He's one of Britain's most popular and enduring radio broadcasters. Now Bolton-born Mark Radcliffe has selected the songs that were the soundtrack to each year of his life. He tells David Henry about some of the interesting choices he made in his new book, Reelin' In The Years.

Mark Radcliffe will turn 53 this year. That means the BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music DJ was born, appropriately enough, around the time British rock and roll began. And since then, he says, the major events in his life have coincided with the major developments in the music business.

He went to university in Manchester just as the Madchester scene was beginning. He was a high-profile Radio 1 DJ at the height of Cool Britannia. And with his ongoing shows across BBC radio, he's been at the forefront of new music for decades.

So who better to take a look back at the songs that have defined each year of his life? Mark's latest book does just that. Part-music guide, part auto-biography, part-social and cultural commentary, Reelin' In The Years sees him select the most memorable and important music from each year of his life, using it to recount personal and professional memories, and reflect on cultural changes over half a century.

He's keen to stress this is not a collection of his favourite songs, or the most influential songs of the time. Instead it's a personal journey, documenting the songs that best capture his life, packed with wry observations and amusing anecdotes, all delivered with his familiar northern wit.

“I think it's a nice miscellany,” says Mark. “It's about music but with some personal bits and some interviews.

“I quite like the episodic format of focusing on one year at a time. It's frankly easier than writing a continuous piece where you have to join up the interesting bits.”

Some of his choices are a little surprising. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and David Bowie, Mark's favourite performer, all fail to get a song included.

The most striking example is 1967, the year the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Mark picks Sandie Shaw's Puppet on a String for that year.

“Mainly because I think she was the first girl I had a crush on,” he offers as an explanation.

The inclusion of Manchester acts like Joy Division, the Smiths, and the Stone Roses is less unexpected, although there's no Oasis.

Reelin' In The Years is Mark's fourth book, and his publishers are already keen for a fifth. Despite his burgeoning writing career, he maintains he's “a broadcaster who writes on the side”.

“It's hard work writing books,” he says. “Doing my radio work during the day then coming home to write in the evening can be quite exhausting. It's a bit like doing homework, you'd rather be out doing something else.”

But it's perhaps wise for the former Bolton School pupil to have a second career outside his radio work. As he says, broadcasting can be “like football”.

“You never know if a new boss will come in and want to make changes.”

Mark has worked for the BBC for over 20 years, establishing himself as one of the corporation's most popular and enduring music broadcasters. But even he has been the victim of management shake-ups.

The Radio 2 show he presented in the evenings with Stuart Maconie was recently moved to a daytime slot on digital station 6 Music. His audience went from the millions to the thousands. Bosses claimed the move was designed to boost figures for 6 Music. Some saw this as an attempt to disguise a demotion.

“Radio 2 is now a very different place to the one I joined. I still have a weekly show on there, which I'm very happy with.

“There's a sadness it didn't work out for me as it might have done. But now I'm in the brave new world of digital radio. I just hope it doesn't end up like betamax,” he laughs.

Radcliffe and Maconie began working together after a chat over a pint in the Briton's Protection in Manchester city centre. Before then, Mark was best known for his work with Marc Riley, better known as Lard.

In Reelin In The Years, Radcliffe pays a touching tribute to his former sparring partner, crediting him with kick-starting his career on Radio 1. The much-loved double act ended when the pair left the station.

“The decision was made for us really by the BBC. So that meant there was no awkwardness. They thought we'd come to a natural end and we didn't want to leave on bad terms. So we accepted their decision and it was as simple and prosaic as that.”

From the outside, it seems Mark hasn't always been treated well by his BBC bosses. He, however, feels he has been “indulged” over the years.

“It would be churlish in the extreme to grumble. The BBC has paid for a nice house in Cheshire.”

He's not entirely enthusiastic about the corporation's big northern adventure, though. Despite broadcasting from Manchester to the nation for most of his career, he has reservations about MediaCity and the move to Salford.

“There's a sadness that the BBC isn't going to be in town any more. I'll miss the atmosphere and character of the city centre. I'll miss the old pubs and the art galleries. I like to feel the pulse of the city.

“But at least I know that for the rest of my career there will be a massive media facility on my doorstep.”

He's deeply committed to his north west roots, and his appetite for new music, and for broadcasting it across the airwaves, remains undimmed. He's loyal listeners, and readers, will doubtless be eager to hear what his song for 2011 is, so far. “Well, I would say PJ Harvey Let England Shake. That's an extraordinary record.”

Mark Radcliffe is giving a talk at Waterstones on Deansgate on Wednesday at 7pm. For details call 0843 290 8485.

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