With a voice as familiar and comforting as a warm mug of hot chocolate, there’s no denying the fact that Ken Bruce is one of the UK’s most experienced interviewers. Over the course of his 50 plus years on radio he has interviewed countless guests, including the late great Dolly Parton, the famously reticent Kate Bush, Ed Sheeran, and even Basil Brush. To say I was a little daunted to be the one asking him the questions is an understatement, so I decide to ask ‘the Master’ for his tips on how to establish the right dynamic for a great interview. “Well,” he replied in his customary ruminative tone, “I usually say, how are you? You're looking fabulous… It's usually true but even if it isn't it makes people feel a bit better, so you tend to get the best out of them at that point.”
I flash him a smile over Zoom, tell him he’s looking fabulous and crack on with my prepared questions…
Ken, can you tell us about the show you're bringing to Oxford; You, Me & The Music?
I’m really excited about this, because it's the first chance for me to get on the stage with my own show, if you like. But it's not about me; it's about the music. We've got this fabulous band joining us, great singers, and lots of music, with me just popping in – between the songs – to talk about where they came from and what I was doing at that time.
I won't be interfering too much; it's more about the music than about me. But we will also have questions from the audience. I hope there'll be a good bit of interaction, we want the audience to feel part of it. It's not a sort-of presented concert, it's just a get together. Lots of people getting together to enjoy themselves.
The band must be extremely versatile, because I know you’ll be featuring a very broad range of music.
Yes, exactly. It's music from the 50s right through to the present day. It's an all-star band – they're all so experienced, the players and the singers as well. They've done lots of work in all sorts of places, and they are great readers of music, and great interpreters of music.
Kind of like the band who perform on Strictly Come Dancing?
As you say, something like that. Who knows, there might even be some people who've played in that there, too.
How did you come to settle in Oxfordshire?
Well, I’ve been in Oxfordshire 20 years now. At the time, I was in my mid 50s, and I felt that the clock was ticking in my career. There were various hints that some changes were on the way, and I thought, maybe it's time to move out of London.
My wife and I started a family, and we also were thinking London's getting a bit busy, and what we'd like to do is move out to somewhere a little more agreeable. It so happened my parents-in-law had moved from Birmingham down to Oxfordshire in order to be closer to us, and we found a place very near them.
I thought I can commute every day from here for however long it is, but I didn't think it'd be 20 years of daily commuting. I've never regretted it – I mean, obviously some days when the trains aren't running properly I have, but it's been a great move, and we've loved living in a lovely village with a great community spirit.
Did you always want to work in broadcasting?
I was interested in radio, but I had no idea [how to get into it]. I'd done a couple of auditions and interviews when I left school, but I was much too young and green to get a job – and there weren't very many jobs around at that time. There was no commercial radio… we’re talking 1970, and there was only the BBC or abroad.
I auditioned for British Forces Broadcasting, and they were very nice, and said ‘not yet’, basically. I spoke to somebody who actually worked in the business, and he said, ‘have you thought of going to hospital radio?’ So, I went along to the hospital radio in Glasgow, and they said, ‘yeah, come on, we’ll give you a try’.
I did a couple of shows there, and I learned a lot doing that. It made me ready when I heard on the grapevine that there was the possibility of a job up at the BBC in Glasgow. I sent in a tape, had an audition, and got the job. Lots of people were interested, but I got in by the skin of my teeth.
When you left the BBC, the last song you played was The Beatles, Golden Slumbers. What was behind that choice?
Well, I loved the track, the whole track; right through to The End, and I thought the lyrics just fitted the situation perfectly. I'm not somebody who pours out their emotions or their life story on air, but the decision made itself, really.
It was no deeper than thinking this lyric fits the moment. And whenever I'm doing any radio program, I always think, what is the best or the right thing to do, say, or play here, and does this fit right? If it does, then boom, in it goes.
Let’s talk about Popmaster because it’s back on TV with a second series. As host you are magnificent, but how would you fare as a contestant?
Asking questions is very different from answering them, and I may be very good at asking questions. I'm not quite so good at answering them. My knowledge is good in areas… where it gets to music of the last 10 to 15 years, it's much sketchier.
Are there any new (or new-ish) bands or performers that you enjoy?
Oh yeah, I mean there are lots of great singers… For me, it tends to mostly be the solo singer-songwriters, so people like Freya Ridings, Raye, Louis Capaldi and Sam Fender. There are quite a few people doing really fantastic work, writing great songs and delivering them well. So, that's where my interest lies – slightly more formal songs rather than dance tracks and stuff like that.
For my final question, if you could only ever listen to music from one decade, which would it be, and why?
I think for most of us our teenage decade is the one that means the most. It's a mistake to think that it was the best music – a lot of people say, ‘Oh, they don't make music like that anymore’, and they do. It's just not as important to you: it's not as direct an influence on you as the music you felt at the time when you were 14, 15,16.
I was [that age] in the 60s, so the 60s music does speak a lot to me. If I were forced to only listen to music from one decade, I would go for the 60s but I would really miss music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
What it means to you is what matters with music: it's how you appreciate it. Don't listen to other people's opinions on music – go with your own gut.
Ken Bruce: You, Me & the Music will be at Oxford New Theatre on Wednesday 4 November
For more information and to book tickets visit ticketmaster.co.uk/ken-bruce-you-me-the-music-oxford
