By 2002, UK radio had virtually abandoned all non-chart and unsigned music and few stations were committing any significant hours to such programming, so we launched radio2XS. It became the only On-Line station to record its own full live sessions (the Barn Sessions) and here, if you are good enough to get played, you don't get confined to a niche show - you get aired throughout our programming right alongside the big names. The team behind radio2XS has been involved in promoting New Music and non-mainstream albums for many years. Jeff Cooper was one of the original line-up when Manchester's Piccadilly Radio launched in 1974 and presented an album-rock show called 'Rokzac'. He is arguably the longest-running continuous broadcaster of New Music on UK radio. Later, when Nottingham's Radio Trent went on the air in 1975, the station committed itself to a nightly free-form programme of New Music and album tracks. In those 'pre-genre' days, everything was played: from rock to jazz, folk and country, with guests as varied as Ian Gillan, Mike Oldfield and The Chieftains. Guy Morris was also on the team as was John Peters. In 1978, Cooper moved to Glasgow and took over Radio Clyde's 'Midnight Rock', becoming the first commercial radio DJ to broadcast a then unknown Sheffield band called Heaven 17. A similar accolade came a little later when his BBC Radio Manchester 'Fast Forward' show was the first local radio outlet for New Order. After a two-year run as 'Q-Rock' on Rock FM, Cooper renamed his show 'XS' when he moved to Sheffield's Hallam FM in 1996, and the show was nominated for a Sony Radio Award. It became '2XS' when it was later also broadcast on Silk FM and Peak 107. Grateful thanks to these folks for their support over the years (in chronological order): Colin Walters, Piccadilly Radio; Bob Snyder, Radio Trent; Jimmy Gordon & John McCalman, Radio Clyde; Tony Inchley, BBC Radio Manchester & BBC Radio WM; Roger Wilkes, Radio City; Dave Lincoln & Mark Matthews, Rock FM; Dave Shearer, Hallam FM; Guy Morris, 106.9 Silk FM; Mark Burrows & Wayne Chadwick, Peak 107; Paul Robey, Saga/Smooth. Back To Menu