Cocoa Crusaders,

I was a huge fan of Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley when they oversaw The Biggest Show on Radio 1 as Mark & Lard. Their musical taste, their wit, their comedy and their ability to contextualise the foibles of society made them the best DJs on the radio.

I had liked Colin Murray & Edith Bowman on their Saturday Radio 1 show (RI:SE wasn't as bad as the meedja liked to say). They did have this quality competition called "What Am I?" where 4 callers from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales tried to guess what the silly voiced host was. However, when they were chosen to replace Mark & Lard, I had to turn against them - it was party line.

Years on, I have to admit that Colin Murray is making some fantastic radio programmes between 10pm and midnight on Radio 1. He plays great records that are both new and old. The records just feel right, almost as if they are records that have been specially recorded by the artist to be replayed at night. Perhaps Colin Murray is brainwashing me; a few weeks ago, he claimed that Machines by Biffy Clyro (a reasonably standard A playlist track for the major stations) sounds better at night; now, I believe him. The interaction with the audience is also special, maybe it's because it's nightime, but he gives the impression that he is actually talking to me and the other listeners. He certainly reacts to the requests of the listeners. I feel part of the listenership as soon as I tune in, this might seem like a ridiculous belief, but I think it is possible for DJs to exclude listeners; some DJs do that just by being rubbish and playing rubbish music, some DJs achieve this by reading out the correspondences of the same few listeners each show.

Unfortunately, BBC 6th Music's Gideon Coe will be competing for the airwaves at this time next week. I might not always listen to Colin Murray thereafter but at least I know that he'll be making reliably good radio should I need it.