There are a few questions that I’m asked so regularly that I thought it best to start this category on the blog called ‘MJ FAQ’s’ and answer them once and for all within it. First up – a question last asked by a guy calling himself ‘Badger from Norwich’ on my Facebook (and I’ll have to paraphrase him as he was unable to ask the question without swearing)

“Why do you play jingles/sound effects/talk over any new music or exclusives you have on your radio show?”

First off, if you’re genuinely upset that I put jingles over exclusives or new music that I play on the show; bottom line is you’re probably upset because you want to rip it from my show and use it yourself. Radio 1 & Radio 1Xtra broadcast in near CDQ digitally online. Whether you’re a disrespectful “DJ” who wants to play it in the club (I’ve seen too many playing radio rips in the club thinking it makes them sound good) or you want to play it out to your friends on your phone/iPod/generic mp3 player and brag that you have something they don’t – you want to get the track for free and want me to provide it for you.

My answer is simple: I’m not iTunes. I’m not HMV. I’m not about to supply you with music for free without permission from the people who have made it or are responsible for it. When I have permission, I do share the links and the tracks (see posts on Rusko’s Lost Dubs or Skream’s Freeizms for starters) My job is to let you know about a record by playing it on the show and where possible letting you know where and when to get it. I do this for music I like as I schedule my own show.

If you want a track that I’ve played during the show without any form of me talking, playing a jingle or any other sound effect over it, wait until it’s released and buy it.

I’m not gonna tell people to stop illegally downloading as, to be honest, that’s down to you whether you want to break the law and disrespect the artists & producers that make the music you claim to love. All I’ll say is when people buy the music they love when it’s released, we have a viable music scene and people have careers making music. Rip tracks from shows or download them illegally and don’t support the music and watch how quickly the scene dies.

Finally, if you don’t like what I do, don’t listen. No one’s forcing you to or to come on my facebook page and criticise me. 7-10pm on Monday to Friday you could maybe try another 1Xtra show on iPlayer, listen to Zane on Radio 1 or watch Eastenders instead.

More FAQ’s as and when they rear their head.