WEDNESDAY 23 JANUARY

THE THEME MUSIC PROJECT
As I have already mentioned, the idea of recycling used theme music - on the very sensible basis that the BBC is unable, and disinclined, to provide The Nightshift with its own - has been well and truly scuppered. However, as the most boring Management Trainer in the history of that despicable profession once said to me, ‘every problem is also an opportunity’.
With my truckshunting head held high and a posture reflecting - I hope - my undefeated state of mind, I have decided to turn this catastrophe to our advantage. The Honourable Company of Truckshunters - you - will decide what The Nightshift theme should be. Even if we have to write it ourselves.

I’m serious about this. I’m looking for your suggestions here. And not in ordinary, think-of-a-piece-of-tatty-old-music-that-says-’nighttime’ kind of way. I want the task to be undertaken consideratively (is that a proper word?). I’d like you to think about this! There are, after all, several hundred thousand bits of music that could be used, from Claire de Lune to The Night Has A Thousand Eyes. So here are some guidelines for you....

The theme must be a ‘snippet’ rather than the whole shebang. A Night On Bald Mountain is a truly stirring piece but the programme would be half-over before I even got to say 'You’re listening to Radio Newcastle, the BBC for the North-East.....'

The ‘snippet’ should say what it needs to say in less than a minute - otherwise we’d all die of boredom after a few nights. So the opening riff - or the first few bars - should be striking enough to make the statement.

It should be instrumental - or the instrumental part of a track that otherwise includes singing later on. Shirley Bassey or Coldplay warbling us into the programme each night just isn’t on.

It doesn't need to be slow or downbeat, either. In fact, it needs to make a strong, overt statement at the top of the programme. So something fairly 'muscular' may be just the ticket. Think laterally and be creative!

And it could be original. If you think that you - or someone you know - has the ability to write a royalty-free melody and donate it to The Nightshift, then go for it. Naturally, you will also need to be able to record it, or arrange for it to be recorded. Note, however, that ‘royalty-free’.

This is not a competition. Although I will try to keep you abreast of suggestions, there will be no vote. If I can, I’ll play some of your suggestions to elicit your reactions to them. I’ll certainly keep you informed of the ideas that, I’m sure, will come flooding in. I’m the producer/presenter so I will decide on the final selection! So there.

As you’d expect, I’ve got some thoughts of my own but I’d rather the inspiration came from you. So take your time. Think about it. Have a shufty through your memory and/or your record collection. You’ve got about 3 weeks. Enjoy!

WEBSITES
The websites I mentioned on this morning’s programme were wikipedia.com (the online encyclopedia) and megalithic.co.uk (for details of prehistoric sites all over the UK). I downloaded the picture above from whatatop.com, one of many good sites for photographs.

CONTACT ME
Post comments on this blog or contact me in any one (or more) of these ways....
ian.robinson@bbc.co.uk
ianstuartrobinson@googlemail.com
text 07786 200954 (while the programme is on-air)
call (between about 0545 and 0630 Monday to Friday) 0191 232 6565
Ian Robinson, The Nightshift, BBC Radio Newcastle, Spital Tongues, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE99 1RN

NOTE
Please bear in mind that the views expressed in this blog are my own and NOT the views of the BBC.