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The Herald Scotland
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
A radio station for builders? I tuned in - and this is what it is like
The upside is I've discovered radio stations I've never heard of before. Taking my daughter to work this morning I landed on Fix Radio, 'The Builder's Station'. Yes, that is a thing. It's a radio station for tradespeople, launched back in 2017. I tuned into The Bald Builders Breakfast, presented by Brad and Sam, which offered up the familiar Zoo format morning format which has been part of the radio landscape since the 1970s in the United States and the 1980s in the UK (thanks to the late Steve Wright). The difference here is that Brad and Sam, when they weren't discussing the strangest thing to wrap up a T-shirt in to send through the post (a melon, bizarrely), were talking about getting stuck into the plastering. Brad and Sam are brothers in law and they are actual builders, so they're speaking from a place of knowledge. Which must mark them out amongst their fellow radio broadcasters, you'd imagine. (And any passing radio reviewers for that matter.) The music played is all old school; mostly 1980s and 1990s with the odd noughties banger thrown in. It was a little curious hearing Franz Ferdinand's libidinous, polymorphous single Do You Want To blaring out in the middle of all this, but maybe building sites are more liberal places than when I spent my summers on them in the late 1970s. In truth, a radio station for the building trade - complete with appropriate advertising - seems a bit of a no-brainer. A radio is as essential a bit of kit onsite as a cement mixer and a spirit level. My last summer working with my dad - on a roof in County Londonderry back in 1980 - was soundtracked by Radio 1: Dexys, Grace Jones, Simon Bates's Golden Hour and Paul Burnett. (You never hear much about Paul Burnett these days, do you? I've just looked him up. Now in his eighties, he's still with us, hurrah, and even turns up occasionally on Boom Radio.) Funnily enough, I've been thinking back to my days as a labourer of late. Charlie Orr, my dad's workmate and friend, passed away the other week. He was a good man, kind to the fundamentally useless, dreamy teenage boy I was back then. He tolerated me playing Radio 1 all the time for a start. I'm ashamed to say I never asked him what music he liked. To be honest, I wasn't really expecting Charlie to turn up in this column, but he deserves to be remembered and so here we are. Anyway, it's not all banter and Boo Radley tunes on Fix Radio. Clive Holland - formerly of BBC One, GMTV and Channel 4 - presents a discussion show every weekday lunchtime. On Monday the topic was the impact of migration on the building trade. The impact of legal migration, Holland was at pains to point out. Mostly, the discussion amounted to Holland reading out messages from his listeners. The messages were actually rather more nuanced than you might have expected, with much talk of skill shortages post-Brexit. Further proof that we shouldn't stereotype anyone. That said, the Prime Minister probably shouldn't tune in if he's wanting an ego boost. From immigration to Eurovision. I was out on Saturday night so only joined Radio 2's coverage of the contest after all the performances had been completed. Rylan and Scott Mills were on duty. I tuned it just as they were talking over the Swiss performers who were filling the interval slot like a pair of over-caffeinated schoolboys. Ugh. Admittedly, I've never really warmed to Mills as a broadcaster (my failing, not his), but he was definitely invested in the proceedings. And it was clear (and quite amusing) that both men were 'fuming' when the UK entry Remember Monday received 'nul points' in the public vote. 'That's ridiculous …Ridiculous … I can't …' Rylan gasped, lost for words for once. 'That's made me quite upset,' Mills raged. He was all the more so when 258 points were then awarded to Estonia. How long before Reform calls for a referendum on leaving Eurovision? Listen Out For: Radio 2 in Concert, Thursday, May 29, 7pm If your tastes are more Britpop than Europop, you might enjoy this. A world exclusive session from Sheffield's finest, Pulp, recorded at the BBC Radio Theatre. They've got a new album coming out, you might have heard. So have Suede, come to think of it. And it won't be long before those Oasis gigs. It's 1995 all over again.
Daily Mirror
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Dizzee Rascal ditches fame and makes huge career change as plasterer
Dizzee Rascal has revealed that he decided to re-train as a plasterer while during lockdown and was not recognised by his fellow students until at the end of the course He has five No.1 singles under his belt but it seems Dizzee Rascal felt the need to explore a new career path, while during the pandemic. Dizzee has now that he signed up to train as a plasterer during lockdown. The 40 year old rapper, who fast became a well respected grime artist among his peers during the height of his fame, explained why he splashed out £1,495 during lockdown to learn a new skill. Having completed the course, Dizzee, who is known to his family as Dylan Mills, received a certificate which states that he is now a qualified plasterer. The music artist trained at the Able Skills Construction Training in Dartford, Kent. During a recent interview he admitted to Fix Radio: "I did a plastering course for however long. I forgot how to do it, I got the certificate and everything." He added: "In the pandemic yeah, for some reason I felt like I needed to learn to do stuff. Big up able skills It was wicked." Considering his high profile status as a rapper, you'd think that he would be easily recognised. But it seems some of the course students didn't know who he was until the end. He continued to explain: "Towards the end there was a couple dudes I've been with them for weeks. They were like 'Hey oh my God it's you, hey man, he's rich man, he's famous man'. Right at the end is when they clocked it." It looks as though his course in plastering was clearly a hobby rather than a career change as he returned to the stage amid a UK tour last year. This celebrated 15 years since the release of his album Tongue n Cheek. Dizzee launched his career in the UK music industry in 2003 following his debut album Boy in da Corner. Speaking to the Mirror last year, Dizzee opened up about why having a hefty bank balance isn't important to him. He explained: "If I'm honest, you learn to appreciate it as you go along. It's harder in the music industry, it's easier in some ways and harder in some ways. "I appreciate all the hard work that I put in when I was younger. My first album came out when I was 18, I kept ploughing through from then, and at this point I'm grateful. I've got fans that have stuck by me for so long. It sounds like an anti-climax but I just get on with it, keep going." "You can argue 20 years since my first album and two years on the underground before that," he said reflecting on the changes in the music industry. Dizzee went on to add that "every few years, the game changes anyway." He continued: "At this point, I'm not even focused on how much money I make from the music. "That's the big thing for today, I'm just really pleased that I've got the fan engagement, that's why I love the live shows, especially around the UK – I get to see parts of the country, the parts that you would never get to go to other than from a show. I'd accept certain festivals, not for the money, just to see that part of the country." "The one thing with the live shows, you bring the music to life," he said, adding that his live performances allow fans to get to know the real "Dylan" and "inspire them to be rappers or performers". He added: "After the pandemic, I was one of the first live shows some kids saw." But Dizzee, who often steers away from the media commented: "At the beginning, I never wanted to be out there, I remember not wanting to go to my first video shoot, I didn't want to be in it. I understood it didn't make sense to not be in it but I've always wanted to let the music do the talking. "I've not done too much antics outside of it so it didn't take away from that." However, he understands that some musicians "play the game."
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Noughties British rapper with five No.1 singles reveals he has retrained as a plasterer and nobody realised who he was until the end of the course
One of the most successful British rapper's with five No.1 singles has revealed he retrained as a plasterer and nobody knew who he was. Dizzee Rascal, 40, whose real name is Dylan Kwabena Mills, told how he paid £1,495 during the pandemic to enrol in the course and learn the new skill. The performer explained that he completed the course and received a certificate, which confirms he is qualified in City and Guilds Certificate in Plastering. Dizzee enrolled onto the course at the Able Skills Construction Training in Dartford, Kent, during the Covid 19 pandemic after becoming keen to learn a new skill. The course gives trainees the option to do Monday to Friday over four weeks or six weekends with a nine day block. The star admitted that he has already forgotten the skills he learned on the course and explained his reasons for doing it. He said: 'I did a plastering course for however long. I forgot how to do it, I got the certificate and everything. 'In the pandemic yeah, for some reason I felt like I needed to learn to do stuff. Big up able skills It was wicked.' - But Dizzee claims other people on the course were 'miffed' about him enrolling he also told Fix Radio: 'People were miffed, when I get in the queue people were like 'What's he doing here'. However, others that he had spent weeks with didn't recognise him and only clocked towards the end of the course that he was a famous rapper. He said: 'Towards the end there was a couple dudes I've been with them for weeks. They were like "Hey oh my God it's you, hey man, he's rich man, he's famous man". 'Right at the end is when they clocked it.' Despite his foray into blue collar-work, Dizzee returned with a UK tour last year to celebrate 15 years since the release of his groundbreaking album Tongue n' Cheek. The rapper burst onto the UK hip-hop scene with his Mercury Prize-winning debut album Boy in da Corner in 2003. Dizzee, who got his start as a DJ at the tender age of 14, parlayed that early success into a career that has spanned 25 years and prompted many to dub him a pioneer of UK hip-hop and grime music. Dizzee has released eight albums, with his 2009 record Tongue n' Cheek peaking at number three on the UK album charts. He has also scored four number one UK singles – Dance Wiv Me, Bonkers, Holiday and Dirtee Disco, and collaborated with the likes of Robbie Williams, Calvin Harris, and Ty Dolla Sign. His long career has not been without controversy though, with the rapper convicted of assaulting his former partner Cassandra Jones in 2022. An appeal against his conviction was dismissed in January 2023 and he received a community order that included a 24-week curfew and a retraining order preventing him from contacting Cassandra for 12 months. The rapper lost an appeal against the conviction in 2023. In a statement released after Dizzee lost the appeal, Cassandra, who shares two children with the star, said the appeal had been 'hugely upsetting' for her, adding the experience has helped her understand why 'so many women drop out of the criminal justice system'. 'This verdict today once again shows wealth and status cannot be used to silence women,' she said in the statement. 'Domestic abuse is a crime impacting one in four women in their lifetime. 'I would like to thank my family and friends and the specialist organisations who have supported me throughout and also say to other women experiencing abuse that regardless of money or influence, support is out there, and you are not alone.'
The Irish Sun
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Rapper with four UK number ones reveals he's retrained as a plasterer after being found guilty of assault
RAPPER Dizzee Rascal has got a secret side from his typical stage persona after secretly becoming a qualified plasterer. The Advertisement 5 Dizzee Rascal trained up as a plasterer during the Covid pandemic Credit: Getty - Contributor 5 The star said that other trainees were 'miffed' that he was there Credit: Getty However, his career was derailed when he was But Dizzee has now revealed that, prior to this, he took part in a new qualification during the Covid-19 pandemic. Forking out £1,495 for the course at Able Skills Construction Training in Dartford, Kent, Dizzee is now fully-certified plasterer. Speaking to Fix Radio (via NeedToKnow), the singer said: 'I did a plastering course for however long. Advertisement READ MORE DIZZEE RASCAL 'I forgot how to do it, I got the certificate and everything. 'In the pandemic yeah, for some reason I felt like I needed to learn to do stuff. 'Big up Able Skills. It was wicked.' However, he added that he wasn't initially welcomed by the others taking part on the part-time course, explaining: 'People were miffed, when I got in the queue people were like 'What's he doing here?' Advertisement Most read in Showbiz Warning 'Towards the end there was a couple dudes, I've been with them for weeks. 'They were like 'Hey oh my God it's you, hey man, he's rich man, he's famous man'. Dizzee Rascal, 37, avoids jail after attacking ex-girlfriend and shoving her to the ground 'Right at the end is when they clocked it.' The star got the certificate before his conviction, which he tried unsuccessfully to overturn in 2023. Advertisement He was able to swerve a jail sentence at the time, instead having to wear an electronic tag for 24 weeks after being handed a community order. As part of the rules of the tag, he had a curfew between 8pm and 6am. He was also slapped with a 12-month restraining order and ordered to pay £2,190 prosecution costs and a £95 victim surcharge. Prior to his arrest, he Advertisement 5 The star's chart-topping career stalled after he was convicted of assault in 2022 Credit: Redferns 5 The singer said he has already forgotten how to do the skill despite forking out over £1.4k on the course Credit: Getty - Contributor 5 Dizzee tried to appeal his conviction in 2023 but was unsuccessful Credit: Handout - Getty
