In the past week my entire music listening process has changed, and it’s all down to the emergence of something called NTS. No, it’s not some horrific hearing problem; it’s a new radio station broadcasting straight out of East London. Having only launched on Monday, it’s already fair to say it’s difficult to imagine life without it.

The station has been set up by Mr. Wonderful (Femi Adeyemi) and Clair Urbahn, who have been working solidly over the past year collecting every favor they can to put the studio together and instigate all the other stuff nobody ever tells you about before you set out to do something like this.

We caught up with the pair behind the portal to find out a little more about what sets NTS apart, though before you continue, I urge you to open their site in a new window – to soundtrack the whole thing –

http://www.ntslive.co.uk/

So what are your backgrounds in music and radio?
Femi – I’ve been involved in pirate radio from the age of 17 – first setting up a pirate radio station with a group of friends that closed down before we even agreed on a name for it. I’ve been a music lover all my life though – really my first musical interest was in post punk, no wave, and grunge rock. Growing up in Lagos and Inner city London though you soon find another interest to fit in with your peers.
Now my musical interests spans all genres particularly in jazz, house, techno and psych rock. I host a monthly event alongside Benny Blanco and Judah at Plastic People called NONSENSE – and also Dj whenever I get booked.
Clair - I studied radio in ’99 – it was so long ago we were taught how to edit audio on reels and cut and splice. I’ve worked in radio since I was too 18 and too interested in getting drunk to produce a proper breakfast show… worked through various unpleasant commercial stations and onto radioactive.co.nz, which allowed me to produce events/shows as I saw fit. It was a lot of fun and independently owned so total freedom. Good music. Good dj’s. Active basically set the standard for me. Now I just can’t do commercial or government run stations.

Who or what has really influenced your love of radio over the years?
Femi – John Peel, the emergences of Rinse fm as a real force and I love the BBC (radio at least), always have. I think its something we should be proud of, and the internet – the amount of incredible independent radio stations you find out on the internet is immeasurable.
Clair – Anything independently owned/underground or grassroots. Resonance really impressed me with their programme when it first arrived.. As has WFMU.

What has it that made you feel the need to set up a radio station of your own?
Femi – Apart from always wanting to run my own radio station – I’ve always felt like most traditional radio stations have been very restricted in their broadcasting, which may suit some people, but for someone like myself and many others out there we need radio to be slightly more challenging and interesting.
It’s not TV where images can distract, if you cant grab me aurally then I switch off. It’s almost like having a boring one-sided conversation with someone. It’s part of the reason a younger generation of listener is moving towards the internet to find alternate, less restricted forms of radio. We provide that alternative.
Clair – being able to format 24/7 worth of a communication platform is pretty cool. You do one radio show and you’ll see the fun behind radio. We both felt there was something missing..

What do you see as the ethos behind the station?
Femi – It’s simple. You love what you do, like music for example, so use NTS as a platform to get it to a wider audience.
Clair – A collective of people interested in sharing interesting things.

I know you’re not going to say which show is your favorite so far; obviously it’s all good. So maybe just reel off whoever springs to mind in terms of:

- What show are you not actually too sure what it’s going to be like until it starts?
Femi – My show (diplomatic answer). Clair and I had over 200 applications for shows. We didn’t expect half of that, the hardest part has been pulling out what we thought would be best suited, but we are very confident about everything we have. My show because I play a whole hour of free jazz and I haven’t brushed up on my knowledge of the genre – it’s a bottomless pit.
Clair – Hahaha, Femi’s show (non-diplomatic answer)!! Free jazz, I love it – but do you?

- What show is going to cure a hangover?
Femi – Gilded Sound Reflection and Launnettes hour might do the trick – but then there’s Sunday Matinee show – either one of them will cure a hangover.

- Who the coldest?
Femi – Coldest in a good way or bad way?

A good way..
Femi – Coldest in a good way – Devil Voodoo w/ Joel Cahen.

- Where’s the party at?
Femi – The party is at Trauma w/Ewa.
Clair – James’ Show

Well, there we have it. Here’s to an exciting new adventure in sound. Nuts to Soup. Broadcasting and ever-lasting.