Born back in the times when most things were in black and white…but at a time when there were “proper” seasons, winter was cold and you worn your duffle coat…..in spring flowers sprung, summer meant being stuck in huge traffic jams on the way to the seaside and autumn meant the smell of burning leaves. That’s how it was for their first 12 years, then one day in the late 60‘s they were shipped off to Zambia with their parents who then dumped them at a boarding school in deepest Rhodesia ( now Zimbabwe) fifty miles south of Bulawayo. It was a bit of a life changing experience, not many people have been chased by a rampaging baboon, or highly poisonous Black Mamber and lived to tell the tale, well, at least not here in rural England
In the 70’s they returned to Marlow and Andy being the “arty” of the two went to art college and got a degree in Graphic Design….but one night in the student union somebody asked, “who wants to be a DJ tonight we’ve been let down?”….Andy said yes and that’s how it all started.
Andy has worked on a number of station around the area…and for him the best days were before the suits came along and told him what to say…… when to say it, what to play….. and when to play. Prior to that he had a show on GWR Wiltshire called Andy Westgate’s Wall of Sound…where he played loads of great songs, from known artists, and often tracks that didn’t often get an airing. “I knew I’d got the mix right because of all the unsolicited mail I’d receive, even the MD took the long way home one night to hear the long song I was playing”. But like in the War of the Worlds….”they still came….these men in suits……and Radio changed forever!”
After nearly 30 years in the business he was advised to give it up…they took his show away. He moved to Lambourn in 2007, and set up Westgate Composites based in Chieveley specialising in fibreglass design and repair…. a far cry from being on air. But the lure of the studio and to play great music was never that far away….so he came knocking on our door. You’ll be able to catch up with Andy every Saturday and he’d love to have you join him from 12.00-3.00.