Surrey Rocks, OK (Eagle 96.4)

Member Name: grahamt

Product:	Eagle 96.4
Date:	27/08/05 (406 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great music, entertaining presenters, good local information

Disadvantages: Poor reception beyond the "border".

Bodyrockers, Joss Stone, Kylie, Evanescence, D:ream, Jamelia, Beverley Knight, Genesis, Oasis, Blur, Franz Ferdinand, Travis, Keane, K T Tunstall, McFly, Justin Timberlake, Liberty X, James Blunt, Craig David, Charlotte Church, Green Day, Lee Ryan, Texas, Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, The Black Eyed Peas, Destiny’s Child, Outkast.

What do all of these have in common? They are all the sort of artists you will hear on Surrey’s local radio station, 96.4 The Eagle. If this is not your sort of music then this is not your sort of station. Fortunately for me, this is exactly my sort of music.

In fact, I think that they are telepathic. I was daydreaming one day and suddenly thought, “You know what I haven’t heard for ages? Roachford’s Cuddly Toy”. Within half an hour they had played it! Coincidence?

Does that make them MOR? No, I don’t think that’s quite fair. They’re certainly not another Magic FM. But what you won’t hear is endless Rap. I also don’t think I’ve ever heard Emenem either but then for that relief much thanks.

Actually, The Eagle advertises itself as Surrey and Hampshire’s radio station but it is actually based in Surrey, with it’s studios in Guildford. It originally came on air in 1996. It claims its target audience is 25 to 54 so I suppose that should exclude me! Maybe I never grew up? The also claim 145,000 listeners per week. I’m one of those.

Over the years I’ve been a regular with a number of stations, ever since we moved to this part of the country. When we lived in Southport I always listened to Rock FM from Preston and this was the standard by which I judged all other stations.

When we moved south I first tuned in to Capital. I’ve always been a fan of Chris Tarrant and, since my listening was limited to the mornings, from getting up, to the drive to work, his show nicely filled the time. Of course, I also listened to the same station on the way home, although the traffic reports were really not of much help on my journey. Still, the music was good.

Eventually I started to find Tarrant stale. Even before he left, I was off looking for a new and more engaging station. Initially I switched to Virgin but I’m afraid that Chris Evans just leaves me cold. Even before he left, once again I was on the move.

My next home was Heart. At last I thought I had found a station I could enjoy. In those early days I actually liked listening to Jono Coleman. His banter with his various sidekicks was entertaining. Perhaps I should have seen the writing on the wall (and so should the Heart management) when in short order all of his “assistants” moved on, some to other schedules, others to leave the station completely. My feeling was that Coleman long outstayed his welcome. Long before he left for LBC he had become tedious, predictable and definitely not funny. I had left them long before then.

I wasn’t initially even aware of The Eagle. Where I am I am towards the limit of its broadcast range. Indeed, reception becomes definitely very iffy as I make my way across the Surrey/Berkshire border in the mornings. Crossing Windsor Great Park I almost completely lose them. It’s even worse ion the way home but that’s probably because the car aerial is in the back window and that’s on the wrong side of the car then.

However, once I had found them it took very little time to decide that they were definitely for me. Not one of the records they played in the first hour was one that would normally have me looking for a new station. There are not many stations that have listened to that can claim that.

When my clock/radio wakes me up in the morning it is to the PG and Bev show. PG is Peter Gordon, who is also The Eagle’s Programme Director. Bev is Bev Fullen, or was as, as I write she is on her honeymoon, so PG is on his own. If the name Bev Fullen sounds familiar then, like me, you have been a fan of 90’s Geordie Girl Band, Hepburn. She was their original drummer but left before their 15 minutes of fame as one-hit wonders with, ironically, “I Quit”.

The interchange between PG and Bev is amusing and at times a bit “edgy”. I sometimes wonder is she gives him a good thumping during the records!

The morning show features a few competitions but if you’re looking for the Capital-style £100,000 bonanzas you won’t find them here. I doubt The Eagle has that sort of budget. The sort of competition that have is 10 questions in 1 minute, to win £1,000. You do get a bit of help though because they pre-announce 3 of the questions so you can research the answers if you need to. There also the usual “local” prizes such as free tickets to local attractions.

The Drive Home show is hosted by Kim Robson. Here the traffic reports are definitely of more use than those of the London stations to which I previously listened. The music mix is the same. Weekends I’ll usually have them playing until something comes on the TV that I want to watch, usually sport, motor racing, footy, cricket...

Let’s face it, you really listen for the music and The Eagle doesn’t overdo the chat at the expense of the music. You never feel like saying, “Enough. Put on another record”. And the music is always spot-on, at least, it is for me.

The station broadcasts on 96.4FM, as you would expect from the name. As with most radio stations, they also broadcast on digital radio (DAB). More importantly, if you live anywhere in the World, you can catch them on the Web. They broadcast live on www.964eagle.co.uk.

So, wherever you are, if you want to find out if The Eagle might be for you, give them a try. If you do and send in a request or enter one of their competitions, tell them where you found out about them, on Dooyoo. Oh, and tell them to ignore the other review.

Summary: Surrey and Hampshire's local radio station