Steve Drayton, Producer, BBC Newcastle
Steve shared his on-air production skills with people telling the stories behind their favourite music.
In conjunction with BBC Newcastle, BBC Outreach, Sunderland’s Cultural Spring and the Human Jukebox, Steve has been asking North East people - “What’s Your Most Memorable Song – and Why?”
It all began when my partner and I had been working with Sunderland’s Cultural Spring on a story telling project called Mr Drayton’s Human Jukebox. BBC Newcastle heard what we were doing and commissioned me to make three series of the HJB. I have made 18 different pieces for the station and a one-hour special.
It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas – and it’s all thanks to the listeners of BBC Newcastle.
As part of the production team at BBC Newcastle one of my job’s greatest pleasures is getting out and meeting people. Sitting in an office on the outskirts of town, you can easily lose sight of just who is out there – and what they love and care about.
Stories and the people behind them come to us in many different ways, from press releases and emails to phone calls and best of all – getting out there and saying hello. You can set up the biggest and best attraction in a hope of pulling people in – but nothing beats getting out on the street and having a chat on.
This year, however, Santa and his glad tidings put a spring in my step!
The responses have been fantastic. There’s something wonderful about asking people what their favourite piece of music as, and why, and getting: ‘Hmmm, not sure. No I don’t have one…..hold on…no…I do actually…it’s…..’ The floodgates open, and once you’ve got the bare bones you just gently plug away asking for the tiny details that colour in a piece.
There have been three series of the Human Jukebox so far, and it was decided it would be a wizard wheeze to have a festive version. So off we went asking the all-important question – what’s your most memorable Christmas song?
I have to admit I was expecting a raft of the usual culprits, from the Pogues to Slade, from Bing to the King – and I was pleasantly surprised at the songs that came up – from a 1958 Spanish hit (Donde Esta Santa Claus by 12-year-old Augie Rios) to the latest screamer from Kelly Clarkson.
As the stories begin to unfold you get a little peek into the lives of the contributors. When I’m recording them I always get far too much audio – and I always, always ask them if they’re happy to have their story told on the radio, I’ll take out anything they’ve said in an unguarded moment. Happily, if I’ve done my job right, they’ve shared some treasures that they’re proud to have broadcast. Once I’ve produced and polished it all, the stories really come to life, and another unique voice is aired across the region – and hopefully sprinkles a little piece of festive magic for all the listeners. Thanks to them, Christmas is magic once again.
To hear some of lovely Christmas stories please link to the following Soundcloud.
BBC Outreach supported story-telling workshops with people at live events - many of them had never spoken in public before, and Steve shared his on-air production skills with them to tell their stories in the best possible ways.
BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility brings the BBC closer to its audiences - particularly those audiences we have identified as harder to reach - with face-to-face activity, community support and staff volunteering.
