It’s been a long seven years in the making but one of Triple J’s most iconic music segments is making a long-awaited return to the airwaves.
The J Files is making a grand re-appearance this month as it takes up residence on Thursday nights on Double J radio, who have revealed the first four subjects of the “much loved interactive music documentary show.”
Originally confirmed to make a comeback during Double J’s April launch, the J Files will present in-depth backstories focussing on an “artist, event, album, or theme”, kickstarting with a special on Something For Kate to commemorate the band’s 20th Anniversary (and current national headline tour).
Presenting the Something For Kate J File will be Richard Kingsmill (who launched the series’ initial run back in 1996) in a special simulcast on both Double J and Triple J on Thursday 21st August at 8pm. Following the SFK special, The J Files will feature programs on Jeff Buckley and the 20 years since his debut album Grace, Bob Dylan’s lasting legacy – timed with his Australian tour, and a profile on the Riot Grrrl movement.
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Though the J Files will draw deep from the station’s 40 year archives, for its new iteration the series is also looking to the audience to craft a “collaborative experience between the broadcaster and the listener,” as Double J details.
“Each week we’ll be looking for music fans to help piece together the stories of the acts we showcase and why they mean so much. We need you to regale us of artists soundtracking your lives, to speak about your favourite live experiences, dig out your old gig flyers and moth eaten band shirts and share with us the history of your favourite artists.” To that end, Double J has launched a new interactive home for J Files online.
The new community-driven Double J version is the third incarnation of the J Files over the years. The series originally ran as a three-hour weeknight show, presented by Kingsmill, airing over 400 episodes from 1996 to 2003. For the next four years, it switched to an hour-long Saturday afternoon program, hosted by a variety of presenters on a multitude of artists and topics until it was shelved in November 2007.
If you’re feeling nostalgic, or a complete J Files version, a large archive of older episodes is still available to stream from the Triple website – covering everything from Nick Cave and Coldplay, to famous producers like Butch Vig and Nick Launey.
The J Files 2014
Thursday 21st August – Something For Kate, presented by Richard Kingsmill (simulcast on Double J and triple j)
Thursday 28th August – Jeff Buckley, presented by Caz Tran
Thursday 4th September – Bob Dylan, presented by Emma Swift
Thursday 11th September – Riot Grrrl, presented by Helen Razer
