#BehindtheSelfie: Roger Goode’s recipe for a perfect morning show

Roger Goode is not a fan of tea or matcha. Source: Supplied.

Coffee, tea, or matcha? Why?

Coffee, black like vinyl. The fuel of legends. Tea’s too tame, matcha’s a fad. My coffee’s unfiltered, keeps you sharp when the world’s tuning in. My lady makes the most insane Ethiopian roast, it’s Africa in a cup, grounded, just like home.

What's a day in the life of Roger Like?

Starts early, 4 a.m. Dawn’s for my three-year-old, her giggles set the tempo. The mother city is quiet, My bike roaring, I beat the audience to the radio show by six. Nerves buzzing like it’s my first gig. I’m a rookie again, and I love it! Serving the airwaves, the people, and something bigger.

Xhosa pronunciation lessons from callers, Afrikaans quips, English swagger and maybe a quick chat with a street poet in Khayelitsha. Daytime is playtime, tweaking beats, creating audio and surfing melodies on my rig while the Atlantic crashes outside. Night’s for the hustle. Djing, hosting a gig, writing rhymes, or just soaking in the energy of this beautiful city. It’s curated chaos, every day’s a broadcast, live and unscripted.

How do you stay productive?

Rhythm and reinvention. I’ve got a toddler’s chaos to sync with, keeps me sharp. Tech’s my wingman. I’m always tweaking. I juggle beats, surf boards, and books. Multitasking’s my jam. Bike rides clear the static, a cold swim in the ocean my reset. Faith’s my anchor now, almost five years dry, chasing good karma. It’s about staying hungry and picking up new skills. Cape Town’s people, African wisdom or laughs with a stranger on the street keep me humming! You set the rhythm. Wake early, move fast, cut the noise.

What excites you most about your job?

The alchemy of it. Taking raw sound and turning it into gold. The butterflies. I still get ‘em pulling into the station each morning. Hosting a new show, it’s like I’m cutting my first demo. Electric, human.

Radio’s a people game, your voice in someone’s car, their kitchen, their life. It’s the connection and I try to be a conduit. I’m part DJ, part griot, weaving stories and music. Knowing some kid in a township or a suit in the traffic is nodding to my beat, masterfully produced, for every soul listening. Few live their passion. I’m blessed to ride that wave daily,

What’s a trend in your industry you’re currently loving?

The return of analogue soul in a digital world. Think vinyl resurgence meets streaming’s reach. Old-school radio vibes remixed for the global village. I’m geeking out on how kids in Soweto are sampling Miriam Makeba on TikTok, flipping Fela Kuti into beats on X or how pirate station aesthetics are creeping back into podcasts.

It’s retro-futurism, my kind of playground. I’ve spent years crate-digging for rare grooves, now the world’s catching up, and I’m here for it, blending it with a Cape Town twist. We gonna reboot the radio.

This new station’s got me learning from scratch, like ‘95 pirate days. It’s fresh yet timeless, and I’m still a student of the masters.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Stay curious, stay kind.

Came from an old jazz musician I met when I was hustling for my first DJ gigs. He’d played with legends, lived through segregation, and still smiled at everyone. It stuck. It’s about keeping your mind open and your heart real. Parenting my girl, sobriety and spirit honed it. I’m stacking good karma, living for more than just the spotlight. Fame’s fleeting, humility’s forever. Africa teaches you that daily.

What’s your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?

Ripping down Chapmans Peak on my motorbike, ocean on one side, mountain on the other. Pure release. Or I’m in the studio, headphones on, crafting my daughter’s nap-time beats. Video games and Sci-fi’s my escape. Dune’s spice, Dick’s dystopias, Everything under the LED lights!