For the love of the music.

Well last year I was invited to present the Awards at the Leeds Carnegie Junior end of seasons Awards. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't wait to be asked again. I am delighted to say that the call did come and last Saturday afternoon found me on the way to Old Leo's Rugby ground for the 2011/2012 Awards.

While updating stories for this new-look mikeshaft.com, I came across this paper I wrote in December of 2003. I think it makes interesting reading.

I can’t honestly say when it was that I first heard of Luther VANDROSS, but I do know that I loved his voice as soon as I heard it.

2010 saw the first Rafters Revival taking place at the fabulously refurbished Band on the Wall in Manchester. Rafters was one of Manchester's most influential venues which stopped playing black music a number of years ago. For this event promoter Iamgeorgepowell had bought together three of the original Rafters DJ's...Colin Curtis, Hewan Clarke and me Mike Shaft. Luckily I took my camera with me.

This is a copy of an e-mail sent out to all the staff at BBC 2002 Commonwealth Games Radio

As someone who has been in the mainstream media for many many years, I have been very critical of the some programmes which purported to be for the ethnic communities. Some have argued that there should be no need for specialist programmes but in my opinion, the mainstream media does not do the ethnic communities justice. The programmes tend to be about them and not for them. They fail to cover the full spectrum of ethnic life in the UK and as a result leave most thinking viewers unsatisfied.

So there I am working at The Bay radio station in Lancaster when the phone rings and reception puts it through to the studio and tell me that it's Mark Sharman from Sky Sports. Immediately I think it's someone taking the micky, so I answer, yea this is Mike. A voice at the other end says "this is Mark Sharman from Sky Sports, we're doing some live basketball games and I'm told you're the man to talk to for the commentary".

For the first time ever, the facts about one of the most exciting Radio Stations ever to come on air in the UK. If you are visiting this site from outside the North West of England, then you might not even know about Sunset Radio.

Over the years there have been a number of interviews that I have done of which I am immensely proud. One of these is my interview with Sir Bob Scott on the day after the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. As part of our celebrations to mark our achievement of 1 million hits on mikeshaft.com, I am delighted to bring it to you here.