"I get sent lots of records, but even that doesn't satisfy me. I have to go out and buy more I don't know anything about," he confesses. He'd like to broadcast the side project of His Name is Alive's Warren Defever, but it's produced only in an edition on wax cylinder.Such is his enthusiasm that he even seems to get excited over untitled tracks from unmarked CDs, breathlessly intoning "That was track nine" like a breakfast DJ with a Spice Girls exclusive. "They only got the go-ahead [from the Radio Authority] as long as the music policy remained unchanged." Where once the teatime show played MC5 records, Geldof opts for Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen "Old men's music," Watson complains. "I don't think they care if they lose every single listener from before Honestly, it's worse than Capital FM. Or Capital Gold."It leaves DJs such as Kennedy in a difficult position, finding themselves shunted around the schedules - currently overnight at the weekends - and subjected to a stringent music policy, something Radio One discarded years ago for its specialist shows.This seems a waste of the talents of this unassuming, 33-year-old history of art graduate, already marked as the next John Peel Kennedy loves music - all music.

Geldof seems poised to gain attention for the wrong reasons, after a gaffe regarding the health of an ill, but definitely alive, Ian Dury (Chris Morris couldn't have done it better), and his plea for advice on new music at his introductory press conference.Capital seems to have little understanding of the culture it is dealing with. Most bizarre of all, the venerable "Sir" Bob Geldof has moved on to the crucial drive-time show for 104 days (count 'em), in a blatant attempt to build up the RAJAR ratings figures. Whatever its faults (and there were many), XFM was inherently music- led, and therefore inspired fierce loyalty. Already a rock daubed with a plaintive "X" has flown through the window of Capital's famously well equipped Leicester Square HQ, and a wreath was reportedly sent to a senior executive there.Ian Watson, of Melody Maker, the only music paper to make an attempt to oppose the sale, is disgusted but unsurprised by the volte-face."It's completely dishonest," he says. The current measurement system, which effectively excludes transient (but vital) listeners such as students and visitors, relies on a national panel of some 20,000, and counts 15 minutes on a frequency each month towards the statistics. Innovation is out, and stalwarts such as Keith Cameron, Ricky Gervaise and the world's oldest teenager Gary Crowley, untempted by the offer of the graveyard shift, 1am-6am, have walked.Worse, the bosses aim to introduce a 24-hour-a-day playlist system, stifling still further the opportunities for new music to find a place on the airwaves.Capital's appointments include a breakfast DJ from Invicta Radio, who has apparently never been to a gig and considers the defunct Black Grape to be extending the boundaries, and the ex-Capital jock, fortysomething Jeff Young, in the lunch-time slot.

He has been known to observe with a straight face: "The bassoon is the instrument of now". All sound is here, from the pages of The Wire to Smash Hits. Unfortunately, last week saw the official announcement by the new owners of Capital Radio, "London's Only Alternative", of their new line-up of DJs and programming plans. And eventually, on the other side of the world, a man called John Kennedy plays them on the radio. For the last year Kennedy's show on XFM, The Midnight Ramble (his patter is perhaps not the slickest), has been simply the best, most eclectic show on British radio, playing 50 tracks a night from stars such as the Manic Street Preachers and Prodigy to bands with names like Yossarian and Clockwork Voodoo Freaks, alongside classics from Bob Dylan, Fela Kuti and Grandmaster Flash. Alex Lowe's poignant tribute to what was once the nation's favourite teatime sport, based on the book by Simon Garfield.The Last Obit. Angela Pleasence's creepily comic monologue of Millicent, the Morning Telegraph's obituarist.Stand. an unerring comedy of pitch and pub manners written by David Bown, and performed by the National Student Theatre Company, will be staged at Hull Truck Theatre, date to be confirmed.PERRIER DATES: The four Perrier nominees, Peter Kay, Al Murray, Sean Cullen and Ed Byrne will be appearing together with this year's winner, Tommy Tiernan, plus this year's best newcomer, The Mighty Boosh on consecutive Sundays.