DJs plan tribute to ‘lovely man’ Sandy (From Swindon Advertiser)

DJs plan tribute to ‘lovely man’ Sandy

6:14pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News By Katie Bond

SOME of the biggest names from Swindon’s music scene will return to the decks next week in tribute to DJ Sandy Martin.

Two years on from his death at the age of just 53, some of Sandy’s best friends and former colleagues will come out of retirement to ensure they put on a night to remember.

Sandy died in 2011 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour five months previously.

Last year, his friends and former DJs from the Brunel Rooms organised a tribute night and are doing the same again this year.

The event, on March 29 from 8pm until late at Hotel 20, will feature Paul Lewis, Soulful Leo, Darren Westlake, Glyn Prince, Raj and Tony McCluskey.

Tony, who used to spin the decks with Sandy at the former Brunel Rooms, said: “Sandy Martin was just one of the nicest people you could ever meet.

“What he did for Swindon’s music scene was absolutely brilliant. “He put us on the map in the late 70s and 80s, Swindon was absolutely buzzing. “When Sandy came to town we had people travelling from London, Bristol and Reading. It was the place to be and Sandy was a refreshing change. He was an entertainer.

“Like they said at his funeral, if he was crossing the road it would take him half an hour because he knew everybody and people would always stop and talk. Everybody loved him.

“I know he would be the first to do this kind of tribute night for me. I am a nurse at the hospital so I have done a bit of fundraising before and he was always the first to say ‘I’ll help’.

“I just want to make sure he is remembered for his music and I hope the people of Swindon will support it.”

Sandy, a dad of three, was well known to tens of thousands of people across the county.

He began his radio career with a weekly Disco Trekkin’ programme on commercial station GWR while still a successful nightclub DJ at Swindon’s Brunel Rooms, before moving to the BBC, based in Old Town.

He hosted a wide range of shows, including the World Tour of Wiltshire and a series of fundraising concerts featuring artists such as Jamie Cullum and Justin Hayward.

Sandy also had a spell as BBC Wiltshire’s Man with a Van, when he went out on the streets gathering powerful, emotional interviews with ordinary people.

Entry to the tribute is £3 on the door, or tickets can be purchased in advance from Hotel 20. All money goes to the Sandy Martin Memorial Fund.