Gallimore: I still listen to the English stations and pick up a few things. - photos by Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

WHILE LIVING in England, Anthony Gallimore said he was so taken by the diversity of London's music scene that he decided to make broadcasting his career he worked as a radio disc jockey in England, he has been more into the motor-vehicle business since returning home four years ago.

Gallimore, 40, changed gear and got back in the radio groove last week when his 'Saturday Night Takeover' show debuted on the News Talk 93. The show, which runs from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., is part of the former Radio Mona's plans to blend music with its talk format which is driven by the long-running current affairs programme, 'The Breakfast Club'.

The stocky Gallimore recognises that local radio has gone through a major transition since he left Jamaica almost 20 years ago for the UnitedKingdom. He believes breaking a 'talk' station in a competitive music field is his biggest challenge.

"Things are definitely more competitive. I remember in the days when it was just Barry G (disc jockey Barry Gordon) and it was all about talking," he said. "Now, there are more deejays and there's much more music."

Hurdles to jump

Going head to head with established jocks is not the only hurdle Gallimore and his colleagues at News Talk 93 face. There is also the matter of building a comprehensive record library, attracting advertisers and establishing a niche market.

With his car-detailing business located on the same compound as a recording studio, Gallimore says he has forged a solid relationship with some of the big names in the music business, so he is privy to the hottest sounds on the road.

However, he admitted that giving listeners something different on a night when the airwaves are jammed with dancehall and hip hop will be tough.

"I still listen to the English stations and pick up a few things," he said. "I'm looking at a segment where selectors (from sound systems) can send in special mixes as well as what's happening on the scene segment."

Born in Annotto Bay, St. Mary, Gallimore said he grew up in the Mannings Hill Road area of St. Andrew and attended Meadowbrook High School. He immigrated to the U.K. in the 1980s, and resided there for 15 years.

While there, he got into the music scene by operating a record store in London and working as a disc jockey on Rock 2 Rock and Greenwich Community Radio, both underground stations. He holds a degree in mass communications from the University of London.