Tag: radio

  • Let’s fix lyrical!

    Hello again fellow readers and fixers! We like to change things up every now and then, and today, we’re exploring the world of music! Over decades, many songs tend to focus on themes such as romance, growing up and friendship. Music in general can be a powerful force in many ways. It can lift people’s moods, help them come to terms with loss or breakups, or rekindle memories of past good times. They might even help people focus during study or work sessions.

    But what about songs that relate to fixing things in some way? Today, we’ve chosen a selection of songs that might not seem relevant at first, but actually make sense in the context of repairs and maintenance! Maybe we should create a local internet radio station that plays songs which relate to repairs and DIY…

    “When I’m Cleaning Windows” by George Formby

    Ah yes. Those of us who clear junk off other peoples’ computers for a living (or just as a hobby) will notice parallels with this classic song. The song is about a window cleaner, who sees what various people are doing in their homes as he cleans their windows. Just like when a technician sees what people were doing on their computers as s/he cleans their (windows!) operating systems!

    In fact, one can make an analogy between public/second-hand computers and toilets – you have no idea what the previous user was doing with them before they send them in for repair, resale or recycling!

    “The Mending Song” by Bagpuss

    And now, here’s a short ditty from the short-lived, yet well-loved classic British children’s TV show. One that Gareth himself fondly remembers! This song is about using glue to fix broken things and make them just like new. Of course, it helps us remember not to just throw away otherwise viable items!

    However, glue is just one way to fix broken things. We can also use nails, screws, sticky tape and other means. As long as we use the right tools and materials for the right repair job!

    “The Three R’s” by Jack Johnson

    Now here’s a song that suits us to a tee! This green take on the 1989 song “The Magic Number” by De La Soul is about the three R’s; reduce, reuse and recycle. That means we should consume less, reuse viable everyday items, and recycle what we can’t use anymore.

    However, there are some other R’s we can think of – renew, remix, renovate, refurbish, rework. We can even make up some more R’s as we go along!

    “Can We Fix It?” by Bob the Builder

    Now what list of songs about fixing stuff would be complete without this chart-topping hit song from the early noughties? The theme song from children’s TV series Bob the Builder emphasises teamwork and problem solving in completing projects. The projects on the show primarily feature renovations, constructions and repairs. In the same vein, we repair, refurbish, reuse and recycle all kinds of everyday items. Making sure we keep the ratio of “Yes, we fixed it!” to “No, we ruined it!” as high as we can in the process!

    “Duct Tape Heart” by Barenaked Ladies

    We should mention that this isn’t people singing with nothing on here, so please get your minds out of the gutter if you think that way! Anyway, the song is about fixing the effects of a failed romantic relationship. Metaphorically speaking, using duct tape to fix a broken heart gets it working again.

    But did you know that we can fix everyday objects in a pinch with a piece of duct tape? In particular, we found out in the past that duct tape helps keep computers with battered cases going! After all, we’ve seen laptops with pieces of case plastics broken off over the years. And sometimes we just can’t find replacement case parts for them anymore. And so, duct tape is the next best thing – oh, and it gives it some waterproofing, too!

    “Metal” by Gary Numan

    As far as this song goes, computers, robots and other machines need TLC just as much as we do! The song, “Metal”, is about a machine that desires to be human, but is not quite a human. It ties in with recent advances in technology, where various kinds of implants can aid people in recovery from injuries or disease. For example, pacemakers help keep people with heart problems alive by emitting small electric shocks to maintain a regular heart beat.

    Nowadays, there are various AI tools that people can make use of for all sorts of good (or bad) purposes. We can make everyday tasks more efficient; generate text, audio, videos and pictures with just a short prompt; and imagine big companies combine AI with robotics to replace humans in the workforce. But the latter part’s for another time – if ever we get to it, of course!

    And what of other songs?

    But what about all the other songs which have nothing whatsoever to do with fixing things? Who do we see in those songs that we can make fit into the world of repairs? Well, our friends, here’s where we can get the shoehorns out and get creative!

    “Come Into My World” by Kylie Minogue

    Alright, so what does this song have to do with fixing and reusing things? Well, remember the official music video, where we see multiple Kylies come out of the dry cleaners one-by-one, and walk around a busy street in Paris? I have a possible fan-fiction theory here; the dry cleaners was actually a front operated by a group of mad techies who kidnapped and stuffed the real Kylie into a cloning machine made out of computer parts, as part of a plot to achieve world domination! Finally, a legitimate use for repurposing old computer parts(!)

    If we take the video to its logical conclusion, then we would eventually see millions of Kylies overrun towns and cities, all of them singing and dancing away non-stop. Awesome for all the Kylie fans out there in the world – not so much for everyone else who just want to go about their daily business unperturbed. “Kylie-ception”, indeed!

    “Computer Love” by Kraftwerk

    We so have to include this song, at the very least to remember how BitFIXit all started here in Sheffield! This 1981 synth-pop classic captures the feelings of a savvy computer user wishing to form a romantic relationship with a mate. We can’t really help with dating issues, but we can fix computers! That said, people do use computers and mobile devices to look for love on the internet.

    BitFIXit certainly came a long way from its humble beginnings, first in Heeley and then in Burngreave. While it’s folded into the Reyt family of services, we don’t forget how it was such an important fixture as a standalone repair cafe over the years until Reyt Repair came into being. And even to this day, we believe in the importance of keeping communities digitally connected and inclusive.

    “Viva La Radio” by Lolly

    Now what do we have here? A late-90’s pop act with a song that extolls the virtues of the radio! Nowadays, we have thousands of internet radio stations to choose from, along with the likes of Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube and various other music streaming services. But back when this top ten hit came out in 1999, we still had FM and legacy radio, music on cassette tapes were still around, and the internet as we know it now was still in its infancy.

    In the video, Lolly plays about with her radio, which emits rather worrying amounts of electricity before it transports her to some fantasy world. That’s a huge electrical safety testing fail right there! Maybe she bought a really cheap and nasty radio you see in teardown videos on YouTube. Perhaps someone seriously botched a repair job on the radio. Either way, if we tried to use it to transport ourselves to our own little fantasy world like in the video, we’d most likely end up just like the sausages cooked in a Presto hot dogger!

    “You Can Do Magic” by Limmie & Family Cookin’ & “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga

    Let’s mix it up with a double bill! These two songs revolve around magic in some way. “You Can Do Magic” was a 1973 UK top five hit from R&B & soul group Limmie & Family Cookin’. Its lyrics revolve around the idea that one can overcome challenges and obstacles in life and make positive things happen in love and relationships. Meanwhile, “Abracadabra” is a 2025 top five hit by Lady Gaga, where the song is about facing challenges and find the magic of it all.

    So, why feature these two songs together? Well, maybe someday we can find ways to use magic spells in real life to fix all kinds of broken stuff, no matter the problem! Imagine no longer needing to spend time using conventional tools for repair jobs, when we can just make a flick motion of a magic wand. Though we also imagine that there is a not insignificant risk that attempting to use spells to fix something end up blowing up on us instead!

    🎵 “She tried to fix her bed with magic, but it just went boom, boom, boom!” 🎵 (from “long live the queen” (C) 2012 hanako games)

    Whew! That was quite a fair amount of songs covered here – in fact, there were so many songs to choose from that we’d be here day and night explaining them all! Anyway, do you agree with our picks here? You can drop us a message through our contact form, if you know any other songs that would fit in with the theme of fixing things, or could be turned into fixing songs!

  • Gareth’s radio interview on BBC Radio Sheffield

    Gareth appeared on the 10th February 2023 episode of Toby Foster at Breakfast on BBC Radio Sheffield. There, in a radio interview, he discussed with Toby Foster about Reyt Repair, and the background behind repairing everyday items.

    Here’s a full transcript of the interview with sub-headings for clarity.

    Transcript of the radio interview

    (Introduction)

    Toby Foster: Imagine setting up your own shop in Sheffield, and getting compared to this. So of course the theme tune of the BBC show “The Repair Shop”, from Sheffield has it’s own version now, Reyt Repairs! Gareth Coleman is the founder, and he’s on the line now. [Speaking to Gareth] Gareth, good morning.

    Gareth Coleman: Good morning.

    Toby: So, tell us about your shop, Gareth. How long have you been there, and what do you do?

    Gareth: We’ve been there about three months now, and we’re a social enterprise powered by volunteers. And we repair clothes, electricals and furniture.

    Toby: Fantastic stuff. “Lost skills”, a lot of people would say?

    Gareth: Well, I don’t think they are ‘lost’. There’s been a bit of a bad patch over the last 40-50 years. But we still find there’s plenty of people who love repairing things. And especially the older generation; they were brought up on it, obviously.

    (About how Reyt Repair operates)

    Toby: So what kinds of things can you do? What kinds of things do you repair?

    Gareth: Well, everything from vacuum cleaners to holes in clothes. We fix small tables and chairs, and other bits of furniture. Pretty much everything around the house. Just a couple of exceptions; we can’t fix microwaves, and we’ve got a really poor success rate with a couple of things like hand blenders and electric toothbrushes and things. But pretty much, we’ll have a go at anything!

    Toby: Because most things are fairly logical once you start to open them up, aren’t they?

    Gareth: Yeah, well obviously, these days with smart speakers and this and that, there’s a lot of variety. Your basic vacuum cleaner is quite a simple device, really. It’s got a switch, and a fan, and a motor – and that’s pretty much all of it. Obviously, things get a bit more complicated with televisions or computers. But we’ve got quite a wide team of people with some really incredible skills. And we’re certainly not afraid to have a go at things, even if the chances are a bit bleak.

    (Discussion about repairing clothes)

    Toby: Talk to us, if you will, about clothes. Because when I was a kid, clothes were all out and I was older, so at least I got them first. But you would have clothes that were best clothes, and then you would slowly mess them up. And then you put holes in them, then they became playing out clothes. And these were two very different drawers; your good clothes and your playing out clothes. Then when you came home from a wedding, you put your playing out clothes on. That’s changed to a degree, because Tesco have made a pair of jeans for £3.

    Gareth: Yes.

    Toby: You know, that certainly my kids didn’t have the kind of demarcation of clothes in the way that I did. But I do find that now they’re getting older, they’re getting into repairing clothes rather than just buying new.

    Gareth: Yes, it’s become quite trendy again, I think. I mean, fast fashion is a bit of a problem for several (reasons). It’s not that great for the environment to buy clothes, wear them a couple of times and then fling them out. So I think young people – well, all of us – are getting a bit more, kind of aware of the virtues of repairing things. And especially when you’ve got a a favourite pair of jeans. It doesn’t really matter how much they cost. Since these are the jeans that you met your missus in, then you are going to want to save them, you know.

    (Examples of repurposing clothes)

    Toby: Sure, absolutely. So have people been bringing clothes into you for repairs, for alterations, that kind of thing?

    Gareth: Yeah, we’ve had quite a mixture. We’ve had a bridesmaid’s dress that we’re turning into a skirt. And that’s sort of one end of the spectrum. And then we’ve had plenty of coats which have broken a zip, and holes in pockets. Darning the sleeve of a jumper, and even making an outfit for a little teddy bear.

    Toby: Fantastic stuff. I mean, obviously, do you watch the repair shop?

    Gareth: Of course. You know, I’ve got a bit of a love-hate relationship with it. I love the show and watching them fix things. But obviously, it’s all shiny and great entertainment. But yeah, it’s not exactly like that in Sheffield!

    Toby: So would it be a little bit easier when you’ve got an unlimited budget and all those aids?

    Gareth: Exactly. And unlimited time as well, you know. Gluing a Ming vase back together, that’s not our strength.

    (About the wider environmental impact)

    Toby: But it’s entertainment, shouldn’t it? And what it does do, hopefully, is highlight the fact that people like you are around.

    Gareth: Yes.

    Toby: And that, you know, like you say, it’s something that’s become relatively…I’m going to be interested in this as I get slightly older. You know, because my kids are getting well into this kind of thing now, in a way that they were much more throwaway when they were younger. Fingers crossed that we become like this.

    Gareth: I mean, it’s a combination of things. I mean, obviously the cost of living crisis has really sharpened everyone’s mind. But it’s also the things for the environment. If your hoover or clothes have only got something small wrong with them, then it’s such a shame to put it into landfill. (Then) have to get something made halfway round the world, and shipped over to you. When for a little bit of fettling, you could be up and running, you’ve saved money, and you’ve saved the environment, and everyone’s happy.

    (Discussion about volunteers at Reyt Repair)

    Toby: Do you find sometimes you’ll open something like…? I’ve just gone and looked on your website and saw a picture there of Dylan opening a broken tube amplifier. I’m guessing repairing an old valve amp is not only incredibly rewarding, but also you can buy the valves and put them in. When you open them up and you just see a load of chips?

    Gareth: [Laughs] Yeah. Well, I mean we’ve got a volunteer who’s skilled in the art of tubes. And we’ve also got volunteers who know their way around chips. So yeah, it’s a different ball game. You need better eyesight and, certainly, we’re lucky in that we’ve been donated a microscope. So we’re looking forward to using that. But it’s a different skill set, but we like to share skills with each other, because everyone’s got a different set of skills. You don’t have to be an expert in tube amplifiers to volunteer with us.

    (About funding Reyt Repair and attracting volunteers)

    Toby: And volunteers are who you are looking for, isn’t it?

    Gareth: Well, that’s it, you see. Because in order to make this service really affordable, which is really important to us. Because there’s no point doing this if we’re going to be charging hundreds of pounds (£), then most people just won’t be able to afford it. And the other thing is, if you combine things for £30-40, then you have to make the repair £10 or £20 in order for it to make sense. You know, (even) with the best will in the world, people aren’t going to spend as much on a repair as they could getting something new. So because of that, we need volunteers to do the repairs, basically. And so, as we get more customers in, and we’re getting a steady flow of customers, we’re really appealing for some more volunteers to join us.

    (Concluding the radio interview)

    Toby: Well, if anybody wants to get involved, then all they’ve got to do to give us a ring, and then we shall pass all of their (phone) numbers on. You’re in Pitsmoor, aren’t you?

    Gareth: Yeah! We’re at sunny Pitsmoor, at Abbeyfield Park House. Please feel free to get in touch. And as you said, we’ve got a website, and we’re on the social media (platforms) and all that.

    Toby: It’s reyt, R-E-Y-T. Reyt Repairs. It’s absolutely fantastic. Wish you the best of luck, Gareth. Thank you very much indeed for talking to us.

    Gareth: Fantastic, thanks Toby!

    (End of radio interview)

    And this concludes the full transcript of the radio interview! Don’t forget, you can contact Reyt Repair using this form if you want to join our repair teams. We’re eager to welcome new volunteers, from newbies who want to learn how to fix things, to experienced fixers and tinkerers who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise with others!