Sunday mornings? Half the time I’m in a hotel against my will, waiting until I can get home. I still gig a lot, at least every other Saturday night. I often have to spend the night away but can never sleep in hotel beds properly. I’m happiest at home: up at 9am to feed our koi carp. My missus, Pri, sorts out the cat and dog much earlier.
Do you work? Throughout my career, I’ve often had Sunday shows. These days I prepare playlists for my shows in the week ahead. People know not to ring me.
What are you listening to? I’ve just upgraded my hi-fi with a whole new setup. Generally I’ve stopped listening to music to relax; it feels like work. But this new system has given me an excuse to press play. I’m exploring new Jorja Smith and Summer Walker. A bit of Miles Davis. Anything that zens me out, really.
Sundays growing up? It was the one day of the week our family felt normal. My mum childminded, so on other days there were random kids at our place. My dad, meanwhile, was always out working as an insurance salesman. But on Sundays we all sat and ate together.
Time for a work out? I can’t sit still. I keep bits of gym equipment in every room as a reminder to exercise. I might do weights upstairs, or practise my golf swing against a screen in the garage, squatting in between sessions. If you put a camera in my house, you’d tell me to slow down, chill out, take it all in for a second.
Sunday nights past? Had some of the greatest parties in Black music history – we often couldn’t book clubs for Fridays or Saturdays, so we took what we could. I was resident at Twice as Nice and Soul II Soul, both legendary nights. Then I started my own Sunday night event, Club Harlem. Diehard people came out; the ones who really loved the music.
And present? Pri cooks a traditional Sunday dinner, although I have rice and peas with mine. She’s in bed by 10pm, but I’m a total night owl. Once she’s asleep I gorge on sports: NFL, Match of the Day Two, golf… I’ll watch it all. I’m a telly nut, and proud of it.
Trevor Nelson will present Windrush 75, a night of music, at the Royal Albert Hall on 9 June, followed by a broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds on 18 June
