September 2006 (2)
Dit is het nieuwe International Report van Hans Knot. In deze editie onder andere bijdragen van voormalig Caroline technicus Clive Warner, Johnnie Walker, Nico Steenbergen, Dave Cash en Bob LeRoi. Verder in dit nieuwe Report onder ander herinneringen aan Radio Luxembourg en Radio Caroline. En in het Report nieuws en een actuele foto van de Communicator en nieuws over Quality Radio van Ruud Poeze.
INTERNATIONAL RADIO REPORT SEPTEMBER (2) 2006
First of all in this issue we go to Mexico and former Caroline technician Clive Warner, who recently got – via a reader of the Knot International Report, some vital parts for his equipment: ‘Dear Hans, I've attached a photo of my 'old lady' which I'm restoring. It's a Collins 830D. This is a band II FM stereo transmitter with 1KW output power. It was donated by a company in Florida for my charitable radio station project in Torreon, Mexico. It weights about 350Kg and it took 6 of us to get it down from the truck. Today I got the exciter working and even tested it briefly into antenna. At the moment I am missing one or two crucial parts. The most important of these is the blower (cooling fan) for the output tube. If I can't find one I will have to fabricate a replacement using whatever I can find. These old exciters are notoriously unreliable and I'd very much like to replace it ASAP with a modern solid state version. If any of your readers have a free or low cost solid state FM exciter with between 1W and 15W output power, this is a very deserving project to help educate poor people.
I also need any kind of studio gear - domestic equipment is very acceptable - such as CD players, a mixer, and a limiter. I'm trying to finance this on my teacher's salary and that doesn't go far (laughing). Maybe if Ronan reads this he might care to donate a few punts. (laughs again!) Anyway now you can see that at least one of the old Radio Caroline engineers is still active in the radio business!
Best wishes and I look forward to the next Knot Report
Clive (Correll / Warner) email: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Clive with his lady!
'208 IT WAS GREAT' by ALAN BAILEY
If we all think back, and I mean those of my readers between 53 and 65, who have listened underneath the blankets in silence and secretly to the sounds coming from our tranny in the late fifties and sixties. Often in the late evening and early night hours when our transistor radio was tuned to a radiostation which was coming in 'often fading'. The reason why most of us were tuned to '208' is given in the title by the author of a new book: '208 it was great.'
With far more pleasure we listened to the programs presented by those who were more attractive to listen to than those who tried to bring us their music on stations like the BBC or the public broadcasters in the Netherlands in those days. When I heard the name Alan Bailey and the news that finally a new book would be published about the legendary Radio Luxembourg my transistor radio suddenly started to shine again. Don't forget it's already 14 years ago we listened for the last time, by satellite, to Luxembourg and the international service.
Bailey was 'in the London studios' and so a good inside story could be expected. Born in 1938 in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire he went at a later stage to a secondary modern school were he became a member of the school camera club. That means he had a great interest in film making as well as broadcasting. His first job after school was as a cinema projectionist at the local Luxor Theatre. When in the British Army 'Her Majesty' sent him out to Germany where he listened a lot to '208' and was caught by the impact of the stations and presenters. Was there a future for him? In 1958 he decided to go for a job and eventually became a studio technician and producer in the Luxembourg studio's in London. He stayed with 'The station of the stars' up till 1975.
Alan Bailey has published a book: '208 it was Great' an affectionate Anecdotal Journey Between 1958 and 1975'. This 121 pages book brings not only the inside story from Bailey but also a lot of very exclusive photographs, both in colour and black and white. Most of them not seen before in any publication. And so this publication brings us in word and picture a very honest and beautiful glance into the past of 'the great 208'.
After the introduction about his own youth Bailey gives us a description about the very early years in the history of the station and technical info about the transmitter plant in Luxembourg. I went there again early 2005 and it was as if I saw myself back in the 'museum building'. In a very amusing way Alan goes on to tell how he first went to the small building in Hertford Street, London. Of course, in those days, the greater part of the programs were prerecorded and shipped to the Grand Duchy. Very soon after starting to read this book the reader will be thinking is this the History of Radio Luxembourg? No, and I don't think Bailey had pretensions to do so. He wanted to give an inside story about what happened before and during recording programs for 'the Great 208'.
Many secondary jobs were done in the studio's. Of course artists came in to do promo's, interviews and record songs. The studio's were also used to make productions for companies like Redifussion Records. Everyone in our generation remember the flexi discs released by Readers Digest among others. It was Bailey who recorded the master tapes for along, long time. Also he tells us a lot of technical information, for instance 'how to make an excellent echo effect.'
As told, a lot of artists often visited the studio's and the young Bailey was warned that singer Connie Francis was known as a man-eater. A very good chapter in the book is the one in which the writer gives his opinion about several of the presenters who have worked on Radio Luxembourg between 1958 and 1975. Of course there are several who had also an offshore past before going to Radio Luxembourg,! Names to remember like Tony Blackburn, Chris Denning, Paul Kaye, Roger Day and of course Kenny Everett.
Alan doesn't forget to tell about how the deejays outwitted each other with practical jokes. And I can tell you it can be compared with those which happened in the history on Offshore Radio. Don't forget that from the mid sixties many of the programs came from the Grand Duchy and the deejays lived together for a long period and all had to fight for a place in the 'family'.
Alan Bailey
'208 it was great' by Alan Bailey is a very beautiful update to the earlier publications on the history of this famous radio station; it's written from the heart by the author and for me the book was not thick enough.
The price, including postage worldwide is 10.75 Pound. More info:
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www.208itwasgreatradioluxembourg.co.uk
COMMENT FROM ALAN:
It is not meant to be a history, purely anecdotal memories.
Alan also sent me two scans from transcription records which really look very lovely. He was searching the vaults at the Radio Luxembourg building and found several interesting things, including rare Nazi recordings. These two were in the vaults too and were about to be skipped. They were in transparent red.
E mail time and George Guchinski: ‘Hello Hans, I have been receiving the report for quite some time and it has been a great source of information and entertainment for me. I was in the late 60's and early 70's stationed in the UK and as a radio hobbyist, for lack of a better description (had always been a DX’er and radio geek). Anyhow a big thanks for a great newsletter!’
Thanks George for your nice words and keep enjoying it in the years to come!
Just 5 weeks to go for our annual Radio Day in Amsterdam and another ex VOP man will be on stage. Johnny Lewis brought the good news to Martin van der Ven, who is doing the planning for the Radio Day: ‘The plane tickets are all booked for Nigel Harris, Andrew Austin, myself and another ex Voice of Peace guy who lives here in East Kent called Geoff Fitch. Geoff was on the VOP for 18 moths from 1981 till 1983 so will have a few stories to tell as well. We'll be in Amsterdam on the Friday afternoon about 3pm.’.
Lady admirer and Geoff Fitch
W Barnes Caroline Sales asked the guy behind the Pirate Hall of Fame and me if Caroline Sales could use any of our material concerning Jack Spector, the late New York deejay who did shows on Caroline North and South in the sixties. We both agreed he could use it. Jon at the Pirate Hall of Fame wrote: ‘You are welcome to use the biog from the Hall of Fame. I am afraid I don't have any pictures of the great man. The one on the site was provided by Hans. There are quite a few good web sites which mention Jack. He was a major US radio star over many years - especially on WMCA during the late sixties. A couple are linked to from my site.
Also http://www.440int.com/namess2.html lists all the stations he worked for. There is an essay at http://members.aol.com/porcarocpu/art.html which tells the story of WMCA dumping the ‘good guy’ format, along with Jack, in 1969. The Urban Legends web site www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/onstage.htm confirms that Jack died while on the air on WHLI in Garden City, Long Island in 1994. It even gives the name of the song that was playing at the time of his heart attack - I'm in the Mood For Love. What I am not sure of, but which Hans might know, is when the Spector shows on Caroline ended. I know that Caroline South dropped them before Caroline North but I can't find definitive dates. Do you know Hans? The shows were sponsored by Roulette Records which, it has been alleged, had quite heavy friends (see www.bsnpubs.com/roulette/roulette.html). The UK outlet for Roulette Records was, for a time, our old friend Major Minor. Now, raise your right hand and repeat after me. I will have no other leader after my leader, Jake!
The earliest recording of Jake that I have in my collection is from April 1965. The latest is from June 1966 and I am pretty certain that, by that time, the show was only being broadcast on Caroline North. In a show dated 1st June 1966 he mentions that the programme had been running for 14 months so the one I have from April 1965 must have been one of the very first. At its height in 1965 the show ran every weekday evening with morning shows (I think) on both Saturday and Sunday. This schedule was later reduced but it was an incredibly popular show. Despite being sponsored by Roulette, Jack played music from all the US labels and it was often the only way European listeners could hear the American hits of the day. (Back then release dates were often staggered with records released in Europe months after their US success.) I must admit that, at the time, I didn't like the Spector show (I preferred the live programmes) but there is no doubt that Jack played some great music and was a fantastic DJ.‘
Thanks the two of you. I have only two copies of Jack in my archive as I did dislike him. He was for me to aggressive in the way he tried to get attention from the listener. But still the question ‘during which period Spector was on Caroline North and South has to be answered. Who knows the answer: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
May I give some attention to the new update of the Mi Amigo story site on internet run by Theo van Halsema. The update tells about what was happening in September 1976 on the MV Mi Amigo when the ship was on a sandbank. Reliving the sound of 30 years ago: http://members.home.nl/theovanhalsema/index.html
Henk de Boer wants to mention that Neil Amstrong currently is doing every Sunday evening on 1386 kHz a program called ‘Mi Amigo’, transmissions coming in from a transmitter in Eastern Europe.
Rob Yarnold is leaving the radio industry: ‘Hi Hans, still really enjoy reading the reports and checking the links you supply – but now I’m moving to Spain (Tenerife) having finished at my business as well as my long (36 years!) career in broadcasting; which included many legal, and some pirate stations. BBC Hereford & Worcester, BBC Radio Stoke & BBC Radio Shropshire being the last 17 years and a most enjoyable time. Please change my e-mail address to Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken. and you could publish it so that any of my old ship mates or land lubbers can contact me as I relax in the sun with a bottle of Dorado costing less than 1 Euro! What a change from nearly £3.00 a pint here in England. Best regards, Rob.’
Enjoy your time there Rob and keep reading the reports!
Next e mail came in from Kent: ‘Hans, I haven't emailed you for a while, so here I am, just to thank you for the amazing monthly Radio Reports. And I thought I knew so much! Always so fascinating. I vividly recall listening at midnight to Johnnie Walker and Robbie Dale on the 15th August 1967....alas I don't recall who followed as I had dropped off to sleep! Gosh, that was 40 years ago next August. Every good wish, John Allen, Beckenham, Kent.’
Peter Vrakking wrote in that I mentioned a wrong link for the new, second internet (non stop) station from Radio Mi Amigo. The correct on is:
http://www.radio-miamigo.nl/index259.html
Last issue brought the question once again if Kilroy was ever on the Mi Amigo or if he did record the programs in a landbased studio in the summer of 1967. Well it’s Johnnie Walker personally who gives the answer:
‘Hi Hans. Many thanks for the latest radio report. All fascinating stuff as usual.
I'm in Crete on holiday but working hard trying to finish my autobiography due to be published next May, all old memories are very helpful. As I remember, on August 14th 1967 Robbie Dale and I went on till 2am and then went to bed - it had been a long day ! Quite possible non stop music then till 6, whether Chris Anthony was Spangles Maldoon, I'm sure Chris Carey will let you know.
As for Kilroy, he was definitely on the ship and was a really cool guy who'd I think went on at midnight. He had the amazing ability to cue up a record with one hand and roll a joint with the other. We were forever asking him to roll joints as he did them so well. Not that we were stoned all the tine, just the odd occasions when some pot was around. Keep up the good work. All the very best, Johnnie Walker.’
Thanks a lot for solving this Johnnie and good luck with your book!
But still there’s the other question coming in if ‘Ray Cooper’ on one of the Sheridan photo pages is the same guy as ‘Kilroy’. I asked Johnnie Walker in a response to his e mail if ‘Kilroy’ was a black guy too.
On the Pirate Hall of Fame pages there’s a longer story on Kilroy showing a photograph of a white guy but also part of the story tells that there were tapes programs only. So is this response in the PhoF correct? http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/djsk.htm
Talking about Jon from the Pirate Hall of Fame, he responded on another subject regarding August 14th, which was mentioned a few times in the report. ‘Hi Hans, I have just taken a look at Chris Cary's web site www.chriscary.com/Radio%20Caroline.htm. He mentions that he joined
the Mi Amigo on 14th August 1967 and played non-stop music that night after Johnnie and Robbie had finished their show. So he must be the mysterious ’Chris Anthony’. Have a good weekend, Jon’.
But more readers are interested in Kilroy as André van Raay, who was an avid Caroline listener in the sixties, wrote in: ‘The secret surrounding stays. More stories have been told, for instant it was Spangles with a twisted voice. I remember myself he sounded to be ‘black’ and it’s unlikely to me that it’s a young white club deejay from London, even if he had ‘Soulfinger’ from the Bar-keys as a theme tune. Could it be that ‘Ray Cooper’ and ‘Kilroy’ are the same person? I remember that once Johnnie Walker was mentioning taking a sun bath on deck to get a colour like Kilroy already had, saying: ‘Kilroy who does not need sunbathing’
Ray Cooper could also be heard for a very short time early 1970. The name also re-appears in the reggae scene as a artist name, but it’s a common name. on the photograph below you can think if the next thing is correct: ‘Roger Day who is getting, together with Tom Edwards, off the ship is mentioned. In my opinion he has just arrived and Ian and Tom are leaving. It’s also very surprising to see Ray Cooper mentioned as it would take months before his name was ever mentioned in the programming. The unknown one on the photo must be, Tony Symonds, the simple one’. As far as I remember he has done one shift on the ship. I’ve heard him only once on the station. He came on the Mi Amigo to sit in for Keith Hampshire at the end of July 1967 and could be heard from 6 to 9 in the morning and from 3 till 6 in the afternoon. Well let’s wait and see if we can find out soon who was the first black offshore deejay.’
Thanks André for all your input and take a look at the next site:
www.geocities.com/cloudninesoulsquad
Photo Sheridan Archive
A few days later Johnnie Walker responded on my question about Kilroy with: ‘Yes, he was black, can't recall ever knowing his real name. Maybe ask Roger Day as he was talking to him on the photo too.’
So an email with the question to Roger if and Ray Cooper were the same people was just answered with an anecdote: ‘I have to admit that at the dinner table one evening he asked for the Marmite and I told him it wasn't face cream. Very non pc but he laughed louder than anyone else. Think people were less easy to upset in those days.’
More jokes were to be made in the eighties on Radio Caroline as André de Raay remembers: ‘Political incorrect jokes were also heard in the eighties on Caroline. For instant one of the white colleagues told it was easy to hit Neil Francis in the dark as you couldn’t see him. on the other hand on Caroline the deejays played a lot of black music, so jokes shouldn’t be a problem at all!’
The first two days after sending away the international Knot Radio Report around the world are always hectic as I try to get as much information as possible. So I sent the info from André to Jon and he responded with:
‘Hi Hans, I remember hearing just once during the summer of 1967 and, for some reason, I always thought he was black too. I don't know why. Maybe it was a comment made by one of the other DJs. I was surprised when I heard from Jeff Leviss, an English white man, saying that he was but I had no reason to doubt his word.
Harm Koenders of the Offshore Radio Archive game me a recording of. You can find an edited version of it on my web-site at www.offshoreradio.co.uk/.ram.
To my ears, it does sound like a pre-recorded show rather than live. For some reason his show starts at 12 minutes past midnight. I don't think that Johnnie would have over-run into another DJ's show if it was live. Also makes no mention of the preceding programme - no thanks to Johnnie - which Caroline DJs always used to do in those days.
Gerry Bishop's book, Offshore Radio, mentions a Caroline South DJ called Ray ‘Black Magic’ Sebastian. It has been suggested that he was the same guy who was known as Ray Cooper. Andre suggests that he was also Ray Cooper. Were all three DJs, the one person? If only we could find Ray. He could set us straight.
The DJ reading the newspaper in the photo (with Tom Edwards, Roger Day, Ray Cooper, etc.) on Sheridon Street's web-site is Kerry Clarke www.offshoreradio.co.uk/djsc.htm#clarke He worked on Caroline South for just one stint in July 1967.
More nicknames after seeing Tony ‘the simple man’ Symonds mentioned. Jon mentioned Ray ‘Black Magic’ Sebastian and the third one comes from 1974 and Radio Atlantis and Gaby ‘the old man on the airwaves’ Hernandez. Also Martin van der Ven sent in ‘Your hopelessly romantic’ David Lee Stone (Laser 558).
Remember I wrote last time about the chickens on the MV Fredericia? Well another animal was on the ship. John Bennet reports: ‘Hi Hans, firstly about animals on Radioships. Radio Caroline North had a ship's dog from shortly after arriving at her Ramsey Bay anchorage in 1964, to somewhere in the first half of 1966. It was in 1966, that Captain Van Lieshout was bitten by the ship's dog . Caroline North sent out an SOS which led to a doctor being taken out to the Fredericia to give an injection to the captain-probably anti-Tetanus I would think. The dog was put down following the incident. I can recall that some of the jocks mentioning that the captain had been ‘savaged’ by the dog-it was a running joke, on-air, for a few weeks with Cat Steven's, ‘I Love My Dog’, being played again and again.
Many jokey comments could be heard, such as: "The captain's bark is worse than his bite", and, "Barking up the wrong tree" etc. Yes, it was schoolboy humour, but cleverly done nonetheless, with Jerry Leighton making the most fun out of it. I can't remember the name of Caroline North's dog, although I did read the name in some long lost newspaper report or magazine article. I've racked my memory to some tune but just can't bring the name to mind-sorry.
Secondly, Colin Wilkins and Caroline North programmes from 6.40 pm, 14/8/67.
I suspect that the dearth of programmes from this time is because the MOA applied to Caroline North at midnight on 31/8/67. She was still broadcasting legally from 14/8/67 up to 31/8/67, because the British government had to get an Order In Council (the Queen to order the Manx Government to implement the MOA, or she'd lock them all up in the tower of London and then it would be off with their heads, or something).
There is a short audio clip of Daffy Don taking Caroline North into the MOA on August 31st. He announces the "Northern voice of Caroline International", and plays the Manx national anthem, "Land Of Our Birth", and there are a few words in Vannin, the original language of the Isle of Man. Caroline North listeners saw August 31st as the day to roll the tape recorders, rather than the August 14th, which applied to all other stations. The Daffy Don clip from August 31st , is around here and there so I suppose that Colin already has a copy. If not, Colin, email me at Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken. and I'll dub it and Hoover it out to you. Hans thanks for your Reports, brilliant and informative. Best wishes, John Bennett. A very sad anorak. Sloopy Radio Caroline North.’
Thank you for your input too, nice memories.
But another e mail comes in about the dog on the Fredericia: ‘Thanks for help from you and readers on presenters on Caroline on 14 August 1967. Perhaps I can add to comments on animals on the offshore stations. I remember there was a dog (but don’t know its name) on MV Caroline/Fredericia when off the Isle of Man. After it bit one of the crew, the dog had to be put to sleep. Then there was Arnold - Tony Blackburn’s dog on Caroline South and Big L - except that wasn’t real! It was a tape of Tony making barking noises. There was also reference to racing pigeons being rescued on the Mi Amigo in the late `60`s but haven’t got full details. Steve Beddard. ‘
A photograph made by S.Hedle was sent by Paul de Haan from Marine Broadcasters. It features a recent shot made of the MV Communicator, the former home from Laser 558 and Laser Hit Hits, way back in the fifties. Sad to see the ship in these circumstances now. Thanks anyway Paul!
Last issue brought again the names of Koller and Otten and the connection to the two persons with RNI and Caroline. This information led to more e mails. one was from a guy who lived in Amsterdam in the late sixties and knew Koller too from the early landbased pirate scene on AM. It was Peter Bruining who shared a lot of information with me which led to a long story which you find on www.hansknot.com
The story is in Dutch and you click on ‘Amsterdamse piraten in de jaren zestig’.
An e mail came in from Nico Steenbergen, yes, also one of the original ‘Driemaster Team’ on RNI. He wrote me: I met Frank Koller on the day the MV Fredericia was towed into Amsterdam harbour in March 1968. Together with some other people we were watching the towing in at the Javakade. The MV Mi Amigo was already there. Frank told us that he had worked on the MV Mi Amigo as a transmitter technician and he was also sitting in for Roger Day. I didn’t believe it and at a later meeting at his place we listened to a program he made. And yes, he really could do a well imitation of Roger Day. We were active in Amsterdam East at the time with a small medium wave transmitter and Frank Koller organised, together with Otten who I never met, at a later stage the Radio Noordzee Drive In Show. As I recall this started before the real drive in show from RNI. The station couldn’t use the name herself and a court case about the ‘name’ was held. Therefore it became on the station ‘the mobiele discotheek’ (mobil discotheque). Frank was indeed active on day on the ‘270 metres’. I think it was in 1969 or 1970. on forehand he mentioned it in an interview in a newspaper and after two hours the station went off the air again. But then I already had lost contact with him.’
Thanks Nico for this memory. More to tell about former offshore people in relation to the pirate scene in Amsterdam Nico was telling me in another e mail: ‘Also Gerard Reitsma (he worked for RNI, KRO and Cable one) was active within the AM scene. He mentioned his station GRRS (Gerard Radio and Relay System). Also now and then Ad Bouman (former Veronica technician) used to play with us on the AM from his parents house at the Retiefstraat. All the used frequencies were around 1400kHz. Money to buy crystals was not there so oscillators around a final tube were used (807, EL 34 or EL 84) working with Anode Modulation.
A next question of course is who knows more names to tell of former offshore deejays who have been active in landbased pirates and memories to that subject. Of course I know myself several ones but let the stories come from the readers and the deejays themselves: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Dutch commercial broadcasting company Quality Radio has received an environmental licence from the municipality of Almere to anchor a radio ship in Pampushaven. A mediumwave transmitter for 1224 kHz is planned, but Quality Radio spokesman Ruud Poeze says there’s enough space available in Pampushaven to put additional frequencies on the air. 1224 kHz is already being used by Quality Radio from a low power temporary transmitter in Utrecht. Some time ago, Quality Radio reached agreement with the mast company Novec concerning the use of the 100 metres high mast in Heinenoord for 828 kHz. Work has already started on the transmitter building. At this site, too, additional frequencies can be used. In Amsterdam, a transmitter for 1557 kHz was operating fully in accordance with the regulations. Quality Radio says the withdrawal of several of its frequencies, including 1557 kHz, by the Radiocommunications Agency was premature, especially given that the staff of the Agency in Groningen were fully aware of these developments. A court case is due to take place shortly at which Mr Poeze will appeal the decision of the Radiocommunications Agency.
And of course we can’t forget to mention that the station Big L is back on the air since September 19th on 1395 AM with programs from their studio’s in Frinton on Sea. In Holland a group of listeners is writing a lot about the return of the station which some think is the reincarnation of the Big L (Radio London) from 1967. Of course it’s a total other station which plays a lot of new as well old music and has a nice line up in deejays. That’s what makes the sound of the station nicer to listen to. They talk to the listeners and don’t use the ‘cards’.
Some years ago I got the request from Herman Content in Belgium to see if he could get in contact with another friend in radio, Stuart Cocker. This resulted in getting the two together again after years. They e mailed a lot but due to family circumstances they lost contact again. Herman only remembers that Stuart wanted to remove late last year. So the question is who knows Stuart and if so, please contact Herman at: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Thank you very much for your report which I look forward to each month as it keeps me abreast of all things Pirate.
Next e mail from an unexpected corner somewhere in Kent: ‘One to file under ‘It's a small world’ department. I read your report on the activities of Jimmy Houlihan with great interest as he was one person I tried to stay clear of during my Pirate days. Last Saturday I had a competition winner named Mike on my BBC South and East Regions show. He was chosen at random by my BA out of over 600 entries via email, telephone and text. During our on-air chat he asked me "Did I know Jimmy Houlihan. I used to work for him as a minder in the 70's." I replied that I'd heard of him and wrapped the conversation as soon as possible. Spooky! What were the odds of that happening? At least 600 to 1..........
I trust you are enjoying 'the good life' and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Kind regards, Dave Cash.’
Well Dave, who is writing a book about his career to be published next years August with 40 years of MOA, must have had a reader of the Knot International Radio Report on his competition I presume. Go and tell a friend that the report can be received by e mail by him or her too: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Martin van der Ven will come later this year with many exclusive photos on his site, made in the seventies and eighties by Dietmar Flacke. He informed me that one of the photos is showing a programming, hanging in the studio from Caroline on the Ross Revenge. In the programming some new nick names are found: Simon ‘Wally or not’ Barrett, Tom Anderson ‘and his saw’, Stuart ‘Nice guy’ Vincent, Edwin ‘he’s new (hee hee)’ King and Stuart ‘I’m straight really’ Russell.
Offshore Echo's are pleased to announce the latest episode of the Radio Caroline story
www.offshoreechos.com/Caroline%2060/Radio%20Caroline%20-%20Main%20Page.htm
Radio Caroline is probably the most famous of all the offshore “pirate” radio stations, and her story has become something of a broadcasting legend. These web pages from Offshore Echo’s look at the history of the famous offshore station, from the start of Radio Caroline & Atlanta, and include their merger, the grounding of the Mi Amigo in 1966, the Cheetah II, and more.
The latest pages conclude the story of Caroline in the 1960’s, looking at the introduction of the 1967 Marine Offences Act, Caroline International and the fateful day in March 1968 when both ships were seized and forced off the air. We also look at Caroline’s deejays in the 1960’s.
Future parts of the Caroline story will be covering the 1970’s & 80’s. If you have any interesting photo’s, documents, audio or other items you’d like to share and see on this site, please contact us.
Visit the Caroline story at:
http://www.offshoreechos.com/Caroline%2060/Radio%20Caroline%20-%20Main%20Page.htm
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. 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.
It’s late September and indeed the Radio Day will take place in Amsterdam from around five weeks from now on November 4th and I hope to see a lot of our readers in Amsterdam. For all the latest info, you can go to a special site:
www.offshore-radio.de/radioday/
Of course the VOP reunion will take place on that day too. on the above mentioned site also can be seen who of the deejays have mentioned on forehand to come over to Holland. Of course other quests names are mentioned too and there could be some last minute surprises! Hope to see you there.
On Saturday September 23rd the work on the former REM island, which was house for Radio and TV Noordzee in 1964, begun. As told before the island will be broken up. It was in a position off the Noordwijk Coast and has been towed away in parts to Flushing harbour where further demolition will take place. on Martin’s site photos made by Jan Parent can be found as well as other links.
www.offshore-radio.de
Radio 227 announces that singer Krista Detor will be live in the program ‘Starnight’ on October 4th between 20 and 22 hours CET. Krista, who started her career in Los Angeles when she was 16 works from Southern Indiana. Her cd ‘Mudshow’ reached the number one position in the EuroAmerican Chart. Most of the songs she arranges together with her recording engineer David Weber. Radio 227 is on the cable network in the Netherlands but can also be received by internet on www.radio227.nl
From Kent another message, this time from Bob LeRoi: ‘There's been a survey here on both Army Forts, Red Sands is probably now immune but Shivering Sands is close to the approach to Knock shipping lane, there's also concern that parts might fall on a boat or worst. So removal is a fate that potentially awaits Shivering Sands if the UK Government will stand the estimated RoM costs of several million Pounds. There's more than a rumor that Knock John might get a new lease of life. Talks are in early days but I'll keep you posted. ‘
Thanks Bob, by the way Bob’s website got another update just days ago: ‘Our update this month in ‘Scrapbook’ continues with Part 2 of the Tower feature, this time it's Tower Television did it happen & what went wrong? There are more pictures in Part 4 of our rolling feature on the rebuilding of Sealand on the former Roughs Naval Fort. In ‘One Subject one Link’ Algorithms find the Song, could be helpful for today's Radio Stations that run a creative playlist? It's the last month of organised & planned ‘Boat Trips’ as closed season's approaching, we've recent sailing pictures and a few late dates so book now or wait untill next year! The A-Z of Pop & Rock continues with letter H for with more records & CD's to buy on-line.’ Enjoy your visits www.bobleroi.co.uk
Eric Wiltshire from Radio Tatras International wrote: We opened some blogspots which I invite the reader to take a look at. The main blog:
http://radiotatrasinternational.blogspot.com/
RTI Information http://rtiinfo.blogspot.com/
RTI Chat http://rtichat.blogspot.com/
Can't wait to see the answers on the RTI Chat blog, Regards, Eric.
Well I think that’s all for September. First pages for the October edition are ready, but it will take some weeks before that one will be out as I’ve some other projects running which needs my time first! And as always enjoy radio listening.
INTERNATIONAL RADIO REPORT SEPTEMBER (2) 2006
First of all in this issue we go to Mexico and former Caroline technician Clive Warner, who recently got – via a reader of the Knot International Report, some vital parts for his equipment: ‘Dear Hans, I've attached a photo of my 'old lady' which I'm restoring. It's a Collins 830D. This is a band II FM stereo transmitter with 1KW output power. It was donated by a company in Florida for my charitable radio station project in Torreon, Mexico. It weights about 350Kg and it took 6 of us to get it down from the truck. Today I got the exciter working and even tested it briefly into antenna. At the moment I am missing one or two crucial parts. The most important of these is the blower (cooling fan) for the output tube. If I can't find one I will have to fabricate a replacement using whatever I can find. These old exciters are notoriously unreliable and I'd very much like to replace it ASAP with a modern solid state version. If any of your readers have a free or low cost solid state FM exciter with between 1W and 15W output power, this is a very deserving project to help educate poor people.
I also need any kind of studio gear - domestic equipment is very acceptable - such as CD players, a mixer, and a limiter. I'm trying to finance this on my teacher's salary and that doesn't go far (laughing). Maybe if Ronan reads this he might care to donate a few punts. (laughs again!) Anyway now you can see that at least one of the old Radio Caroline engineers is still active in the radio business!
Best wishes and I look forward to the next Knot Report
Clive (Correll / Warner) email: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Clive with his lady!
'208 IT WAS GREAT' by ALAN BAILEY
If we all think back, and I mean those of my readers between 53 and 65, who have listened underneath the blankets in silence and secretly to the sounds coming from our tranny in the late fifties and sixties. Often in the late evening and early night hours when our transistor radio was tuned to a radiostation which was coming in 'often fading'. The reason why most of us were tuned to '208' is given in the title by the author of a new book: '208 it was great.'
With far more pleasure we listened to the programs presented by those who were more attractive to listen to than those who tried to bring us their music on stations like the BBC or the public broadcasters in the Netherlands in those days. When I heard the name Alan Bailey and the news that finally a new book would be published about the legendary Radio Luxembourg my transistor radio suddenly started to shine again. Don't forget it's already 14 years ago we listened for the last time, by satellite, to Luxembourg and the international service.
Bailey was 'in the London studios' and so a good inside story could be expected. Born in 1938 in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire he went at a later stage to a secondary modern school were he became a member of the school camera club. That means he had a great interest in film making as well as broadcasting. His first job after school was as a cinema projectionist at the local Luxor Theatre. When in the British Army 'Her Majesty' sent him out to Germany where he listened a lot to '208' and was caught by the impact of the stations and presenters. Was there a future for him? In 1958 he decided to go for a job and eventually became a studio technician and producer in the Luxembourg studio's in London. He stayed with 'The station of the stars' up till 1975.
Alan Bailey has published a book: '208 it was Great' an affectionate Anecdotal Journey Between 1958 and 1975'. This 121 pages book brings not only the inside story from Bailey but also a lot of very exclusive photographs, both in colour and black and white. Most of them not seen before in any publication. And so this publication brings us in word and picture a very honest and beautiful glance into the past of 'the great 208'.
After the introduction about his own youth Bailey gives us a description about the very early years in the history of the station and technical info about the transmitter plant in Luxembourg. I went there again early 2005 and it was as if I saw myself back in the 'museum building'. In a very amusing way Alan goes on to tell how he first went to the small building in Hertford Street, London. Of course, in those days, the greater part of the programs were prerecorded and shipped to the Grand Duchy. Very soon after starting to read this book the reader will be thinking is this the History of Radio Luxembourg? No, and I don't think Bailey had pretensions to do so. He wanted to give an inside story about what happened before and during recording programs for 'the Great 208'.
Many secondary jobs were done in the studio's. Of course artists came in to do promo's, interviews and record songs. The studio's were also used to make productions for companies like Redifussion Records. Everyone in our generation remember the flexi discs released by Readers Digest among others. It was Bailey who recorded the master tapes for along, long time. Also he tells us a lot of technical information, for instance 'how to make an excellent echo effect.'
As told, a lot of artists often visited the studio's and the young Bailey was warned that singer Connie Francis was known as a man-eater. A very good chapter in the book is the one in which the writer gives his opinion about several of the presenters who have worked on Radio Luxembourg between 1958 and 1975. Of course there are several who had also an offshore past before going to Radio Luxembourg,! Names to remember like Tony Blackburn, Chris Denning, Paul Kaye, Roger Day and of course Kenny Everett.
Alan doesn't forget to tell about how the deejays outwitted each other with practical jokes. And I can tell you it can be compared with those which happened in the history on Offshore Radio. Don't forget that from the mid sixties many of the programs came from the Grand Duchy and the deejays lived together for a long period and all had to fight for a place in the 'family'.
Alan Bailey
'208 it was great' by Alan Bailey is a very beautiful update to the earlier publications on the history of this famous radio station; it's written from the heart by the author and for me the book was not thick enough.
The price, including postage worldwide is 10.75 Pound. More info:
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www.208itwasgreatradioluxembourg.co.uk
COMMENT FROM ALAN:
It is not meant to be a history, purely anecdotal memories.
Alan also sent me two scans from transcription records which really look very lovely. He was searching the vaults at the Radio Luxembourg building and found several interesting things, including rare Nazi recordings. These two were in the vaults too and were about to be skipped. They were in transparent red.
E mail time and George Guchinski: ‘Hello Hans, I have been receiving the report for quite some time and it has been a great source of information and entertainment for me. I was in the late 60's and early 70's stationed in the UK and as a radio hobbyist, for lack of a better description (had always been a DX’er and radio geek). Anyhow a big thanks for a great newsletter!’
Thanks George for your nice words and keep enjoying it in the years to come!
Just 5 weeks to go for our annual Radio Day in Amsterdam and another ex VOP man will be on stage. Johnny Lewis brought the good news to Martin van der Ven, who is doing the planning for the Radio Day: ‘The plane tickets are all booked for Nigel Harris, Andrew Austin, myself and another ex Voice of Peace guy who lives here in East Kent called Geoff Fitch. Geoff was on the VOP for 18 moths from 1981 till 1983 so will have a few stories to tell as well. We'll be in Amsterdam on the Friday afternoon about 3pm.’.
Lady admirer and Geoff Fitch
W Barnes Caroline Sales asked the guy behind the Pirate Hall of Fame and me if Caroline Sales could use any of our material concerning Jack Spector, the late New York deejay who did shows on Caroline North and South in the sixties. We both agreed he could use it. Jon at the Pirate Hall of Fame wrote: ‘You are welcome to use the biog from the Hall of Fame. I am afraid I don't have any pictures of the great man. The one on the site was provided by Hans. There are quite a few good web sites which mention Jack. He was a major US radio star over many years - especially on WMCA during the late sixties. A couple are linked to from my site.
Also http://www.440int.com/namess2.html lists all the stations he worked for. There is an essay at http://members.aol.com/porcarocpu/art.html which tells the story of WMCA dumping the ‘good guy’ format, along with Jack, in 1969. The Urban Legends web site www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/onstage.htm confirms that Jack died while on the air on WHLI in Garden City, Long Island in 1994. It even gives the name of the song that was playing at the time of his heart attack - I'm in the Mood For Love. What I am not sure of, but which Hans might know, is when the Spector shows on Caroline ended. I know that Caroline South dropped them before Caroline North but I can't find definitive dates. Do you know Hans? The shows were sponsored by Roulette Records which, it has been alleged, had quite heavy friends (see www.bsnpubs.com/roulette/roulette.html). The UK outlet for Roulette Records was, for a time, our old friend Major Minor. Now, raise your right hand and repeat after me. I will have no other leader after my leader, Jake!
The earliest recording of Jake that I have in my collection is from April 1965. The latest is from June 1966 and I am pretty certain that, by that time, the show was only being broadcast on Caroline North. In a show dated 1st June 1966 he mentions that the programme had been running for 14 months so the one I have from April 1965 must have been one of the very first. At its height in 1965 the show ran every weekday evening with morning shows (I think) on both Saturday and Sunday. This schedule was later reduced but it was an incredibly popular show. Despite being sponsored by Roulette, Jack played music from all the US labels and it was often the only way European listeners could hear the American hits of the day. (Back then release dates were often staggered with records released in Europe months after their US success.) I must admit that, at the time, I didn't like the Spector show (I preferred the live programmes) but there is no doubt that Jack played some great music and was a fantastic DJ.‘
Thanks the two of you. I have only two copies of Jack in my archive as I did dislike him. He was for me to aggressive in the way he tried to get attention from the listener. But still the question ‘during which period Spector was on Caroline North and South has to be answered. Who knows the answer: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
May I give some attention to the new update of the Mi Amigo story site on internet run by Theo van Halsema. The update tells about what was happening in September 1976 on the MV Mi Amigo when the ship was on a sandbank. Reliving the sound of 30 years ago: http://members.home.nl/theovanhalsema/index.html
Henk de Boer wants to mention that Neil Amstrong currently is doing every Sunday evening on 1386 kHz a program called ‘Mi Amigo’, transmissions coming in from a transmitter in Eastern Europe.
Rob Yarnold is leaving the radio industry: ‘Hi Hans, still really enjoy reading the reports and checking the links you supply – but now I’m moving to Spain (Tenerife) having finished at my business as well as my long (36 years!) career in broadcasting; which included many legal, and some pirate stations. BBC Hereford & Worcester, BBC Radio Stoke & BBC Radio Shropshire being the last 17 years and a most enjoyable time. Please change my e-mail address to Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken. and you could publish it so that any of my old ship mates or land lubbers can contact me as I relax in the sun with a bottle of Dorado costing less than 1 Euro! What a change from nearly £3.00 a pint here in England. Best regards, Rob.’
Enjoy your time there Rob and keep reading the reports!
Next e mail came in from Kent: ‘Hans, I haven't emailed you for a while, so here I am, just to thank you for the amazing monthly Radio Reports. And I thought I knew so much! Always so fascinating. I vividly recall listening at midnight to Johnnie Walker and Robbie Dale on the 15th August 1967....alas I don't recall who followed as I had dropped off to sleep! Gosh, that was 40 years ago next August. Every good wish, John Allen, Beckenham, Kent.’
Peter Vrakking wrote in that I mentioned a wrong link for the new, second internet (non stop) station from Radio Mi Amigo. The correct on is:
http://www.radio-miamigo.nl/index259.html
Last issue brought the question once again if Kilroy was ever on the Mi Amigo or if he did record the programs in a landbased studio in the summer of 1967. Well it’s Johnnie Walker personally who gives the answer:
‘Hi Hans. Many thanks for the latest radio report. All fascinating stuff as usual.
I'm in Crete on holiday but working hard trying to finish my autobiography due to be published next May, all old memories are very helpful. As I remember, on August 14th 1967 Robbie Dale and I went on till 2am and then went to bed - it had been a long day ! Quite possible non stop music then till 6, whether Chris Anthony was Spangles Maldoon, I'm sure Chris Carey will let you know.
As for Kilroy, he was definitely on the ship and was a really cool guy who'd I think went on at midnight. He had the amazing ability to cue up a record with one hand and roll a joint with the other. We were forever asking him to roll joints as he did them so well. Not that we were stoned all the tine, just the odd occasions when some pot was around. Keep up the good work. All the very best, Johnnie Walker.’
Thanks a lot for solving this Johnnie and good luck with your book!
But still there’s the other question coming in if ‘Ray Cooper’ on one of the Sheridan photo pages is the same guy as ‘Kilroy’. I asked Johnnie Walker in a response to his e mail if ‘Kilroy’ was a black guy too.
On the Pirate Hall of Fame pages there’s a longer story on Kilroy showing a photograph of a white guy but also part of the story tells that there were tapes programs only. So is this response in the PhoF correct? http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/djsk.htm
Talking about Jon from the Pirate Hall of Fame, he responded on another subject regarding August 14th, which was mentioned a few times in the report. ‘Hi Hans, I have just taken a look at Chris Cary's web site www.chriscary.com/Radio%20Caroline.htm. He mentions that he joined
the Mi Amigo on 14th August 1967 and played non-stop music that night after Johnnie and Robbie had finished their show. So he must be the mysterious ’Chris Anthony’. Have a good weekend, Jon’.
But more readers are interested in Kilroy as André van Raay, who was an avid Caroline listener in the sixties, wrote in: ‘The secret surrounding stays. More stories have been told, for instant it was Spangles with a twisted voice. I remember myself he sounded to be ‘black’ and it’s unlikely to me that it’s a young white club deejay from London, even if he had ‘Soulfinger’ from the Bar-keys as a theme tune. Could it be that ‘Ray Cooper’ and ‘Kilroy’ are the same person? I remember that once Johnnie Walker was mentioning taking a sun bath on deck to get a colour like Kilroy already had, saying: ‘Kilroy who does not need sunbathing’
Ray Cooper could also be heard for a very short time early 1970. The name also re-appears in the reggae scene as a artist name, but it’s a common name. on the photograph below you can think if the next thing is correct: ‘Roger Day who is getting, together with Tom Edwards, off the ship is mentioned. In my opinion he has just arrived and Ian and Tom are leaving. It’s also very surprising to see Ray Cooper mentioned as it would take months before his name was ever mentioned in the programming. The unknown one on the photo must be, Tony Symonds, the simple one’. As far as I remember he has done one shift on the ship. I’ve heard him only once on the station. He came on the Mi Amigo to sit in for Keith Hampshire at the end of July 1967 and could be heard from 6 to 9 in the morning and from 3 till 6 in the afternoon. Well let’s wait and see if we can find out soon who was the first black offshore deejay.’
Thanks André for all your input and take a look at the next site:
www.geocities.com/cloudninesoulsquad
Photo Sheridan Archive
A few days later Johnnie Walker responded on my question about Kilroy with: ‘Yes, he was black, can't recall ever knowing his real name. Maybe ask Roger Day as he was talking to him on the photo too.’
So an email with the question to Roger if and Ray Cooper were the same people was just answered with an anecdote: ‘I have to admit that at the dinner table one evening he asked for the Marmite and I told him it wasn't face cream. Very non pc but he laughed louder than anyone else. Think people were less easy to upset in those days.’
More jokes were to be made in the eighties on Radio Caroline as André de Raay remembers: ‘Political incorrect jokes were also heard in the eighties on Caroline. For instant one of the white colleagues told it was easy to hit Neil Francis in the dark as you couldn’t see him. on the other hand on Caroline the deejays played a lot of black music, so jokes shouldn’t be a problem at all!’
The first two days after sending away the international Knot Radio Report around the world are always hectic as I try to get as much information as possible. So I sent the info from André to Jon and he responded with:
‘Hi Hans, I remember hearing just once during the summer of 1967 and, for some reason, I always thought he was black too. I don't know why. Maybe it was a comment made by one of the other DJs. I was surprised when I heard from Jeff Leviss, an English white man, saying that he was but I had no reason to doubt his word.
Harm Koenders of the Offshore Radio Archive game me a recording of. You can find an edited version of it on my web-site at www.offshoreradio.co.uk/.ram.
To my ears, it does sound like a pre-recorded show rather than live. For some reason his show starts at 12 minutes past midnight. I don't think that Johnnie would have over-run into another DJ's show if it was live. Also makes no mention of the preceding programme - no thanks to Johnnie - which Caroline DJs always used to do in those days.
Gerry Bishop's book, Offshore Radio, mentions a Caroline South DJ called Ray ‘Black Magic’ Sebastian. It has been suggested that he was the same guy who was known as Ray Cooper. Andre suggests that he was also Ray Cooper. Were all three DJs, the one person? If only we could find Ray. He could set us straight.
The DJ reading the newspaper in the photo (with Tom Edwards, Roger Day, Ray Cooper, etc.) on Sheridon Street's web-site is Kerry Clarke www.offshoreradio.co.uk/djsc.htm#clarke He worked on Caroline South for just one stint in July 1967.
More nicknames after seeing Tony ‘the simple man’ Symonds mentioned. Jon mentioned Ray ‘Black Magic’ Sebastian and the third one comes from 1974 and Radio Atlantis and Gaby ‘the old man on the airwaves’ Hernandez. Also Martin van der Ven sent in ‘Your hopelessly romantic’ David Lee Stone (Laser 558).
Remember I wrote last time about the chickens on the MV Fredericia? Well another animal was on the ship. John Bennet reports: ‘Hi Hans, firstly about animals on Radioships. Radio Caroline North had a ship's dog from shortly after arriving at her Ramsey Bay anchorage in 1964, to somewhere in the first half of 1966. It was in 1966, that Captain Van Lieshout was bitten by the ship's dog . Caroline North sent out an SOS which led to a doctor being taken out to the Fredericia to give an injection to the captain-probably anti-Tetanus I would think. The dog was put down following the incident. I can recall that some of the jocks mentioning that the captain had been ‘savaged’ by the dog-it was a running joke, on-air, for a few weeks with Cat Steven's, ‘I Love My Dog’, being played again and again.
Many jokey comments could be heard, such as: "The captain's bark is worse than his bite", and, "Barking up the wrong tree" etc. Yes, it was schoolboy humour, but cleverly done nonetheless, with Jerry Leighton making the most fun out of it. I can't remember the name of Caroline North's dog, although I did read the name in some long lost newspaper report or magazine article. I've racked my memory to some tune but just can't bring the name to mind-sorry.
Secondly, Colin Wilkins and Caroline North programmes from 6.40 pm, 14/8/67.
I suspect that the dearth of programmes from this time is because the MOA applied to Caroline North at midnight on 31/8/67. She was still broadcasting legally from 14/8/67 up to 31/8/67, because the British government had to get an Order In Council (the Queen to order the Manx Government to implement the MOA, or she'd lock them all up in the tower of London and then it would be off with their heads, or something).
There is a short audio clip of Daffy Don taking Caroline North into the MOA on August 31st. He announces the "Northern voice of Caroline International", and plays the Manx national anthem, "Land Of Our Birth", and there are a few words in Vannin, the original language of the Isle of Man. Caroline North listeners saw August 31st as the day to roll the tape recorders, rather than the August 14th, which applied to all other stations. The Daffy Don clip from August 31st , is around here and there so I suppose that Colin already has a copy. If not, Colin, email me at Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken. and I'll dub it and Hoover it out to you. Hans thanks for your Reports, brilliant and informative. Best wishes, John Bennett. A very sad anorak. Sloopy Radio Caroline North.’
Thank you for your input too, nice memories.
But another e mail comes in about the dog on the Fredericia: ‘Thanks for help from you and readers on presenters on Caroline on 14 August 1967. Perhaps I can add to comments on animals on the offshore stations. I remember there was a dog (but don’t know its name) on MV Caroline/Fredericia when off the Isle of Man. After it bit one of the crew, the dog had to be put to sleep. Then there was Arnold - Tony Blackburn’s dog on Caroline South and Big L - except that wasn’t real! It was a tape of Tony making barking noises. There was also reference to racing pigeons being rescued on the Mi Amigo in the late `60`s but haven’t got full details. Steve Beddard. ‘
A photograph made by S.Hedle was sent by Paul de Haan from Marine Broadcasters. It features a recent shot made of the MV Communicator, the former home from Laser 558 and Laser Hit Hits, way back in the fifties. Sad to see the ship in these circumstances now. Thanks anyway Paul!
Last issue brought again the names of Koller and Otten and the connection to the two persons with RNI and Caroline. This information led to more e mails. one was from a guy who lived in Amsterdam in the late sixties and knew Koller too from the early landbased pirate scene on AM. It was Peter Bruining who shared a lot of information with me which led to a long story which you find on www.hansknot.com
The story is in Dutch and you click on ‘Amsterdamse piraten in de jaren zestig’.
An e mail came in from Nico Steenbergen, yes, also one of the original ‘Driemaster Team’ on RNI. He wrote me: I met Frank Koller on the day the MV Fredericia was towed into Amsterdam harbour in March 1968. Together with some other people we were watching the towing in at the Javakade. The MV Mi Amigo was already there. Frank told us that he had worked on the MV Mi Amigo as a transmitter technician and he was also sitting in for Roger Day. I didn’t believe it and at a later meeting at his place we listened to a program he made. And yes, he really could do a well imitation of Roger Day. We were active in Amsterdam East at the time with a small medium wave transmitter and Frank Koller organised, together with Otten who I never met, at a later stage the Radio Noordzee Drive In Show. As I recall this started before the real drive in show from RNI. The station couldn’t use the name herself and a court case about the ‘name’ was held. Therefore it became on the station ‘the mobiele discotheek’ (mobil discotheque). Frank was indeed active on day on the ‘270 metres’. I think it was in 1969 or 1970. on forehand he mentioned it in an interview in a newspaper and after two hours the station went off the air again. But then I already had lost contact with him.’
Thanks Nico for this memory. More to tell about former offshore people in relation to the pirate scene in Amsterdam Nico was telling me in another e mail: ‘Also Gerard Reitsma (he worked for RNI, KRO and Cable one) was active within the AM scene. He mentioned his station GRRS (Gerard Radio and Relay System). Also now and then Ad Bouman (former Veronica technician) used to play with us on the AM from his parents house at the Retiefstraat. All the used frequencies were around 1400kHz. Money to buy crystals was not there so oscillators around a final tube were used (807, EL 34 or EL 84) working with Anode Modulation.
A next question of course is who knows more names to tell of former offshore deejays who have been active in landbased pirates and memories to that subject. Of course I know myself several ones but let the stories come from the readers and the deejays themselves: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Dutch commercial broadcasting company Quality Radio has received an environmental licence from the municipality of Almere to anchor a radio ship in Pampushaven. A mediumwave transmitter for 1224 kHz is planned, but Quality Radio spokesman Ruud Poeze says there’s enough space available in Pampushaven to put additional frequencies on the air. 1224 kHz is already being used by Quality Radio from a low power temporary transmitter in Utrecht. Some time ago, Quality Radio reached agreement with the mast company Novec concerning the use of the 100 metres high mast in Heinenoord for 828 kHz. Work has already started on the transmitter building. At this site, too, additional frequencies can be used. In Amsterdam, a transmitter for 1557 kHz was operating fully in accordance with the regulations. Quality Radio says the withdrawal of several of its frequencies, including 1557 kHz, by the Radiocommunications Agency was premature, especially given that the staff of the Agency in Groningen were fully aware of these developments. A court case is due to take place shortly at which Mr Poeze will appeal the decision of the Radiocommunications Agency.
And of course we can’t forget to mention that the station Big L is back on the air since September 19th on 1395 AM with programs from their studio’s in Frinton on Sea. In Holland a group of listeners is writing a lot about the return of the station which some think is the reincarnation of the Big L (Radio London) from 1967. Of course it’s a total other station which plays a lot of new as well old music and has a nice line up in deejays. That’s what makes the sound of the station nicer to listen to. They talk to the listeners and don’t use the ‘cards’.
Some years ago I got the request from Herman Content in Belgium to see if he could get in contact with another friend in radio, Stuart Cocker. This resulted in getting the two together again after years. They e mailed a lot but due to family circumstances they lost contact again. Herman only remembers that Stuart wanted to remove late last year. So the question is who knows Stuart and if so, please contact Herman at: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Thank you very much for your report which I look forward to each month as it keeps me abreast of all things Pirate.
Next e mail from an unexpected corner somewhere in Kent: ‘One to file under ‘It's a small world’ department. I read your report on the activities of Jimmy Houlihan with great interest as he was one person I tried to stay clear of during my Pirate days. Last Saturday I had a competition winner named Mike on my BBC South and East Regions show. He was chosen at random by my BA out of over 600 entries via email, telephone and text. During our on-air chat he asked me "Did I know Jimmy Houlihan. I used to work for him as a minder in the 70's." I replied that I'd heard of him and wrapped the conversation as soon as possible. Spooky! What were the odds of that happening? At least 600 to 1..........
I trust you are enjoying 'the good life' and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Kind regards, Dave Cash.’
Well Dave, who is writing a book about his career to be published next years August with 40 years of MOA, must have had a reader of the Knot International Radio Report on his competition I presume. Go and tell a friend that the report can be received by e mail by him or her too: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Martin van der Ven will come later this year with many exclusive photos on his site, made in the seventies and eighties by Dietmar Flacke. He informed me that one of the photos is showing a programming, hanging in the studio from Caroline on the Ross Revenge. In the programming some new nick names are found: Simon ‘Wally or not’ Barrett, Tom Anderson ‘and his saw’, Stuart ‘Nice guy’ Vincent, Edwin ‘he’s new (hee hee)’ King and Stuart ‘I’m straight really’ Russell.
Offshore Echo's are pleased to announce the latest episode of the Radio Caroline story
www.offshoreechos.com/Caroline%2060/Radio%20Caroline%20-%20Main%20Page.htm
Radio Caroline is probably the most famous of all the offshore “pirate” radio stations, and her story has become something of a broadcasting legend. These web pages from Offshore Echo’s look at the history of the famous offshore station, from the start of Radio Caroline & Atlanta, and include their merger, the grounding of the Mi Amigo in 1966, the Cheetah II, and more.
The latest pages conclude the story of Caroline in the 1960’s, looking at the introduction of the 1967 Marine Offences Act, Caroline International and the fateful day in March 1968 when both ships were seized and forced off the air. We also look at Caroline’s deejays in the 1960’s.
Future parts of the Caroline story will be covering the 1970’s & 80’s. If you have any interesting photo’s, documents, audio or other items you’d like to share and see on this site, please contact us.
Visit the Caroline story at:
http://www.offshoreechos.com/Caroline%2060/Radio%20Caroline%20-%20Main%20Page.htm
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. 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.
It’s late September and indeed the Radio Day will take place in Amsterdam from around five weeks from now on November 4th and I hope to see a lot of our readers in Amsterdam. For all the latest info, you can go to a special site:
www.offshore-radio.de/radioday/
Of course the VOP reunion will take place on that day too. on the above mentioned site also can be seen who of the deejays have mentioned on forehand to come over to Holland. Of course other quests names are mentioned too and there could be some last minute surprises! Hope to see you there.
On Saturday September 23rd the work on the former REM island, which was house for Radio and TV Noordzee in 1964, begun. As told before the island will be broken up. It was in a position off the Noordwijk Coast and has been towed away in parts to Flushing harbour where further demolition will take place. on Martin’s site photos made by Jan Parent can be found as well as other links.
www.offshore-radio.de
Radio 227 announces that singer Krista Detor will be live in the program ‘Starnight’ on October 4th between 20 and 22 hours CET. Krista, who started her career in Los Angeles when she was 16 works from Southern Indiana. Her cd ‘Mudshow’ reached the number one position in the EuroAmerican Chart. Most of the songs she arranges together with her recording engineer David Weber. Radio 227 is on the cable network in the Netherlands but can also be received by internet on www.radio227.nl
From Kent another message, this time from Bob LeRoi: ‘There's been a survey here on both Army Forts, Red Sands is probably now immune but Shivering Sands is close to the approach to Knock shipping lane, there's also concern that parts might fall on a boat or worst. So removal is a fate that potentially awaits Shivering Sands if the UK Government will stand the estimated RoM costs of several million Pounds. There's more than a rumor that Knock John might get a new lease of life. Talks are in early days but I'll keep you posted. ‘
Thanks Bob, by the way Bob’s website got another update just days ago: ‘Our update this month in ‘Scrapbook’ continues with Part 2 of the Tower feature, this time it's Tower Television did it happen & what went wrong? There are more pictures in Part 4 of our rolling feature on the rebuilding of Sealand on the former Roughs Naval Fort. In ‘One Subject one Link’ Algorithms find the Song, could be helpful for today's Radio Stations that run a creative playlist? It's the last month of organised & planned ‘Boat Trips’ as closed season's approaching, we've recent sailing pictures and a few late dates so book now or wait untill next year! The A-Z of Pop & Rock continues with letter H for with more records & CD's to buy on-line.’ Enjoy your visits www.bobleroi.co.uk
Eric Wiltshire from Radio Tatras International wrote: We opened some blogspots which I invite the reader to take a look at. The main blog:
http://radiotatrasinternational.blogspot.com/
RTI Information http://rtiinfo.blogspot.com/
RTI Chat http://rtichat.blogspot.com/
Can't wait to see the answers on the RTI Chat blog, Regards, Eric.
Well I think that’s all for September. First pages for the October edition are ready, but it will take some weeks before that one will be out as I’ve some other projects running which needs my time first! And as always enjoy radio listening.