All Fine And Dandelion

Dandelion Radio  http://www.dandelionradio.com/ was set up in 2006 as an online radio station that aimed to get as close to what it was like to listen to the John Peel bbc Radio1 show as was humanly possible. Quite frankly, and over five years on, they have almost nailed it. Never mind 6music or some late late show on, ahem current day Radio1, the people at Dandelion is where it’s at.

Looking back, it was a bit slow to get off the ground, Florence and the Machine? Bloc Party? Err. It has since found its way some more and recruiting more individuals in order to play some records has been one of the reasons.

It now has twenty-odd DJ’s (it began with just five) pre-recording their shows from home before said shows then get broadcast on a loop for the next month. On their website you will see tracklists of all things played for the previous month, including brief biographies of all the DJ’s, the following month’s schedule and more.

The thing that strikes you first when listening is not the music played (though I have noticed a shortage of drum’n'bass and thrash metal unfortunately) but the style and tone of the DJ’s. Quite a few of them deliver in that deadpan, dry Peelie manner. None of it appears to be forced, instead just genuine children-of-Peel, love of music fare.

You see, music comes first at Dandelion, so don’t expect to hear any talking over the end of records or banter between DJ’s only interested in themselves and a possible route into television. Do expect an eclectic mix of music though, involving hard-working artists, some of which you have never before heard of but whom sound as though you probably should have. And while not every single track played is a certain winner, almost all of it is interesting and merited.

They also get artists in for sessions, play old John Peel session tracks, and keep alive the year’s end Festive 50. I think Mr Peel himself would have tuned in on occasion.