was obvious their brand of humour didn't have the mass appeal that Radio 1 bosses were looking for.
I listened on and off to their afternoon show and while it was pretty entertaining for the first couple of years - their humour got away with quite a bit in that time slot - it was obvious that they hated most of the music they were forced to play off the R1 playlist! Worse still, I hated most of the music they were forced to play!! So much so that I've only listened on the odd occasion over the past few years and when I did they seemed to be in a bit of a rut.
So I can't say I'm surprised that they have moved on to Radio 2 & 6. Hopefully this will give them both the chance to get back to the kind of broadcasting they used to do. It's unfortunate that they have gone their separate ways after so long, though, as they really did have a on-air chemistry that truly worked.
I wish them well.
I agree.
