Steve Lamacq

Stephen Paul Lamacq, born on October 16, 1965, in Bournemouth, is a renowned English disc jockey best known for his work at BBC Radio 6 Music. Affectionately nicknamed "Lammo" by legendary broadcaster John Peel and dubbed "The Cat" for his goalkeeping prowess, Lamacq spent his formative years in Colne Engaine, Essex. His journalism career took off as a junior reporter at the West Essex Gazette, following his studies in Journalism at Harlow College.

Lamacq emerged as a significant voice in music journalism, creating a fanzine titled A Pack of Lies during his teenage years. He gained prominence at the NME, where he also began his DJing career on XFM, then a pirate station. In 1992, he co-founded Deceptive Records with Alan James and Tony Smith, nurturing a roster of punk-pop acts, notably the successful Elastica, until the label's closure in 2001.

One of Lamacq's most notable moments came in 1991 during a post-gig interview with the Manic Street Preachers, which became infamous when Richey James Edwards etched "4 Real" into his arm, an incident later featured in a BBC documentary. Between 1995 and 1997, he made appearances on BBC 1's Top of the Pops, often sharing the stage with Jo Whiley. A devoted supporter of Colchester United, Lamacq authored an autobiography titled *Going Deaf for a Living* and has served as a compere at the Carling Reading Festival multiple times, solidifying his status in the music industry.