Gerard Joling completely freaks out when the weekly magazine Party asks him how important radio still is to him. It touches a sensitive chord: “It’s about a few bastards who arrange that.”
When Gerard Joling performs somewhere, he always puts on a show. For example, he always takes a few dancers with him when he is at Today Inside. But what does he actually get back from the Dutch media? Well, not much airplay anyway on the radio. “For example, I am being boycotted by 100%NL, which has not played me for ten years,” he says Party.
“Disgraceful!”
It is especially 100% NL that Gerard is very pissed off about. “It is of course disgraceful, as a station you are not called 100%NL for that, are you? At Radio 2 you also have to get on your knees to get your record played. Then they might play it once a week after you visit, but otherwise there is no support at all.”
He continues: “3FM has never played me anyway, so that is already done. Sky Radio hasn’t played me for thirty years since ‘No More Bolero’s’ from 1989. So there isn’t much left. Radio 10 supported me very well this time and Radio 538 also nice. There are well-known DJs there, but do you know what it is? Those guys have nothing to say themselves.”
‘bunch of bastards’
The playlist of radio stations is generally not determined by the DJs. “There are people in back rooms who determine what should be played. Look, we are still in the Netherlands. In Germany you are forever a superstar if you have had a big hit once. Here you are only as good as your last hit.”
What does Gerard think of those people in the back rooms at channels like 100%NL? “I often think: geez, how you have to get on your knees to get something turned. It’s about a few bastards who arrange that. And whether that is 100% NL, or Radio1, Radio2 and Radio 3: it is all difficult.”
On our knees
The fact that the public broadcaster does not run it is also ridiculous, says Gerard. “When I come on the air with Eddy Keur, he first has to discuss whether my song can be played again. Then I think: what kind of bullshit is this, dude.”
He concludes: “The entire public broadcaster is paid for by our Dutch tax money, but as Dutch artists we have to get on our knees to get our songs played. Anyway, luckily I have my strong online presence (…) and of course I keep my fingers crossed for more airplay on the radio.”