Frank van der Lende embarks on something new: making radio for a commercialstation. After NPO3FM stopped its afternoon show on the public channel, Vander Lende was brought to Radio Veronica. The DJ will get there, among otherthings, a show with live artists on Friday evening. “I find Roxeanne Hazesexciting for Radio Veronica.”
By Maarten Hafkamp
3FM announced this summer that it would take a different approach and Van derLende and his colleague Sander Hoogendoorn lost their regular time. The publicchannel gave both DJs a new place, but they decided to leave. For Van derLende the end of 13.5 years at 3FM.
The radio DJ compares radio to football. “You have to have a good, wideselection. You need strikers and hard workers in midfield who play records.But then a new coach comes and puts someone else in the forefront. Maybe thatis Barend van Deelen (the one from Radio 538 made the switch to 3FM, ed.) andthat works out very well. Only because of all those changes and a lessprogressive musical approach it no longer felt like my 3FM.”
The radio DJ started as a ‘broekie’ at a very popular station. “Big names suchas Coen & Sander, Giel Beelen, Michiel Veenstra and Domien Verschuuren werestill there. The sky was the limit. Then Coen and Sander left and I wasallowed to make the afternoon show when I was 26.”
In the meantime, the market share of 3FM has decreased considerably. Yet Vander Lende did not hesitate when he got the second chance to present theafternoon show in 2020. Together with Eva Koreman, he went into it with fullconviction. “We had a plan to let 3FM fly again. The program management wentalong with it. Two years later there was a different program management andthey had a different idea. I told the new broadcaster manager of 3FM, Menno deBoer, that I felt that the station and I have grown apart.”
‘Sander and Sander are both good friends and good radio makers’
It was Rob Stenders who brought him to 3FM in 2008. And now to Veronica: thecircle is complete. “What also played a role is that both Sander Lantinga andSander Hoogendoorn went to Radio Veronica. Apart from the fact that they aregood friends of mine, I also think they are great radio makers.”
Van der Lende calls the current Radio Veronica an interesting station. “It isprogressive, but does not shy away from the classics that I love so much. Ifyou compare it with public broadcasting, it is actually a kind of Radio 2.5(between Radio 2 and 3FM, ed). And it still feels a bit like a rebel club atTalpa.”
The departure of Hoogendoorn and Van der Lende was announced at the same time,but the two DJs have not decided to leave 3FM together. Their schedule atRadio Veronica also looks different. Where Hoogendoorn can be heard four daysa week since Monday, Van der Lende makes a program on Friday evenings and theweekend. He also regularly fills in on the channel. He will also be doingother things as a freelancer. This is how he makes podcasts and regularly sitsat the table at talk show Khalid & Sophie.
‘A pub, live music and radio come together’
Van der Lende will present the live music program from this Friday from 19.00to 23.00 Soundz Live. “It will be a show full of live music. That is one ofthe reasons why I wanted to go to Radio Veronica. I have had the program on3FM for a long time That ‘s live produced and later presented. Threefavorite things came together there: a pub, live music and radio. I can nowalmost do the same, only in the studio in Hilversum.”
“I have a fairly broad taste in music and I may be quite an old fart. So now Ican just invite Frank Boeijen or Rowwen Hèze without having to bend overbackwards. But also newer bands such as Son Mieux, which I already At the topof my wish list is Roxeanne Hazes. I think that is an exciting artist forRadio Veronica,” said the DJ.
He has missed making radio tremendously in recent months. The advantage of hisdeparture from 3FM was that he could spend a lot of time with his son Koos,who was born in June. “I grant everyone as long parental leave as I do. Butnow I’m eager to start again.”