Radio Rock n’ Roll is a brand new radio show focusing strictly on rock music, from classic to modern alternative to punk to heavy metal, hosted by local rock musician Gavin Mendonca of punk rock band Keep Your Day Job! and heavy metal band Feed The Flames.
It’s the first radio show of its kind in recent history and the only rock based programme on the local airwaves.
The show is produced Mondays to Fridays from 16:00hrs to 18:00hrs and on Saturdays 15:00hrs to 18:00hrs on 100.1 Fresh FM.
There is a wide variety of sub genres of rock music and Radio Rock n’ Roll aims to expose all of the different forms to the public, by having themed shows. There is Punk Rock Monday, Hard Rock Tuesday, Indie Rock Wednesday, Classic Rock Thursday and Pop Rock Friday. On Saturday there is a three hour mega show, where public requests take dominance.
Radio Rock n’ Roll aims to break the stigma attached to rock music here in Guyana. “Sad to say, many people have negative views of rock music and people who listen to it,” Gavin noted. “The aim of this show is to expose the public to a new type of music, and show them that Rock n’ Roll, just like any other genre of music, is an art form, has its own culture, and is a way of life for many people, young and old. Rock n’ Roll allows [people] to truly express themselves without the worry of what society may think of them.”
He noted too that local radio is saturated with Jamaican type Dancehall and Reggae music, Soca and Chutney, which is quite normal of course, since we are a part of the Caribbean. But that is not the only type of music available to listeners; Radio Rock n’ Roll simply offers an alternative.
As host and founder of the show, Gavin is a strong advocate of Rock n’ Roll. “Rock n’ Roll is my life. I have dedicated the past four years to my band, and to my music,” he said.
It was around December through the Guyana Music Network that he was given the opportunity to host a radio programme for the network. Rockin’ GT aired on 100.1 FM every Monday and Thursday from 16:00hrs to 18:00hrs. He subsequently received broadcasting training and began to get experience on air, he even hosted ‘Radio Rock n’ Roll’ in its infancy on Christmas Day and Old Years Night.
“I wanted to revolutionise the way the average Guyanese could listen to radio. I came up with the idea of a radio programme that featured strictly Rock n’ Roll. Both foreign and local, and Guyana has had many talented rock bands throughout the 90s to present, including Burning Bush, Pearls to Swine, Struck Root, Et tu Brutus, and most recently – Feed the Flames, Project X and Keep Your Day Job!”
Radio Rock n’ Roll officially started in February on Saturdays only from 16:00hrs to 18:00hrs. The following month, it was aired for an additional hour. Over time, Radio Rock n’ Roll became more and more popular and its demand by listeners began to increase. So as of June, Radio Rock n’ Roll expanded to six days a week – Mondays to Saturdays.
“Six days of Rock n’ Roll… That is a dream come true for many people here in Guyana, especially the old and new rock musicians, who didn’t even think this dream could become a reality,” Gavin said.
But how has it affected the rock community in Guyana? Well according to the rocker, since its inception Radio Rock n’ Roll has increased the awareness of the current active rock bands—Et tu Brutus, Feed the Flames, Project X and Keep Your Day Job!—by playing their original music on air and advertising each band’s upcoming event. It also exposes the public to the old Guyanese rock bands that are no longer around, like Pearls to Swine and Burning Bush.
Radio Rock n’ Roll also features rock music from Guyana’s Caribbean neighbours, with whom KYDJ! performed in Trinidad and Suriname in 2013. Bands from Trinidad like Orange Sky, Black Rose and Anti-Everything, and bands from Suriname like ADHD and De Rotte Appels.
“Radio Rock n’ Roll was even able to take new concepts for rock events and turn them into awesome realities, for example ‘Club Rock n’ Roll’ in April and ‘Rocking With The King’ in June, which transformed Club Next into a strictly Rock n’ Roll club for each respective night, something that has never been done before in Guyana,” he said.
For the year so far there have been at least 20 rock events, each with a greater turn out that in previous years because of the new reach that Radio Rock n’ Roll allows. These include Project X’s rock shows in Diamond, Feed the Flames live at Jerries All Night Long, and most recently, Keep Your Day Job!’s punk rock show at the Sidewalk Café on June 21.
“I now put all of my heart and soul, much like I do with my band, into Radio Rock n’ Roll, so that it can be the most innovative, and different radio show, on [the] airwaves. Rock n’ Roll truly is music from the soul, and I wish to share its diverse culture with as many Guyanese as I can,” Gavin said.
Any sponsors who would like to be on board, or listeners who would like to send out requests during the show, can text 629-4535 or use the BBM Pin for Radio Rock n Roll: 799CA097.