Welcome to the French Music Podcast UK. We are a not for profit organisation producing a weekly English language, French music podcast & French music radio show on French Radio London, in association with The French Music Office, London and in partnership with Francophonie Diffusion, Paris.
...French Music In Plain English...
The "French Music Podcast UK" began it's life in 1997 as "Mangetout!" a weekly 1hr long student radio show on Subcity (Glasgow University). In 1998 the show changed to "Mange2!" and was syndicated to 17 student radio stations throughout the United Kingdom (including Fresh Air (Edinburgh University), Raw (Warwick University) and Fusion (Strathclyde University)), with the support of Olivier Poivre d'Arvor of the French Embassy, the Alliance Francaise, London and Francodiff, Paris.
Very few of the original recordings exist, however the link above will direct you to three short clips including the introduction to the second "Mangetout!" show recorded in March 1997. In 1998 a two part series entitled "Ici Paris - 10th Anniversary of the Rex Club, Paris" was commissioned by the SRN (Student Radio Network, now known as the SRA or Student Radio Association) and broadcast via Satellite. This led to an on-going association between Parris and the French Music Office, Paris & London, instigated by the former director Marie-Agnes Beau, and later under Patrice Hourbette. In 1999 IASTAR Europe, expressed an interest in a joint venture throughout the entire european student radio network, however this failed to transpire due to European Union funding issues.
Whilst on air at Subcity, Parris had his proudest and equally most embarrassing radio moment...
Subcity visit from Steve Lamacq & John Peel (C) reserved
In 2001 the "French Music Ezine UK" was created with the tagline "French Music In Plain English", as a precursor to micro-blogging. The website proved exceptionally popular as it attracted over 3,000 regular readers and even drew comment from Patrice Gelle (at the time launching MTV Europe) who declared the French Music Ezine "...a truly cool site". This site ran for approximately three years.
FME UK led to Parris being asked in 2001 to collate and edit the music section of a website and magazine in the United States for a company based in Washington. The site is no longer available. Parris also assisted with the 2002 Music Works convention in Glasgow in conjunction with the French Music Office, London to promote French music in the United Kingdom.
For the next few years Parris continued to produce French radio shows, regularly DJ under the moniker DJ Parris and assisted the French Music Office, London with UK promotion, organising various Fete de la musique events, producing promotional material and assisting in an advisory capacity.
In 2010 Parris assisted the Alliance Francaise de Glasgow to attract female French DJChristine Indigo to perform in Bar Brel, Ashton Lane as part of Fete de la Musique. The then director of the Alliance Francaise, Jerome Richalot and Parris met several times to discuss proposals for the event and during the course of the conversation laid the foundations for the French Music Podcast UK. In depth discussions took place between Ben Ling, Cecile Communal, Patrice Hourbette and Parris regarding the shape of the podcasts and initially a 30 minute fortnightly show was proposed and launched in 2011.
In 2011 Parris was interviewed by French journalist Amandine Jean for an article regarding French music in UK based French magazine "Ici Londres". Parris also assisted at the Francofolies festival 2011, but sadly, for the second year running missed out on attending Transmusicales de Rennes. Vicat Olivier has continuously assisted with theFrench Music Podcast UK Facebook page throughout this period.
Due to university commitments, Parris had to take a back step and cancel podcasts until discussions began with French Radio London to reinstate an hour long weekly show every Friday between 8 and 9pm (GMT+1), which launched on June 22nd to coincide with Fete de la musique 2012, and brought to an end the link between the shows and student radio in favour of commercial radio. Parris completed his first series of FMP UK on French Radio London on 31st August 2012. An archive of radio shows is available here.
On 7th April 2012 Parris was proud to receive a GCUSA Star Award as a joint award with fellow Radio Caley committee member, Euan MacLean for their work in student radio.
In July 2012 the French Music Podcast UK website broke 10,000+ views, by August 2012 the figure had jumped to over 12,000. iTunes downloads of the podcast topped 700+ per episode, which by October 2012 topped 2000+ for the last episode in FRL Series 1.
In early October 2012 we discovered that we had been nominated for an EPA (European Podcast Award) 2012. Voting ends in January 2013, so please feel free to visit the official EPA website, take a listen and vote if you like.
Series 2 of the French Music Podcast UK available on French Radio London concluded on the 28th December 2012. Previous editions of the show can be found on our podcast page.
We remain not-for-profit and dedicated to ensuring that French bands get airplay within the UK. We've thus far provided airplay to approximately 4,600+ individual artists since 1991 when Parris began appearing on radio.
Whilst on air at Subcity, Parris had his proudest and equally most embarrassing radio moment...
"...Subcity won 'Best student radio award 1997' and as part of their prize they had a visit from two famous BBC One presenters. I had no idea this was taking place and whilst on-air presenting "Mangetout!" live, in walks John Peel, probably my favourite DJ of all time. What followed was 17 seconds of dead air as my brain accepted events. John Peel simply said 'You might want to say something about now...'".
In 2001 the "French Music Ezine UK" was created with the tagline "French Music In Plain English", as a precursor to micro-blogging. The website proved exceptionally popular as it attracted over 3,000 regular readers and even drew comment from Patrice Gelle (at the time launching MTV Europe) who declared the French Music Ezine "...a truly cool site". This site ran for approximately three years.
French Music Ezine, Oct. 2002
France Vision Jan 2001 edition
For the next few years Parris continued to produce French radio shows, regularly DJ under the moniker DJ Parris and assisted the French Music Office, London with UK promotion, organising various Fete de la musique events, producing promotional material and assisting in an advisory capacity.
In 2010 Parris assisted the Alliance Francaise de Glasgow to attract female French DJChristine Indigo to perform in Bar Brel, Ashton Lane as part of Fete de la Musique. The then director of the Alliance Francaise, Jerome Richalot and Parris met several times to discuss proposals for the event and during the course of the conversation laid the foundations for the French Music Podcast UK. In depth discussions took place between Ben Ling, Cecile Communal, Patrice Hourbette and Parris regarding the shape of the podcasts and initially a 30 minute fortnightly show was proposed and launched in 2011.
In 2011 Parris was interviewed by French journalist Amandine Jean for an article regarding French music in UK based French magazine "Ici Londres". Parris also assisted at the Francofolies festival 2011, but sadly, for the second year running missed out on attending Transmusicales de Rennes. Vicat Olivier has continuously assisted with theFrench Music Podcast UK Facebook page throughout this period.
Ici Londres June 2011 édition featuring a music article
On 7th April 2012 Parris was proud to receive a GCUSA Star Award as a joint award with fellow Radio Caley committee member, Euan MacLean for their work in student radio.
In July 2012 the French Music Podcast UK website broke 10,000+ views, by August 2012 the figure had jumped to over 12,000. iTunes downloads of the podcast topped 700+ per episode, which by October 2012 topped 2000+ for the last episode in FRL Series 1.
In early October 2012 we discovered that we had been nominated for an EPA (European Podcast Award) 2012. Voting ends in January 2013, so please feel free to visit the official EPA website, take a listen and vote if you like.
Series 2 of the French Music Podcast UK available on French Radio London concluded on the 28th December 2012. Previous editions of the show can be found on our podcast page.
We remain not-for-profit and dedicated to ensuring that French bands get airplay within the UK. We've thus far provided airplay to approximately 4,600+ individual artists since 1991 when Parris began appearing on radio.
Thanks
We would especially like to thank Patrice Hourbette, Cecile Communal & Ben Ling (French Music Office), my dear friend Marie-Agnes Beau (BAM!), Jerome Richalot (Lyon University) the many bands, labels, musicians, promoters and supporters who have contributed to the various radio shows, podcasts and blogs we have produced since the beginning. We estimate that we have played in excess of 6,000 tracks and promoted nearly 4,600 individual artists and groups since 1991.
Thanks also to Olivier Jauffrit and the entire French Radio London team.
A special thank you goes to Sebastien Jouan (former co-host and founder of "Mangetout!"), Colette Nicholson (former co-host and producer of Mange2) and the volunteers, presenters and friends at the 17 original University radio stations throughout the United Kingdom whom have hosted our shows through the years! Thank you!
Also, thanks to Jaki Spiers (Caledonian University), Jenna Simpson (my former co-host at Radio Caley), James Macguire (Capital FM), Kevin Porteous (formerly of Caledonian University), the staff of Subcity (Glasgow University), Fusion (Strathclyde University) & Radio Caley (Caledonian University) where I cut my radio teeth.
And last, but by no means least, you...the listener!
Merci Beacoup!
