The volume control in my car broke a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I haven't been able to turn the radio up at all. So, after a few journeys home from work where I could only hear the bits of the News Quiz that happened while I was going downhill, I was forced to find a radio station that's just a bit louder than Radio 4. I've settled, for now, on Kerrang 105.2. Now, to me, the Kerrang brand conjures up images of the hair-metal equivalent of Smash Hits. And, to be honest, I've no particular inclination to read the magazine and find out if that preconception has been challenged at all (although I understand they outsell NME these days, so they're obviously doing something right).
But Kerrang Radio is an impressive thing. It's local radio - but not packed with syndicated ILR DJs pushing 'guess the mystery noise' competitions, or overloaded with adverts for double glazing companies. It's a refreshingly Birmingham station, and the music mix is pretty sound - maybe a few too many American teenie punk bands of the Blink 182 school creeping into the playlist, but in general, infinitely more tolerable than the generic R&B-pop of normal ILR and Radio 1. Until I can get BBC 6Music in the car (or a working volume control that'll make Today listenable at motorway speeds), Kerrang suits me fine.