TotalRock Radio is marking 25 years since it first launched as a 24-hour rock and metal station in London in May 2000.
Founded by BBC producer Tony Wilson and journalist Malcolm Dome, the station has gone on to broadcast more than 60,000 rock and metal shows, featuring new and established artists from around the world.
The station began life in Fulham above a pub, with a DIY studio set-up, before later relocating to various central London sites including Denmark Street and Shoreditch. Today, TotalRock runs online with remote presenters continuing to champion new music from across the heavy music spectrum.
Tony Wilson said: “TotalRock has always been a grassroots station supporting new forms of rock and metal music and new bands. That is TotalRock’s ethos.”
Over 250 volunteer presenters have been part of the station since it launched. Notable names include Barney Greenway, Sophie K, Ronnie James Dio, Kylie Olsson, Julia Hardy, Matt Mason and Neal Kay. The current line-up includes Neil Jones, Cory Blose, Sophia, Diamond Dave and more.
Sophie K said: “TotalRock was my first home in rock music media. Malcolm and Tony gave me a shot and allowed all my ridiculous feature ideas.”
Kylie Olsson added: “It gave me the tools to launch my Emmy-award winning series and more. We were a bunch of misfits that all shared one thing in common – a love of rock music.”
The station has hosted interviews with Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson and Lemmy, with many of these recorded in person. It has also broadcast from major festivals like Download and Wacken, and continued to evolve its platform with the launch of the Gen Z and Gen Alpha-focused We Are TRXSH.
TotalRock was independently founded and run, going through several changes in ownership and format, including a brief backing from NASA scientist Henry Green before its current leadership under Boyd Steemson.
Tony Wilson said: “The challenges are going to be to keep TotalRock relevant to the way that people like to find music and enjoy it. It might be that we have to move onto different platforms.”