Hans Knot's International Radio Report - November 2009
First news on the
massive crash I had last month and lost almost all my e mail addresses.
Since then I gathered from an old computer as well from old mail a few
thousand addresses back. So hopefully the main part is saved. However it
can be that you get the report and don’t want it. Please mention it to
me. If you’ve a friend who didn’t get the report, also don’t hesitate to
mention to HKnot@home.nl
Hi all and thank you for all your reflections, memories and photographs.
They will come later in this issue of the Hans Knot Report. I’ve send
away the report already in October as the first two weeks in November
I’m very busy. Also I will have hot news later on the Radio Day, which
will take place in a couple of weeks in Amsterdam. But first face the
reality as this month we have to mention three losses in the world of
Offshore Radio. It started on Monday October 5th when the next sad
message came in from Australia and
Graham Webb:
‘Well folks in case you didn't know, we lost
Mike Ahern today. Mike
Ahern passed away peacefully at Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital at
6.30am on Monday 5th October 2009. His long-time girlfriend Leslie
called me this afternoon to tell me. Mike Ahern who passed away aged
just 67 was loved by family, friends, his contemporizes, co-workers and
every listener who heard him over the past 44 years as he had such a
warm and engaging personality and he was never wit
hout
a smile. You could hear it in his voice.
MIKE AHERN IN THE SIXTIES
This is the mark of a consummate Broadcaster. Mike and I were friends
from the moment he landed on Caroline South where, up until 1966, I had
been Programme Controller but was asked by Ronan O'Rahilly to set up a
legitimate news format for both ships. Hence "Radio Caroline Newsbeat"
and I had to recruit News Readers/Writers such as Gordie Cruse, John
Hatt, Mark Sloan, Nick Bailey etc. Whenever I was on the South ship,
Mike would grill me about Australia and eventually he landed on my
doorstep at the family home in Sydney where for the next three months he
made application to many Radio Stations and eventually he landed the
Midnight-to-down shift on 2UW and from there moved on to 4BC Brisbane
and 6PR Perth and several other stations. He became a Radio Star on both
sides of the Continent regularly enjoying high ratings. The last time I
saw him was a couple of years ago when we gathered to commemorate the
40th Anniversary of the closure of Caroline as we knew it. He will be
sadly missed by all who knew him
Sincerely GRAHAM "Spider" WEBB.’
Thank you so much Graham to inform us with this really sad news. It was,
as a listener, a happiness to listen to Mike’s programs and I was lucky
to meet Mike at a few occasions in the last decade, when we met at
several reunions. Later on I will give you the internet address where a
wonderful obituary can be read. Let’s go to several e mails I got from
former colleagues from Mike Ahern, partly as a response on Graham’s
message partly directly, starting with
Steve Young:
‘This is such sad news. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to go and
visit Mike while I was in England last month. At the time of my visit
with him at the hospital in Norwich he managed to compose himself enough
to allow me to record a video message to his friends, attesting to the
fact that
he
was “doing as well as could be expected”. We had a great visit together
and a sincere hug when I left. Mike was a real star on the radio when we
worked together on Caroline South. He was a great communicator with a
dynamic personality. Sure, he was a bit hot-headed, but that was the
Irish in his blood, but he was always a great friend to me. We used to
exchange cassette recordings before the internet came along and changed
everything. Unfortunately, as you probably know, Mike had vision
impairment so the internet wasn’t helpful to him as he couldn’t really
make out what was on the screen. I feel so terrible that he left us like
this and can only hope and pray that he’s gone to a place where he’ll
find true happiness. In the meantime I’ll never forget his closing
remarks on every show that he did “take care, lots of care”.
Mike Ahearn picture taken by Jim
Murphy
My condolences go out to all his family and his friends around the
world. Mike was one of my closest pals on Radio Caroline. He was the one
who first greeted me when I stepped aboard the MV Mi Amigo on that
first, fateful day in August 1966 when I joined Radio Caroline South. I
will miss him very, very much. It is a true loss for one of the greats
in offshore broadcasting. Little by little our ranks are dwindling and
it is sad to lose a good friend. At the same time we all have to remain
philosophical about these things, which are bound to happen, even to
ourselves somewhere down the line. I appreciate your friendship Hans and
the many, many hours you contribute to the memories of the “golden days
of radio”. All the very best to you and Jana and I hope that someday we
may have the opportunity to meet you in person. Very best wishes, Steve
Young.
Thanks to you too Steve and yes let’s hope we will meet each other one
day, curly headed kid on the third row!’
The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame have now published a detailed obituary
with
links to sound clips at
http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/mikea.htm
Next reflecting on the sad news was The Royal Ruller
Tony Prince: ‘ I
forwarded this tragic news to our colleague Bob Stewart in the USA and
he’ll be as sad as all of us for he and Mike knew each other from
Liverpool.
I spent a few short weeks with Mike on Caroline North before he
emigrated south and later on Capital Gold. His work with Jack Spector
made him known in the south due to his sending
pre-recorded
Spector up after each show. Spector never had a chance, Mike would
listen to his reel to reel before it went out on air so he new in
advance what Spector had said about him during the show and had his
hilarious responses ready. In the south listeners heard Spector ribbing
Mike Ahearn without knowing who Mike was. That, and because he was a
great DJ, was the reason Ronan took him south.
He was one of my very favourite’s amongst my great colleagues, together
with Caroline north air crew especially Jerry Soopa Leighton and Daffy
Don Allen. I never saw Mike without a smile on his face and that’s how
I’ll always remember him. RIP Mike. Tony Prince.’
Mike Ahern 2009 Photo Steve Szmidt
From Australia Norman St. John: ‘Dear Hans, very sad about Mike but at
least he is not suffering any more and in the end was happy to go. Keith
Skues and I visited Mike in Norwich the day before his lung operation in
August and he had been in a distressed situation since that time. Most
would not be aware that Mike also suffered from Parkinson for the last 5
years. I had kept in contact with him on a monthly basis after we left
Radio Caroline and all through his time in Australia. He was a great
personality and will be sadly missed by the Radio Industry. I believe
that his Funeral will be held in the UK next week attended by his sons
Matthew and Christopher from Sydney Australia. He was a close mate, who
will be sadly missed. Norman St
John.’
Next Andy Archer: ‘Yes,
it is very sad news. I spoke to Angela Bond (Kenny Everett's producer on
Radio One) who knew Mike very well. He had Parkinson's disease, lung
cancer and a brain tumor - poor man. Tom Edwards paid a very good
tribute to him on BBC Essex last night. Best wishes, Andy Archer.’
Next another one from Australia with
Bryan Vaughan: ‘Dear Hans
that is very sad news. Mike was a legendary pirate disc jockey and will
be much missed by his friends and colleagues. I remember that he later
worked in Australia for quite a number of years mainly, I think, in
Brisbane and Newcastle. I don’t believe that he ever broadcast in
Sydney. What with Simon Dee and now Mike, the offshore era is starting
to fade! Bryan Vaughan.’
Thanks Bryan Indeed two in a row and our group is getting smaller but
let's face the mirror and try to give you a happy glimpse everyday.’
Dear Hans,
Yes, I agree with you. The best thing is to think positively about the
future and remember the good times of the past. They were great days and
we are still enjoying them more than 40 years later thanks to people
like you, Jon Myer and Mary Payne amongst many others! Cheers Bryan.’
Of course also the Emperor Rosko
responded on the very sad news: ‘ The greatest pirate breakfast jock
ever, Mike Ahern, has gone to the great station in the sky. I hope you
do a nice peace on him. He was absolute best at his peak, brilliant!’
And also we have Bill Green: ‘Hi Hans, I have just heard on the BBC
Essex News at 1700 that Mike Ahern has died, within days of his 67th
Birthday.
Tim Gillett talked a little about Mike (on a recorded report) and how he
started on Radio Caroline North and mentioned that Mike had been on
Pirate BBC Essex from the LV18. It has made me sad because I used to
listen to Mike when was on the North ship and recall that I was very
annoyed when he was moved to Caroline South, because I was a big fan of
his. Whilst I have enjoyed many happy hours listening to various
offshore stations, some DJ's didn't make much of an impression on me but
Mike most certainly did. So, another chapter closes on offshore radio.
Regards, Bill Green.’
There is a four minute video of Mike being interviewed on Pirate BBC
Essex this year at
http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.5227.2 also a tribute that
Tony Blackburn has recorded.
Another great tribute is made by Mary and Chris Payne on
www.radiolondon.co.uk
At the same day the sad news from Mike Ahern passing away another bad
news message came in from Ric
Harris, known from Laser 558 days: ‘Dear Hans, I regret to inform
you and the off-shore radio community that
Roy Lindau died at his
home in Croton-on-Hudson, NY last month. Roy had been fighting cancer
for the past decade. He had been getting an experimental treatment from
the Sloan-Kettering ho
spital
in New York. It was Roy's vision that world-wide advertisers would step
up to sponsor an off-shore radio station that made investment in the MV
Communicator and Laser 558 attractive, and thereby made the project
possible. Roy was passionate about creating a high profile mass audience
European radio station. He was President of Music Media International,
the adverting arm of Laser 558, and was a driving force behind the rest
of the Laser operation. Best Regard's
Ric Harris.’
Roy Lindau 1984 Freewave Archive
From Paul Rusling the
next reflection came in: ‘I’ve heard this evening that Roy Lindau has
also passed away after losing a lengthy battle with cancer. Many of you
will know that he and I had a big spat in the early days of Laser. While
I share Ronan's view that Roy was greedy and made many very bad
decisions (such as keeping listener mail from DJs) I do still feel that
he deserves recognition for what he did to help offshore radio revive
again the 80s. Roy Lindau was brought in to market the new Radio
Caroline in 1981 but proved to be too extravagant, among other things.
In 1983 I went straight to him to get marketing advice and introduced
him to John Kenning, who was one of the founders and at that time in
charge of the Laser project. I had originally tried to get Ronan to meet
with John thinking the projects could merge and help each other, but
Ronan stalled. I knew that any offshore station needed a revenue stream,
and Roy sounded like the right man for the role so I took John across to
meet him - Roy was still working at Major Market Radio at that time. Roy
and I both had very similar goals and beliefs, but Roy wanted to centre
everything in Madison Avenue and keep the DJs and crew in poverty while
the sales boys lived a life of Reilly with junkets to Vegas, etc. He was
far more of a business man than I, just a poor wet-back with principles.
He used me, as he did many others. But lets be clear - while Roy didn't
close any advertising deals, it was his fabulous book of contacts and
sheer marketing professionalism that convinced various backers to stump
up literally millions of US dollars for Caroline, and over a million
(Irish) pounds for Laser. And for that we should be very grateful for
his input to the watery wireless scene. I for one learned a lot from the
guy and I really do wish him well. ‘
Thanks a lot Paul and we shall miss Roy a lot and pay memory to him and
others who left us from the Laser community during the reunion in
Amsterdam in November. Strange that he wrote to the Radio Day Organisers
last May that he would try to come over together with his wife to this
25 years on celebration and we now have to tell he has gone.’
And
if it wasn’t enough sad more bad news came in on Wednesday October 7th
from Paul van Onzen in Arnhem who wrote: ‘Probably you heard it already
from the site of Radio 227 but some months ago
Peter van Dijk (Radio
Dolfijn, Radio Noordzee, NOS, TV Europe, EO and more) died of cancer.
Peter lived two floors above me in the same flat building, where I live
since 1980. He was a passionate biker and made many touring tracks.
Often he was cleaning his bike and I made some talks with him. He was
one of the very first persons in Europe working for satellite TV. This
was when Europe TV was on the air. When I tried to talk with him about
his offshore days with for instance Radio Dolfijn, he simply changed
subject as it seemed he didn’t want to be remembered to this part of his
career. During the past five years I rarely met him as he worked in
Hilversum mostly during evening hours as he hated heavy traffic.’
Thanks a lot for informing us Paul of another sad lost in offshore
radio.
Peter van Dijk, Look Boden, Jack
Curtiz and Jos van Vliet (Look Boden Archive)
Remember that I mentioned Radio Veronica’s two last hours would be
transmitted on Spectrum Radio at the end of August. Well I asked
initiator behind this, Sietse
Brouwer from Radio Waddenzee and Radio Seagull, what the response
on this special broadcast was:
Sietse: ‘well the response was far much more than I had expected. I
thought a handful of emails would be coming in, but from the most rare
corners came in the, always positive, response. Even Spectrum Radio got
many e mails, which they resent to me. There were many people from Great
Britain writing in. It was a one time happening but the biggest gift
that I was listening on August 31st together with Walter Galle and
another friend from Belgium on the back deck of the Radio Waddenzee ship
to the last two hours of Veronica. In my mind was that 14 years old boy,
way back in 1974, who was very sad those offshore station left the air.
If anyone had told me then that we would have two radio stations and a
radio ship too…. Live is strange sometimes. ‘
Well other good news is that from November 2nd
Radio Seagull will be on
air between 3 and 5 in the morning, seven days a week, on 558 AM for
seven days a week. Well done Sietse and his team!
It's only two weeks
until this year's Radio Day takes place on 14th November 2009. We would
like to provide an insight into our planning.
This year we're celebrating the 25th anniversary of Laser 558 starting
its transmissions from the MV Communicator. That's why we will have a
Laser Reunion on this forthcoming Radio Day. We have been getting firm
promises from Jessie Brandon, Charlie Wolf, Mike Barrington, Johnny
Lewis, Ray Anderson, Dennis Jason, Leendert Vingerling, Paul Jackson, DL
Bogart and Jim Perry. And we're hoping that and James Day will join the
crew as well. The extended Laser panel will be hosted by Paul Rusling.
There will be exclusive Laser video footage which hasn't been performed
before. And Ray Anderson and Herbert Visser will expose original Laser
558 and Laser Hot Hits studio equipment.
Keith Skues has been celebrating his 70th birthday a few months ago. He
also celebrates 50 years on the radio in 2009. Keith will be our special
guest this year. He will proudly present the second edition of his
famous "Pop Went The Pirates" book. Keith will be interviewed by the
Dutch radio legend Tom Mulder.
Another definite recruit for this year's event his Steve Conway, well
known for his stints on the MV Ross Revenge in the 1990s. Some months
ago, Steve has published his book "Shiprocked". Steve is hoping to be
accompanied by his brother and Caroline DJ fellow Chris Kennedy. Both of
them will be interviewed on stage by Johnny Lewis.
Ingo Paternoster will please us with an interesting AFN presentation.
Last but not least, 2009 will see the second Radio Day Awards
celebration. You can still guess who will be our 6 winners this year!
There will be awards for "An Outstanding Contribution to Offshore Radio"
(3), "Offshore Radio Top Technical Support" (1), "The Radio Anoraks
Award" (1) and "Offshore Radio Writers and Historians" (1).
Mark Oud and Hans Hettelder will showcase their superb radio ship
models. And the Internet station Radio Mi Amigo 192 will be broadcasting
live from the adjoining bar. As we had been talking of books: Nigel
Harris (Stuart Russel) will present his new book "Ships In Troubled
Waters" and Bob Noakes is proud to present the second (expanded) edition
of his bestseller "Last of the pirates". To conclude the day, Graham
Gill will sing his offshore radio evergreen "Way Back Home"...
We will keep you informed in the weeks to come. Make sure to visit our
website at http://www.radioday.nl
on a regular basis.
We will meet again in Amsterdam's Hotel Casa 400 near the Amstel railway
station (James Wattstraat 75) from 11:00 till 17:00 CET (which is Dutch
local time). Doors will be open from 10:30. Admission is 12,50 €. It is
not necessary to book your ticket in advance.
Let’s go to Belgium for the next e mail: ‘ Hello Hans, Last August was
really a boost for off-shore radio fans aka anoraks with the many
(re)transmissions and special programmes all over the spectrum including
the so beloved Median Wave Band: the commemoration of the 31 of August
1974 shall always be a special days for anoraks: 35 years what a
mile-stone. My summer had also ‘a file rouge’: here goes my story about
finding some special recordings of
Radio Caroline! After my
holiday in France mid June - early July and after reading there all the
Caroline Newsletters I've downloaded from the great website of Ray
Robinson http://azanorak.com , I came
in contact with Patricia Helewaut who’s also living in Flanders
(Belgium) for all those years and who apparently at that time had a
radio-cassette-recorder and had made some recording of Radio Caroline in
1978!
Here comes her story: “And the end of the 70’s, born in 1957, growing up
especially during my student years, Radio Caroline was very important
part of my young life: the Caroline deejays were like friends to me and
gave me that warm feeling of understanding and being together. At some
time, with Caroline going off and coming again on the air, I decided to
tape some programmes to listen to during periods Radio Caroline was off
the air. And I cherished those tapes ever since. Even when I was moving
to another place/house, when tidying up the house, every time when I
found those cassettes and although not having a cassette-player anymore,
those happy sounds keep saying: keep me alive - don’t put me in the
dust-bin.”
And after so many years Patricia’s persistence ended up in glory because
Patricia, in the spirit of Caroline, was so friendly to lend me the
cassettes and thanks to Vincent Schriel at www.offshoreradio.org the
recordings were digitalised and converted in mp3-files. Vincent, who the
last years had converted hundred of tapes for his organisation,
immediately found out that those recording were special. Not only
because like Patricia and me he too had listened in those years, many
evenings and nights sometimes secretly underneath the blankets, to the
sound ‘from a point in the sea to the circles of our mind’ but
apparently there aren’t many recording of that time.
When first listening to the recordings the first recording was (part of
64 minutes) a Personal Top 30 of a couple named Steve and Susan and on
the Steven Pragnell’s website
http://memories963.freewebhostx.com/personaltop.html I discovered a
whole list of the Personal Top 30 and on top of the website I found the
personal Top 30 of Steve and Mitchell and Susan Woodcook with the
complete set list. What a coincidence! Further down on this website I
saw the personal Top 30 of Caroline Simmon(d)s, who, in 1978 was Miss
Radio Caroline! And guess what? The next two recordings were, joined
together, the complete Top 30 of Miss Caroline 1978! Tom Hardy, who was
the deejay at that time, went mad! And me to!
I forwarded the discovery to Steven Pragnell because in June 2008
Caroline Simmons made a reply to this website but sadly his message to
Caroline bounced because today she must have a new e-mail address.
Finally, the two another Personal Top 30’s: the first one was the
Personal Top 30 of Ann Smithsons and the second one was the Personal Top
30 of Lesley Smith.
All the recording can of course be downloaded for free at
http://azanorak.com/ Patricia is now
listening again to Radio Caroline on the internet but she can also
happily listen now on her sound system to what she cherished for so many
years! Perhaps Miss Caroline 1978 can stand up and will be able to
listen one more time to her Personal Top 30. So who knows where we can
find her? Lots of L.A. Philip Taghon – Jabbeke (Belgium).’
Response to this wonderful and other stories in the report are always
welcome at HKnot@home.nl
It’s really time to have a look on next internet site:
http://www.scandinavianoffshoreradio.com
From
Belgium there was in August stream radio with old
Offshore Programs. The
stream is reactivated and brings us historical programs from Offshore
Radio featuring Veronica, Mi Amigo, RNI and Caroline: audio web stream
129 kbs (wma en Win Amp)
mms://85.223.51.253:7000
Let’s go to Australia: ‘Good afternoon Hans, I much enjoyed your review
of Keith’s revised book. I have always thought that his original book
really is the definitive story of pirate radio. Keith contacted me when
he was revising his book as he wanted to update what all the old pirates
were doing nowadays. I have ordered a copy of ‘Pop Went the Pirates 11’
and am looking forward to its arrival. Best wishes from Sydney, Cheers
Bryan Vaughan.’
Hi Bryan good to hear from you again and I hope when the book arrives
you will be having many hours of reading pleasure.
Bryan Vaughn 2007 Photo: Martin
van der Ven
We have some other nicknames.
First I got copies of a special program when Mike Ahearn was visiting
Ireland some years ago. I learned that at one stage he was named Mike
‘Akehorn’ Ahearn. On Veronica Rob Out mentioned that some of the program
makers were in another earth and mentioned Daniel Kleinzing ‘Daniel
Kolsky’ and himself Rob ‘ Robbottos’ Out.
I recently was asked to write a review on a Dutch book ‘The musical
seduction’. I learnt from this book that we can add another female
presenter to the long list, which can be found back at
www.hansknot.com
Dutch singer Corry Brokken
was heard in a sponsored show on Radio Noordzee from the REM Island in
1964. By the way another one, who was already in the list, was at number
one with he recent CD in Britain and than I talk about
Vera Lynn. She introduced
The Miner's Makeup Show on Radio Caroline
http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/canopg4.jpg
In an earlier edition of the Hans Knot International Radio Report it was
Stephanie Caballero, who was on search for Caroline deejay
Ron Dolman. After some
weeks it was Ron Dolman himself who wrote to me. He read the question on
internet himself when reading the report on my site. So once again some
people are reunited versus the report. Also Ron added that he is very
happy with the work I do to get the offshore his
tory
complete as possible: ‘I know I can’t add too much to the existing
stories. The items happening during my stay onboard the MV Mi Amigo, I
think in total five months, can be concluded in ‘ munity, hi-jacking,
several small fires, hurricane, ship of competitor on the beach and
more. All those are heavily highlighted before. After my time on
Caroline I went back to Amsterdam to work in Discos. I didn’t have any
contact with my former shipmates. By the way, late congratulations with
your Queens Honour you’ve got earlier this year for your work as a
historian in radio. Greetings, Ron Dolman.’
Ron Dolman on the air on Radio
Caroline. Collection: Ron Dolman
Thanks a lot Ron and hopefully you will join th
e
reports in the future. Next we go to Scandinavia and see what
Jan Kotschak has to tell
us:
‘Dear Hans, I thought you'd be interested to know that my book about my
father and Radio Nord -- Stick
iväg, Jack! -- will be published around October 15th. It has lots
of unpublished photos and tells the full story about the station, not
least what happened behind the scenes at the government of the time. On
its 424 pages it also carries a supplement with every song that made it
to Radio Nord's two hit lits, Topp 20 (international) and De tio
(Swedish). The publisher is Premium Publishing in Sweden.
http://www.premiumpublishing.com/en/art/stick-ivag-jack-radio-nord.php
There will also be a 2 CD disc with the most popular tunes of 1961-62
from both Radio Nord and Radio Syd. The record company is Riverside
Records.
http://www.premiumpublishing.com/en/art/radio-syd-radio-nord-topplatarna-fran-1961-1962.php
Finally, on Oct 21-22nd there will be a special Radio Nord-cruise on
Silja Line between Stockholm and Turkku - with four of the leading
artist from the time of the pirate ships.
http://www.premiumpublishing.com/en/art/radio-nord-kryssning.php
Next attention for an internet site, which Martin van der Ven informed
me on: A visit to Gunfleet Tower.
http://www.sadoldgit.com/a/page151.html
Just to inform you about the internet station
Voice of Peace
http://www.thevoiceofpeace.co.il/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=349#p1514p1514
Some e mails come from unexpected corners. Fleur Neuteboom wrote to me:
‘ A good morning and as we don’t know each other I can tell you that I’m
an eager consumer of the Hans Knot International Report as well reader
of your articles on www.soundcapes.info pages. The Bull Verwey interview
you once did together with Jelle Boonstra was very impressive. It was
the respectful attitude onwards Bul Verwey, although the bomb attack
against competitor RNI. I think therefore still the contact with Verwey
stayed all those years. Recently I visited the
Ross Revenge and photo’s
are on:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37068&id=1441391473&l=51e166476a
Thanks Fleur and your mail is much appreciated. Let’s go to another nice
movie on internet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUImDI-efas&feature=related
David Kindred's son has uploaded 8 and a half minutes footage of
a trip to Radio Caroline South
and Radio London to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg98Kx0uMiE
with thanks to Mike Barraclough
Next e mail came from Per Alarud
via Martin: ‘I remember Theo Dencker on one of the FRC-NL-trips that I
and a friend made in 1972. At that time I didn't know who he was. It was
later when I read the excellent magazine Radio News from FRCG that I
knew. As a matter of fact I've uploaded the film that we made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdiqBcc94wQ
As can be seen we also went to the REM Island and later on the same
evening to the Mi Amigo in Zaandam. The following sequence was taken on
a very early Sunday morning July 30th 1972, about 5 o'clock. We had been
visiting the Mi Amigo pirate museum and the last street bus for
Amsterdam had left, we slept in a nearby park. Oh happy days!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5odPJFA-z-8
Change of internet address: ‘Hi Hans Just to let you know the
(geocities/woodleyuk/index3.htm) link to Roland Beaneys Radio Caroline
web pages is not available any more as Geocities are closing. I've moved
the website to
www.woodleynet.co.uk/index3.htm
Many thanks Chris L.’
Last month I talked about Paul
Freeman who worked for Radio Essex in the sixties and here more
about him as he wrote a long interesting story: ‘Hello Hans. First of
all I must say how nice it was to hear you on Tim Gillett's 'Pirate BBC
Essex' show a couple of weeks back. Back in November 1965 at the age of
just 16, I packed my little case and left home to become a pirate radio
D.J. for a couple of weeks on Radio Essex. It was not long, but I was
there and I'm very proud of my tiny part in 'Offshore Radio'! You may
have heard me on Tim's show the week after your piece. Anyway, the
reason for writing to you is to tell you something about those Radio
London Commercials. After my short stay on Knock John I went back to
work in the factory where I worked before. I made ring binders and
covers for type writers. But I had now been involved in radio and music
and I wanted much more out of life than just making ring binders. A
friend of mine worked for BBC television and used to buy all the Hi Fi
magazines. He saw an add for a young guy to train as a sound recording
engineer. He wrote the letter of application for me and I was
interviewed by this wonderful chap called Nicholas Moore, in a wine bar
just off London's Oxford Street. I got the job and spent the next 3 or 4
years cutting acetate records, editing tapes and making recording. I met
a lot of very interesting people including the GREAT movie star Gloria
Swanson, who I did not recognise and asked for some means of identity
when she wanted to hire a tape recorder from us. "You poor boy...You're
far, far too young to recognise an ageing old movie star like me" is
what she said as she patted me on the cheek!
Anyway, back to those commercials. At the end of August 1967 a young guy
in a suite walked into our little office at 1 Hanway Place, London, W1
asking if we would be interested in buying some second hand recording
tapes. I said that I would ask my boss Mr. Moore. He came down from his
office and asked the guy what this tape was and where did it come from?
"Oh it's all quite legal. It's the old tape library from Radio London
and you would have to collect it from 17 Curzon Street". "Is it yours to
sell" asked my boss. "Oh yes...We have no further use for it" "How much
do you want" (I think that the reply was £100 but am not sure about
this) "I'll give you £25...Take it or leave it" and my boss starts to go
towards the stairs to his office. "I'll take it"!
We arranged to call at 17 Curzon St. a couple of days later. My boss
brought his Morris Minor Travler in and we drove down to Curzon St. On
arrival we were shown through the main office with a large picture of
the Galaxy above the fire place and down some stairs into a basement
room. The room had shelves stacked full of tapes thousands and thousands
of small 3 inch spools, all those commercials, and hundreds of others in
all sizes, some boxed some loose, many with Radio London show on them.
It took most of the day to load them into the car and ferry them back to
our studio. I remember seeing p
iles
of rate cards and leaflets about some British Radio USA or something
that Phillip Birch and his associates where starting up. I thought that
sounds interesting.
I spent the next two or three weeks joining all those small tape's
together to make up 7 inch spools of tape which I then erased and we
sold them from our shop next door for about 15 shillings a reel. (75p in
todays money but a lot in those days)
I stole just two of those tapes. I still have them. They were samples
from PAMS! I just could not bare to erase them! They're up on the shelf
and I'm looking at them right now!
Paul Freeman near to the fort
collection Paul Freeman
Later that year a chap walked into our studio offering to sell us two
Garrard 401 turn tables for £30.Now I wanted these myself and I knew
that the boss would not want them, so I told the guy that we were not
interested but to call this guy called Paul Peters and I gave him my own
number. He phoned that night and told me that they came from Radio City
and I bought them. I always believed that they did, but every photo I've
ever seen of the City studio has Garrard 301's in it. I used these turn
tables for the next 10 years for making shows for several 'Land Based'
pirates and at the same time I was working 'Freelance' for BBC Radio
Medway, now Radio Kent. By the mid 80's I had given up any idea of
success in radio and was working for a large charity. I gave those 401
turn tables and all my records to one of our charity shops to sell in
aid of our work for sick and injured animals. But I still kept those
PAMS tapes! I have for some years thought that maybe the turn tables
came from Radio Essex as we used them on Knock John, but I was talking
to a guy on the L.V. 18 at Easter who is the caretaker on Rough's Tower
(Sealand) and he said that
they
could not have come from Radio Essex as he has one of the old 401's from
there himself. Or at least I think he said that he still had one.
The years passed by and I thought that I was the last person in the
world to remember the Pirates until I bought a computer in 2006. I was
told that you could find out about anything you wanted on Google. So I
tapped into it 'Pirate Radio Stations of the 1960's'. I just could not
believe what I found including my own name on several sites. Some months
later I got a phone call from Dilly Barlow, a BBC producer who worked on
John Peel's old show 'Home Truths' she asked me if I would be interested
in telling my story on the show. I was stunned into silence. After all
those years I was to make it back onto the air and on BBC Radio
4....What do you think my reply was. Yes please!
Paul on BBC Pirate Radio Essex
together with Tim Gillet
In 2007 Ray Clark of BBC Essex asked me to record a short piece for the
last show to go out from the Pirate BBC Essex Ship at 3 pm on the 14th
August (I used the name Paul Peters). This year I felt quite honored
when I got an email from Tim Gillett offering me a 3 hour show on Pirate
BBC Essex, using the Paul Freeman that I was given on Radio Essex 44
years ago, and best of all I was to follow the GREAT Emperor Rosko! Take
care Hans, and please keep in touch! Best wishes, Paul Freeman. Now Paul
Peters on Forest FM in the U.K (www.forestfm.co.uk
and KFMJ in Alaska www.kfmj.com)
Well time for artists who visited radio stations, this time Radio
Veronica on August 4th 1974 when Lex Harding presented the second
edition of a new program called ‘Hitbewust’. In this program next to the
Bay City Rollers and Wally Tax there was an interview with Stephanie de
Sykes. She was a soap star with typical blue eyes who also could sing.
And this was what Lex tempted her to come to do an interview on the
radio.
Whenever you remember an artist who was featured in a program don’t
hesitate to inform me at hknot@home.nl
Searching for an old shipmate is ex Caroline deejay from the seventies,
Nigel Elgin. The next e
mail was sent to me by Vincent van Schriel: ‘My working name at that
time in the seventies was Nigel Elgin and Michael Lloyd's real name is
Glenn Schiller (assuming I have remembered after all these years!).
Would love to get in touch with Glenn but doubt if you have any contact
details. If you ever do come across him, please let me know. Cheers,
Nigel Davis.’ So anyone out there from the seventies crew who knows
where Michael could be please inform me at
hknot@home.nl
Let’s hope we will find him to. Over to
Keith Skues, who wrote to
me after reading the last report: ‘Greetings Hans, What a wonderful
review - the best ever. Thank you so much. Going back in history to when
I began broadcasting with the British Forces Network in 1959 it was the
Dutch listeners that sent me my first "Cardboard Shoes". I still have
here at Skues Towers the first pair I was sent. Sadly I don't have the
person's name. Lost with my travels around the world over the last 50
years ... but the cardboard shoes are still in good condition. Thank you
again for a truly marvelous review. I am overwhelmed. I’m looking
forward to see you in November in Amsterdam.
With kindest regards, Keith Skues.’ Well Keith maybe one day you could
make a photograph of that special first ‘Cardboard Shoes’.
Short comment and interesting link from the
Admiral Robbie Dale:
Hi Hans, Enjoyable. And a pleasant and casual presentation of an
interesting program. Maybe you did not get this link as yet. Who is that
flower power badge toting hippy? Greetings Robbie
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=721236239#v=feed
Berend Lourens wrote to me with information about a very interesting
link connection to the subject
REM Island
http://www.cq3meter.nl/publicaties/rem-eiland/index_ff.php
Another link comes from Luc in Belgium:
Dear Hans, I stumbled a web site with a few pictures from the Thames
forts (one aerial picture offers a not-so-common view of the forts).
Here is the link :
http://www.artificialowl.net/2008/07/maunsell-army-sea-forts-red-sands.html
Kind regards, Luc Masuy.’
Then time for Ian Biggar: ‘Hi Hans I hope that you are well. Can I ask
that you put a request in your next report? I am looking for copies of
the Caroline Movement bulletins numbers 18/19/20/21. I will pay all
costs if some kind person could do some hard copies for me. Look forward
to seeing you in Amsterdam. Many thanks Ian Biggar.’
I know there are in my readership people who did collect those
bulletins, as we had some earlier request for issues. So who can help
Ian, please mention it to HKnot@home.nl
so I can put you in contact with Ian.
It's time for another update to
The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame.
New this month: we have memories of the proposed Radio Caroline North
“cruise” to find a new anchorage which was due to take place 44 years
ago this month (http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/list35.htm)
and we have a photo of Radio London racing driver Keith St.John behind
the wheel of Big L's sponsored Elva BMW
http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/odds53.htm
There are a number of new audio clips including a rare copy of Martin
Kayne's commentary on the arrival of Lord Charles Brown on board
Caroline North and Roger Scott's first show for that station. (It was
also his last as the ship was towed away the next day); plus there is
news of a stage play about Reg Calvert and Radio City, an offshore DJ's
autobiography and we acknowledge the former Caroline presenter who has
just topped the charts.
My grateful thanks, as ever, to all the contributors.
www.offshoreradio.co.uk
Off course you have to go to the next site to have a look at the
wonderful work Mary and Chris Payne already do more than 10 years with
their tribute site to Radio London and much more!
http://www.radiolondon.co.uk
Talking about Mary, her name is mentioned in the next e mail too:
‘Hans, some time ago it was Mary Payne who advised me to contact you.
I’m looking already for years for a copy of a hit list, which seems to
have disappeared from earth. In the seventies I started to collect
several list, like Dutch Top 40 from Veronica, Radio Noordzee Top 50 and
more. I also made several contacts with other collectors. Also I worked
together with people from the Magazine Pampus and the Society Hitologie.
At one time I started to collect de TROS Europarade, which I got direct
from the Broadcasting Society TROS. I produced a booklet called
TROS Europarade Research 1976 –
1980 and recently I put this for sale on internet:
http://link.marktplaats.nl/282347523
I’ve scanned my complete collection of the hit list and the plans are
that special internet pages will appear at Media Tools from Ad Roland
with the old Europarades.
However there is one Europarade missing, the one from January 4th 1986.
Who can help me?
http://link.marktplaats.nl/282348835
with friendly greetings Hans Blauwbroek. So if anyone can help with the
missing Europarade from January 4th 1986 or want to exchange facts and
figures with Hans please inform me at
HKnot@home.nl
Hmm, what shall we think from the next interesting article from the Mail
on Sunday?
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1217271/Radio-GaGa-Not-pop-pickers-With-combined-age-400-veteran-DJs-set-unleash-rocknroll-revolution.html
And what did the Emperor
write after receiving my last issue in which I wrote about the new rules
for sending mail to thousands of people like the Hans Knot International
Radio Report? ‘Hans it’s no spam. We call you a wammer-jammer not a
spammer :) Greetings to you Titan of radio info. The mighty KBC is one
that is carrying our program and the other is in Korea! The south, my
agent will send me the name shortly, these are the two I mentioned. I
have two more stations about to pop but I am still under the national
secrets act on those. Emperor Rosko.’
Sorry
Emperor we have readers in Cambodia, Malaysia, China (an ex Caroline
deejay making radio there) as well in Thailand but not in Korea. So
maybe you can plug the report there too!
Next is Alan Bailey: ‘Hi Hans, I hope you're keeping well. Looking at
your latest report for October I saw the photo of Villa Louvigny and
your correspondent mentioned Cliff Richard and the Shadows. I thought
you may be interested to know that at the end of September Cliff and the
Shadows visited Nottingham as part of their tour. On that day the BBC
invited me in for a chat about when I was his recording engineer 50
years ago in the Hertford Street Studios, London of
Radio Luxembourg. If
anyone's interested in hearing it they can click on
http://www.mediafire.com/?qnkqxd4qnnz Always good to get your
interesting reports and take care. Kind Regards, Alan Bailey.’ Thanks
Alan for sharing it with us. And look what I found in my archive? Barry
Alldis interviewing a young Cliff Richard w
ho
recently had his 69th birthday!
Photo: Archive Hans Knot
Talking about memories to the Big 208, here’s another link
www.208itwasgreatradioluxembourg.co.uk
Next an e mail from Phil Champion in England who was an avid radio
listener in the sixties and has many memories too. ‘ Hi Hans, I wonder
if you could help clear up a few points about
Radio Veronica's schedule
from March to about May 1968, the first few months that I really began
listening to '192' a lot. This is to help in an article about listening
to Veronica then as part of a series I'm doing ("Over 40 years of being
glued to the radio") which I'm doing for Geoff Baldwin's "Radio Review."
www.radioreview.org.uk
Hope you can help. Then, I didn't know any Dutch at that time but
nowadays I speak it a little bit. I was trying in those days to listen
when home from school. It would be interesting if you can post a
Veronica schedule for weekdays and the weekend in your ‘International
Report’ sometime. I have read that Eddie Becker was doing weekdays ‘Ook
Goeie Morgen’ for the mid/late 1960s. But I'm sure it was him on
‘Jukebox’ 1400-1600 (not to be confused with the request show ‘Radio
Veronicas Jukebox’ with Chiel Montagne 1800-1900). So was someone else
doing breakfast then or was he doing 2 shows a day?’
Well Phil reading this first question I decided to send the whole mail
to Juul Geleick who has his wonderful Veronica memories at
www.norderney.nl
He responded with: ‘Eddie was doing 'Ook Goeiemorgen' during the period
February - May 1968. In the afternoon there was no Juxebox. In the month
of February however every Tuesday and Thursday there was a program
called: 'Van concertzaal tot Juxebox' (from concert hall to Juxebox),
which was presented by Rob van Dijk and transmitted from 14 up till 15
Dutch time.
Next question from Phil was: ‘Who was on 0900-1200? Was it Gerard de
Vries? Was Tineke co-presenting with him or did that partnership not
start until they did 1000-1200 together from January 1969?’
Again the answer from Juul
Geleick: Here is just an idea of programming during early 1968:
At 09.00 uur it was MTUW (Music while you work) followed at ten by 10.00
Tineke Koffietijd (Coffee Time). Then at 11.00 hrs. ‘Kookpunt’, with
Gerard de Vries. (Boiling time) The mentioned co presentation between
Gerard and Tineke started much later on Veronica.’
Question three from Phil Champion now follows: ‘After Jan van Veen's
‘Muziek bij de lunch’ from 1200-1400 there was in my opinion ‘Jukebox’
till 1600. This was before Lex Harding's show began in May. But on
Thursdays there was an hour of easy-listening music 1400-1500 with a
deejay with a relaxed voice. My late mother said the theme tune, which
involved someone whistling, was "In a Monastery Garden." Do you know
what the title of this show was, who the deejay was and why there was an
hour of MoR music suddenly put in one afternoon a week?’
And here is Juul once again: ‘I think once again it must have been 'van
concertzaal tot jukebox' with Rob van Dijk. Indeed he had a very relaxed
way op presentation and a wonderful shrouded voice. But again that was
between 14 and 15.’ Of course with thanks to Juul Geleick.
Of course I sent the answers to Phil who came back with: ‘Thanks, Hans.
I think Veronica's programme schedule was more complicated than I
thought! I only thought Rob van Dijk did the program ‘Klassiek Verzoek’
- it just shows that you can always learn something knew. Thinking of
his voice it matches perfectly with the voice I used to hear on
Thursdays at 1400 all those years ago. By the way, I listened to the
final (offshore) Veronica Top 40 on the internet (veronica192.nl I
think) on August 31st and thought that radio production has not really
improved since 1974! Regards, Phil Champion.’
Next to the fact I sent the questions to Juul I also contacted Vincent
Schriel who is heavy in collecting as much info about programs on
several radio stations. He kindly sent me the next program schedule from
Veronica in April 1968:
Program schedule from archive
Vincent Schriel
Talking about programs, October was also time for a small celebration.
Let’s see what Ian Anderson
has to tell us: This weekend (actually Monday morning) is the 40th
anniversary of the first test broadcast of what was to become, 4 months
later, Radio Geronimo.
Programme tapes recorded on 10 August 1969 in Bill Hayes Muswell Hill
home, with Hugh Nolan and Terry Yason presenting, and due for
transmission on 16/17 August 1969, were not broadcast because of the
"poor quality" of the 7" reel-to-reel tape and there was no
transmission. On 14 October 1969 programme tapes were recorded in the
radio studio of Radio Luxembourg (London) Limited at 38 Hertford Street,
London W1 with Terry Yason presenting and identifying the station as
Radio 428.
Tape one started with the theme tune Amazing Grace by The Great
Awakening, followed by Rainy Day Women by Bob Dylan, If Six Was Nine by
the Jimi Hendrix Experience followed by other songs including Cucamonga
by Freedom Sounds, Five to One by The Doors and My Generation by The Who
.
The tapes were due to be played on Radio Andorra on the morning of
Sunday 19 October 1969. However, with the tapes not arriving in time,
the Radio Andorra French (language) announcer presented live instead,
making that the first test broadcast. All of the pre-recorded programmes
for Radio Andorra were either never broadcast, replaced by a French
speaking DJ or played at a later date. The first complete playback of a
programme was on 16 November 1969. The final playback of a programme on
Radio Andorra was on 7 December 1969. The first Radio Monte Carlo
playback was on 7 January 1970. The first playback with the name Radio
Geronimo mentioned was on 15 February 1970 (the second playback on Radio
Monte Carlo). (I was the only person at every one of the programme
recording sessions from the end of October 1969 until the beginning of
March 1970.) Ian Anderson
Next a question from Mike Grant in England: ‘On Radio Caroline in the
1970s the DJs used to give a secret code number out following the
weather update each hour. These were intended for the Office telling
what supplies were needed and possibly problems on board? Do you have a
listing of these "Caroline codes"
with what each one means. I can imagine that nearly 30 years down the
line the secret can now be told. It would make listening to my 1970s
Caroline collection all the more interesting! Have a great weekend
Mike Grant.’
Well Mike somewhere in my massive archive is a few samplers from those
code lists. Also in the eighties they were used by the Monique and
Caroline organisation. But numbers were frequently changed so the
authorities couldn’t get a grip on the codes. One period 150 mend no
fresh water at the moment while the same number could mend a month later
‘spare parts for main generator needed’. Only some of the people on the
ship as well as on shore knew exactly what the numbers stood for.
From Harwich the next e mail: ‘Hi Hans I hope you are well. I enclose
details of the PBBCE Easter 2009
DVD - ready at last! DVD released Monday 5 October 2009. Title:
'THE BOAT THAT DOCKED'. Subtitled: 'Pirates Ahoy' - Pirate BBC Essex
Easter 2009. Running time is 106 minutes. Format: DVD
Available by post only from: THE BOAT THAT DOCKED DVD, THE HIGH
LIGHTHOUSE, HARWICH, ESSEX, CO12 3HH Great Britain. PRICE: £15.00 incl.
P+P CHEQUES PAYABLE TO: NVWTM. For more info go to "News" on
www.offshore-radio.de
Good to see that Robbie Owen,
we know from Voice of Peace days, is a sharp reader: ‘Dear Hans It was
interesting to read that Mike Galloway has Bruce Sabsay’s “Report” on
the Electrics of the Peace ship. I remember this well, serving on the
ship in mid-78 when Bruce was the “Engineer”. I am using inverted commas
round the words report and engineer very deliberately. Bruce fled Canada
on a drugs charge (cocaine I believe) and found refuge on the Peace
Ship. His administration of the systems was so bad that the station had
to go off-air during Abie’s hunger strike because of chronic transmitter
problems. When we returned to the airwaves in July 1978 it was with the
great Bill Danse in charge of Engineering – he came back for a week to
oversee the complete overhaul of the two AM transmitters. With the help
of Noam Aviram, for the first time in more than a year, he got the
station back on 50 Kilo-Watts with really great sound quality. Some
weeks later we received a QSL report and an audio recording of the
station from Japan!
Bruce
may have been qualified, but he was not competent. Within a week of Bill
Danse returning to Holland, we lost one of the AM’s (there were two at
25Kw), and it never returned to life whilst I was there. Peter Lewis
found the fault later that year – a simple trapped wire in the door! I
remember Bruce wiring the new tuner for news reception. Instead of using
the line outputs, he connected both speaker terminals together with the
result that the DC offset (you can tell I’m an electronics guy!) from
one channel fed into the other causing loud ripping sounds. The only
talent I can remember that Bruce had was to cook pancakes. He made
luxuriously thick pancakes and we happily covered them in Maple Syrup.
Bruce also blamed most of the engineering problems on Mike Galloway’s
stewardship the year before – something that was very unfair. Without
Mike we would never have had a Production Studio and Mike knew how to
get 50Kw!
Robbie Owen in 2006 Photo: Martin
van der Ven
Bruce didn’t like the station, and was always moaning about how unfairly
he thought the team was treated. He constructed this report as his way
of getting even with Abie – he intended to pass the report to the Press
when he left the station, and intended to cause great embarrassment to
Abie. On my first shore leave, I was with Bruce when he meet Betty (I
believe her surname was den Ouden) a former Dutch prostitute who lived
in Petah Tiqva. She was a hostess in ‘Bernies Bottle Club’ the BBC – in
the old northern port area of Tel Aviv. Bruce and Betty quickly struck
up a relationship, and soon after Bruce left the Peace ship to settle on
shore. He tried to publish his report, but fortunately the Israeli Press
could recognise a non-story and nobody was interested.
It is true that there were many safety hazards on the Peace Ship: the
main staircase, the open insulator at the base of the mast, the old AM
transmitters, and the slippery diesel fuel across the corridor. But, the
electrical system was not one of them. This part of the installation had
been done well in the US was very reliable. As for his ‘earthling’
hazards, he obviously was unaware that a metal hull in contact with sea
water is in fact a rather good earth. That’s why putting a quarter-wave
antenna over sea water radiates so well – it has an almost perfect
“earth mirror” below it – and kilowatt for kilowatt, ship-based AM has
always beaten those on land.
The last I heard of Bruce was that he settled in Israel with Betty,
never to return to Canada, and died some years ago. There were
unconfirmed reports at this time of more drugs connections. The ‘mother’
of the Peace Ship family, Jacky Bennett (wife of Ships Engineer Bill)
would be able to add a lot more detail as she lived in Petah Tiqva not
far from Betty. Best Wishes, Robbie Owen.’
Well thanks a lot Robbie for your very detailed story on Bruce work and
how things could go really wrong on the ship. Strange that after so many
years still long ‘new’ stories appear in the history on offshore radio,
especially in the history on the Voice of Peace. Anyone who wants to
respond or add more to this story feel free to write to
HKnot@home.nl
And for Robbie all the best and see you too in November, greetings Hans
Next one a plug for reader Oeds Jan Koster: ‘Just for your information:
starting Sunday November 29th I will make a series of radio shows with
the title 'offshore radio in the
seventies'. These shows will start with an interview with Hans
Knot about the history of offshore radio during the period 1970 - 1974,
varied with typical offshore radio hits from the mentioned years. The
interview will be followed by a survey of all # 1 hits only in the
hitlists of
Radio Northsea International Dutch and/or English service. After that
some complete hitlists from Radio Veronica and RNI from the same period
will be broadcasted. So many weeks of listening pleasure. This series
will end with the complete last hour of Radio Veronica on August 31st
1974 (17.00 - 18.00 hrs local time) and the complete last hour from RNI
(19.00 - 20.00 h
rs
local time) on the same day. Where can you listen to these shows?
www.oogtv.nl click on 'Live Radio' at
the left. When will these shows be broadcasted? Each Sunday between
14.00 - 15.00 hrs local Dutch time, starting November 29th 2009. All the
best, Oeds Jan Koster.’
One of the former captains of the MEBO II,
Jan Harteveld, sent me
some photographs from which this one comes from 1971. It was taken in a
discotheque in Zurich when there was a special anti drugs evening.
Jan Harteveld in the Middle.
Priest Flurie on the right.
Another one shows Vic Pelli, once station manager on RNI with his wife
and Harteveld in the garden.
Victor Pelli, his wife and Captain
Harteveld
Last issue came in a question from Mike Ryan: ‘Which other offers were
made and who has what? Thought it might make a good subject and bring
back some memories. All the very best and keep up the good work. Mike
Ryan.’
Well it’s Bryan Kingsley from Ipswich who sent the following
Caroline North leaflet
for the Find a face for Caroline Fink Competition which is completely
new for me. Who can tell me more? Also if you have something to share
from in house promotion from any of the offshore stations please feel
free to write to HKnot@home.nl
Next from Peter Messingfeld in Germany the next news: ‘Dear radio
friend, In July I had the chance to see the studios of the new EKR.
Photographs
and all about the return of
European Klassik Rock at:
http://www.travelseries.de/trav2009/trav09_3.htm
Some weeks ago the annual radio
day at Erkrath took place. Once again a good attendance and also
there were interesting speakers. See and read all about it:
http://www.travelseries.de/trav2009/trav09_4.htm
Graham Gill found some
offshore radio studio tapes in his cellar. After digitalization a CD was
produced. Read all about it including free download at:
http://www.travelseries.de/trav2009/grahamgillcd.htm
Next an e mail from Robert James: ‘Hi Hans, a question that you might be
able to answer in a future report. In the latest issue of Offshore Echos
magazine there is an article which mentions that tests were carried out
from the Norderney in February 1975. I think this is also
mentioned in Offshore Radio by Gerry Bishop. Can you explain why these
tests were carried out and any other information about them? Kind
Regards, Robert James.’
Well Robert the only person who could answer this question is the late
Jose van Groningen, the head technician from Veronica in those days. So
sorry this time I have no answer. Possibly the owners had talks with a
second party for selling the radio ship but that’s just an idea. Nothing
was official declared.
Next Bill Barnes warns us not forgetting to inform you the reader about
the new Horizon Magazine:
Hi Hans, I've made use of your excellent retrospective on Radio Veronica
in the next Horizon Magazine
http://www.horizonmagazine.co.uk/
I've also given a last plug for Radio Day (photos and reports very
welcome for Horizon) and mentioned your problem with email newsletters.
Best wishes, Bill.’
So if you want to know what I’ve written about the old Veronica just
order your own copy of the Horizon Magazine. And Bill, thanks for the
plug for the Radio Day.
In last Issue it was Mark Watkins from Reading asking for
program schedules from
Caroline and Laser. Reader Robin Westhof digged into his papers and came
with the next Caroline and Laser schedules:
Saturday 19-05-84:
7.00-11.00 Dave Richards
11.00-15.00 Peter Quinn
15.00-19.00 Blake Williams
19.00- 2300 Stuart Vincent
23.00- 3.00 Diane Lauren
03.00- 7.00 Andy Johnson
News service: Grant Benson
Laser 558
Saturday 26-05-84 06.00-11.00 Rick Harris
11.00-15.00 David Lee Stone
15.00-19.00 Paul Dean
19.00-21.00 Jessie Brandon
21.00- 02.00 Steve Masters
Monday 28-05-84 06.00-10.00 Rick Harris
10.00-14.00 David Lee Stone
14.00-18.00 Paul Dean
18.00-22.00 Jessie Brandon
22.00-02.00 Steve Masters
Radio Caroline
Saturday 16-06-84 07.00-11.00 Tom Anderson
11.00-16.00 Dave Richards
16.00-19.00 Blake Williams
19.00-22.00 Brian Allen
22.00- 01.00 Simon Barrett
News service: Jay Jackson
Sunday 1-07-84 7.00-11.00 Dave Richards
11.00-15.00 Stuart Russell
15.00-19.00 Tom Anderson
19.00-23.00 Album Top 30 (Top Tracks ) - Blake Williams
23.00- 03.00 Stuart Vincent
Laser 558
Wednesday 18-07-84 06.00-10.00 Rick Harris
10.00-14.00 David Lee Stone
14.00-18.00 Tommy Rivers
18.00-22.00 Holly Michaels
22.00- 02.00 Charlie Wolf
Radio Caroline
Monday 13-08-84 06.00-11.00 Johnny Lewis
11.00-15.00 Grant Benson
15.00-19.00 Stuart Vincent
19.00-23.00 Andy Johnson
23.00-02.00 Edwin King
News service: Jay Jackson
Thursday 27-09-84 06.00-11.00 Johnny Lewis
11.00-15.00 Simon Barrett
15.00-19.00 Alton Andrews
19.00-23.00 Tom Anderson
23.00- 02.00 Samantha Dubois
News service: Grant Benson
Monday 29-10-84 07.00-10.00 Johnny Lewis
10.00-13.00 Dave Richards
13.00-16.00 Andy Johnson
16.00-19.00 Paul McKenna
19.00-23.00 Tom Anderson
23.00- 03.00 Stuart Vincent
03.00- 07.00 Samantha Dubois
News service: Jay Jackson
Laser 558
Thursday 29-11-84 06.00-11.00 Tommy Rivers
11.00-16.00 Holly Michaels
16.00-21.00 David Lee Stone
21.00- 02.00 Charlie Wolf
Of
course with a lot of thanks to Robin Westhof
Then record question time as this one came in: ‘Dear Hans, Professor of
Radio. When Don Allen
closed the International service of RNI, he played his Big 3 favorite
funny records. The one I cannot remember the title of, had the lyrics:
"You can trust shit or bust I'm going to live until I die". Do you know
the title or artiste? God bless you.’
Well the last evening of the international service of RNI on August 30th
1974 I’ve not here at the moment so if anyone has it in the archive
maybe you can send met the last three titles Don Allen played on the
station. Just send it to HKnot@home.nl
Let’s finish with were we started with and that’s the late Mike Ahern.
On Friday October 16th Andy
Archer was so kind to send me the following: Hans, Today, October
16th. a small ‘Thanksgiving Service’ for Mike's life was held in
Sheringham in North Norfolk. It had been organised by Mike's sons, who
had flown over to Britain from Australia. Picture shows me, with Angela
Bond the former Radio One producer and Ray Clark of BBC Radio Essex
drinking a glass of Bollinger champagne to the memory of Mike Ahern.’
Photo collection: Andy Archer
Well friends that rounds up this November issue of the Hans Knot
International Radio Report. Just one other issue to go in this year. May
I wish you all the best and who knows that we shake hands on the 14th of
November during the Radio Day in Amsterdam. See you eventually there.
Hans Knot
Offshore Radio Programme Names - Programmanamen Zeezenders 1958-1990
Read Hans Knot's former report
