Time for amateurs…

In 1983, FM stations were springing up like mushrooms, with almost everyone making radio. The frequencies would soon have to be regulated to bring some order to this anarchy. In the meantime, I did a bit of voice work on various local radio stations, and at the end of January I joined the most popular one with schoolchildren: Studio 101. The radio station was based in an old flat in the town centre, on Rue de l’Aiguillerie. The man in charge was a temperamental character with changing moods. When he was hungry, he would broadcast an advert for the ‘Peppone’ pizzeria on the ground floor of the building, and a few minutes later he would receive a four-cheese sandwich in return. The studio was set on a table, on an old wooden floor, so it was important to avoid fidgeting around the turntables or the record will jump on air.

Independent radio stations were becoming more professional…

Henri Bellemore, who ran the station, had one essential quality. He knew how to choose his presenters according to a single criterion: their musical taste. At the time, almost everyone brought their own records. By recruiting young, hip talent who invested in their own programming, he ensured that the station sounded the same from morning to night… Homogenous. Didier Sinclair was a local star who went on to become a world-renowned DJ. For 2 years, I learnt my trade, which very quickly became more professional with the arrival of franchises and networks.