Billy Jam

**Billy Jam** is a DJ, producer and broadcaster of Irish origins, although active in the USA since the late seventies. In 1984 he started as a radio DJ on KALX, Berkeley, CA and has been on countless radio stations since, promoting mostly hip-hop music. In 1987 he added journalism to his media assault, with publications including: *The Source*, *BOMB*, *Vibe*, *XXL*, *CMJ*, *Hits*, *No Joke*, *Stealth*, *Rap Pages*, *BAM*, *Murder Dog*, *San Francisco Chronicle*, *SF Weekly*, and *The SF Bay Guardian*. In 1998 he began producing music CDs, records, and videos with an emphasis on DJ/turntablist music.

## Links to Janice

*with thanks to HipHopSlam YouTube channel*

Billy Jam came over to England and conducted an interview with Janice at the BBC Radio studios in London, in early 1987. The recording was for KALX 90.7FM and for another radio station back in the Bay Area that Billy DJ'ed on at the time.

In this very frank interview Janice expresses her opinions on day-time Radio 1, playlists and how she goes about searching out new bands via demo tapes and live gigs. Billy Jam mentions The Golden Horde, whose first session was broadcast on 09 June 1986, and which Janice says was her favourite of the year and that it "*has gone out four times now, which is quite unusual*". She mentions that there has been talk about releasing sessions like John Peel has been doing (but she doesn't like the covers!).

Billy Jam asks about Capital Radio but Janice says she doesn't listen to it and prefers BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4. Janice expresses some cynicism on the subject of independent record labels ("*they're all run by accountants*"), although favours the 'independent scene' as they avoid the 'flavour of the month' trend. She says how she wishes music on TV, ie. *Top of the Pops*, was more 'aggressive' and less 'safe' and longs for the 1970s when it was not a programme you could watch with your parents. She says how she missed the punk movement of 1976 as she was living in a tent in Amsterdam, and how on returning to the UK in '77 she had quite a shock. Billy brings Siouxsie and the Banshees into the conversation and Janice says they aren't as good as they used to be, "*which is a shame*", but is not surprised they are still around as they are "*the acceptable face ..of being weird*" (the band has just recorded a new session for Janice).

On the subject of Ireland Janice says she was there with the Radio 1 Roadshow "*last year*" and that her shows feature quite a lot of Irish music. She tips The Christians as a future success, plus Hot House, Pop Will Eat Itself, The Soup Dragons, Age Of Chance ("*they've got to make it this year*"). Pete Shelley is also mentioned and Janice says she keeps *"bumping into him*" although what he is doing now "*is not as good*" as when he was with The Buzzcocks.

At the very end of the interview clip are some short announcements by Janice both recorded off the radio at the time (right after this interview). this would have been on 29 January 1987 as she announces the final track from the Westworld session which was first broadcast on that date. She also announces the new Siouxsie and the Banshees session coming "*on Monday's show*" and that Budgie will also be talking about Brazilian music. A record by Then Jerico is also announced.

### Notes

1. ↑ HipHopSlam states that the interview was done in 'late 1986' although there are several pointers during the interview which suggest it was done in 1987. The short audio clips at the end are definitely taken from the Janice Long show broadcast on 29 Jan 1987.