BBC Radio 6 Music announced on September 1st that Lamacq has decided to say goodbye to his 18 year long run on the Drivetime show in pursuit of a “well-deserved change to his broadcasting career”. 

Steve Lamacq has decided to make a well-deserved change to his broadcasting career

He will begin a new weekly show on 6 Music, Steve Lamacq’s Teatime Session, on Monday 8th January (4pm-7pm).

Steve will present his final daily weekday (4pm-7pm) show on Friday 20th October. pic.twitter.com/IfugRRFh50

— BBC Radio 6 Music (@BBC6Music) September 1, 2023

Lamacq’s last day as the Drivetime show host will be on Friday 20th October, and he will then take a short break from radio before returning in the new year with a brand new show. On Monday 8th January, Lamacq will begin hosting a weekly show on BBC Radio 6 Music titled “Steve Lamacq’s Teatime Session”.

The Drivetime show will be taken over by fellow BBC Radio presenter Huw Stephens, who will host the show from 4-7pm Tuesday-Friday, with Lamacq’s new show claiming Monday’s 4-7pm slot.

In a BBC press release, Lamacq said “It’s been terrific doing six shows a week, but what with all the prep work for the programmes and the ever-increasing volume of new music to listen to, there’s not been nearly enough time left over for my family. And to be honest, after nearly 40 years at the coalface of new music, I think I need a bit of breather.”

Steve Lamacq is married to psychologist Dr Jen Wills, and the couple have a young daughter. The break from broadcasting and less intense schedule of “Steve Lemacq’s Teatime Session” will allow Lamacq to spend some quality time with his family.

Alongside this, Lamacq also said “But of course, my heart still lives for discovering and nurturing new bands, so I’m really pleased that these changes mean I can stay at 6 Music, while allowing more time to go searching for emerging artists, who I’ll be channelling into the new Monday show. There’ll be live sessions, interviews, some amazing archive and fingers crossed, at some point, the future of rock and roll.”

Many people were shocked by the news of Lamacq’s departure, and took to social media to show their appreciation.

So sad to hear @steve_lamacq is leaving his @BBC6Music show full time.
What a legend and hugely influential person he’s been to so many of us especially @IdlewildtheBand. I’ll be forever grateful to him for all his support and also friendship. All the best for the future!

— Rod Jones (@RodJonesMusic) September 1, 2023

Legend is an often overly used word to describe someone.

But in this instance, it’s very much applicable!@steve_lamacq deserves honorary recognition for services to music!
We award him our Brudenell medal anyway! https://t.co/qw2kB0PjFv

— Nath Brudenell (@Nath_Brudenell) September 1, 2023

You can still hear Steve Lamacq on the BBC Radio 6 Music Drivetime show until Friday 20th October.

The public have been able to vote for the songs they want to hear on the record; which will be performed by the original artists and their road crew. The latest tranche of tracks was unveiled on the Whole Lotta Roadies social media channels today.

The final track listing for the album has yet to be determined, but confirmed numbers include:

• Edinburgh acoustic folk-rocker KT Tunstall performing her 2005 hit single Black Horse and the Cherry Tree;
• Glaswegians Twin Atlantic performing Heart and Soul, which topped the official UK Rock chart in 2014;
• Honeyblood (aka Stina Tweeddale) performing 2014 single Biro;
• Belle and Sebastian and their crew performing their 2004 hit I’m A Cuckoo;
• Edinburgh punk veterans The Rezillos performing Top Of The Pops, a top 20 hit in 1978;
• Aberdeen alt-rockers The XCerts performing Shaking In The Water, the lead single from their 2014 album There Is Only You;

Further tracks are set to be unveiled later this week, with numbers from from Leith icons the The Proclaimers; indie rockers Idlewild; space rock merchants Mogwai; Falkirk outifit Arab Strap; Kilmarnock’s Fatherson; former Delgados singer-songwriter Emma Pollock and Inverness musician Kathryn Joseph all set to feature. On Monday the Whole Lotta Roadies Twitter account promised that “each tune is a nailed on beauty.”

The new LP has been put together by The Fruit Tree Foundation, a project originally formed in 2010 by Emma Pollock and Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones to create the multi-artist compilation album First Edition based around the themes of mental health and wellbeing. Jones told NME that the ongoing pandemic had given the organisation a new sense of purpose.

He said “The devastating impact Covid-19 has had on the music industry is well documented and few are far more affected than live crew. On speaking to members of our touring crew I realised how they were falling through the cracks in government funding and with no gigs and tours upcoming the outlook for them was bleak. I wanted to try and find a way to support them and the wider Scottish Live Crew industry.”

Jones added “Knowing how many crew members are also very talented musicians in their own right I thought it would be fitting for them to showcase this by covering songs of the bands they have been working with over the years, and releasing an album of this to create a hardship fund and also awareness of their situation.”