On the eve of his National Drive show, Merrick and Australia starting today on Triple M, Merrick Watts talks to Peter Saxon about why they didn’t come up with an alternative co-host to Paul Murray and how the show will work without a co-host.
Saxon: What’s happened? Can’t they get anyone to work with you?
Watts: Oh that’s rough Peter!
No they can’t.
And I’m not upset by that at all because this is the dream gig for someone with my history in radio at age, 41, working on Triple M and being given virtually carte blanche to create my own program in Drive… I’d say I’ve been given some great opportunities at triple j and then at Nova and now Triple M again – this is up there with the greatest opportunity I’ve had in my entire career!
Saxon: You know they offered me the co-host’s job for $200 a week…
Watts: I get twice that much…
Saxon: No. they wanted me to pay, but I can’t afford that much.
But seriously, originally, the plan was to partner you with Paul Murray. Were you disappointed when he pulled out?
Watts: It was never actually set in stone. It was in discussion and I was very keen to work with Paul. And I will be working with Paul in some capacity on radio like having him in as a guest.
Paul and I are very good mates. Although we have different opinions on some things, we can see eye to eye even when we’re in disagreement. The dynamic of Paul and I is fantastic. Who knows, someday that might happen.
Saxon: Was there anyone else on the shortlist?
Watts: No. When I was first asked by the senior programmers at Southern Cross Austereo last year, “If you could do anything you wanted to do on air, what would you do?” I actually prescribed this show. That was before introducing anyone else as an option.
I told them I would love to host my own Drive show. At that stage, that was pie in the sky. I really didn’t believe that would be a option… and, of course, everybody loves Paul, so Paul became the equation very quickly and I never had discussions with anyone but Paul about doing Drive.
So when Paul told us he wasn’t able to be part of the show, we defaulted back to the original concept which was me alone with regular guests and long form interviews.
Saxon: Tell us more about what’s going to be in the show…
Watts: If you look at the other FM Drive shows, they’re three different shows competing for the same piece of pie. They’ll all try to be the best at the same thing – which is their format. But Triple M sits, as you know, as a different format from the get go. It’s a male oriented rock network. So, it’s already set apart.
We can’t be like other Drive shows because that’s not what our audience want, otherwise they’d be listening to other Drive shows. So we need to have a different offering.
Saxon: Long form interviews will be a main part of it?
Watts: Long form interviews will be just one part of it. Guests who spend an hour or so with you are effectively co-hosts. We can take calls from people, that’s not being done (elsewhere on FM).
Much of the difference will be in the on-air execution. It’s not going to be a serious AM style of talk back show. It’s not going to be entirely relying on guests or callers. Rather, it will be relying on techniques and general radio basics that I’ve learnt over the years that I’m going to put into effect on-air.
Saxon: Do you find you have to work harder as a solo act?
I’m working harder on this show than I’ve worked in my whole career. But that’s because I’m passionate about it and this is the exact show I want to do.
Saxon: So the job of co-host is closed?
Merrick: Absolutely. The show’s called Merrick and Australia.
Saxon: Anyway, tell Fitzy that I’m still prepared to do it but for no more than $20 a week. That’s my final offer.
Merrick: Mate we’ll have you on twice that.