Mike Sweeney (DJ)

Mike Sweeney (DJ)
This article is about the British broadcaster. For the American musician, see Mike Sweeney (musician)

Michael Thomas Sweeney (born 15 September 1947, Salford) is a broadcaster and radio DJ, who was born in Rudman Street, Salford, Lancashire.

He attended Mount Carmel School, after which he worked at AEI in Trafford Park, before becoming a platelayer at the docks, a labourer, a miner and then a computer programmer, while performing in a local rock band known as the Salford Jets, as singer and songwriter during the late 1970s and early 1980s, who had one hit single that reached #72 in the UK Singles Charts in 1980.[1]

By the age of 33 he was regularly broadcasting on Manchester's Piccadilly radio station, and had begun to include short interviews in his show, when he was offered a 12 show trial as one of the station's disc jockeys, where it was thought that his strong regional accent would go down well with local audiences. By 1981 he was occupying prime time slots on the station, which continued well into the late 1990s, and he branched out into interviewing, sports reportage and documentaries. He has continued to play football, has boxed for Salford Lads' Club and swum for the city, as well as continuing as a lively and respected local broadcaster.

He then became a DJ on Capital Gold in London,the first presenter on that station with a northern accent, where he presented the morning show on Monday-Friday 10.00am-1.00pm, the Capital Gold Rock Show on Friday nights and Mike Sweeney's 60s Classics & At the Hop on Saturday nights, until the station merged with Classic Gold, now named "Gold" (radio), where he was the presenter of the weekday drivetime slot. Mike's programmes for Gold finished in the summer of 2009.

Mike is currently working for 106.1 Real XS (formally Rock Radio Manchester, breakfast show from 6am until 10am. Mike also has a musical side: he still sings with The Salford Jets and an acoustic offshoot The Road Runners. In the summer of 2010 Mike was fronting the new line-up of 60's legends The Swinging Blue Jeans.Mike also takes lead vocals with 60s hit band The Minbenders[2]

On the TV front Mike's 15 year old Elvis Has Just Left The Building is still showing on Sky's Men and Motors. He also presented The Manchester United Debate Show on Channel M from 2007–2009 and a classic car series for Sky in 2000.

Mike's radio awards include two from New York, a Sony in 2002 and Guardian Media Group's Presenter Of The Year in 2009

References

  1. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Biography: Salford Jets". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p687994/biography. Retrieved 4 June 2010. 
  2. ^ http://www.dansatak.com/artiste.asp?StageName=SWINGING%20BLUE%20JEANS%20(60s%20Artiste)

External links


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