Profile: RFM

We talk to RFM founders Claire Mansfield and Dave Fuller

Claire Mansfield

FOOD: I'm mostly vegan. I've been vegetarian for just over 2 years and now I've cut out milk and eggs too, though I do eat a bit of cheese every now and then. I like pasta, Italian food, stuff like that. Cream I love but obviously can't eat.

WHEELS: I'm planning to learn to dive. I'd love an MGB VTV8, I'm very fond of those. It'll probably be down to a clapped out mini by the time I'm on the road.

CLOTHES: Very faded jeans, short skirts, lots of T-shirts — RFM ones of course — denim jackets, leather gloves and high ankle boots. Probably sums it up.

NIGHTLIFE: Checking out a lot of new bands at the Marquee. After there we usually go to the San Moritz which is just opposite. Then there's a new rock club opened at Gossips on a Tuesday which we go down to now and again.

TV: Don't watch much, but when I do I like things like Horizon — documentary-type programmes. Most of the comedy shows I find very inane and patronising.

RADIO: I don't really have any favourite DJs, as there aren't very many female DJs. I don't listen to very much of Radio One or Capital at all and there aren't many rock pirates on the air so I don't listen to much radio it has to be admitted. Except on Sunday!

MUSIC: Band of the moment has to be FM. There's also a new American band called Tesla, which are getting a lot of press; they're very, very good. I'm hoping to play some tracks by them on forthcoming shows.

THE SHOW: Really I'm trying to develop my personality. Because we've been pre-recorded I was afraid of the tape I suppose you might say. Getting used to having to pretend you're talking to a live audience is difficult. Really it's just a question of improving, getting things tighter and trying to get across me as a person; that's what I'm aiming for.

MATERIAL: I started off being very self-indulgent in the music I play, which didn't work. Now I'm trying to playlist my show with more of the audience in mind, and I find that hard. Most of the bands I play on the show are all from my collection. I do find a shortage of material a problem because not being a big station we don't have the resources to buy all the records we'd like to. So, repetition is a problem. But I do try and play new singles, tracks that are relevant to bits of news. We don't have a fixed format. Being only a Sunday station it doesn't work.

EMBARASSING MOMENT: Definitely when we were sitting listening to the shows going out and I started to sound suspiciously like Al Jolson. It was the tape running down in speed — we'd forgotten to change the batteries in the machine! We then couldn't find any batteries on the way either so we were delayed while we tried to find a garage that was open. By the time we'd got back to the site, everything was going out at just under half speed.

THE FUTURE: Six days a week, live broadcasting. We aim to be the first station to broadcast through the week. The initial experiment may not work, but until we've tried we won't know.

Dave Fuller

FOOD: Beans, corned beef and chips apparently. I'm a very boring person in that respect.

WHEELS: Ever heard or a Geneta 215? Well, I've Got one. It's a sixties kit car, and I'm busy restoring it at the moment.

NIGHTLIFE: Zero! Nil! I go to the pub a lot and fall over...

TV: Magic Roundabout, things like that — all the kiddies programmes! I love 'em!! Especially cartoons. I Love Tom and Jerry!!

RADIO: Tom Anderson on Caroline Overdrive. All the Overdrive mob. Maybe that's because of the 'music thy play, but I like the atmosphere they give over.

MUSIC: I like Suzanne Vega. I'm really into that, but for credibility purposes I also like the heavy stuff: Def Leppard I reckon are one of the best. There's no current bands at the moment that could be considered worthwhile listening to — especially FM! I don't thing much of thrash metal at all, I'm a seventies rock person myself and that's where I'II stay. I'II grow old and get cobwebs cos of it I suppose.

THE SHOW: I try to create a very informal atmosphere, not structured at all. I try and make it like I'm just one person talking to another person. It's a concept that's been tried on T1 and Radio Amanda in the past. I don't want to sit on a pedestal and be just another voice on the radio. I haven't perfected it yet; I'm still learning and still trying.

PIRATE PROBLEMS: I had to take a replacement aerial on the tube one Sunday. It was about 7 feet long and wouldn't go through the doors of the tube properly! Then it wouldn't stand up inside, and I had to juggle with a suitcase as well.

CLOSING THOUGHTS: I'd like to thank everyone who's helped the project. We've had some tremendous help and support — it's overwhelmed me. It's really let me speechless. I think we're being seen as the replacement for Alice's Restaurant. Alice's was a station I had a lot of respect for and it's a mantle we'll have to hold.