JAMES O'REILLY

Ex Starpoint DJ alongside long time side kick Terry Brown back when Starpoint was a pirate station. James OReilly aka " The Snake" as he was known back in the Pirate days has been on the scene for nearly 40 years. 

Control yourself ladies that nick name has more to do with his love of Monty Python than any gentleman's lunch box if you know what I mean. 

At the tender age of 16 he started out as a DJ / Promoter hiring venues and organising Northern Soul and Motown events close to home. Transporting PA equipment and his then vinyl collection with only a 50cc Vespa was an achievement on its own but as soon as he passed his driving test at 17 he bought a small van and expanded the operation hosting at various venues across the South East and Central London. 

In addition to his own events he played as guest DJ for other promoters including a stint at the legendary world famous 100 Club All Nighters in Oxford Street for, arguably, the King of Rare Soul Mr Ady Croasdell, the man behind the Kent Record Label amongst others.

James has also turned out for the Kent Soul Club and DJ'd at many Mod biased and Scooter Rally events. Whilst this passion for Motown and Northern Soul still burns deep within him James is just as likely nowadays to be heard spinning Disco, Jazz Funk, 2 Step, Rare Groove, Modern Soul, Latin Jazz and Soulful House as, quite frankly, he's an old git now and like his waistline like his music knowledge has expanded over time. 

James currently hosts a monthly event in Kent called the OLD SOUL ROADSHOW at The Wheatsheaf, West Wickham ( Now Into its 15th Year and still going strong despite numerous copycat events ) On this night he plays a nostalgic mix of Funk - Disco - Jazz Funk - Crossover and Rare Grooves loosely from 1975 to the early 90s and is proud to boast this is the longest running event of its kind in the North Kent area.

James passion for all things soulful has led him to DJ'ing abroad including Malta's first ever Soul Weekender, regular stints in mainland Spain ( where he lives a third of the year ) and being part of an elite crew for Soulbeat’s live broadcasts from Tenerife in 2017, where he also spends a handful of weeks a year having bought a place there a few years back.  

James spent several years as part of an bespoke team of DJs working for the Starsky & Hutch brand and in addition to regular sessions at Ronnie Scotts, The Arches and Bagleys Film Studios in London James would take the STARSKY & HUTCH brand on tour around the UK. 

He was a founder member of Palace Radio, a talk based medium wave broadcast platform in association with Crystal Palace FC which ran for 12 years. His main job was to interview fans, players and management and would commentate on the matches and also be used as a pundit. 

This eventually led to him working as a sports journalist / broadcaster and technical operator for Capital Radio PLC and could be heard over a 5 year stint waxing lyrical on this other passion of his ( football ) for Capital Gold Sport, Invicta FM  and KMFM covering Gillingham matches and also enjoyed sporadic appearances for BBC Radio London as Co Comentator when a Crystal Palace expert was required.

Last but not least on the broadcasting front during lockdown he hosted a hybrid Music & Sport show on a Saturday afternoon for Smooth FM which kept expats in the Almeria region of  Spain fully informed on all things Football, Rugby, Golf, Cricket, Snooker, Darts Tennis etc with a bit of music filling the gaps. 

Hitherto now he has been broadcasting a regular Tuesday show on Soulbeat Radio playing an eclectic mix of Rare Groove, Motown, Northern Soul, Latin, Disco, 80s Boogie, Philly, Crossover and Soulful House.

In addition to his long running Last Saturday of the month Gig where he always brings in a special Guest DJ he still gets involved in organising a couple of charity Alldayer events of a soulful kind.  His most recent project having raised over £700 for St Christophers Hospice. 

James has DJ’d at Margate Soul Festival, most recently at the Wig and Pen, Market Square. 

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Early 2023 he teamed up with an old pal and former employee to work on producing a reworking of former Delfonics Singer Garfield Fleming’s 1981 Hit – Don’t Send Me Away under his alias of Soulboy Jim which has received some really positive reviews. Watch This space as we have another few bubbling under but which are not quite cooked yet. 

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Finally it has been said he is THE MAN WITH THE PERFECT FACE FOR RADIO {hence the hat n glasses remaining on in his photo}

Just a regular bloke really that is more than a little obsessed with Soul Music!

KEEP THE FIRE BURNING