No Disco where art thou?

Came across a lovely piece on state.ie on the oft-lamented RTE music show No Disco by Tanya Sweeney. This show was a formative influence on myself and many mates - mainly due to original presenter Donal Dineen's fondness for showing trippy videos from the nascent trip-hop scene (Massive Attack's Karmacoma and Protection as well as Tricky's Hell Is Around the Corner stand out big time in my mind). Many's a night did I sit propped by the VCR, finger twitching over the record button to catch these gems for posterity.

In hindsight, the reticent Dineen was so remarkably 'not there' on screen, head jerking self-consciously as he whispered record label names and meticulous adjectives from the auto-cue. The lack of professionalism was of course decidedly refreshing. His successor, the late Uaneen Fitzsimons, was a little too commercial for my tastes, but, as Sweeney's article reflects, she was made for the screen and no doubt would have gone on to, well, if not greater, at least more high-profile assignments. Leagues O'Toole revived the laid back, subtler tones of Dineen and did a decent job until the show was axed in 2003.

There's something new on the increasingly depressing RTE homegrown schedule called When Under Ether (not a good name guys, PJ Harvey song or no) - I haven't watched it but here's hoping it proves worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as No Disco by some media correspondants.

Here's some more video memories off the top of my head (some not embedded 'cause EMI the poopers won't allow it) - anyone remember any others on heavy rotation that I've forgottn here - there must be loads?:

Smashing Pumpkins - Today 
Portishead - Glory Box
Radiohead - Just
Beck - The New Pollution 
Daft Punk - Around the World and Da Funk