Musical Imperialism

As verbally abusive to each other as brothers, it's hard to imagine that exchange students Philip "George" Robb, English major from the University of Bristol and Charles Smart, economics and politics major from the University of Edinburgh, were strangers three months ago.

At times wry, self-deprecating, or both, the novice radio hosts shared their story about designing King George's and Prince Charles' Musical Imperialism, a Richmond campus radio show featuring British rock; their musical influences; and the hazards of playing guitar late-night on campus. 

Listen to George and Charles on the air

How did you land in the studio at WDCE?

G: We saw them at the activities fair.

So, you had experience in radio?

G: Not really, actually.

C: I don't think either of us came to Richmond hoping or expecting to do a radio show.

What music are both of you into?

G: There is a bit of a clash there on some levels. We're both into different stuff.

What do you like?

C: Well, it's cliché to say "everything," isn't it? I try to listen to as broad a range of stuff as possible. To be honest, when I hear someone say that, I think that they don't have proper taste; because they just say they listen to everything...

G: I am also into a range of stuff, probably slightly more accessible than Charles' taste in the sense that you can actually listen to it without being in pain.

C: The pain of discovery, George.

How did you agree to host the show together when you have such different tastes in music?

G: When we first got here, we were still on the high of our accent. We thought, we can do a radio show and broadcast our accent...

C: It's George's way of meeting girls.

[Seriously], for the '60s and '70s, I did the entire playlist, because George wasn't really interested. From the '80s onwards, there's not really any argument whatsoever on the music.

How does it feel to assert your taste on the public?

G: Our peak was 12 listeners. We don't really get much feedback.

Do you guys play?

G: I played in a band for a little bit. I played bass, drums, and guitar.

C: I bought a guitar out here because it's one of those things I enjoy. I occasionally go out and play by the fountain.

G: Yeah, he's one of those ones.

C: It's like 4 a.m. And, this girl came out one night and said, "This is my area," and I said, "What do you mean?" She said, "I play guitar here, not you."

It seems it's a very exclusive spot. Other than that, piano, ukulele, saxophone, mandolin.

Who were the musical influences in your life?

G: It's a sort of thing I picked up by myself. But, my dad I suppose he got a bit annoyed because I was listening to rubbish music so he made me listen to some good stuff.

C: Like what?

G: Like classics like David Bowie. That kind of thing. Then I suppose it progressed from there onwards really. It was mostly an individual thing I did by myself.

C: My father is quite into music. He got me more into the jazz and classical side of it. I guess it was the same thing; it was sort of my personal thing. My dad gave me a sort of old record player. And, that sort of got me going into record shops and seeking out vinyl.

Two of my favorite artists are American: Tim Buckley and Jackson C. Frank. I am here next semester as well, so I might try to get my own show where I can just even more brutally impose my musical tastes.

G: Our numbers will go down from 12 to two.

How about when you go back home?

G: When I go back, I'm going to do a show with my friends.

Tell me about musical imperialism.

G: Well, I like to think it was a reassertion of British power in our own small way, in the campus bubble. We wanted to reassert the superiority of English music over American music.

Although rooted in American R&B...

G: Yeah...

C: Yeah, that's the ironic thing. Most of the music comes from America.

Photo: George Robb faces the music in the WDCE studio at North Court.