TotalRock is 25!!

Legendary rock radio station TotalRock reaches its 25th year milestone

Today, May 29th 2025, marks 25 years of  TotalRock radio. The radio station, based in London, UK launched in the year 2000, with the aim of playing rock & metal 24/7. The station has hosted all the big names in rock, Lemmy, Ozzy, Dio, Bruce, Rob Halford, etc. but is also a staunch supporter of new music and new talent. The station is manned by volunteer presenters with a passion for rock and metal 24/7.

Launched by BBC Rock Show producer Tony Wilson and the late and renowned rock journalist Malcolm Dome (1955 – 2021) it was originally based in Fulham, London. Totalrock has now put out over 60,000 rock & metal shows since its inception. An incredible output, fuelled by love of the music and a strong desire to create a space for the often much maligned, rock & metal community and its plethora of fans, subgenres and niche audiences under one umbrella.

Tony Wilson, who started working at the BBC in 1963 and produced Tommy Vance’s BBC Friday Rock Show for seventeen years, spearheaded the launch of TotalRock radio. Wilson was an innovator for rock radio and something of a maverick, persuading the BBC to start a rock show in the first place, then working on the show through until 1995.

Together with Malcolm Dome, celebrated rock journalist and a man with an encyclopedic knowledge of rock and metal who had launched RAW! magazine and had been instrumental in publications such as Metal Fury, Kerrang! (where he made his name), Metal Hammer, Metal Forces, Classic Rock and Prog, they created a dynamic duo that headed up the station. Tony took the role of station manager, head technical guru and producer, while Malcolm Dome led the on-air team, wrote and recorded the rock news, planned and booked guests as well as presenting a regular show himself.

“We built a studio above the Kings Head pub in Fulham, it was a huge room from front to back, Andy King was builder in chief, and we all mucked in to construct this studio within the room, rigged up computers, bought a broadcast desk. Three monitors, mics. We were on Sky analogue before Sky digital and streaming online… but not in such high quality” states Tony Wilson in this interview with Neil Jones

 The station which has been through five different London locations, three different incorporations, and has garnered a roster of over 250 presenters during its 25 years, has overcome the odds in what has been a rapidly changing music landscape, charting the change from analogue to digital and FM to online streaming.

All the big names in Rock & Metal came through the doors of TotalRock, and for many of those 25 years the interviews were in person in the studio. From the Fulham premises, TotalRock moved to Denmark Place, which has now been demolished to make way for the hotel and station complex, and from there to the famous Denmark Street, where they were located above a guitar shop. Then with the increasing rents and the renovation / gentrification of the whole Tottenham Court road area, TotalRock moved again to just off Brick Lane in Shoreditch, but is now run almost entirely online and remotely from home.

The fun and sometimes chaotic station – has seen live broadcasts from Download and Wacken festival, guest spots or interviews with all the big names in rock, as well as more impromptu live drama broadcasts for example, firefighters breaking into the studio when one presenter (with narcolepsy) fell asleep on air and listeners viewing the webcam called 999 thinking he had died – has been manned by passionate rock & metal fans, presenting shows across all heavy genres since 2000.

Tony Wilson notes: “When we did the Friday Rock Show with Tommy, it was a show that mostly played current contemporary music. A lot of people look back and try to recreate that, but they play the same music we were playing in the 70’s and 80’s. But the show was a new music show at that time. TotalRock has always been a grassroots station supporting new forms of rock & metal music and new bands. That is TotalRock’s ethos, whatever genre of Rock & Metal we’ve supported new and up & coming bands in that field.”

Championing diversity not just in style of rock music, but in presenters, with the age, gender, interests and experience varying greatly across the roster of talent. TotalRock was a trailblazer for female presenters. 50% of the presenters during the first few years were women, giving many female presenters their first start in the industry, including broadcaster Sophie K and presenter and producer Kylie Olsson.

Sophie K recalls: “TotalRock was my first home in rock music media, Malcolm and Tony gave me a shot and allowed all my ridiculous feature ideas. It is a place with its sole focus on creating a community for fans of rock and metal and lives on no matter what, because of sheer authentic passion.”

 Kylie Olsson states: “Totalrock was the bridge to the career I always wanted.  It gave me the tools to launch my Emmy-award winning series ‘Life in Six Strings’ and more. We were a bunch of misfits that all shared one thing in common, a love of rock music!  But most of all for me I got to work with and become friends with the legend that was Malcolm Dome.”

 Setting out as TotalRock in May 2000, with the aim was to be a successful 24 hour rock & metal station, Tony Wilson reflects on their achievements:

“Well, I think we achieved that and more! Over 25 years of navigating the changing industry landscape, changing funding and changing broadcast models, one thing that has never changed is the passion for the music and dedication of our presenters and team.” he continues “the passion for music and TotalRock teams dedication is what has made it survive”

Now the TotalRock roster includes Neil Jones, Diamond Dave, Cory Blose (Hobo on the Radio), original TotalRock presenter Matt Mason, Sophia and dozens of others, see the full roster HERE.

 Presenter Neil Jones states: “TotalRock reaching its 25th milestone is simply an incredible achievement. In an age where the media landscape has shifted hugely over the years, it continues to both evolve whilst also staying unwaveringly true to its roots – the Iron Maiden of media platforms and a testament to both the listeners and the equally passionate presenters. We are proud to celebrate 25 years and with horns aloft enter the next quarter century!”

TotalRock has been funded by different investors over the years including NASA scientist and rocker Henry Green who was passionate about TotalRock but sadly died unexpectedly, which led to TotalRock’s second liquidation. Ever since TotalRock CEO has been previous Sisters Of Mercy manager Boyd Steemson.

Putting the DIY in radio, TotalRock has always been independent, experimenting with on-air set ups and making studios themselves in whatever premises they arrived in.

From the first words on air by the infamous Krusher to the famous presenters over the years including Barney Greenway (Napalm Death), Jamie Lenman, Ronnie James Dio, Julia Hardy (TV  Gaming & e-sports journalist), Jeff Leach (Comedian and Gaming personality) and Neal Kay‘s Heavy Metal Soundhouse to name a few.

Congratulations messages have been flooding into TotalRock from all corners of the rock and metal world including the likes of Rob Halford, Tony Iommi, Alter Bridge, The Eagles, Garbage and many more.

Tony Wilson hopes there’s another 25 years or longer in the brand.

Wilson states: “The challenges are going to be to keep TotalRock relevant to the way that people like to find music and enjoy it. It might be that we have to move onto different platforms. We have to keep ourselves relevant in the way we reach the audience and satisfy their needs.”

One of the ways that TotalRock has moved with the times is by launching the We are TRXSH brand “We Are TRXSH is an all-inclusive alternative and metal music hub with a specific focus on Gen Z and Gen Alpha rock music fans. We believe there is a gap between Generations, and we are here to FIX IT!”

 25 years on Tony Wilson looks back with pride on the massive achievement of keeping TotalRock going for a quarter of a century. “I’ve been blessed to spend every day of my working life doing what I love” he muses with a smile. Long may it continue.

 TotalRock are always open to new presenters and new music. Get in touch at [email protected]

 Stay in touch www.totalrock.com and @totalrockonline on socials

Visit TotalRock’s history in pictures HERE