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Paul Gallagher

Paul Gallagher

Tour & Radio DJ

Who are you?

PAUL GALLAGHER

Where are you based?

LONDON, UK

Where do you work? What do you do?

I FLOAT… NO SERIOUSLY I DJ & TAKE STILL IMAGES WITH MY CAMERA

What are you listening to?

Right, this minute… Gaz Coombes (Supergrass), The Districts, Twisted Wheel, Lord Huron, Sunship Balloon.. pure randomness

How do you discover new music?

For the most part, it’s intuition. I wouldn’t go to as many gigs as I used to but I get a hunch on something and follow that path and wherever it goes it goes.

What formats do you usually listen to? LP, CD, Cassette, Digital, Streaming Services and why?

I buy records all the time. Mainly cd format, because you have that physical product and vinyl, is so ludicrously expensive and not to mention cut from cd so I don’t get the half-truth that ‘vinyl’ is better… it’s nonsense unless you have a £10k system. Plus it’s not 1970 anymore.
It took me a while to accept Spotify but now I don’t mind it, it’s good if you know what you like and its mobility is handy.

Where do you do most of your music listening?

If I’m home I’ll whack the stereo on and listen via headphones to protect the neighbours… When I’m out it’s Apple EarPods and my iPhone.

How do you find and listen to pre-release music?

I don’t get sent any music. If I hear something I’ll invest in it… And keep on investing… I find if you get music for free you don’t appreciate it as much.

What are your frustrations with listening to music digitally? Any benefits?

Ha… Nobody sends you anything apart from bad music… OR managers or bands tryna get an ‘IN’.
Otherwise, music is music so whatever platform it arrives it doesn’t really bother me. Digital is great for portability. Can you imagine the frustration of a Sony Walkman or similar in 2020?

How do you keep track of everything you are listening to?

As a DJ I have my own playlists… I don’t promote online. I still think music should be discovered organically.
Nowadays I do a once-monthly radio show on Boogaloo Radio, well I did until the lockdown occurred. I have a microphone at home but I haven’t had the gumption to set it up and go from home. So I get to play what I like on that platform… I’m quite guarded for my sins… Musically anyway.

Do you tip other people off to new music? How?

Now and again I’ll suggest bands to people. I suggested Boy Azooga to my younger brother and he had them on his last UK tour, I just loved the track Loner Boogie.

Anything you want to “promote”?

I find that there is lots of great new music around in 2020… You won’t hear them on any radio stations as most, if not all are commercial these days… But what floats me presently is Father John Misty, Jonathan Wilson, King Gizzard, Baked Beans, Fontaines DC, Yak, Fat White Family, Beak, Ron Gallo, Nude Party, Greys, Ty Segall, Snapped Ankles, Richard Swift, Weird Milk, The Wants to name a few.

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