Mike Kennedy: The Man Behind The Mic
For the people of Swansea on the south coast of Wales, Mike Kennedy is a familiar name and voice.
Each morning, the people of Swansea wake up to ‘Breakfast with Mike Kennedy’, the programme he hosts on local station Welsh Coast Radio 106.5 FM. Broadcasting from the Tircoed Village in Swansea, WCR is an independent radio station championing the real sound of the Welsh coast.
It’s a perfect fit for Mike who he himself has spent more than a decade championing local Welsh artists to the world. An original founder and presenter of the popular Welsh Connections radio programme, Mike helped bring global attention to emerging artists from Wales and around the world, including Australia.
Mike has also been a staunch and avid supporter of the local Welsh music scene, particularly in Swansea. Wales may be a small country, but it certainly has had a big impact on modern popular music. From its heritage wealth of traditional folk music to Tom Jones, Manic Street Preachers and the bountiful crop of new artists sprouting, Wales is brimming with musical talent.
But for every international superstar pop crooner or angsty, Cool Cymru antiheroes, there are countless artists and bands unsigned, unseen and unheard by the ears of mainstream listeners, even within Wales itself. It’s hard to stand out from the crowd, especially in a small pond with such big fish.
Through his ten-plus years of determined efforts and fuelled by a true passion for the music of his countryfolk, Mike has been instrumental in elevating the global status of the music produced by local Welsh artists.
“I’ve promoted live music shows – including a festival – started a record label, several magazines and won a few awards along the way,” Mike says.
His tireless work has earned him high praise among his peers in the industry, which led to him being headhunted by former Radio 1 DJ Shaun Tilley to join WCR.
Despite recently retiring from his other career in retail, Mike Kennedy remains active in the local Welsh music scene through his breakfast DJ role at WCR as well as involvement in other related ventures, including running The Second 45, a record store in Llanelli, south Wales.
“While I always loved music, I pursued a pretty normal career path – in retail as it happens, so everything comes full circle in the end,” Mike says.
“I spent thirty eight years working for Tesco just waiting for the day when I could take early retirement – which came around quicker than I ever thought it would. I played drums in a few bands, and a torn Achilles tendon put a stop to that, but it did introduce me into the world of radio, which I’ve done on and off for the last decade. Since ‘retiring’ I’ve opened up a record shop with a former radio colleague and I’m busier than ever.”
The Welsh-Australian Connection
Mike’s growing profile soon brought him in contact with the Managing Director of MADCAP Global Stephen Morris in Australia, a fellow Welshman who shared his passion for promoting and supporting local talent.
This meeting of similar minds paved the way for the formation of the SWND media collective, which included a titular record label and magazine. Though short lived, SWND laid the groundwork for a new opportunity to spotlight local Welsh music, co-founding TIWN Media in a similar spirit.
“It rose out of the ashes of a great concept that a team of us developed with MADCAP’s Stephen Morris who very generously supported us which enabled us to grow and develop over a two-year period that saw us start a label and launch a magazine,” Mike explains.
“In fact, we were the most nominated record label (eight albums) at the annual Welsh Music Prize. and we won an award for the magazine. I’m still very proud of what we achieved thanks to Stephen, and we’ve remained great friends. In fact, we’re about to rebrand the magazine and relaunch nationally across the UK with the help of Damian Carruthers.”
Both Mike and Stephen have contributed greatly to fostering a strong musical connection between Wales and Australia, as distant as we may be. Through this kinship of countrymen, though geographically isolated from one another, Wales and Australia have engaged in an enriching cultural exchange of music and artistry.
These cross-cultural experiences have only served to enhance the profiles of independent artists in both countries as their music and stories get shared well beyond the confines of their local mainstream media outlets. Australian bands like The Daisycutters have found great success on the Welsh airwaves, largely thanks to Mike.
“I remember chatting with the guys from The Daisycutters a while back and I asked them why they thought the Brits loved Australian music so much, because we do. Everyone from Men At Work to Icehouse, John Farnham, AC/DC, INXS, Crowded House – too many to mention,” Mike says.
“We sell a lot of King Gizzard in the record shop – an amazing band. I think it’s because we share a similar heritage from way back, I don’t know. But I do know that I love The Daisycutters and we regularly play them at the station.
“Their last album ‘Become What You Are’ is an absolute masterpiece on all levels. Cameron Wilson is such a great songwriter, and the band are awesome players. Really, everyone should check them out. Fantastic back catalogue too, and great guys.”
Mike may say he’s retired, but he is far from finished with what he started more than a decade ago.
“What does the future hold?” he ponders.
“Who knows. We’re currently looking at opening up a second record shop, the magazine rebrand is just around the corner and the radio station is going well – I think that’s enough to keep me busy for now.”
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