Hans Knot's International Radio Report - December 2006 (1)
Hi, Dear Friends and
welcome to another edition for the Hans Knot International Radio Report.
And again a lot of memories and other interesting things in this
interactive report. I hope you will have some fine minutes reading it.
It was around 1985 that my dear friend Jelle Boonstra and I went to the
former house of Klaas Vaak
(Tom Mulder), who worked for Veronica in offshore days and who was an
avid listener to Radio London in the sixties. Tom had asked me if I was
interested to get his tapes he recorded through the years for my
historic collection. So Jelle and I travelled twice to the west of
Holland and obtained a very exclusive collection. Not only Tom had
recorded an enormous amount of Radio London, also many exclusive
American material and interview material was in the boxes. Tom Mulder,
Juul Geleick amongst others where the two main people responsible for
the program Poster on TROS Radio. One of the program series they
produced was the story of Pop Radio. One of the interviews was recorded
early August 1977 at Scheveningen with the late
Paul Kaye, the only Radio
London deejay who was there from the first day in December 1964 up till
the last day in August 1967. A copy of the interview stayed ever since
in my archive.
Juul Geleick did an digital editing with the original tape earlier this
year, which was also given to me. I decided to sent it in the digital
way to Tom Mulder and he responded with: �Emotional, Today I found the
old �tape� on my computer with this wonderful interview with Paul Kaye.
It�s unbelievable for me that Paul is not more amongst us. You have to
know that I almost listened to Big L from hour to hour, day in day out.
It seems if I knew all the people personally. Even now, almost 40 years
later, this feeling has not changed. I honestly can say that Radio
London had a very important impact in my personal life. To have the
interview back I�m very happy. With a very big thank you to all those
guys on the original Big L!�
But it isn�t only Tom Mulder (aka Klaas Vaak) who will be happy at the
end of 2006. I�ve asked Tom Mulder as well as Juul Geleick to give me a
�yes� to publish the interview and the first thing I linked my mind to
Mary and Chris Payne at the Wonderful Radio London Internet site. Well
all lovers of Big L and other offshore radio stations there is a
possibility this interview will show up in the Christmas programming at
the Oldies Project and after that on the site of Mary and Chris Payne.
So watch their pages:
https://www.radiolondon.co.uk
Once
again, and this is going on for month, it�s ER time. From California on
regular base, the Emperor Rosko
is sending in his own promotional material. Of course important for his
own ego and the ER History. He knows how to spread as much as possible
his pictures to his old listeners and the only way to do is in the Knot
International Report. But Rosko, I was shocked when I read at one of the
attachment: �ER with a French bloke!� This French bloke is no one else
than Johnny Hallyday, already hot in French since 1963 and still
attracts completely filled concert halls all over French. He really is
the king of Rock and Roll in France.
The Emperor Rosko and The Great
Johnny Hallyday
Last
issue one reader was mentioning a lot of
birds who did visit the
radio ships for a short or longer period, various getting a name. Now a
photo has been sent by Chris Edwards from Hanwell: �Hi Hans. Thanks as
always for the report. Have been meaning to send you the attached for a
while. Some flying visitors to the Ross, think the picture may have come
from Nick Jackson.
Talking of pictures, was looking at your article on
Loving Awareness 30 years
on, over the weekend in last issue of OEM and was wondering who the
various people are in the schoolroom picture from the album cover.
Obviously know the LA band and a long haired gentleman, on the phone,
hiding at the back. But who are the others? The "nurse" on the phone,
other man on phone at back, man seated top right of picture, looking on
rather indulgently. Maybe someone on you mailing list has some answers?
Thanks Chris, not only Ronan is phoning in the classroom, probably as
normal on others persons costs, but I think the other one is Alan Clark
who was hanging round the Caroline family in Holland in the seventies.
He had a job at Radio Netherlands. Maybe our reader Leon Keezer knows
more about the photo. He or any other reader can respond on
Hknot@home.nl
LA Album photo OEM Archive
It was Nico Derks sending me an e mail with some questions and at the
end an internet address was mentioned, worthwhile to take a visit to:
www.sommeltjes.com/europe/news.php
Also I want to mention a site with links to tv themes used in the past
on Dutch television:
https://www.bubblegum.nl/bgtv/tunesarchief.html
A wonderful mail from Nigel
Harris reflecting on the Radio Day: �Hello Hans, Thank you for a
great day in Amsterdam. Thanks to you, I got to meet
Marc Jacobs again after
so long! Thanks also to Martin and all who helped organize such a good
day for us all. So many nice people to talk to over the weekend. When is
your visit to the UK? By the way, I am on another Sky channel this week,
it�s called the �Event channel� from Globecast Radio in London. We have
build a studio in Maidstone�.yes that town again! Sky 0157.
They
broadcast from London in the ITN building alongside IRN. The station is
on 7 days a week, but Globecast only use it at weekends to cover motor
sport and other sporting events. They have a presenter who plays music
and they have live reports from the sports event. They put RSL�s on too
cover the events locally. So a friend of mine, who has been in UK radio
for a long time, and landbased pirates in the 70s (!) has been
contracted to run the station Monday to Friday. Some is live, and some
programmes are recorded. There are 80s hours, with 90s and SuperGold
hours which cover 60s and 70s. The guy is John Brocks, who was boss at
CTR in Maidstone when it started. (By the way, KMFM bought CTR last
week, giving them 7 stations in Kent plus DAB.) It�s a bit strange
broadcasting from someone�s house but the studio is nice. Maybe you
would like to visit if you have time on one of your visits. I�ll tell
you more in January. I�m on tomorrow and Wednesday 12-2, and 4-6, UK
time. Next week, all output is from Wales covering some sport, and will
be run from London. We have a week off!! Although doing this and KMFM is
a bit tiring! Hope to see you soon, Greetings, Nigel (Harris).
Nigel Harris and Marc Jacobs on
Radio Day Photo
Martin van der Ven
Nice to have heard from you and yes it�s always a bit boring to do
programs on a new not too known station but keep it going man! Good to
hear you liked it very much seeing Marc Jacobs back. For my readers some
background info. Marc Jacobs worked between 1976 and 1980 for Radio Mi
Amigo and Caroline. Stuart started on Caroline, I presume, in 1976 and
went on till 1980 too on the MV Mi Amigo. So they shared around 4 years
of their live partly together on the same radio ship. After that their
roads went to other paths in radio land. Marc originates from Groningen
and I met him for the first time in 1970 and it was 1973 I asked him to
join in into the Hospital Radio station in Groningen, were I was program
director at the time. He made fabulous experience there as well in the
local discotheques Blow up and Jolly Joker. All this led in making a
demo tape for Radio Mi Amigo and the rest is history. Nigel, also known
as Stuart Russell, I saw for the first time at the very first radio day
organised by Music Radio Promotions, Frans Schuurbiers and my person.
This was way back in 1978. Both guys I do see on a regular base either
in Groningen (Marc) or in Whitstable (Nigel) for having a dinner, drink
and exchanging memories. Strange enough between 1980 and 2006 Marc and
Nigel hadn�t met each other and surely it were marvellous moments in
Amsterdam to catch up again!
Another site to click is the one which got an update recently. It�s run
by Jan Pierre Berckmans from Belgium and tells a lot about former Radio
Luxembourg. Veronica and Mi Amigo presenter Stan Haag.
https://users.skynet.be/berckmans2/STANHAAG.htm70.htm
Hi Hans, Thanks for the latest newsletter and the plug for
The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame.
As you know, up until now, The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame has only
covered the offshore broadcasters of the sixties but I have decided that
it is time to extend the site. From next year I will cover the seventies
too. A section on the DJs who worked offshore during that decade will be
added gradually, one page of names at a time. I have already been in
touch with some of the DJs whose names begin with A and, all being well,
that first page will be available on-line early in the new year. It will
take a lot of research and I would be very grateful for help from the
readers of your report. I would especially like to hear from any
(English-language) DJs who worked on Caroline, RNI or Atlantis during
that decade. Also from anybody who has recordings, photos or memorabilia
they would be prepared to let me include on the site. Please email me at
HoFame@offshoreradio.co.uk
Thank you very much for your help as we step boldly into the seventies!
Best wishes, The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame.
I asked Jon why only the English language deejays are mentioned and not
the Dutch ones. Also I pointed out that if there hadn�t been the support
from Dutch and Flemish stations like Mi Amigo, Monique, Radio 819, Radio
558 and others, there wouldn�t had been a Radio Caroline up till
November 4th 1991.
It�s all really a lack of time for Jon that he chose for only the
English ones but he wrote: �If you know anyone who would like to start a
similar web site for the Dutch DJs, I would be delighted to assist and
link to it - but I am afraid I do not have the time to do it myself at
the moment. Maybe one day.....�
Second time around is Rosko
again: �Hi Hans, Another bit of radio history read and inhaled by all,
You have the market cornered ! I am happy to announce that I think, I
think, I have not seen or heard of anyone else saying it,_/* I am the
worlds first Solar powered DJ. The panels are delivering energy from the
sun that runs the place and so I hope I have bragging rights. If I am
the first do you think the Guinness Book might stick me in ! heheheheh
As you know I am my own P.R. person and a Knot Report without a mention
is too painful to contemplate. Very handsome picture you published last
month! Well done. Another first. I have a big surprise for next month
but want to see it all up and running before spilling my beans
prematurely. Mind you keep your writing quills sharp , Warmest regards,
EMP.
I�m also an avid follower of the best of the best in
American radio and so I
learned that Dick Biondi, who was already very hot in the sixties,
recently moved station to WZZN in Chicago. An oldies station which has
lucky enough more songs in the computer than the stations in Western
Europe have. 1665 songs can be heard. Dick left WJMK in Chicago when
this station changed to the so called �Jack FM� format. Have a listen:
https://www.947thezone.com/
This info with thanks to Ben Meijering, who had a week�s holiday in
Chicago. Tom Mulder (Klaas Vaak on Veronica) is also an American Radio
Lover, so I sent him the info about Biondi and he reflected to me with:
�Thanks for the info about Dick, who I personally met when in 2002 we
had live transmissions from Memphis on Radio10 Gold. It was to
�celebrate� that it was 25 years ago Elvis Presley died. A very nice and
relaxing and above all legendary guy this Biondi, who came at our set as
the conditions were so nice and easy. It was the same day I also met
Cousin Brucie, as also WCBS-FM did their special program from Memphis.
Cousin is, like me, surprised about his own success and reflected with:
�I can�t do anything else�. Words I will never forget, very legendary.
The atmosphere, as I remember, was very super that day in Memphis. I
also had a talk with ladies who were in the same class as Elvis was.�
Now over to Rotterdam where reader Ger Kruidenier comes from: �Hello
Hans, Thanks for again a new edition of the one and only Knot
International Radio Report. Speaking about �the one and only�: I�m
listening at the moment to a tape-recording which I got from you in
1975, when you ran the Pirate Radio News Tape Service. On the tape a
copy of a studio recording from Klaas Vaak Radio Drama on Veronica 192
as well as a Gary Stevens show on Swinging Radio England and a �Remember
Big L� program on Veronica. On March 12th 1975 I took the tape from the
Post Office to home. A stamp from 2 guilders is still on the box. We�re
getting old Hans. Can you give me advice how to transfer the recordings
to cd and which program I have to use for it.?�
�Well Ger nice to see that after more than 31 years the tape is
mentioned again. The best thing to do is to spend as less time as
possible to save your archive. Almost 1,5 years ago the main part of my
archive went to the Offshore Radio Download Group, which is doing a hell
of a job to save as much recordings from several people. You can get a
membership for 10 Euro a year and than the possibility is there to
download hundreds of hours a year. And also my recordings will be
uploaded by Chris, Harm and others involved. More info by writing to
Chris Visser
chris.visser@xs4all.nl or on internet
www.offshoreradio.org
Another e mail with memories from Holland, this time from Hoofddorp and
Tom Blomberg. �Hi, Hans! As you maybe remember I listen, just like Ton
van Draanen, each Saturday morning with a lot of pleasure to BBC Radio 2
with Sound of the Sixties, which is at the moment presented by Johnny
Walker (what a professional) sitting in for Brian Matthews, who�s absent
due to illness. It can be heard each Saturday morning between 9 and 11
CET. No program is not complete without Johnny telling one or two
anecdotes about the time on the Pirates. Johnny worked on Radio England
as well as Radio Caroline. �Because they�re young� by Duanne Eddy was
and is his main theme all those decades long. I always wondered why he
did take that one. On November
18th
Johnny Walker answered a question from a listener on the subject and
told that in the sixties he went through the tracks of an American
sampler LP and directly was sold hearing �Because they�re young� and all
those years he kept it. I always enjoyed listening to Walker as he has a
cosy atmosphere in his shows and above that he�s very natural. Lucky
enough a few years ago his got the Sony Award for all his work during
his career. And lucky enough we can, after all those years, still listen
to him with his own program on BBC Radio 2, between 17 and 19 hrs CET.
And too mad that the Emperor Rosko is also reading and reflecting on
your reports! Another radio hero from me!�
Jimmy Nichol and Tom Blomberg
(Photo found on internet)
Well thanks Tom, who�s working as producer and presenter in radio in
Holland for many decades. For instant he can be heard every Saturday and
Sunday on Regional radio station Radio Gelderland with �Weekend Retour�
between 13 and 15 hrs CET. One part of the program is called �Rondje
Retro� and most of the time he reflects back on the past and Offshore
Radio. https://www.omroepgelderland.nl/ and push the button �live�
It was very nice to receive the latest edition (168) of
Radio Review and see a 5
pages long story of memories from editor Geoffrey about some of his boat
trips he made since the seventies to the Northsea including the Mi
Amigo. For more info for the magazine just go to
www.radioreview.org.uk
Just one of the short newsflashes in the Radio Review told the reader
something about John Peel�s son. �Tom Ravenscroft,
John Peel�s son, is
following the footsteps of his legendary dad by introducing a radio
programme championing new bands. He presents a show on Channel 4 Radio
every Thursday. The programme, called Slashmusic, is a compilation of
the best tracks which have people uploaded to the Channel 4 website.�
With most interest I started reading two weeks ago the book �Phil
Spector out of his head� by Richard Williams, a biography and
critical study of Spector�s music following four decades up to the
shooting in bizarre circumstances of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. Of
course, as follower of the music industry too since the early sixties, I
also followed the success of Spector but still learned a lot more in
this book. It�s so well written that you believe a lot of what has been
written, if not all! Till page 116 and 117 when I felt almost from my
chair. When in 1966 the song �River Deep Mountain High� was not the
success Spector wanted in the USA (it only became a very minor Hot 100
Hit) it was DECCA man Tony Hall who promised to make it a success in
Great Britain and offered Phil to phone every available deejay and ask
him to play to song. Well there was no deejay within the BBC really so
he had to go to the Offshore deejays to get the �wall of sound� played,
in which he succeeded.
But
in the biography Tony Hall learns us two things: first he tells that
offshore radio stations were run from ships in international waters as
well as from disused oilrigs. Many offshore radio stations have been
heard through 4 decades but never from an oil rig. He also told that the
follow up in Europe to �River Deep Mountain High� was �A love like
yours�. I must admit that my single version of the song has �A love like
yours� on the flipside. Nevertheless a good read!
At unexpected moments I get material for the report. For instance
standing at the front door at the Hotel Casa 400 getting some fresh air
and a bit running away for all the noise at the venue, I suddenly got an
envelope from a late visitor to the Radio Day,
Peter de Jager. He worked
on the MEBO II within the Dutch team and showed me the next photograph
taken by him in 1974.
The price of punishment must have been heavy!
Saturday November 25th a report came in from Tel Aviv from
Noam Tal: �Hi Hans.
Yesterday (Friday) at 12:30 I went to visit Abie with a group of people
at
Tel-Aviv Haktana - were Abie lives. Esty Tannenbaum - she is the head
nurse, prepared some refreshments in the club room, and Abie was sitting
waiting for his guests: Robbie Owen, Tim Shepherd, Gil Katzir, myself
(Noam Tal), and four people from Radius 100 FM, including the CEO of
this station Mr David Ben Basat were there. David is a well known person
in local radio in Israel, and his station Radius broadcasts on 100 FM
and also have a twilight time program every evening as the sun set with
Abie's voice and VOP jingles. Two weeks ago they started a tribute
program for the VOP with a former VOP DJ, every Friday at 16:00-18:00
hrs. We also invited a crew from the Israeli TV (IBA channel 1). Robbie,
Gil and Tim gave Abie the framed pictures of the ship from the Radio Day
in Amsterdam.
David
Ben Basat from Radius gave Abie recordings from the first and second
programs they had on Radius, all shook Abie's hand, Robbie red all the
names of the people who signatured the poster of the Peace Ship and
spoke about them, and the TV crew did their job and later went away.
Abie thanked everyone and I'm sure he was pleased to be in the centre,
while everybody paid him respect. Later we told Abie about the Radio Day
and the people that came. The People from Radius made some interviews to
be broadcast on the station and we made many pictures and at about
16:20hrs we all said goodbye. My impression is that the Radio Day caused
a burst of nostalgia. The audience (so David Ben Basat said) is
interested in the music and jingles of the VOP, and the stories about
the life on an offshore radio station.
Best
wishes, and Shalom from Abie and all the rest. Noam. �
Thanks a lot Noam for taking your time to visit with the other guys Abie
and gave him another enjoyable afternoon. Also another thanks for a
photo which you sent me, taken in the nineties aboard the Voice of
Peace.
Matthew French, Paul Harper, Bill
Sheldrake, Nathan Morley on the Peace Ship Summer 1993
Gil Katzir, Noam Tal, David Ben
Basat, Dudi Rosental, Keren Milo. Sitting: Robby Owen, Abie Nathan, Tim
Shepherd
News from Bob Le Roi:
It's the season of goodwill, even to radio people so a "Bumper" edition
of the Update! This months "Scrapbook" returns to Shivering Sands for
Radio Sutch & City Part 10. Meet up with Ian MacRae & Ross Brown with
newly discovered and contemporary pictures. Transmitter Talk the feature
also includes a General Electric TCK-7 the same type as we used on Radio
City with the 1st pictures of Bob Bartolla's restoration project in
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, USA. If you like the T Shirt Ross Brown is
wearing you'll love the this. For years we've been asked to produce a
Radio City 299 T Shirt. Now 40 years after it 1st appeared the 2007
design is now available as the 1st Marine Etc Broadcasting Offences Act
Commemorative Product Close to completion: After 5 years sourcing
material Part One of the Radio Essex Documentary CD is almost complete.
We're taking advance orders now to give us some idea of demand. "One
Subject One Link" returns to the old chestnut, forgive the seasonal pun,
travel & traffic, on radio always wrong, now technology comes to the
rescue. The A-Z of Pop & Rock Music arrives at the letter (J) with more
records & CD's to buy securely on-line. Have a look at the other letters
as when sold new titles are added. If you're curious, have a squint at
the Personal Pages for pictures of this years London - Brighton Veteran
Car Run. Thanks for your contributions, positive feedback & the massive
response you've shown by your visits, it's been an exceptional year,
we've had close to 38,000 individual visitors each month since
September, we're pleased you like what you read, see and hear From all
the team enjoy Christmas & have a very Happy New Year www.bobleroi.co.uk
********************************************************************
Sunday
November 26th was a nice day for the listeners of
Vixen 87 in the Yorkshire
area. The team went out for a day using the ship New Horizons and
transmitting while being out on the Packlington Canal. Vixen 87 had
their Pirate Day and tried as much as possible to bring back the
memories from the good old days in offshore radio. Playing some nice
air-checks from the good old offshore days and interviewing people like
Keith Skues, Rosko, Rob Preedy and Hans Knot, among others. A pity Paul
Rusling, as was promised, couldn�t get to the ship due to other
commitments. So you see there are more places where Offshore Radio has
not been forgotten.
Steve Jessney sent us some pictures from the Pirate Radio Day from which
we have chosen the one to the right.
*********************************************************************
Before
I forget there�s still the possibility to order my new book:
VOICE OF PEACE MEMORIES AND ABIE NATHAN�S WORK
HANS KNOT (Editor)
During the past year a lot of work has been down to research not o�nly
the history of the Voice of Peace but also the various humanitarian jobs
Abe Nathan has done through the past 4 decades. With assistance from
people next to Abe, deejays and staff of the station in the past, Hans
Knot has succeeded in writing a 250 pages book. In the book are many
exclusive photographs, but as there were hundreds of photos sent in by
many people, a �photo cd� will be included. The book, which will be
officially presented at the Annual Radio Day in Amsterdam o�n November
2006. The book can now be ordered from the publisher. The price for
people in the Netherlands will be 30 Euro, including postage and
packing. For people outside the Netherlands the price will be 33 Euro or
25 British Pounds. You can sent in your money by sending it in an
envelope to SMC, PO Box 53121 1007 RC Amsterdam. Also you can pay your
money to Giro account 4065700 o�n the name of Mediacommunicatie
Amsterdam. Don�t forget to mention IBAN number: NL 37 PSTB 0004 0657 00
BIC: PSTBNL21 . This to avoid high costs.
Well as reader of the Knot Radio Report, which is possible for already 7
years for free, I hope you spent some money to buy this mentioned book!
***********************************************************************
Well as reader of the Knot Radio Report I hope you spent some money to
buy this mentioned book!
Due to the amount of photos I�ve to close the report earlier otherwise
it will be too big sending away. So there will be another report for the
end of the year. As usual all best greetings and till next time you can
always sent your memories, photos and other things to
Hknot@home.nl
Greetings
Hans
Offshore Radio Programme Names - Programmanamen Zeezenders 1958-1990
Read Hans Knot's former report