The Pop Corporation

It is an unlikely pairing, but Timmy Mallett (yep, that very same one) has unveiled a never-heard-before mix (at least in digital form) of Terry Hall presenting a radio show of songs that mean a great deal to him.

Mallett was a DJ on Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio and had a show where he allowed pop stars to present their own specials. Now, please be aware that the name of the show in 2022 might raise an eyebrow, so be aware that the word in question is meant to be an abbreviation of ‘transistor’, as in ‘transistor radio’ – don’t worry, he’s not been a bad egg.

Mallett tweeted that he’s been digitising a lot of his archives which effectively, have been sat in his loft. With the untimely passing of Terry Hall, he’s shared something he did with The Specials frontman, and genuinely, it is very lovely indeed.

Mallett: “I asked 25 year old Terry Hall if he’d like to have a go at presenting his own show. There were just the two of us in studio 2 at Piccadilly Radio with a pile of records and a delightful shy and slightly nervous Terry. I played the records in real time, and encouraged him to tell his story and he gets more confident as the show progresses.”

“Enjoy the revelation of his inspirations and a personal insight into the processes of his recording. There are some joyous surprises coming up”

You’ll be thrilled to hear Hall’s inclusion of Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes for starters, but there’s a lot to love in this show. Stick it on while you’re dossing in the office, or pottering around the house before Xmas well and truly kicks in. There’s Gang of Four, Madonna, The Go-Gos, Doobie Brothers, XTC and loads of great anecdotes from the man himself.

Here’s the show.