Hans Knot's International Radio Report - October 2006 (2)
Welcome
friends to his second edition for the month of October and thanks for
all the emails, photos memories and rarities. But before the first mail
will be handled something else.
Listening to the opening hour of
Radio 227, which was mainly presented by Lex Harding, all the
deejays for the new station were heard for some minutes to tell
something about themselves. We’re talking about early 1967. Lex
introduced also Bob Lens and mentioned that he had the nickname ‘Purple
Haze’ on the station.
During the last issues of the report the subject ‘When was Jack Spector
on Radio Caroline South and North,’ several people including some of the
former Carolinedeejays of the Sixties tried to give the correct answer.
For an in depth answer we however go to Alan Hamblin: ‘Dear Hans, Here
is some information about the
Jack Spector Show, broadcast on both Caroline North and Caroline
South. The Jack Spector Show was first broadcast on both Caroline North
and South on Monday 12th April 1965 between 7.00 pm and 8.00 pm. From
Monday 11th October 1965 the programme was cut to 55 minutes. This was
because ‘Revival Time Epilogue’ was broadcast from 7.55 pm - 8.00 pm.
The programme broadcast on 17th January 1966 was a repeat. Apart from
‘the Revival Time Epilogue’, the Jack Spector Show was the last
programme to be broadcast from Caroline South on Wednesday 19th January
1966. About half an hour after the station closed down for the night at
8.00 pm, the anchor chain broke and the MV Mi Amigo started drifting and
went aground. Jack Spector was not heard again on Caroline South until
Monday 14th February 1966 when the station was broadcasting with very
low power on 1493 kHz from the Cheetah II. The Jack Spector Show was
now broadcast from 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm.
Caroline
South on the Cheetah II was off the air from Sunday 20th February 1966
until 10.20 am on Saturday 26th February. The station started at 10.20
am with the Jack Spector Show until 11.20 am. This was the first time
the Jack Spector Show was broadcast on Caroline on a Saturday. Caroline
South was off the air again from Monday 28th February 1966 until Sunday
6th March 1966 when the Jack Spector Show was on the air again from
10.00 am - 11.00 am. From Monday 7th March 1966 Jack Spector Show was
broadcast from 6.00 pm until 7.00 pm on both Caroline North and South.
Caroline South was off the air for 45 minutes on Saturday 12th March
1966 so Jack Spector was only broadcast from 10.30 am - 11.00 am. The
final edition of the Jack Spector Show was broadcast on Caroline South
on Sunday 13th March 1966 between 10.00 am and 11.00 am. I hope you
will find the above information about the Jack Spector Show of interest.
I always read your International Report and find it interesting. Best
wishes, Alan Hamblin. ‘
Thanks
a lot Alan and a more in detail answer cannot be given! Next one is
David Thorpe: ‘Hans many Thanks for your newsletter, a couple of points,
I’m curious what John Dwyer
is doing these days, is he still a presenter?’
What a luck, again a photo this time in Caroline studio: John
Dwyer
Well I presume he’s still in radio but which station is not known to me.
Maybe you can go to the Radio Day as he’s one of the people going too,
and asked him it yourself.
David went on with: ‘I recently met Bob Preedy, who has written 3 books
on offshore radio, he now runs a community station in Wetherby
Yorkshire called Tempo FM 107.4 , Bob does the breakfast show, Caroline
Man Graham L Hall does a Saturday afternoon show. If there are any Dutch
ham radio guys receiving this news letter I can be contacted via MB7IDT
echo link for a chat.
Regards Dave Thorpe.’
Thanks David I know for sure many Ham radio guys are reading the report
too.
Some nicknames for one person. By listening to an old program from 1979
on Radio Delmare I scored within 25 minutes three nicknames for one
person, John Anderson: ‘Ome John’ (Uncle), ‘Long John’ and ‘John in uw
radio’ (John in your radio).
Rob Veld read with interest the bits about Koller and Otten and other
landbased stations here and on the newsgroup Offshore Radio and he came
back with some interesting info about the technical side of
landbased pirates in
Amsterdam and surrounding in the late sixties and the seventies.
Hi
all, and especially Hans, cause he keeps writing and writing …………..
thanks for your newsletters Hans, most of the time I read them very
carefully, they are great. Hans asked me to give some technical
information about the landbased stations in the Netherlands in the late
sixties. I give it a try. It’s a guess but I think that most of de
landbased stations around Amsterdam had transmitters with two stages.
First stage a Variable Oscillator with some kind of EF radio valve and a
second stage, the Power Amplifier, with a 6V6 or 6L6 and if they had
enough money a EL34 or a 807. Most of them had Plate/Screengrid
modulation because it is the easiest way to make an AM signal. Hans also
wrote that a crystal were to expensive and he has right.
Koller and Otten 1971 (Photo Archive Jan van Heeren)
But in the late seventies I buyed a transmitter which was used for a
project called ‘Radio Bellevue’ from Ad Roberts. It was a crystal
transmitter and is uses two crystal oscillators. one was a 8300 kHz and
the other a 7510 kHz crystal oscillator. The signals were mixed and
filtered so it was transmitting on 8300 minus 7510 that’s 790 kHz but,
a little bit of ‘tuning’ made it 792 kHz. These kind of crystals were
used in military equipment and were not so expensive, probably buyed on
the Waterlooplein in Amsterdam, Loe Lap or some other dump store. It had
4! Stages, the 2 oscillators, a buffer, a pre-amplifier, and a power
amplifier with the radio valve 6DQ5. It produces around 35 Watt. At the
time they used this transmitter in Amsterdam I received them on my radio
in the northern-east of the Netherlands. By the way Ad Roberts, you
never wrote about this project! Maybe the time is now! Another problem,
and that’s not a typical 60’s problem, is the antenna. For a good signal
you need ¼ wavelength, which was 240 meters / 4, that is 60 meters! If
you make it shorter you have less efficiency. And that’s not all, you
also need a good earth and radials from about 60 meter to. When you are
living in the country it isn’t a problem but when you’re living in
Amsterdam you have lots of problems. The water-works were used as earth
(there was no PVC pipe used at that time) and with a little help from
some neighbours you can stretch 60 meter of antenna. I think that’s the
way how they did it in Amsterdam, but I have my doubts about the
antenna.
But ……… how they did it in London, for example the people working for
Radio Jackie, Radio Free London, London Music Radio, etc.? Another
question which is bothering me: In the seventies there was a new
generation of Medium Wave stations in Amsterdam, like ‘Radio Mercurius’
(later Radio Unique). They made real professional programs and I think
they were not the only one. Who can tell more about them? I know, this
is another history then the sea-based stations, but a lot of DJ’s and
technicians from on and offshore have worked for land-based stations.
So there’s some kind of link. Rob Veld.’
Well thanks a lot Rob and comments on this subject can be sent to Rob's
mail address and when there’s more to report he will be back in one of
the coming issues:
vintage_radio_197@yahoo.co.uk
From Dave to another Chris is a small step: ‘Hi Hans, and thank you for
yet another fascinating ‘Report’. Just a quick note to say that I am now
the owner of the photos featuring the Football Match with Radio Caroline
North DJ's (see last issue). Naturally, I too would like to know who is
on the photos, so any help would be appreciated. Secondly, about a year
ago I purchased all the exhibition boards from Mike Baron of FLASHBACK
67. I think you and I spoke about it at the time. With the coming 40th
anniversary of the closure of the UK pirates next August, I am looking
for suitable venues and groups of people, who might be interested in
having the exhibits on show for a short time. Naturally, I would like
to go to as many places as possible, so a ‘tour’ would be good in August
of 2007. If any of your readers would like to discuss this offer with
me, please add my e-mail and ask them to get in touch. Many thanks.
Chris Dannatt’
Well thanks a lot Chris and an interesting offer, I must say. Maybe BBC
Pirate Radio Essex is an idea, as they go on air again in August. Chris
can be reached at:
galaxy266@ntlworld.com
Next down yonder and an e mail or three from Bryan, from which some
lines: ‘Having been thrown off Beliefnet for rampant anarchism, I used
the opportunity to read old e-mails! I'd like to know what social
changes and other rebellions and historical landmarks these offshore
stations helped spark. I'm listening to Surfradio and feeling retro! I
noticed a comment about lack of political correctness in those old days.
Nowadays lots is artificial; people aren't so open about their
prejudices. Thanks.
www.netspeed.com.au/bryan/
Thanks
Bryan. The best thing is to find some hours to read in the on line
Journal for Media and Music Culture from the University Groningen. We
have put on hundreds of articles there including ‘The political
activation of offshore radio's fanbase, 1964-1989’ It can be found on
www.soundscapes.info Volume 6 October 2003
Then a reader from Asia and it was amazing
to receive the next e mail: ‘Greetings from the Big Mango (Bangkok)
Always enjoy reading your international report. A few words from me to
say that it was 1976 when at 20 I first ventured into offshore radio The
VOP for just 3 months and the start of an adventure of a lifetime, a few
names that come to mind. Mark Hurrell, Stevie Gordon, Don Stevens, Gavin
Mcoy and of course Howard Rose, A Filipino helper who's name I forget
and an engineer who I believe deserted the French foreign legion.
Richard Jackson on the Ross Revenge (RJ Archive)
I could never
understand
his existence because he always slept next to an extremely loud
generator hence suffered from severe sleep deprivation and appeared a
total nervous wreck he was therefore pretty useless, but a real
character. Please pass on my best to everyone at the VOP get-together.
John Dwyer's name appears in your bulletin, John joined us onboard the
Ross Revenge 20 years ago. I think he had just come from the VOP, my
time on the ship was 86 - 87 during the 'Caroline 558' days, really
exiting and great fun. Who remembers spending 8 hours on the 'Windy'
sailing between Belgium and the Ross Revenge during a force 8, the sea
was so rough the thing should have sunk, fortunately it didn't so we are
still alive to recall the throwing up.
Communicator with broken mast (Photo Richard Jackson)
This was also the time that 'Laser'
attempted to return but the mast collapsed after the first big storm. A
few friends from those fun days: (Graham) Peter Phillips, Kevin Turner,
Caroline
Martin, Jamie King, Johnny Lewis, Steve Conway, Mark Matthews, Peter
Murtha, our Dutch friends inc Ad Roberts who shot some amazing videos of
us riding out the storms (Would love a copy if any exist) and Herbert
Visser who was often seen in the next studio (Radio Monique) throwing
things into the air and catching them between links. Best regards to
all, please feel free to drop a line:
richbuc@gmail.com.
Richard Buckle (Richard Jackson)
Tendering in the eighties (Photo Richard Jackson)
In the meantime I’ve been in contact with Richard and sent to some of
you the email to so feel free to contact Richard. It was great to hear
from you again and also thanks for the lovely photos.’
From the USA the next email from Tom Konard: ‘ Hi Hans, I look forward
to ordering your book, which will debut in November, when I get to
Belgium, permanently, in December. My wife and I will be relocating
there, then. In fact, I've saved your reports and hope to order past
books as well! Thanks for keeping the memory of it all alive! I'm not
sure what a GIRO account is or an IBAN number, but I'll learn! Much to
learn. Comment: the Caroline North dog story was disgusting, as, to me,
is animal cruelty. (Better they would have put the DJ who was teasing
the poor dog, over with a chain around his neck!) Have a good weekend
and maybe I'll see you soon, even! Thanks! Tom Konard/Aircheck Factory.’
Another nice e mail, thanks Tom and hope you and Sabine will have a good
life in Belgium and enjoy your stay in Europe. Surely we will meet up
some day!. I know Tom some decades long as we swept radio recordings for
many years. Tom did get offshore recordings from Europe on cassette as
I was receiving a lot of interesting American Radio Recordings from him.
He found the love of his live with Sabine and decided to move to
Belgium.
Just before the last issue was sent out to everybody and answer on one
of the many questions was given by Rob Chapman: ‘Hi Hans, I thought
someone would clear up the mystery of Chris Anthony on Caroline South in
the latest newsletter but as no one responded here is my two pennies
worth. In the Daily Mirror of August 15th 1967 that I have faithfully
kept since the time the news report mentions that "two new dj's are
joining Caroline South today, Ross Brown and Chris Anthony." I don't
ever recall hearing anyone use that name at the time but about 20 years
ago a fellow tape contact lent me his entire collection of reel to
reels. He used to stay up late at night recording Caroline South during
August 1967 when he was in his teens. Unfortunately though, like many
people at the time he used to edit out the spoken links and just keep
the music. The only time he used to leave the tape running was at the
end and beginning of shows. It was a real labour of love listening to
the reels, but being the anorak that I am. I managed to edit about 20
hours of tape down to a couple of C-90 extracts compilations. In a
couple of places a dj quite clearly announces himself as Chris Anthony.
He's very inept at the controls and it sounds like his first shows. It
also sounds unmistakeably like Spangles! Over to you Mr. Cary. Rob
Chapman.’
Well thanks a lot Rob, most appreciate and indeed we ask our reader
Chris Cary or Spangles to step forward and tell his own memories about
getting onboard the Mi Amigo for the very first time.
After
Rob Chapman time for a very long and interesting mail coming from
Robbie Dale: ‘Dear
Hans, Stella and I pass through Amsterdam on the 7th Nov, What a pity we
will be a few days too late and miss the Radio Day gathering. I should
pay more attention to your news letters. Please pass on our best wishes
to Tom Edwards and Johnnie Lewis and any other old sea dogs you come
across. As you know, we use Schiphol as a hub for much of our travel
plans. So here’s hoping we can attend at a future time. Please let my
have the email addresses of Andy Archer, Gerry Burke and Ian McRae. If
it wasn’t for you, we would probably have remained out of touch for so
many years. Andy was correct about Spangles and the boat incident,
September 1967 Spangles disappeared for several days. He jumped ship ”so
to speak”, boarded then a sightseeing boat on one of its trips out to
the Mi Amigo and went ashore using the crowd of visitors as cover. I
thought we would never see him again. He needed to get a passport to be
able to take a shore break in Holland. In those days a temporary one
year passport could be obtained at any post office by producing a birth
certificate. He returned to the ship in a rowing boat he stole from the
fisherman’s beach at Frinton on Sea. He told me he had tried to get a
local fishermen to bring him back to the ship but was refused because of
the new law concerning offshore stations. It was then being illegal to
have anything to do with the pirates.
Robbie Dale in 1966 (OEM Archive)
I remember thinking how determined he must have been and what a fight he
put up. Having rowed for hours at night up and down with the tides that
ran at several knots. He said he just kept rowing towards the Mi Amigo’s
deck lights he could see in the distance and each time the tide changed
he would row harder as the lights appeared closer. Finally getting
alongside, he grabbed onto one of the chains that held the tyre
fenders to the side of the ship. When I saw him he was worn out, I past
him a line to make the boat fast. The Captain, Charlie Holtshoff was
furious when he discovered that Spangles had left the ship. He refused
to allow Spangles back on board. He wanted to hand him over to the
police for stealing the boat. I remember spending many hours negotiating
with Charlie before he would agreed to permit Spangles back on board,
in the meantime I arranged for food and drink to be secretly past over
the side to young Mr Muldoon who was by this time getting very cold.
Finally Charlie agreed but only when I agreed Spangles would be fired
and sent off on the next tender. Later Charlie, The chief Marine
Engineer and I had some drinks in the Captains cabin. Charlie now more
the reasonable skipper we knew agreed to forget the matter but I had to
promise that Spangles would be punished and do some cleaning work around
the ship for a few days. The poor fisherman’s boat was set adrift in the
North Sea. Hopefully to find its way back to the shore where it would be
found, identified and returned to its rightful owner.
Another point of interest Andy raised. Yes, it’s true Jerry Burke was
put in charge during my absence from the ship. Although Johnnie Walker
was my good friend, he was not the most reliable of people and sometime
did crazy things, like announcing he was throwing the play list into the
sea and making rude noises over play list records, calling them rubbish
and refusing to include them in his shows because he hated to play them.
We all hate to play them. But after all is said and done. Advertising
revenue had dried up, leaving only the play list payola to pay for our
food, wages and supplies to kept the ship afloat. Phil Solomon ordered
me to fire Johnnie on several occasions. I argued the case that he was
one of the best DJs on the air and would refuse to fire him. Phil
would then fire me and the whole thing would go around in circles.
Philip held the purse strings, A man who wanted all but trusted nobody,
came to rely upon me as someone he could place trust in to do the job.
So I would be rehired and Johnnie would be off the agenda again. But
never for long!
In answer to remaining points from Andy’s letter. It was not (gall
stones). The reason I was admitted to the Boar Haven Private Clinic
Amsterdam .I suffered a stomach bleeding resulting from a very bad
tender early February crossing to IJmuiden through a force 10 gale. The
tender Offshore Two took a pounding and a lot of sea water came aboard,
everyone was sick, I was trying to be sick, but my stomach was empty,
continually reaching I ruptured tissues in the stomach and was vomiting
blood. Philip Solomon paid for the entire treatment and my weeklong stay
in the clinic. Before the MBO act became law. I don’t recall either
Johnnie or I meeting with Ronan. As I recall, we decided to stick it
out, because we truly believed the free radio bit, loved the job and
because of our friendship and working the same shift we had spent most
of our shore leave “gigging” together. When Johnnie returned to the ship
with me on that last train from Liverpool Street. August 15th
1967.During our last week ashore we had done three personal appearances
‘gigs’. The Press people had been with us all week. Johnnie took a quick
nip up to Solihull near Birmingham to say goodbye to his mother. I
stayed on in London. We had pre-arranged to meet up at the station. I
remember he was not keen and a little apprehensive. But this was taken
over by the excitement “the day that was in it” the crowds of fans and
anti government protesters. Plus the unknown adventure to come. on the
train we discussed the consequences and the likelihood of being
arrested, but thought the Government would not risk a the public outcry.
What a shock we had waiting for us, upon our return aboard to find all
the others packed and ready to leave. Just the four of us remained
Johnnie, Ian McRae myself and the brave new boy, broad speaking with
blond dyed hair, ‘Muldoon Oscar Anderson or whoever’ Chris Cary was a
tenacious young man with an eventful future in radio to unfold . Thank
goodness some of the lads changed their minds and some weeks later
returned to the ship through Holland. Hans remember to give me plenty of
notice next year; I will do my best to attend the Radio Day. With kind
regards, Robbie Dale (Admiral OBF and Bar. Retired).’
I met him in Frinton last December when I
visited the London studio. Wrote a lot of letters and exchanged tapes
with him through the eighties. And after years on internet he now wrote
me for the very first time by email: ‘Hi Hans, This is the first time I
have contacted you but I hope I can answer the story about when Jack
Spector was on Radio Caroline. His show started in May/June 1965 on both
ships and continued until at least September 1966 on the
North
ship but the south ship stopped airing them around March/April1966 this
may well have been something to do with a previous agreement with
Spector’s management in New York. For those interested I can be heard
Monday/Friday 1400/1800 on Radio Northsea Gold go to
www.radionorthseagold.com and also at Classic Gold in East Anglia on
1359/1431 AM from time to time from 1500/1900 Monday/Friday along with
other Classic Gold outlets, as I am the freelance cover jock in the East
for the network. I also pop up at Big L 1395, when required, so keeping
rather busy along with all my commercial voice over work for Easyjet,
the cut-price airline as well as others.
I enjoy the news report. Regards,
Paul Graham.’
Paul Graham 2005 (Photo Hans Knot)
Digging
in my archive for some other material I found some pages of a cartoon
about Caroline in a Dutch magazine, way back in the seventies. To show
you one picture I choose the one about
Rosko
So that brings us to another subject we could talk about. Who remembers
more about cartoons into connection with Offshore radio and please when
so, also sent a jpg too!
Hknot@Home.nl
Regularly the subject ‘animals on radio ships’ comes back in the report
and this time is was Martin van der Ven who sent me a small sound file
from RNI on June 4th 1971. Steve Merike could be heard telling that the
weather was so bad that the ship’s cat had started taking seasick pills!
Of course he just told this as a funny joke!
Again rumours appear in Dutch newspapers about the future of the MV
Norderney, the former Radio Veronica radio ship. It went off the air
August 31st 1974 and was used for entertainment since the eighties. Now,
in Antwerp harbour, the ship is talk about several rumours. During the
past 8 months several future places to be taken too were mentioned. The
latest is the idea of Erik de Zwart (former
Paul de Wit from Caroline
in 1979) who made a lot of money within the radio industry, to take the
ship to Scheveningen harbour. Erik: “The ship has been part of 15 years
broadcasting history for the Dutch. The name ‘Veronica’ still carries
the memories from the High Days at sea. It’s a relic which has to be
saved for the future and the best place is Scheveningen.’ Well let’s
wait if this message in the newspapers will have a continuation.
Next one is from Darran McDonals, a reader
in Canada: ‘Greetings
from Canada. I enjoy reading the report every month. I was having a
discussion online with a fellow broadcaster, Scott Snailham, about what
personality is in radio's recent history as opposed to today. He came up
with this "history", and I thought your reader's reactions might be
interesting: -The 1950's-70's were undeniably the golden age of Top 40.
From the early days of Alan Freed into the 70's with the likes of John
Landecker (just one I remember off the top of my head!) these people
were personalities, larger then life. In that era, perhaps the one
person that was larger then life that most people remember was Wolfman
Jack.
John Landecker on WLS (internet)
These people had passion for their craft, and it showed. creativity
abounded, in music choices and being clever wordsmiths choosing their
words and delivery carefully to create a mood and in that, a
personality, often larger then life. It was a big deal to see these
people in person, kids looked up to them, they got respect. The 1960's
saw a bit of a variation of this, the personality still existed, but it
was more of a tighter format, you'd "ride the ramp" over the intro and
get personality is small doses over record intros...blame Drake Chenault
for that one....this continued through the 70's and certainly kept
alive the larger then life personality, just a more condensed
version...the entertainment value was there. The jocks entertained you.
-Then in the 80's, people got tired of the larger then life persona,
they tended to go towards the "FM ways", more relaxed, more info about
the music. more music, less talk, because of course, talk is bad. you
did talk about the music to a degree, try to relate to the public that
way. It made sense to do that, as with the larger then life hype, it
tends to wear pretty quickly, and burn itself out. I'm surprised the
hype last as long as it did.
-In the late 80's early 90's, the consultant was more prominent in the
station day to day operations...sure they were there before, been around
for years before that, but this was the cost cutting recession 90's.
everyone was cutting back to save their business. satellite services
replaced people, and programmers were focusing on what "tests well" by
various consultants, who do audience music testing, play 10 second
"hooks" of songs to a audience of 200 (or less) people to see if they
like them. sometimes in the same city, sometimes you buy lists from
consultants who didn’t necessarily do research in the same town.
Everyone is so scared of tune out, we can't risk the listener turning
the dial, that we have to play the same few tunes over and over again,
because a consultant says the listener wants to hear their favourite
song everytime they tune in (or one of their favourite songs-I read this
in R & R once, Mike Mcvay of McVay Media gave this advise!)
-In the 2000's, The consultants are still around, but as the cost
cutting in the 90's left fewer people doing jobs, and the listeners
overall didn't really notice or care, as they are programmed to think
they want to hear music, and stuff they like, which is obtained by
playing the same stuff over and over, that's what happens. Radio
computer automation, initially offered by the mid 1990's, gains leaps
and bounds, because it's dependable and cheaper more and more. They also
have a "voice track" feature whereby a on air talent can pre record
talk between the music and not have to be there when it airs. This can
be done by one person on multiple stations, and is so popular, it's
adopted by virtually every station that is using a computer automation
system as a cost cutting measure.
In the mid 2000's The popularity of internet radio stations and the high
quality of them, has younger techno savvy individuals flocking to find
something they like through shout cast and other places on the net.
satellite radio also a newer technology, gets to the masses because of
price and smart marketing, and also hires veteran on air talent tossed
aside by commercial radio as they believe they need something different
for people to pay for. It seems they are right, given the popularity of
the system, which continues to grow, despite being a pay service.
Commercial radio meanwhile, seems to be continuing to play music, do
little with their own air talent except the basics, and hope they will
have listeners, or are they arrogant about it and know that people would
rather have it for free. That's the way I see it. I see a industry once
great and respected, gutted to a shadow of it's formal self. I can't
blame anyone in the industry now at all, they are often giving the best
of their ability or what they are allowed to do based on time
restraints or political correctness.
The other factor I see, is Entertainment. There's very little talent on
air that it truly entertaining. The jocks of the golden age of Top 40
knew this and knew it well, the wow factor, they entertained, every
break was skilful, to make you listen to make you want to listen to
more. It was never overly predictable. That one factor alone,
predictability, is lost today, because of the desire of not wanting to
offend. You can't take risks and throw a zinger or two out there without
getting in trouble.....which is why a lot of the comedy I've heard is
rather lame and doesn't take it far enough. everyone is scared to do it,
or for that matter doesn't know how to do it.
Broadcast School teaches mechanics, to be a basic announcer. They really
don't teach you to be a personality. It's sad really. You don't have to
be a Howard stern, or Casey Kasem, but you can channel them and take
parts of their persona and combine that to create your own unique
persona so that listeners are hanging on to your every word. And they
should be in my book. If there one thing I can get through to anyone
on the air right now, that I'm sure any PD would promote is make as
many on air breaks your own. Don't rip and read prep from the wire,
make it something that you can say "hey, I think this is cool, here's
why I think this is cool, I'm enthusiastic about it, you should be
too...let me tell you more.." I'd really love to hear stuff like that
more, but I hear too many jocks depending on liners and contests for
something to talk about, or laughing artificially at some lame joke
which in their mind carries it, but in reality just comes off bad.
People like that probably don't really have the first idea how to create
a persona, or were never encouraged to do so. shame, as I think radio
will have to adapt back to the persona driven product it once was to
continue to survive as it exists today.’
Good to see there is with a lot of people the feeling to get the best in
radio back. We miss a lot compared to that we listened to in the sixties
and seventies of last century. I was lucky to record myself in Europe
and exchange a lot of recordings with fellow radio friends in the USA
whereby I learnt what real radio was in the States. Still I do the
occasional rewind of old tapes to listen to the favourites from those
years, maybe at the same time my old time favourites. So please feel
free to comment on this fabulous interesting and long issue in the
report sent in by Darren Mc Donald. You can write to
Hknot@home.nl
Sven
Martinssen sent some internet links about radio in one of the so called
mini states of Europe, Andorra. It was on Radio Andorra that in March
1969 a one time Don Allen
show was transmitted in memory to Radio Caroline.
http://aquiradioandorra.free.fr/
http://f5nsl.free.fr/andorre/amenuen.html
http://100ansderadio.free.fr/
http://membres.lycos.fr/f5nsl/sudradio/
http://membres.lycos.fr/f5nsl/sudradio/oef41.html
http://membres.lycos.fr/f5nsl/sudradio/sr-2001.html
http://membres.lycos.fr/f5nsl/sudradio/bdxtx.html
Radio Andorra Poster (Archive Sven Martinssen)
Once again we go to Asia and Sheridon Street who wrote: ‘Hello Hans.
Just to let you know that I have carried out minor correction to my
Caroline web pages. Because there has been so much interest, and
discussion in your news letter about the real identity of Ray Cooper, I
have included a couple of enlarged pictures of him from my originals.
These can bee seen in the section "Who are They" perhaps the
enlargements may help identification. The last of the two pictures,
taken whilst crew changing, shows someone who I never noticed before, in
the back ground, wearing a light coloured jacket. I have no idea who
this person is, but looks very official and a little older than the rest
of us.
Cheers, Sheridon Street.’
Thanks Sharidon and hopefully there’s someone who can mention names by
going to the next link on internet.
http://www.hs0zee.com/HS0ZEE/Caroline%20South/Who%20is%20this/Who%20are%20they.htm
Hopefully you have already a new agenda for the year 2007. Go to
November 10th and you can note that the 29th year in a row the Annual
Radio Day will be held in
Amsterdam.
October 21st brought the e mail with the answer to the photographs of
the football match, I published in last issue: Dear Hans, I saw the
photos of the football match which refers to Caroline North on your
excellent web site. I guess other people may have responded to you by
now but I believe the event took place at onchan Stadium in the Isle of
Man. I seem to remember it was a Celebrity Eleven including Daffy Don
Allen and I think Mark Sloane and possibly some of the other engineers
from the ship. What was unusual is that the event was I think on the
Saturday or Sunday following the British Marine Offences Act which came
into force on 15th August 1967, but because the Isle of Man being
outside the United Kingdom and objected to the UK Government outlawing
Caroline this caused the Government to have to implement a decree by
Queens Council (I think was the expression) thus delaying the Marine
Offences Act in the Isle of Man and hence the Caroline North ship could
still operate with tenders from Ramsey until 31st August. I seem to
remember the football match was a charity game against (of all people )
the St. Helens G.P.O. (ironically General Post Office were responsible
for monitoring the radio laws in the U.K. at that time). I live in
Chester now and grew up in Birkenhead (near Liverpool) and well remember
those happy days of Radio Caroline North. I am biased but to my mind
Caroline North was the best station of all the UK offshore stations
probably because Head Office could not hear them! I have many happy
memories of the station and in more recent years have met some of the
former DJ'S and staff and although it hardly seems adequate it meant a
great deal to me to be able to say thank you to them for the
entertainment they provided us with. I was particularly pleased to be
able to meet my favourite DJ of all Daffy Don Allen just 2 years before
he sadly died in 1995. Finally, going back to the point I made earlier
about the Marine Offences Act being implemented in the Isle of Man, I
did not realise the significance of the Isle of Man being outside the UK
(causing the delay I mentioned) until many years later when I lived in
the Isle of Man in onchan just about half a mile away from the stadium
I mentioned above.
I hope the information is helpful to you, and as I have not e-mailed you
before it does give me the chance to say how much I enjoy reading your
website and the impressive photos. Does anyone have photos of the REM
Island being put in position of the Dutch coast. Apologies if they have
already appeared on your website but I am a relative newcomer to the
internet. I find radio in UK to be awful these days plenty of stations
but no real choice as they are all doing the same thing and
individuality seems to be frowned on. With Best wishes from John
Thomas, Chester.’
Well John thanks a lot for your answer as well as own memories. And yes
I’ve already scanned 40+ photos and cartoons from the early days of the
REM Island which has been put on internet by Wim van de Water at
mediapages:
http://www.mediapages.nl/index.php?module=photoshare&func=showimages&fid=115
Almost every month the Emperor Rosko is mentioned by myself, a reader or
Mr. Pasternak himself. This time a reader from Belgium is reflecting:
‘Dear Hans,
In your last Report, you gave a link to an audio presentation about the
Emperor Rosko's stay at Radio Luxembourg in France in 1967. For those
who would like to see the Emperor in action on stage (and for the
Emperor's ego) click on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZNX4yNDuaA.
The Emperor appears twice (at 02:04 and 03:10) during this live
recording of Otis Redding's "Give a Little Tenderness", presumably at
the Olympia theatre in Paris. Always a pleasure to read your report. Luc
Namur, Belgium
Next
one comes from England and hopefully someone can help Peter with the
next question: ‘Hi, can you please help me. I am trying to find some
laser 558 car stickers from the 1980s and some Caroline 576KHZ 963KHZ
car stickers from the 1980s. I am also trying to find some Caroline 558
car stickers from the 1980.If you can help me please email me at
peter.tankard@bigfoot.com
I am willing to pay good money for the car stickers. Best regards Peter
Tankard
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 only
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 on 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 on 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!
Many of my readers have been working on RNI and know the Dutch director
John de Mol sr. Well he was a Dutch singer in the fifties and early
sixties and it was Bert Alting who sent the next link to me to show that
some footage has been rescued of John de Mol singing in 1960:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcAATXGuhwo&mode=related&search
"RadioDay memories": NoordHollands Dagblad 9-2-1982 (Archive:
Hans Knot)
Well that finishes this issue of the Knot International Radio Report. I
hope to see a lot of you in Amsterdam on November 4th. I got already e
mails from people from the Netherlands, Germany, England, French,
Belgium, Israel, Canada as well as Cyprus that they will join in. For
those travelling to our country: do enjoy your journey and stay in
Amsterdam.
Till next time, all best wishes.
Hans Knot
Offshore Radio Programme Names - Programmanamen Zeezenders 1958-1990
Read Hans Knot's former report