INTERVIEW
MUSIC
TRHY RADIO
Sandy Duff
BEVERLEY KNIGHT TALKS TO THE FOUNDER OF THE REGION’S ONLY DEDICATED UNDERGROUND DANCE AND HIP-HOP RADIO STATION It’s tremendous when you hear of a new cultural venture from our area, especially such a bold and rousing one as this: an underground dance and hip-hop radio station named TRHY. Using the North East as a basis, founder Sandy Duff saw a gap that was crying out to be filled; he felt that local talent wasn’t quite getting the recognition it deserved on the airwaves and he was keen to spread the joy globally. Like most, plans for the enthusiastic vision needed to adapt for the COVID-19 lockdown. To keep the vibe alive it was decided to have a soft launch which ensured that the DJs and presenters had a platform, but it also warmed up their community. A shared love of music connected listeners through live chat rooms and social media, run by Sandy’s daughter Emily. The shows are focused on the dance and urban genres but aren’t afraid to stray into other areas. Initially, each day brought with it a broader selection of genres, and as things grew, it became apparent that concentrating on a specific sound each night flowed better. “I think the importance of creative platforms to showcase talent to the widest possible audience is vital to the credibility and sustainability of any regional scene. While there’s beauty in isolation, there’s seldom success. The North East has been a hotbed of talent for as long as I can remember.” Sandy explains. Broadcast via Mixlr, funk and soul champions Smoove & Turrell take over the airwaves on Saturdays nights, presenting a specific version of their weekly Northern Coal Experience podcast, where you’ll find a cacophony of sounds and styles, all topped with their priceless banter. Adding further to the list of local legends, Tony Hutchinson brings his T Party, a night of house music every Friday, with mixes from established names and fresh up and comers too.
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IT’S NOT A CASE OF HAVING A STEPPING STONE FOR CREATIVES TO ESCAPE THE REGION, BUT RATHER A STEPPING STONE ENCOURAGING OTHER CREATIVES IN From outside the region, there is quality content from a fair share of dance music icons, including Slips House/World of Rave with DJ Slipmatt on Thursdays between 7pm-8pm and Isol-8 with Altern-8’s Mark Archer on Wednesday at 7pm-8pm, plus guest mixes from the likes of DJ Rap, Gez Varley (LFO), Andy Smith (Portishead), Oris Jay and many more. “We don’t want to just showcase North East artists with TRHY Radio; we want to showcase the North East. We have a great selection of local DJs and hosts, but it’s not exclusive. We have some of the biggest names in dance music lining up to be part of this, and so all of a sudden it’s not a case of having a stepping stone for creatives to escape the region, but rather a stepping stone encouraging other creatives in.” Adding to the buzz, the station has just produced an album called Isolation Summer which features exclusive, rare and unreleased content from many of the show hosts. If you tune in throughout July, there’ll be an opportunity to win copies of the limited CD-only release which ably reflects the vibrations of the dynamic station. TRHY Radio broadcasts every day via Mixlr www.mixlr.com/trhy-radio
