Hans Knot's International Radio Report - September 2007
Wonderful to see that
the long edition of end August got such a massive response. Thanks for
that and a part of the mail you’ll find in this issue, the other part
has been answered personally.
For all who loved the landbased pirate radiostation
Radio Jackie Mike had
great news: ‘There is a fascinating new 218 page slide show at
www.radiojackie.com
You can set whatever speed you want to view. As the 1967 offshore era is
marked and Ofcom considers its Future Of Radio consultation (Jackie
encouraged non-conglomerate ownership and noted that copycat music
policies may explain falls in total non-BBC audience share) there is a
new slideshow of early Jackie history. I regularly listened in the early
days in the late 60s and early 70s in Surrey, originally it was only
Sunday mornings. Mike Terry.’
Thanks Mike and the next one was sent to me from Canada and it resulted
in that I had a 5 minutes long laugh after watching the next video which
was sent to me by Keith Hampshire. And don’t forget after the commercial
had ended it only starts!
www.atomfilms.com/contentPlay/video.jsp?id=morning_guy&ratingBarExcl
There is a possibility to sign a petition to get the
Pirate BBC Essex on the
air on a yearly base: I have just read and signed the petition: "Pirate
BBC Essex - make it a yearly event!" Please take a moment to read about
this important issue, and join me in signing the petition. It takes just
30 seconds, but can truly make a difference. The people behind the idea
are trying to reach 100,000 signatures - please sign here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/121078786
Once you have signed, you can help even more by asking your friends and
family to sign as well. I know 100.000 is a lot. I was an early signer
and the first 100 were almost there, way back on August 17th.
What
about two new names in the long list of
female deejays on
offshore radiostations? For Radio Nord off the Swedish Coast two names
can be added which are Anita Byström and Monika.
Alan Milewczyk has written the next lines: ‘Hi folks I've finally done
my write up of the Radio Academy event and this, together with photos is
now on my site at
http://soulman1949.com/offshoreradio.html
Best wishes, Alan. ‘ So go and have a look!
A nickname can be added
to the long list as it was mentioned twice in an old show from Robbie
Dale in 1966: ‘Uncle’ Bill Hearne, ‘your lovely fellow’. By the way,
just recently Martin van der Ven updated the list of nicknames which can
be found at: www.hansknot.com
*********************************************************************
A regular in the report is Bob
LeRoi from Whitstable:
‘Welcome to the September Update. This month in Scrapbook: Red Sands
Radio - Part 2: The supply runs, equipping the Fort ready for
broadcasting after a 40-year gap! Another auction this time for the last
Red Sands Radio Posters. Red Sands Radio supported the Whitstable Oyster
Festival; we bring you pictures and ask what the future holds for the
quaint harbour? The Morris Minor Club were exhibiting at the event again
this year, we've a 1963 Morris 1000 Saloon for sale ready for
restoration. In "One Subject One Link" several contributions on the
Radio Academy Pirate Radio Day. And announcing the release of the 2nd
part of the Radio Essex Documentary, which is now available on CD to
purchase
Finally last chance sailing dates for the Barge, one of our RiB's or the
Pilot Vessel before the season closes: Enjoy your visits
www.bobleroi.co.uk
*********************************************************************
An e mail from Ian Damon
with a surprising photograph: ‘Good to meet you in London. My son Bruce
has uploaded a scan of the shot of Graeme and I whilst at 2RG Griffith
in 1956 to the web. There are also some other shots from our reunion (!)
and my Big L 1395 programme on the following Sunday. My voice was sore
that weekend as you can imagine after not seeing him for over 47 years!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anderidamedia/sets/72157601282960254/
Happy
for you to use them in your report. Best regards. Ian (Wombat) Damon
Ian Damon (As Ian Davidson) with
Graham Gill (as Graeme Gilsenan) whilst at Radio 2RG Griffith New South
Wales Australia 1956.
Ian and Graham Gill in 2007 Photo
Bruce Davidson
Mail from Steve Anderson: ‘Dear Hans, I love your website; please keep
up the good work. As an original listener to the offshore broadcasters -
and as a recently-retired daily newspaper journalist - I felt I had to
write a tribute to August 14th, 1967. I've published a 500-word feature
about 270, London, Caroline, etc. in the latest issue of the Goole Times
newspaper, which circulates in the East Riding of Yorkshire. My piece
(apart from the first paragraph, which has been omitted in error) is
reproduced on the newspaper's website. You have my permission and that
of the editor, Peter Butler, to copy it in full to use on your website.
Alternatively, I can arrange to send you a copy or a scanned image.
73, Steve Anderson (amateur radio call sign G0 EAT).’
Well wonderful Steve and indeed in the meantime he did sent me the
article, which is this issues main feature: “Short-lived, but much-loved”
was a fitting epitaph for Radio
270, East Yorkshire’s first local commercial station, which was
silenced 40 years ago this summer. Former Goole Times reporter Steve
Anderson looks back at a glorious era in broadcasting when pirates
waived the rules.
‘I remember meeting
the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, one-time record-breaking
athlete Christopher Chataway. He’d just been speaking at Snaith School
and I particularly wanted to seek his views on commercial radio.
Three years earlier – in 1967 - Harold Wilson’s Labour government had
signed the death warrant for Britain’s fleet of offshore stations by
introducing the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act, a deeply unpopular
piece of legislation which outlawed Yorkshire’s very own Radio 270 and a
host of other so-called pirates.
Perhaps Mr Chataway, whose Conservative Party was now in power, could
offer some hope that Radio 270, Radio London, Radio 390 and, of course,
Radio Caroline would be allowed a legal return to the airwaves? But the
former ITN and BBC journalist, who had won the first-ever Sports
Personality of the Year award, was in a hurry for his next political
engagement and an interview with the Goole Times was not on the
Minister’s agenda. He managed a brief “must dash” comment – appropriate,
I thought, for an Olympian who had held both the 5,000 metres and
three-mile world records – before being ushered away from Snaith by two
plain-clothed police officers. It was not long afterwards that the
Minister, one of the most famous faces in Edward Heath’s government, was
busy working on proposals to introduce legalised independent local radio
to Britain.
The likes of Radio Hallam in Sheffield, London’s Capital Radio and a
host of other commercial upstarts were eventually given the go-ahead,
the first of them being launched in 1973.
It
was to be two decades later before the first national commercial
licences were issued (for Classic FM, Virgin and Talk Radio UK, now
TalkSport), but none truly resembled their offshore forefathers who had
paved the way for a broadcasting revolution. Radio 270, Radio Scotland,
“Swinging” Radio England and more than a dozen other “pirates” had
transmitted from ships and wartime forts around the British coast, 270’s
programmes emanating from a 139ft former Dutch fishing vessel called
Oceaan 7 which spent its 15-month radio career anchored in international
waters off Scarborough or, occasionally, Bridlington. The station, which
had cost about £60,000 to launch, was an instant hit with an estimated
four million listeners, mainly along the east coast but also on the near
continent and in Scandinavia, and companies ranging from garages to
nightclubs were eager to pay for advertising spots.
Radio 270 was a good career move for such disc jockeys as Philip Hayton,
who was later to become one of the BBC’s top television news anchormen,
and Paul Burnett, who would one day find greater fame with Radio
Luxembourg, Radio 1 and, of course, Top of the Pops.
Phil Hayton (Archive Pirate Hall
of Fame)
Radio 270’s principal backers were a group of Yorkshire business
executives led by Don Robinson – who later went on to become chairman of
Hull City - and supermarket entrepreneur Wilf Proudfoot. Their venture,
in common with all the other 1960’s “pirates” except Caroline, was to be
silenced in a storm of controversy.
Opposition to the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act was immense. There
were public rallies around the country, petitions, and speeches in
parliament, but it was all to no avail. The offshore operators had
enjoyed as long as three years afloat and, despite the weight of public
opinion against them, MPs decided that enough was enough. Ronan
O’Rahilly, the mercurial Irish founder of the two most famous stations,
Caroline North and Caroline South, knew what he thought of the British
establishment. He announced that his ventures would continue
broadcasting after the legislation came into effect on August 14th,
1967, and, true to his word, “The Lady” lived on until mounting debts
forced the closure of the entire operation the following year. Caroline
would later return to the airwaves, initially from the North Sea and
later via the internet and satellite, but the other “pirates” have never
resurfaced in their original form. Radio 270 closed down to the sounds
of Land of Hope and Glory and, ironically, the National Anthem. Most of
the other stations had pulled the plug in the previous few weeks and
months, although Radio London undoubtedly had the largest audience share
when its final hour began at 2pm on the 14th.
I remember that show as though it was yesterday. One of the station’s
best voices, presenter Paul Kaye, who had also opened the first
programme on Radio London when it started in 1964, brought tears to
millions of eyes when he spoke those momentous words: “Big L time is 3
o’clock and Radio London is now closing down.” Paul later became well
known as a continuity announcer on Yorkshire Television and as a
presenter of jazz shows on independent local radio in the West Riding
and north-east of England. He died in 1980. “The days of offshore radio
were marvelous while they lasted,” Don Robinson told me. “Radio 270 was
with us for less than two years, but it built up a massive and loyal
audience in the United Kingdom and abroad. “I sometimes listen to the
old recordings and, I have to say, they bring a lump to the throat.
“Before the era of offshore broadcasting, very little pop music was to
be heard on the radio in Britain, but 270 and the other stations
revolutionised it all. They led directly to the setting up of Radio 1
and the scores of other local, regional and national stations that we
have today.”
Offshore Oddments
T
en
things that you probably didn’t know about the world of “pirate” radio:
• Radio 270 should have started broadcasting on April 1st, 1966, but its
opening transmissions were delayed by technical problems – and bad
weather – until two months later.
• The Marine Broadcasting Offences Act closed down most of the offshore
stations in 1967, but it didn’t deter everyone. Two of the most
successful “pirates” of all time, Radio North Sea International and
Laser 558, broadcast from ships in the following two decades.
• Many former offshore disc jockeys are now a “fixture” of BBC and
independent local radio stations. Chris Arundel, Radio Humberside’s
Bridlington reporter, used to work on the Voice of Peace anchored off
the Israeli coast. Radio York’s Jerry Scott, meanwhile, is a veteran of
Radio Caroline.
Chris Arundel on the Radio Day in
2005 (Photo Martin van der Ven)
• Not all unlicensed stations in the 1960s and 1970s operated from
outside Britain’s territorial waters. Pupils of Goole Grammar School
once built a low-powered medium-wave transmitter whose signals could be
heard as far afield as Swinefleet and Bubwith. The perpetrators were
never caught.
• Radio Caroline’s most famous vessel, Mi Amigo, sank in 1980, but its
name lives on. A bungalow in Holme-on-Spalding Moor is called Mi Amigo,
while one in Reedness is named Laissez Faire after a ship that hosted
two stations, “Swinging” Radio England and Britain Radio.
• A letter addressed to Radio 270 in October, 1966, and popped into a
post box in Foggathorpe, near Holme-on-Spalding Moor, claimed that a
limpet mine had been attached to its ship, the Oceaan 7. But the crew
found nothing suspicious.
• Comedy actor and writer John Junkin, who had family connections in the
Goole area, was one of Radio Caroline’s first-ever disc jockeys,
although he never actually broadcast live from the North Sea. John, who
died last year, recorded a number of early Caroline shows at a London
studio.
• Radio Caroline’s last broadcasting vessel, the former Grimsby trawler
Ross Revenge, is presently being preserved as a floating museum devoted
to the offshore era. A team of loyal volunteers is working on the ship
at its private mooring in Essex.
• An offshore radio supporter embarrassed “Auntie” in the early 1970s by
ringing BBC Radio Humberside’s “Swap Shop” programme and telling the
flummoxed presenter that he would “like to swap your station for Radio
North Sea International”. He was promptly cut off!
• The Goole-based Boothferry District Citizens’ Advice Bureau was
mentioned on Radio Caroline last year. One of the CAB volunteers
e-mailed the station asking for a dedication – and, unlike the 1960s
when letters to Caroline often took weeks to arrive, modern technology
meant that his record request was on the air within 15 minutes.
Progress!’
Copyright Steve Anderson 2007.
Thanks a lot Steve for this long contribution and feel always welcome to
share with us. He mentioned that there were houses mentioned after Radio
ships and I know there are more people who did so. For instant near
Whitstable is a house called ‘Red Sands’. The same with the use of
frequencies, names of stations in e mail addresses. Well readers who
know more on this subject please reflect at
Hknot@home.nl
Let’s talk about the photographs: you can find a lot of photos taken in
the period 1985/1986 aboard the MV Ross Revenge, housing Radio Caroline
and Radio Monique during those days at
www.hansknot.com
In
our postal box arrived from Whitstable in England a brand new cd
excellent produced by Bob Le Roi, called ‘Radio
Essex part 2’. It’s the second part of a documentary filled with
memories in words and sounds about one of the smallest of the offshore
radio stations, which were on the air in the sixties. And also one of
the few radiostations aboard the army forts in the Thames Estuary. More
than 40 years ago the station was heard in areas of Kent and Essex,
although on very good conditions the signal good spread a little bit
further. Although the conditions on the fort were dreadful the former
technicians and deejays still have the most exciting memories – which
are partly (like Bob recalls) a bit misty too.
It
’s
the story of how people succeeded to bring the station, irregular, on
the air and loved to make radio. Working together with several people
involved in those days, like the ones of Roger Scott and David Sinclair,
Bob Le Roi not only brought back the story of Radio Essex but also the
story about the Tongue Sands and the plans to start Radio Kent and Eros.
I can say, although I knew only the radiostations from a few recordings
made by others, the story is amazing to listen to. Price of the cd is
only 5.99 British Pounds and you can order your personal copy at
www.bobleroi.co.uk
Now we go to Kent and a contribution from
Martin Kayne: ‘Thanks for
the latest International Radio Report, your reproduction of the Marine
Offences (Broadcasting) Act suddenly made me realise what penalties
there were after 14th August 1967, particularly if you had a UK passport.
At the time when I was on Caroline North I traveled to the UK each time
I came on shore leave, I was only partly aware that I could receive a
heavy fine or have 2 years in prison, I was probably too busy enjoying
myself. Having said that I only came ashore 3 times in the 6 months of
so called illegality. I arrived at the ship on 14th August, had 2 weeks
ashore in October, I was at home for my birthday, I next came ashore at
Christmas arriving, due to heavy seas at Dundalk in the Irish Republic
on Christmas day. Three of us, including Jason Wolfe and myself managed
to blag ourselves into having Xmas lunch at a posh Dublin hotel that had
been booked-up for months...we only mentioned the words Radio Caroline!
The next, and final time ashore, was just days before the ship was towed
away, I was at my mother's flat at Camberwell in London and saw the
dreadful news on TV.
While on RNI in March 1971, I came to the UK, got married at Dover, flew
to Interlaken (Switzerland) for a weeks honeymoon, flew back into
Gatwick and then caught the Dover ferry to Ostende and the train to The
Hague in Holland. Clearly the authorities were not seeking to arrest
radio staff, but hoped the economic sanctions would do the trick, which
it did for Caroline but not RNI. As it happened I had renewed my
passport a year previously whilst with Radio Essex, however in those
days passports showed the holders occupation, clearly I had no idea what
the future held as mine became changed from Government Official (HM
Forces) to Radio Announcer. So if I had been arrested I don't suppose I
would have had much of a defence in court. Best Wishes Andy (Martin
Kayne).’
Martin Kayne 2007 Photo Hans Knot
Thanks
a lot Martin for bringing us your memories from those hectic days.
Really it was far more difficult to get regular breaks for the people on
the radio ships after the MOA came in. That is for the stations off the
British coast of course. In the early seventies is was still possible to
tender from Holland without problems. Only after August 31st 1974 it
became difficult from there too. Suddenly the shifts on the Mi Amigo for
the Radio Mi Amigo as well as Caroline deejays became longer too.
News from the friends at OEM: We now have a photo gallery, with nearly
100 pictures from Pirate BBC
Essex at:
www.offshoreechos.com/Pirate%20BBC%20Essex/album/index.html
click on the link above, or copy and paste to your browser
Chris Edwards
www.offshoreechos.com
From Chris in Hanwell to Colin in Leeds is a short step in the Hans Knot
International Radio Report: ‘Hi Hans, Thanks once again for a superb
News Letter, and for starters please find attached pictures at Harwich
at Pirate BBC Essex, one of me with Johnnie Walker. Whilst at Harwich I
did manage to speak to Roger Day and Keith Skues who did say this type
of radio i.e. Pirate BBC Essex should be made permanent, both of them
said that there is no radio for our age group i.e. 50's to 60's, Today’s
radio is aimed at the younger generation, nothing for our age group,
even Radio Two is fasing out 60's music.
Johnnie Walker and Colin Wilkins
In reply to Geoff Baldwin in which by the way made interesting reading,
I also agree in what he says. I did notice as well that Pirate BBC Essex
didn't play many Turntable Hits which they could have done, I can name
many myself. Pirate BBC Essex was excellent and the BEEB should take
note of what people do want to hear from their radio sets. Today’s local
radio BBC and ILR just tend to play the same boring songs all the time,
that’s why my radio is switched off also, apart from listening to a
local radio station near by which has been on air for nearly a year now
does play lots of turntable hits and records/tracks that no other radio
station in our area plays, its Tempo FM in Wetherby run by the author of
many Offshore Radio Books Bob Preedy, and he's made a good job of it too.
Any one who may be in the Wetherby Area should take a listen, its on
107.4FM Any one into internet radio- one station I listen to can be
found at www.radiobop.com plays
lots of 60's gems. I will be at the Radio Day Hans in November, so look
forward to seeing you once again. Best Wishes, Colin Wilkins.
However Colin is not the only one to give his view on the really
splendid article by Geoffry Baldwin. Here’s another one: ‘Hi Hans.
latest edition is a good read and covers some interesting issues
regarding the Beeb / Pirate BBC Essex. In particular how Pirate BBC
Essex co hosted by a mix of original old Pirate guys and BBC Essex
presenters. No question that the effect of throwing the rule book away
livened everyone up and gave a real lift to the regular BBC Essex
presenters. That is were I would like to throw in my two pennyworth. I
did a two hour show on Pirate BBC Essex that was as daft as any I had
done during the pirate days. (I'm not pretending it was any good!) After
returning to the UK from Radio Luxembourg I joined ILR stations and had
my love of radio completely sucked out of me. I was no longer a DJ, I
was a Presenter with all the formality and worthiness that goes with it.
Somehow, as part of its attempt to reinvent something that had proved to
work very well, the pompous bosses of ILR deemed the term DJ as
something to be ashamed of. Well this old Radio DJ is fighting back!
Lets be very clear what the difference is between a Presenter and a
Radio DJ.
A
presenter is someone who fills an interlude between the records, while a
Radio DJ is the fireworks between records. I am proud to have been the
latter. Never call me a presenter. With the greatest respect to Tim and
the Guys of BBC Essex without whom I wouldn't have rediscovered my love
of radio. Ex Radio DJ: Mark
Wesley.’
Thank you so much Mark. And another Pirate BBC Radio Essex deejay was
also attending the Sugar Reef event early August. Gerry Zierler, former
Radio 270 and more deejay Guy
Hamilton, came in with the next e mail: ‘Hans - Many thanks for
your Radio Report. Very interesting stuff! It's amazing just how much
interest the UK pirates' 40th anniversary events stirred up. The Radio
Academy and the BBC Essex events, both of which I was involved with,
were enormously successful and lots of fun to do. I've met and talked to
old colleagues - and bosses - I haven't seen for all those years. Even
this weekend, we have another get-together of ex-Knock John Fort
veterans, down in Kent. And next week we're doing business with one of
the more famous ex-pirates, so it's certainly been useful. Keep in touch!
Silly picture attached. Regards
Gerry Zierler.’
Gerry Zierler at BBC Radio Essex
2007.
Next Rob Kievit from Holland: ‘Hello Hans, Thank you for your Report of
25 August. Geoff Baldwin's article on the BBC and the 'offshore effect'
(my term, not his) was very interesting, and prompts me to make a few
remarks. One point Geoff makes, about presenters suddenly seeming to
come alive when they're out of the BBC straitjacket, reminds me of my
feelings when I was one of the morning shift newsreaders on Veronica 828
in 2004. This was an RSL to commemorate 30 years since Veronica's demise
as an offshore station. In the afternoon, right after my newsreader
duties among the Veronica people, I would cycle to the public
broadcaster where I work (RNW) and do an evening shift as news editor.
The contrast couldn't be greater. After all the dynamism and hectic
goings-on of the morning at the revived offshore station, entering the
public service building was like entering a crematorium, despite all the
sympathetic noises and real co-operation I got from colleagues there. So
staid, so muffled, so regimented. Yet, the Veronica people were all
around 60 and the RNW people 40-ish! Obviously, producing lively radio
is not just a matter of age.
Another point that Geoff raises is that it's hard finding something on
BBC radio that's interesting to a mature audience. Hang on, what about
Radio Four? I am in the happy circumstance that here in The Netherlands
I'm receiving BBC Radio 4 tolerably well on LW, and it satisfies my need
for intelligent talk radio, at times when I want to hear it. They even
had John Peel on Saturday mornings, who had matured just like we all
have, broadening his radio scope from music to life as a whole. Matured
just like most of us, the original offshore listeners, did. Peel is
sadly missed. - Familiarity breeds contempt, and maybe it's because
Geoff has known the Beeb all his life, that he doesn't realise how good
they are. Believe me, there is nothing as intellectually demanding and
satisfying similar to Radio Four, here in the Netherlands.
And finally, Geoff sings the praise of publicly financed Dutch Radio
Five on 747. Agreed, it is a convincing music radio station, aimed at
the senior citizen, and created as a coherent entity, rather than the
usual ragbag of interest group broadcasters that most of the other Dutch
public stations are. But the programming leaves much to be desired. In
the evenings, 5 is no alternative to the television, since it's given
over to special interest broadcasters whose output is geared to minority
groups. The daytime music format is interesting - 50s and 60s MOR with
far more Dutch, French and German language music than the other public
stations have. But the music format is also limited. A sizeable portion
of the target audience enjoys jazz music. It's not there. And at a mere
50+, I may be a bit too young to be the ideal Radio 5 listener, but I
would love the occasional distorted guitar or moog synthesizer on Radio
5. Not so, Geoff.
I'm afraid that the ongoing development of technology will ultimately
put an end to public music radio. We'll program our own music streams on
Yahoo!Launchcast, or listen to narrowly targeted internet stations.
Public radio will just be one news and talk station per country. Why
this sad conclusion? Well, music radio as we remember it used to have
presenters, deejays, hosts, that made the radio station interesting and
human, but they no longer fit into the business model. What an irony:
commercialism gave us the greatest radio stations ever, but taken to its
logical conclusion many years later, commercialism also killed
personality-driven radio. My two cents' worth. Rob Kievit, Hilversum
Keep up the good work!’
Thanks Rob and I forwarded your mail to Geoff, like I did with all the
longer responses to his article and here’s what he wrote back to me: ‘Hi
Hans, Thanks for the latest report and publishing my article in it.
Thanks also for forwarding the response from readers. I'm glad it has
made some people think! I will let others have their say in t
he
next report and make a further comment later on if necessary or,
alternatively, I may cover some of the points raised in my next (and
last) article of 2007 (i.e. for your report) which is meant to follow on
from arguments about PBBCE and look at what the future holds for the
type of radio we like. Regards, Geoff'
Another interesting one comes from Sven in Norway: ‘Hi fellow historians,
Just found a picture of what seems to be the
Mosken/Cheeta II as VDS
ship (Vesteraalen Steamship Co) which I am sending right over. The year
is unknown but maybe the ship was on its maiden voyage 1924? It
seemingly has a sort of wire aerial, I think this is for the radio
telephone service/ship to shore, a much smaller power than the
Continental tx brought over from the Mi Amigo. Unknown photographer and
copyright. Svenn in Norway
One of the many ‘Rob’ readers in Holland wrote the next item: ‘What was
told about Pirate Radio Essex in the last newsletter was very
interesting to me. Some comments. The biggest shock was the mentioning
that it was far much better to start your own ‘music station’ using your
MP3 player. Of course no problem as there are very small transmitters
for sale to receive the sound of your mp3 player on for instant your car
radio. However officially nowhere is mentioned that you’re not allowed
to use these mini transmitters at home. Of course the best way such a
station should sound better in AM Quality. In Holland we had for instant
Radio 192. A station built on the same idea: try to copy the Dutch
Offshore Stations from the seventies but don’t make the same mistakes.
Well I’m really idealistic and thought it was better to start an own
radiostation. And after two years of hard work ‘Radio 199’ is the result
of my idea. Although the transmitter is on very low power the station
gets listeners response. Why I chose for Radio 199. It had to be
something with offshore radio. Many of your readers will remember that
RadiO Caroline used the name Radio 199 during a short period from 17
December up till December 30th 1972. For the rest there is no
resemblance at all with Radio Caroline. The format is chosen around the
Top 40 of 40 years ago, like Veronica did in those years. And again
there is no other resemblance with that station. So at the moment the
music of 1967 is central on our station. In those years we hadn’t a Tip
Parade in Holland but there are enough books of references to do more
than only playing the Top 40.
Questions raised like: ‘Why were ‘White rabbit’ and ‘Somebody to Love’
from Jefferson Airplane in 1967 doing nothing at all and why was the
song ‘Don't go out into the rain’ by Herman's Hermits
hit
nor tip? When you mention for instant Jefferson Airplane you get
listeners writing in that we were wrong as it was a song from 1970. Of
course will live in another decennium than the sixties. Mistakes are
made, of course.. How small the station is, there is not time to sit
back and relax. We’re continuous busy to make several improvements. What
I meant to say is that it’s possible to put such a station on the air
not being sentimental but with an identity that brings happiness. Maybe
a historical station in today’s clothes. For those who listen to the
programs from Red Sands Radio as well as Pirate Radio Essex know what I
mean. An above all Red Sands could be received in some places in Holland
better than one of the BBC Pirate Radio Essex frequencies. On the other
hand we had in the North of Holland ‘Radio 0511’ which relayed the
Pirate Essex programs, a truly real way of ‘pirating’. Rob Veld’.
August 19th the owner of a pub in Scheveningen, Kees Toetje (51 years of
age), was killed in front of his pub ‘Het Snuitje’. During his youth he
was co-responsible for illegal tendering of the MV Mi Amigo off the
British coast. Crewmember Teun
Visser from the MV Mi Amigo remembers: ‘Kees Toet was the son of
Maarten Toet, who was nicknamed ‘Maarten de Snuit’. Together with his
sons he tendered several times illegally the MV Mi Amigo from
Scheveningen harbour. Also during the oil crisis period in the seventies
and when Caroline was in severe financial problems they really cared
that the program tapes would be in time on the ship as well as water,
oil and provisions. Caroline deejays like Tony Allan, Graham Gill and
others have played several times at the disco in ‘The Flamingo’ , which
was the beach pub at Kijkduin and which was owned too by the Toet Family.
At the funeral many people appeared including former Mi Amigo
crewmembers Jaap de Haan, Hans Roos and myself’ (Class of 74) . Teun
Visser.
Thanks Teun for sharing this sad news with the readers. In the meantime
Dutch police arrested an Englishman, from which is thought that he is
responsible for the killing.
MV Scheveningen 11 alongside MV Mi
Amigo
(Photo with thanks to Teun Visser)
1984 was the year we heard for the very first time from the American
female deejay Jessie Brandon.
She came all the way from Florida aboard the MV Communicator to the
North sea to work in international waters for Laser 558. Before that she
had studied communications as well had already gained experience in
American Radio. Her trip to Europe made her also work for stations like
Capital Radio and Radio Luxembourg. She went back to the States and has
promised to visit in the future a radio day to meet and greet and see
back former colleagues. Well her brother Bruce has made a blog on
internet about Jessie her ways through radio and more….
http://bbmyls2go.mindsay.com/its_not_just_a_job_its_an_adventure.mws
Thanks Bruce and also Jessie for sharing this with us. Hope to see you
one day in Amsterdam to join us at the Radio Day!
March 1980 seems a long time ago and we all remember the moment the last
four crewmembers had to abandon the Caroline ship
MV Mi Amigo as it was
making a lot of water and went down in the Knock Deep. The hydrographic
service of the Port of London recently did a search for the radio ship
with modern sonar equipment. The results can be found at the next
internetsite:
http://www.portoflondon.co.uk/display_fixedpage.cfm/id/268
We go to an e mail from Ian Bigger with some of his summer memories as
well as questions. And maybe one of you has the answer(s).
‘Hi Hans, I hope that you are having an enjoyable summer. Unfortunately
I did not attend the events in London or Harwich, but did visit Frinton
in July to meet up with Graham and also Chris Cortez came down for the
day. The weather was good so we were able to sit at Walton with views of
Roughs Tower, the Gunfleet Lighthouse and, in the distance, what we
believe was Knock John. That coupled with the fact that Red Sands Radio
was on the air made it an enjoyable radio weekend. Chris Cortez asked if
you could include a request in your report. He is looking for recordings
of a 15 minute sponsored programme that Caroline broadcast in the early
days. It was called ‘Down Memory Lane’, presented by Anne Shelton and
sponsored by Finnon Salts. If any reader can help that would be great. (I’ve
looked in my archive but couldn’t found it. Hopefully a reader will
reflect at HKnot@home.nl)
Again Ian: Enjoyed the piece on
www.hansknot.com you did about reception reports to RNI. ‘For
example you wrote: ‘It was William P.Kilroy in Washington USA who
thought he already heard RNI on 1562 kHz, as he wrote to the station's
Swiss address (RNI Box 1136, CH 8047 Zürich in Switzerland) a long
letter: 'I would like to inquire if your station on MEBO II is yet
commenced broadcasting. Early this morning, I made a tape of a station
on 1562 kilocycles, January 26, 1970 at 8.50 AM Central European time.
The program format consisted of many popular music tunes mostly US Songs
of current popularity'.
You are obviously right in saying that it was not RNI, but it would be
Radio Veronica would it not?’
Of course Ian, you’re quite right. And the story which Ian is talking
about can be read at www.hansknot.com
and have fun!
Last thing from Ian is another question: ‘I am also looking for old
schedules of Radio Caroline
International from August 1967 until March 1968 to build a
picture of who was on at what time. For example I have a recording from
what I believe is early January 1968 where the schedule is given as;
0600-0900 Roger Day
0900-1200 Carl Mitchell in for Robbie Dale
1200-1500 Herb Oscar Anderson (another name for Chris Cary)
1500-1800 Stevie Merike
1800-2100 Glenn Adams
2100-0000 Johnnie Walker
0000-0200 Carl Mitchell
Also the last full day on March 2nd was (as far as I know)
0500-0530 Non Stop
0530-0900 Roger day
0900-1200 Andy Archer sitting in for Robbie Dale
1200-1500 Johnnie Walker
1500-1800 Roger Day in for Stevie Merike
1800-2100 Bud Balou
2100-0000 Johnnie Walker
0000-0200 Andy Archer in for Carl Mitchell
W
ell
anyone who has a daily schedule from the period between August 14th 1967
and March 2nd, please sent it to the regular address:
Hknot@home.nl
Earlier on we were successful to work together in sharing information to
get as much as possible the Caroline Countdown of Sounds of the Sixties
together, so here’s another possibility to score again!
Carl Mitchell appearing on stage
(Hans Knot Archive)
Another one from England: ‘Hello Hans, Today, August 31st, we listened
to the Veronica
commemorations on 675 kHz and thoroughly enjoyed the old and live
programmes. Listening to Radio Veronica from England, we were often
confused by some of the items broadcast in those days, and they continue
to puzzle us, so a "What was that?" section of your newsletter would be
very helpful for us confused old Brits who must have misheard everything!
For instance: what was... Robot Soup? Or "Grease for Dealers"? And why,
every tea time, were we exhorted to "Brick Up The Clock"? Paul Bailey,
Basildon.’
Well Robot Soup must be written as Rob Out Soup, as he loved the soup.
And ‘Brick up the clock’ must be ‘blik op de klok’ or in English a look
at the clock, followed by the correct time. ‘The Grease for Dealers’
remark I’ve forwarded to Robbie Dale, but so far no answer yet.
Jon at the Pirate Hall of Fame next:
Just a quick note to let you know that I have just updated the
Pirate Radio Hall of Fame.
August 2007 was a busy month for fans of offshore radio and, as you
would expect, there is extensive coverage of both Pirate BBC Essex and
the Radio Academy's Celebration of Offshore Radio; there is also another
page of Radio Caroline photos that Robbie Dale rescued from the bin-men
when the station's Amsterdam office was closed in March 1968; and we
have a great picture of Caroline North's “Ugli” Ray Teret with The
Beatles. As of this morning 34,097 people have visited the PRHoF during
August alone. I can't be certain but I suspect that is a record. My
thanks to everyone who has helped make the site what it is and, in
particular, those who have supplied photos for this month's update. All
the best, Jon The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame
www.offshoreradio.co.uk
Congratulations not only for the excellent update Jon but also with the
record! More updates can be found on the site of
Mary and Chris Payne,
including their story and many photographs taken at the Pirate BBC Radio
Essex event at:
www.radiolondon.co.uk
Well here’s a question for all those who have worked on the
Olga Patricia in 1966 or
1967. It’s Stuart who wrote to me: ‘I have just been talking to Ron
O'Quinn, and he mentioned the names of two ‘cabin boys’ on board the
Olga Patricia. Their names were Eamonn and Ian and he wondered what
became of them? Have you any idea? Thanks, Stuart Aiken.’
So anyone who knows anything of the two or recalls other names of
crewmembers, feel free to write to me at
Hknot@home.nl
Now time for the one not too miss in the report and he’s so happy to
have met me. The Emperor Rosko
wrote to me: ‘ Hi Amigo, Nice meeting you at last (face to face), shame
the Academy was so crowed and frantic. The next one must be built for
more chat! I have just returned to L.A. sorry to be so late answering
you but it was as the old song says "30 days on the road" la la la and
out of my suitcase to boot. The Song is doing well (Turn on the pirates)
and I am putting in place our "*Hall of fame mix "* which includes a
salute to every pirate of the 60's, who sailed, transmitted or farted on
air! It should be, if the cyber gods are kind found on Q records.co.uk
etc. listed as that mix. If your name is missing I will
.................errr I will apologize! I used the Internet for my
research and we all know that they are spotty from time to time! Nice
Picture you used, as we say in the biz, Hans, Keep on top!! EMP.’
Thanks Emperor! good that you're back and save in the USA, not that I
wanted you back there, but I was and am still anxious to be on air in a
flight. Never the less just heard Robbie Dale on a one
afternoon stand
doing his program (August 31st) and wishing you all the best. He will be
on the Radio Day in November with Roger Day and Johnny Walker and many
of the other stars. 29th year in a row is The Radio Day so you're very
late Emperor to show yourself at the most prestigious radio event of the
year in Western Europe.’
Rosko came back with a short message that it could be that he plans to
come next year with the 30th celebration. More news on the
Radio Day and how to book
an hotel room can be found at:
http://www.offshore-radio.de/radioday/index.html
Over the the other side of the Big Ocean and time for a message from
Elaine Parks: ‘Hi Hans! Very interesting piece from Geoff Baldwin, but
for us North Americans, what is an "anorak" type person?’
Hi Elaine, well one day during the spring of 1973 a boat filled with
offshore radiofans went to the radioships off the Dutch coast. At that
stage RNI, Veronica and Caroline were there on air. On Radio Caroline
there was a life report with Graham Cooke and Andy Archer, in which they
told the listeners that some 50 people went out to the ship, giving
small pieces of paper with request, a bunch of flowers and so on. It was
Andy Archer who told that most of them were, due to cold weather,
wearing Anoraks. Those warm coats were really 'in' in those days. From
then on ‘Anoraks’ was a mutual name for people who loved free radio.‘
Have to mention two nicknames
this time. From 1968 and Caroline International (North) Freddie Bear,
your teddy bear. On RNI it was newsreader Crispian St. John mentioning
at the end of the news that the program ‘You never gonna believe this’
would follow, presented by Tony Allan ‘the man with the crystal ball’.
Time again for an email plug: ‘Dear radiofriends. Apart from the usual
transmissions, The program 'Rainbow'
can be heard on Saturdays on Laserhothits, 6275 kHz. You will hear
several Rainbow programs every 45 minutes during daytime,8-17 UTC.
Laserhothits can be received every week with a good radio in western
Europe. (U.K. to Poland, Sweden to France, and further with good
conditions.) You might need a good shortwave radio and a shortwave
antenna with a length of 6 or 12 meters, depending on your location and
the conditions. With this, it’s no problem at all to receive the station
every week in that area. Laserhothits has got programs for free radio
lovers, original recordings of old offshore radio stations etcetera. If
you love radio, you should listen to this radiostation. Check also this
new site, made to help us;
www.statesofunrest.com/Radio_Rainbow_International.html
Phil again from Sydney Australia: ‘Thanks Hans once again for a very
interesting monthly report.
Geoff Baldwin's article set my mind to thinking positively for
the future. I think he is exactly right when he talks about that "certain"
sound that the pirates had, and I agree that we shouldn't think it has
gone forever. I've heard Peter Moore say that "Caroline doesn't really
need a ship", in the sense that, to offer that magic that enabled the
pirates to draw audiences of 20 million listeners, it wasn't just that
Caroline was at sea, but that Caroline (and others) offered freedom and
choice in radio, underpinned by spontaneous program delivery which
listeners knew was free from state control. This did not lessen
professionalism, it increased it, proved by BBC's Radio One hiring the
most popular personalities it could find...nearly all ex pirate DJs. Now,
I'm not just being nostalgic or trying to live in the past here, but
building on Geoff's argument, I began to wonder what a re-launched free
radio station actually be like in 2007, and how would it sound? Let's
first picture a scenario where some rich benevolent "baby boomer" (and
there are plenty of them!) decided that, instead of spending $20 million
to fly in space for a few days, decided to fund a radio station in the
spirit of the pirates, on the understanding that it might or might not
be a commercial success. In other words, he or she was prepared to take
a risk knowing it might not work out, but was worth the risk.
Then about Geoff’s questions: (Read them back in August 2 edition of the
Hans Knot International Report).
Question #1. Where would it be?
The station needs to reach the high population centres in England,
Netherlands, France, and Belgium. The chance of being able to set up the
station on land legally without government controls is zero, so I reckon
it's back to the North Sea. And whilst not essential for the "sound" it
does give the station an added bit of intrigue, and a captures the
Anorak & Romantic Baby boomer market.
Question #2. What would be the platform?
A fixed "oil rig" structure would be perfect, and maybe when the North
Sea oil/gas runs out, there may be opportunities there. But right now I
think it has to be a ship. But it's going to have to anchor farther out
in rougher seas, so it has to be strong, and I'm afraid the Ross Revenge
wouldn't be the choice. I reckon it has to be twice that size for
stability alone, but also for reasons of less frequent refuelling, and a
stronger antenna structure. Times have changed since the 1960's and the
crew and staff will expect better facilities, more privacy (mixed sexes),
and a helipad for frequent and reliable exchange of stores and people.
Question #3. How would it sound?
I believe it would have to deliver a range of programming throughout the
day. Breakfast might be the modern sound of two announcers with news and
traffic updates covering the EU audience range, including international
airline and train delays etc. Mornings could move into the 30-55 age
range music with phone-ins, afternoons could feature artists and music
documentaries. A standard drivetime program could segway into a classic
album format for night time. My point is that the sound would need to be
contemporary, fresh, and relevant, and be delivered by DJs with e.g. 3
hour programs that they could really build an audience with. News could
feature morning and drivetime, otherwise omitted. The world is
globalising fast and most of the big firms have offices everywhere (e.g.
Aldi supermarkets). They could place adverts from Australia if needs be.
Advertising is a must for the overall sound and viability. The station
will need fresh jingles, and please, no amateur DJ's or the ship's cat
filling in. We're talking professional entertainment here.
Question #4. What frequencies?
The primary decision maker is range, and this has to mean medium wave at
least. If the antenna is high (say 300') then VHF/FM is possible but the
band is packed around Europe. Internet streaming would be good for
listeners farther afield. AM broadcast quality is quite good these days,
and it means access to everyone, so I reckon Medium wave is the deal,
perhaps on two channels, beamed East & West for maximum use of signal
power.
Question #5 Funding & Support.
Here's where I struggle without direct knowledge. The station would need
a landbased administration office, but as modern telemarketing has shown,
this can be virtually anywhere. In practice it's probably going to be
somewhere like the Channel Islands for a host of reasons. Supplies will
need to come from a sympathetic nation and maybe Spain can still oblige.
But more regular visits by helicopter from nearer shores could be used
for personnel changes and small stores and records. Sealand maybe the
pressed into service as the staging post. Back of the envelope
calculations show the running costs (assuming 30 staff) to be about $5
million per year, including fuel. Maybe the advertising income could
build up to match this. But of course this does not include the set up
costs.
Now, you may think "he's got it all wrong! Long wave is the way to go,
and his costs are way too low." I don't care. Tell me your thoughts and
let's have a little fun. Maybe some rich person will read these ideas
and think "what if I were to really do this?....." All the best, Phil
Crosby.
Well Phil: thanks a lot for your response and long answers and good
ideas. Who’s next with his ideas?
A very nice e mail came in from Rick Crandell, who worked as
Rick Randell in radio
versus the e mail box at Martin van der Ven: ‘Please convey my fondest
regards to the other Radio England / Britain Radio participants with
whom you appear to be in contact. As you may also be aware, after our
London event last year, my future bride and I enjoyed a visit with Rob
Oltof, Hans Knot and Graham Gill in a brief conversation over coffee in
an Amsterdam cafe that remains one of my most pleasant memories of the
whole trip. It will be great to see them, and the rest of my former
comrades...not to mention some of my other new friends like Svenn
Martinsen, Chris and Mary Payne, and especially Steve England...again. I
also look forward to meeting you, Stuart Aiken, and the rest of the
Radio Day people who continue to nurture the memory of the pirates and
the entire off-shore radio community. It was a privilege and great
pleasure for me to be a small part of it. I sincerely appreciate the
opportunity to share those memories with you again this November.’
Thanks
Rick and I hope you both had a splendid wedding day. We will see you in
November. I had Graham Gill
on the phone from Amsterdam the other night as he wanted some assistance
as he had mail problems. He asked me to put the next thing into the
report: ‘You know Hans, most of us are retired old deejays and we can
feel lonely sometimes. I want you to know that taking time and reading
your report does many wonders!' Also thanks sharing the remarks from
Rick Randell and I can assure you that the day we met after so many
decades, last year in Amsterdam, was one never to forget too.
Some of my radio contacts had already received from me the next internet
site. It brings the sad news of the broken up of the
MV Communicator, once the
home of Laser 558.
http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/imagelibrary/picture/number1710.asp
Which brought Chris Edwards in Hanwell writing the next: ‘I Had seen
this. Always rather sad to see a ship being broken up, especially one
with such a history as the Communicator. It does make you wonder what
the fate of the Ross Revenge will be, unless someone comes up with some
plan for its future - and of course more importantly money. Best wishes,
Chris.
Thanks Chris, next time we have a long contribution from the main man at
Radio Caroline and the Ross Revenge, Peter Moore. So look out for the
second September edition of the Hans Knot International Radio Report.
Next e mail come also from England: ‘Glenn the old
Laser 558 Anorak here
again! I've noticed recently that some of the old 'Laser' habits are
hard to break even for some of our National Land -based radio stations
in the UK, (or are they just stealing from a winning formula?) For
example, on the Steve Wright show on BBC Radio 2 in the weekday
afternoons, the oldies section is always announced by the famous Laser
558 'K' ('I want to communicate') signal - sounds very familiar! And a
few months ago on 'Smooth Radio' (another UK FM station) the presenter
played 'Thank you for the Music (ABBA) in dedication to 'Charlie Wolf,
Jessie Brandon, Tommy Rivers and all' (His words!) I wonder which radio
station was on his mind at the time?! As they say here in the UK, if you
can't beat them, join them! Regards, Glenn Arnold’.
Well that’s all for now till the end of the month and I wish you all the
best. As always you can send your contributions to
Hknot@home.nl
Hans Knot
Offshore Radio Programme Names - Programmanamen Zeezenders 1958-1990
Read Hans Knot's former report