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College Tribune | November 12th 2008
MUSIC
modern Tom Dunne
you’re expecting her to say something about how good he is. And then I stepped back a second and thought ‘He’s dead’. I just said ‘look I’m very sorry to hear that.’ I’m pretty sure I remembered who it was upon reflection. It can be tough sometimes to stay on your toes.” Despite that, he remains adamant that he has not once thus far
been left speechless. This he puts down to rising adrenaline levels as his show progresses, a sentiment shared by those he classes amongst his contemporaries such as Ian Dempsey, who Dunne insists has no rivalry with himself. “People think broadcasters have it in their head that there is this competition between broadcasters, but I know them all quite well. When I was named most respected face of Irish Music, they couldn’t care less. Everyone is very wrapped up in their own very busy gig, too much so be thinking about rivalry.” And such, according to him, is the way those in the radio business operate- too immersed in a job they feel so passionately about that they “don’t even notice the late
hours and overtime”. Given all the talk on the good old days touring and the lack of sleep nowadays, what would it be like to shadow the presenter for a day? He paints a rousing picture. “On a
I try to get out the building to get home where I’ll be handed a screaming baby before I have even time to take my coat off
normal day I’m up at seven and into the office for quarter to eight. We have a production meeting at eight and afterwards I drop into breakfast show for a bit. I start the show at nine until midday, and that’s just non-stop, the post mortem follows with another production meeting until quarter past
one. I work on the next day’s show until half three, and at that point I try to get out the building to get home where I’ll be handed a screaming baby before I have even time to take my coat off. I juggle the babies till quarter past seven, have dinner and am in bed by half nine and back up for the half eleven feed. Its non stop.” Indeed it is, and one wonders where he gets the energy. For those who aspire to a career as a radio talk show host or DJ, Dunne recommends something he himself has had in quantitative amounts: Life experience. “If you
have life experience, travel, try your hand at different things, you will be in a better position to connect with other people and interact much more effectively. This is of course quite important. I’m not sure about the qualification end of it, but certainly the life experience is a necessity. Have an interest in everything you possibly can in the time you have.” Time, of course, is something Dunne finds he has less and less of, and as the interview concludes he informs that he is about to walk through a door where he will be greeted by a different kind of screaming fan, a 14 week old baby girl.
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