Februari 2007 (2)
In het International Radio Report deze keer onder andere: zoektocht naar Radio Caroline DJ Stevie Gee, Radio Mi Amigo DJ Hans van der Ven en Laser 558 DJ Liz West.Verder bijdragen van onder andere Laser Hot Hits DJ DL Bogart en Colin Nichol en nieuws over Radio 270 DJ Mike Hayes en Radio Caroline DJ Caroline Martin. Verder zeezender screensavers (foto) en het laatste nieuws over het Music Mann project door Paul Rusling.KNOT INTERNATIONAL RADIO REPORT
FEBRUARY(2) 2007.
In our last issue I published the long story about the time between Radio Nord and Radio Atlanta and the whereabouts of the Bon Jour, aka Magda Maria, aka MV Mi Amigo. Svenn from Scandinavia responded with: ‘Dear Hans! How interesting! Thank you so much for this extremely interesting story. Most of this is entirely new stuff to me. I need time to digest this. And what about the response from Colin Nichol, one of the earliest presenters on the MV Mi Amigo:
‘Hans, thank you for a fascinating bulletin. I have sent it on to my old pirate radio colleague Keith Martin for his thoughts. Regards, Colin.’
We welcome a new reader, Tim Richard, who has collected a lot of interesting things during the years. He want to share some with you the readers. So where’s one of the many things he sent to us, a cartoon from a newspaper in the sixties. Many thanks for sharing Tim and more to come in the future.
Almost a year ago I got from Amsterdam the Carl Mitchell archive, which had been there for some 35 years without a touch. Within the photo collection there were also pictures from a guy called Stevie Gee. In his personal notes Carl wrote down that Stevie was one of his mates in Amsterdam and he had done a short stint on Radio Caroline. Personally I hadn’t heard him at all in 1967 or 1968, after the MOA became law. Also in non of the many tape lists, I’ve seen through the years, never saw a recording from this deejay. Looking for the Atlanta lately I also found a newspaper cut from April 16th 1968 from the Haarlems Dagblad. With the header ‘Ex deejay from Caroline loves to stay here’ the story of Stevie Gee was told: ‘The 22 years old ex deejay from the ex radio station Caroline has really found his place in Amsterdam. For many weeks he plays his records in the local club ‘The Sound’ and also since two weeks Stevie Gee can be found as deejay some days a week in the local dancing ‘Extase’ in the village of Bergen. Next to spinning the records Stevie is songwriter as well as singer. on Radio Caroline he did his own show last year and before that he did presentations from artists in England. A year ago, in the summer, he came to Holland. The same happened to other Caroline deejays. However Stevie saw the station go down and decided to quit within days of arrival’. Lucky enough he’s a lot of experience to get more clubs to sign a contract with for spinning the records for a live audience.’
Who has ever heard Stevie on Radio Caroline? As I did sent the info to Jon at the Pirate Hall of Fame to, he came back with: ‘Hi Hans, Thank you very much for the Atlanta material and for the Stevie Gee cutting. Stevie was heard on Caroline South on the midnight-6am "graveyard slot" for a short time (a month or six weeks) in September/October 1967. He was only on the ship for one stint. I have recently been given his postal address (he isn't on the internet). I hope to make contact soon and, if I do, will report back. All the best, Jon.’
Well another gap in the history, although a small one, can maybe filled soon.
Then an e mail came in from Ben Kok in Utrecht, who is on the search for the book in the seventies written by Simon Barrett, who’s a reader of the Knot International Radio Report too. Ten days in the life of the lady is the title of the book and Ben Kok wants serious offers. If you want to sell your copy please inform him, also photocopies are welcome as the book has been sold out for many years. Ben Kok can be reached at: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
It’s almost 20 years ago we heard for the last time from Laser Hot Hits Deejay DL Bogart and suddenly he’s back by writing to the Offshore Radio pages from Martin van der Ven, who sent the mail to me: ‘Wow! It's hard for me to believe that it was twenty years ago since I spent my brief tour of duty aboard the MV Communicator on Laser Hot Hits 576. I honestly can't remember the last time I was in touch with any of the fans or magazines, so I thought this would be the perfect time to say hello, and catch you up on what little news I have to offer since. well. whenever.
A little back-story if necessary. After returning to the States, I spent the next 10 years bouncing from station to station - mostly classic rock, mostly in the state of Missouri. (Don't worry if you haven't heard of it, we're buried deep in America's Midwest. Besides Kansas City and Saint Louis, Missouri is probably most famous for the glittering tourist trap known as Branson.)
In 1996, I was forced into radio-retirement -- replaced by satellite programming after 3 years as host of Joplin Missouri's top-rated morning show. And sadly, I haven't been on the air since. Sure, I miss radio very much. (In fact, I have an unhealthy number of radio-themed dreams every week.), but I also felt at the time I was getting a little old for the business.
Yet my retirement opened up my schedule for a new project: an idea that had been brewing for some time. most everyone who heard my tales of pirate radio always had the same comment: "That would make an AWESOME movie!" I had to agree. So I wrote one. Of course, it hasn't been made yet, but not for lack of trying. "CALLING LONDON" has been trapped in the deepest darkest pits of Hollywood development hell for the past decade, and I've given up hope of ever seeing it on the silver screen. The basic story (a period piece set in the late 80's) is one that has intrigued every producer, director or development executive who has heard the pitch. but sadly, each and every one has felt compelled to tweak the poor script to DEATH (and un-recognize-ability).
The 15th-revision screenplay is still on "back burner" status at a couple of major production companies, but I'm tired of holding my breath. Heck, this is the era of digital video, micro-budget Indy art films and the internet, maybe I should just make it myself. Anybody got a lifeboat and a Shure mic I can borrow? Speaking of indy films, after 5 years in the Hollywood trenches (5 other screenplays, 3 other production deals, but no green lights), I've picked up more than enough practical experience to mentor a small group of local Spielberg wannabees who are trying to put together an ultra-low budget sex & gore-fest based loosely on our local "Spook Light" legend. Trust me, we're a long, long way from "The Descent" here.
In and amongst it all, I've worked as a ghost-writer for Joe Bob Briggs ("The Drive-In Movie King"), a video critic for assorted horror and underground film magazines, and have spent untold dollars beefing up my Doris Day and Horslips collections. What else is D.L. doing these days? Not a lot, and I mean that. In the interest of solvency, for the past six years I've been using my degrees in chemistry for purposes of evil, "working" for a local manufacturer of industrial ceramics. It's mind-numbingly dull work to be sure, but my co-workers provide hours of endless amusement. (Much like an "Island Of Misfit Toys" for scientists and engineers who could never pass a psych exam or drug-screen at any other job.) I've promised myself that THIS was the year I was going to return to some sort of creative/media/entertainment employ, but there are no good (or even mediocre) prospects on the horizon as of this writing.
Anything else? I've been fairly active in progressive rock circles (mostly as a fan and critic); I'm ashamed to admit that was a dedicated Marillion fan right up to the time they started selling new albums to us two years in advance over the web. Also, with the purchase of a multi-region DVD player, I've been building the Midwest's largest "not-released-the-USA" Britcom collection. Nothing more satisfying than being one of the first people in America to see Spaced and Black Books a full 3-years before they aired on our BBC America satellite channel.DL Bogart: Archive Martin van der Ven
And in case you were wondering: No, Europe's Most Eligible Bachelor never got caught. I've managed to remain unmarried, and generally unattached over the past two decades. Sure, it sometimes gets very lonely, but I manage to get by with the occasional help of lap dancers, Asian massage girls, lonely housewife-phone-sex-ladies and other "independent contractors."
But times do change, and I think I may have an opening for a full-time English Rose of appropriate qualification and ambition. (She doesn't even have to be English. Dutch. Japanese. Belgian. Scot. so, do you know anybody? Any and all applications will be considered.) See, old habits die hard. Do I keep in touch with any of the old pirate crew? Unfortunately, my hermit's nature has caused me to lose touch with almost everyone on the roster except Jim Perry. Should anyone have current contact info for Brandy Lee, Andrew Turner, Johnny Rock 'n' Roll Anthony or anyone else, please forward it my way. I'm not anti-social, really. Just lazy. Thanks for reading. Please feel free to circulate this, and I invite everyone who remembers 576 to get in touch with me and at least say hello and maybe share some of your memories. Lingerie photos also welcome.
(sorry). Till next time, D.L. Bogart, Europe's Most Eligible Bachelor 20-years unchallenged, Joplin, Missouri. ‘
Well what I’ve to add to this contribution. Nothing but a big thank you as the long e mail speaks for itself. DL Bogart can be contacted at Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Of course with thanks to Martin van der Ven. Talking about Martin, on his site there’s now an exclusive series of pictures to be seen: 483 great pictures - especially from the 1984-87 Caroline and Laser period. All taken by Dietmar Flacke. www.offshore-radio.de
Next is Ian Biggar: ‘ Hans, I was going through my lists of Radio Mi Amigo recordings and came across late December into January 1977. There was a quick turnover of live jocks on board with Hans Brouwers, Hugo Meulenhoff and Ron Van Der Plas, all appearing within a couple of weeks of each other. I have recordings of all these guys, but there is one from that time who is missing, namely Hans van der Ven. I can clearly remember him presenting ‘Ook Goeie Morgen’ for a period so was wondering if anyone knows anything about him and maybe a recording? Thanks Hans, Ian.’
Well Ian, I can tell you Hans van der Ven was only for a few days up till a week on the ship. Anyone from the Mi Amigo deejays to comment on the person Hans van der Ven? And has anybody a recording for Ian from Hans van der Ven on Radio Mi Amigo. Please let us know!
From Sweden news about Radio Nord: ‘I have started a forum about Radio Nord on Yahoo. In Swedish and English. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/radionord/
Göran Lindemark
Bryan Gilgallin wrote in too: ‘Dear Hans, I am nostalgically reading your January 2007 newsletter. I am puzzled by the widespread use of nicknames (aliases) by the characters (mainly DJs). How were they dreamed up, and why were they used?’
‘Well Bryan radio's history goes way back 100 years. It must have been in the thirties of last century that the most deejays starting to use nicknames. If you read the classic book 'The deejays' by Arnold Passman; how the tribal chieftains of radio got where they're at' you will read that it was quite normal in those days to have a nickname. Also in the sixties, when the first offshore radio boom was there, deejays used nicknames. Either put on by themselves or given by colleagues. And this went on up till the moment personality radio died. By the way, the mentioned book is from 1971 and published by the MacMillan Company in New York. A must for every radioman. Of course the payola within the industry is heavily mentioned in the book and I also found the word layola in there. So I will ask the readers if anyone of them was ever attacked by layola and if so, if he or she can tell details.
Now, I’m going to Scotland and Greame who wrote: ‘Hi Hans. Another collector has asked if I know of anyone who has early Radio 2 jingles from 1967 -70. Do you of anybody that might have these ? Cheers ! Graeme’.
Well anyone who has an answer can write directly to Graeme at:
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Dear Hans
The Medium Wave Circle is pleased to announce three new CDs for 2007 which will be of interest to radio enthusiasts. We've launched a three CD set of UK Land based pirates from the 1980s. This unique set gives a very comprehensive picture of UK pirate radio in the 1980s.
The Landbased Pirates - London Pirates 1983 - 1991 Volume 1
28 plus hours of recordings in MP3 format of the following pirate stations recorded in London from 1983 to 1991. JFM, Alice's Restaurant, Asian Peoples Radio, CDR, City Sound, Contrast Radio DBC, FM 101.5, Fresh FM, Horizon FM, JBC, 3 Boroughs Radio, K Jazz, Kiss FM, Laser, London Weekend Radio, Medina Radio, Obsession Radio, Phase 1 and Q102.
The Landbased Pirates - London Pirates 1983 - 1991 Volume 2 contains 26 plus hours in MP3 format of the following stations. Quest FM, Radio Andromeda, Radio Amanda, Radio Comsat, Radio Floss, Radio Invicta, Radio Jackie (4 + hours), Radio Memphis, Radio Shoestring, Radio Sovereign, Radio Veronica, Renegade Radio, RJR, Sky Radio, Skyline Radio, Solar Radio, South East Sounds, Starpoint FM, Studio 1, Sunrise Radio, Time Radio, TKO, Traffic FM and West London Radio. Try before you buy - download a CD sample of Radio Jackie 1323 kHz from the 31st October 1983. Relive the memories. This is a 45 minute (18MB) recording in MP3 format to play on your MP3 player or PC.
The Landbased Pirates - UK Pirates 1983 - 1990 Volume 3. 28 plus hours of stations in MP3 format from around the UK recorded between 1983 and 1990. Liverpool - Channel 5, Radio Atlantis. Radio Eleanor, Storton CR, Central Radio London – WIBS, Stockport – KFM Stevenage - Newtown Radio, Pulse FM, Sound of Stevenage, Stevenage Alternative Radio Shropshire - Sunshine Radio Hertfordshire - Radio Fiona, Radio Neptune Bedfordshire – Bedfordshire Independent Broadcasting, Leeds - Radio Radar Essex - Radio Rainbow
Luton - Jive FM, Peoples FM, Pressure FM.
All recordings are digital conversions of first generation off air recordings (not poor tape-tape copies).
These CDs can be ordered by post or on-line from the Medium Wave Circle.Full details are located here http://www.mwcircle.org/mcd.htm#lb where it is possible to listen to extracts before you purchase. Steve Whitt General Editor Medium Wave News
It is Ben Meyering who found a marvellous site with links to American hits and rundown lists:
http://forums.avro.nl/central7/radio/tm.aspx?m=59312&mpage=1&key
I have just carried out the February update to The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame, wrote Jon M to us: ‘New this month: The much loved Radio City closed down in February forty years ago. We look back at the station's origins, its tempestuous history and its lasting legacy in a 15 page special. We also hear from a previously 'lost' Radio City DJ: Mike Procter was on the Tower of Power briefly in February 1965 and has got in touch to tell us what he's up to now. Kitty Black, one of the founders of Radio Atlanta, the UK's second offshore radio station, died on Boxing Day. Colin Nicol, the first DJ to be signed up for Atlanta knew her well and has written a tribute to the woman he describes as “the queen of British pirate radio”. Atlanta's Johnny Jackson has sent us some photos of himself and his father Bob Scott. (He has also sent some fascinating cuttings and documents from the early days of the station which will be added to the site soon.) Thanks to everyone who has responded so positively to last month's launch of 'Seventies Supplement'. More names will appear next month but, in the meantime, we have added some more audio and information to the first page of 70s DJs. Thank also, as always, to the contributors - especially, this month, those who helped with the Radio City feature. All the best, Jon www.offshoreradio.co.uk
Johnny Jackson also sent us, with thanks to Paul de Haan, a lot of material and some bits and pieces appear in this issue:Radio Atlanta Johnny Scott
Last week of January I visited, together with Rob Olthof from the Foundation for Media Communication, 6 days long all kind of radio friends, including Bob Le Roi and Jon Myers. Well guys it was extremely nice to have a chat, some memories bringing back and have a drink with you.
Remember Mike Hayes from Radio 270? He was guest on the Radio day a couple of years ago and still living in Amsterdam. Well he mentioned that he opened his own website with of course also memories to his offshore past. Go and find out at: www.mike-hayes.com
Well time for Bob Le-Roi in Kent, who I did met at the end of January:
’Following an unprecedented month in which we succeeded in crippling our ISP Server with thousand upon thousand of visitors, this months Scrapbook brings you a feature on Shivering Sands & a brand new high quality book – SEAFORT.
(Remember I qualified this book as high standard in the January Report and a must for every Sixties Radio fan, listening to old Radio 390 recordings and reading and viewing this excellent photo book Bob Le Roi has it now for sale!).
In one Subject one Link we go green & try to do our bit towards re-cycling.
Have a squint at Equipment for Sales, we've some new hardware on offer, a range of newly added bits & pieces plus some rare books which will be of interest In the A-Z of Pop & Rock we've reached letter L with Led Zeppelin on record & Jerry Lee Lewis on CD. Enjoy your visits www.bobleroi.co.uk
Talking about LeRoi, he gave me a review copy of his new production in the serie ‘Roaring Sixties’ called ‘Radio Essex part 1’. In this documentary Bob Le Roi has succeeded to getting back to the high standard interviewing and editing. He really brings you back to the times of Radio Essex with exclusive interviews and above all recordings from which you be very surprised they exits on such a high quality. You will be hearing the stories and voices from people including Dick Palmer, Mark West, Roger Scott, Guy Hammilton, David Sinclair and many more. Closing my eyes it was, with the stories, extremely easy to bring me in the atmosphere of Britain’s first 24 hours station, Radio Essex. And don’t forget it’s only Part 1. So my advice go to the site and order the CD: www.bobleroi.co.uk From England a nice new internet site produced by Clive: ‘Hello Hans and thanks for a truly great report this time. I've completed parts 1 - 4 now of my 8-part series "Capital Radio - The First Mad Year" and it's up at www.citiria.com/citipub/capital-index.html There are several ex-founders helping me with memories for this, but not nearly as many as I would like, so may I make an appeal? Please, if you were with Capital Radio in year 1, get in touch with me (clive 'at' citiria dot com)
Well less than 9 months to go for the annual Radio Day in Amsterdam, organised by Foundation for Media Communication, Martin van der Ven and yours truly. The 29th year in a row! November 10th will be the date to be written in your agenda. An e mail from Keith Knight is next: ‘Dear Hans, I have not written to you for some time but constantly enjoy your monthly emails, they are almost a book in themselves. When Pirates Ruled the Waves has been published and came through my door on Wednesday of this week. I ordered it initially through Amazon via a company called the Book Depository in Gloucester. When I noticed that Amazon were charging more postage on the item I cancelled the order and placed it with them direct. They charge £14.17 for worldwide delivery well worth a look. Please say Keith Knight the wireless waffler recommended you! http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/WEBSITE/WWW/WEBPAGES/search.php?key=when%20pirates%20ruled%20the%20waves&by=title be sure not to click on buy from Amazon - their postage is outrageous in my opinion. The book is well bound for a paperback on quite thin paper but with 355 pages. There are some new pictures in it and the format is much larger than needed for the text but it allows for larger pictures. There are some new ones including one of the shower rooms on the MEBO - RNI ship. The tap on the hand basin looks like some of the newer plumbing of today. In conclusion just to say that the wireless waffle site continues but on a different site - I gave up the .co.uk address last year http://homepage.ntlworld.com/waffler/
Long may your monthly news continue. Keith Knight.’
Australia next and Colin Nichol who recognised a person on one of the photographs in last issue and has more to reflect on the long story about the Bon Jour, I wrote in last issue: ‘With regard to your story on Kitty Black and that photograph showing Oliver Smedley: I believe the person on the right, whose name you did not know, was the late Martin Newton. I notice from your latest Report that it shows, indirectly, how Allan Crawford learned and copied so much of his structure for Radio Atlanta from Radio Nord / Thompson. Then Ronan O'Rahilly copied Allan's research to create Radio Caroline. Allan wanted to take over Radio Nord and use it immediately for UK transmissions, but Thompson took fright over legal risks and returned the ship to America. Otherwise, Britain would have had pirate radio much sooner - possibly in 1962.
I assume you know the Wikipedia site for Caroline etc - I haven't so far found a Wikipedia site for just "Pirate Radio" but must look harder. I don't have time to research the site yet, but if you haven't posted to it, let me suggest you might consider doing so. You must know about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Caroline
Kind regards, Colin Nichol.
Thanks Colin for the info and yes so the history is getting completer and completer. I wish I would have the time for the Wikipedia thing, but I’m too busy in writing the report as well for several radio magazines. So anyone else in the readership could give him/herself a try!Photo taken from the mast mv Mi Amigo during Atlanta days (Archive Johnny Jackson)
From the western part of the Greater London area the next e mail: ‘Hi Hans - greetings from Graham Brown in Ealing, London and thank you for your great work on the newsletter. I thought you would like to know about a record played on BBC Radio 2's Sounds Of The Sixties programme yesterday (Sat 3 Feb) by Johnnie Walker. It was called ‘Opposite Lock’ and was performed by Emperor Rosko. Personally, I didn't even know it existed! But great to hear the Emperor back on the BBC. I see on his website his postal address in California is close to where my wife, musician Kathie Touin, grew up. I'd also like to say that Johnnie Walker has done a great job on Sounds Of The Sixties. Next Saturday it is welcome back to regular presenter Brian Matthew who has been recovering from illness. All the best Hans, Graham www.kathietouin.com
www.myspace.com/kathietouin
Thanks Graham, well what a coincidence. I was in Boston Manor during the last Sunday of January, not too far away from your place. I was seeing a good radio friend for decades and he showed me a cd which Rosko had sent to him with the songs he once recorded! Radio indeed is a very small world. And Rosko, what about sending me a copy of the cd and so I can do a little promotion for that in the report. Surely there will be readers who want to buy a copy.
Then an e mail from Holland: ‘Dear Hans and thank you for last issues of the Report. Great info for all Offshore Radio Fans from then and now. As a screensaver on my computer I use a picture from the Norderney taken in July 1973 by me. Every time when the computer is starting I see this. Next to that I listen the stream of Radio Veronica 192. And so Veronica is still there in 2007.’Thanks Martin van der Valk for sending us the photograph. So which screensaver do you use as reader of the International Knot Radio Report? If it has anything to do with radio, why don’t you share it with us. Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Who does remember the young Caroline Martin from Radio Caroline in the mid eighties? Well she’s grown up and mother of four doing a breakfast show. Read more here:
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/news/tm_headline=dj-leaves-brmb-breakfast-show%26method=full%26objectid=18559564%26siteid=50002-name_page.html#story_continue
Charlie Wolf is round the corner again asking for more information on a former colleague from the time the both worked on Laser 558: ‘Hans, do you or anyone in the Free Radio community have any information on the whereabouts of Liz West? Tommy Rivers and I would like to contact her. Can you ask around and I would appreciate any information you may have. Regards, Charlie Wolf. ‘
Well my memories to her stopped in the early nineties. I know some of your other people from Laser days are readers too. So anyone who knows more, please reflect. Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Remember The Scorpions and they’re massive hit played a lot by Veronica in 1965 called ‘Hello Josephine’? Well this group is still active on Sixties Festivals and recently brought out a new cd called ‘Scorpions Now’. on the cd 21 songs including ‘I can tell’, ‘Boney Maronie’, ‘Walking the dog’, ‘Follow me’ and a nowadays version of ‘Hello Josephine’. For the readers of the report it’s now exclusively available as the CD is not for sale in the record shops. Go and get your own copy by ordering you own copy with the Fabulous Sounds of the Sixties, PO Box 111, 5280 AC Boxtel the Netherlands. E mail: Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
A lot of rumours are going round about the Music Mann project, the long planned long wave radio station on the Isle of Man. Two of the people involved I asked for comments and till now no answer from Paul Alexander Rusling. Here’s what Rodney Collins wrote me: ‘Hi Hans, I resigned from the Board on December 08 and I am told Paul resigned at the beginning of January. Paul, as the CEO, can tell you more, but I can say that I left as the Board were unable to make progress with the project because of difficulties with certain shareholders.
Rodney Collins’
Thanks Rodney. And just a day later we got an e mail from Paul Rusling, who we also asked about the project: Maybe now everybody will stop writing about it, and give the people who are still working on it a chance to get the work done, unmolested by crazy internet stories!!! The internet stories did cause us a lot of problems last year and resulted in two investors walking away, scared of stories about the aerial, or that LW was too old fashioned. As you know, I believe that it is programme content which attracts listeners, not the hifi quality of transmissions. There are some other reasons why IMIB is becalmed - the professional radio people in the IMIB team (for example, myself and Rodney Collins, but several others too) did not want to launch without enough money to operate properly for at least 6 to 9 months, and pay people proper wages. I have always ensured that everyone who worked under me got paid and none were ever put in danger from low standards - those are two principles that I won't compromise on. Some folk in IMIB want to launch very cheaply (we call it "on a shoestring" in England) and I could see that this could create a huge problem. Caroline has already tried all those cheap blagging tricks, I was there with some of the biggest blaggers of all time (and I say that with the greatest respect, I admire what they managed to achieve in the face of adversity). IMIB however is a legal radio station and must be operated under the strict terms of its licences - not just broadcast permits, but various maritime regulations too. The classification society have written up formal conditions to "ensure safe operation of a radio ship transmitting while at sea". I regards that as a major achievement, but it does mean you cannot do things cheaply. When you are licensed and fully authorised, you cannot duck and dive from responsibilities - life is too short for too many capers like that. It’s maybe ok if your team are young with no responsibilities - but my team are mostly mature and have things like mortgages, car payments, children and especially wives to keep. None of us can live on fresh fish alone - well, not for very long! For the record, I did not receive any salary or my expenses from IMIB for many years, and instead, like many others, was feeding money into the IMIB company to keep it alive. To continue dialogue with investors you need to go to meetings, make presentations, submit documentation, pay the bills of lawyers and accountants while they make their due diligence investigations. And still pay annual registration fees, the cost of offices, telephones, travelling - etc, etc. For me this all became too much expense and, after a long discussion with my wife, I stepped down from the Board over a month ago in order to press on with other work. I'm now in Melbourne Florida working on developing a type of antenna. I remain a shareholder in IMIB and wish the project well - the new Board know that if I can be of help then I shall be, but I couldn't continue being the public face of IMIB when i didn't agree with the stance being taken over investment and the cost, which impact on operational style and might jeopardise the huge potential that I believe is inherent in the LW279 project. Here we have a relatively cheap to launch totally legal free radio station, from a ship at sea. All possible tomorrow, it just needs a bit more cash (£1,800,000 is needed - that will guarantee operation at 250 KW for a year.) Guys - please start buying lottery tickets (I’m in the Florida Lottery the last few weeks - a $32m rollover at the moment!)
Thanks a lot Paul Rusling and I hope it’s clear now for those who were asking us frequently what is going on with the project.Bob Scott and captain Myer and his wife on board the mv Mi Amigo
Sad news for the listeners to Big L as it was announced early February by the station that one of their team members died. ‘It is with great sadness that Big L 1395 announce the death of presenter, Tony Fox. With a rich voice and wide knowledge of music, Tony made the Friday night slot of ‘London Calling’ very much his own; a show he had hosted since the station's launch in May 2005. His influence on Big L ran deep: as a highly respected show-business agent, he introduced the station's anchorman, Mike Read as well as former presenters, Opal Bonfante and Becki Seddiki. Tony began his radio career at LBC before moving on to Radio 210 in Reading. While there he proved instrumental in the technical training of the aforementioned Mike Read and current Radio 2 presenter, Steve Wright. Tony was seen as 210's Mr. Fix-It: if something needed sorting, he'd sort it. A stint with Radio Luxembourg followed before he joined top agent, Michael Cohen in the late 1980s, representing major names in the world of radio and television. Tony went it alone in the 1990s, handling the affairs of TV presenter, Keith Chegwin among others. With the dawning of the new millennium, he went on to represent notable stars from the reality show, Big Brother as well as former S Club 7 artist, Jo O'Meara-who, ironically, recently appeared in the celebrity version of the Channel 4 programme. Deeply proud of his Polish parentage, Tony was a generous and courteous man who took pride in both his work as an agent and presenter. Mike Read describes him as “one of the most genuine people in the business”. He will be greatly missed by all at Big L 1395. ‘
Now we go to Mike Terry who was on holiday in Africa: ‘Thanks for the newsletter as always. I thought this might be of interest. We are now home now from our wonderful week's holiday in Africa - guaranteed sunshine, incredible people, fascinating countryside, animals, birds and beaches, and all at a very comfortable 90 degrees. I am pleased to report that there are some excellent FM and a few AM stations to be heard in The Gambia, some with wonderful ethnic Gambian and Senegalese music. on Monday we cruised with the dolphins in a luxury catamaran up the River Gambia and I was thrilled to shoot some pictures and movie footage of the hulk of the MV Cheetah off Banjul. I had to ask the local guide and captain to point out the wreck (there are many) which they gladly did and they seemed interested when I told them more about its history (with my anoraky enthusiasm!). Most of our fellow English tourists thought it was a joke but I managed to convince some. on our return the tide was lower and the pelicans that had covered it earlier had flown so the photos were better. I quote from Wikipedia - "The fascinating history is that Radio Syd (pronounced Sud) started to broadcast from a ship to Sweden to give the Swedish people a musical entertainment channel. Broadcast on VHF (FM). In charge was ex-beauty queen Brit Wadner. Mrs. Wadner was jailed at least once for breaching Swedish broadcasting law. In early 1966 the second ship the mv Cheetah 2 broadcast the British station Caroline South for a few weeks after the mv Mi Amigo ran aground at Frinton. After this service ceased, the ship was sold and moved to the Gambia, where she eventually sank. Brit Wadner Settled in The Gambia and for many years operated the Wadner Beach Hotel located about a mile from Radio Syd. Radio Syd was eventually set up in The Gambia just outside the capital Banjul, broadcasting to The Gambia and Senegal on medium wave, the station ceased transmitting in 2001 when the antennae came crashing down. The station was run by Connie, daughter of Brit and her partner Bennie.
Extracts from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Syd lots more at
http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/odds31.htm
Well thanks a lot and maybe in next issue one of your photographs?
I regularly sent out some downloads from my archive to former heroes from the past and so also Steve Young received old recordings from me. This what he answered: ‘Hello Hans. Thanks so much for sending me the links to the downloads. I really appreciated getting the one of my show, which I've added to my collection of memorabilia. Yesterday I was interviewed by CBC Radio about my days with Radio Caroline so I was able to give them a little chunk of the recording to use on their programme. They, apparently, had quite a large listener response to the interview....many "ex pat Brits" who live on Vancouver Island had their memory banks re-kindled by the memories of Radio Caroline and the Pirate Stations. Also I lent the producer a copy of your book on Caroline for some background reference, he told me how much he enjoyed it and that he had never realized the huge impact that the Pirate Radio stations had on broadcasting in Europe. Thanks again Hans for, as always, being so considerate in keeping me "in the loop" about Pirate Radio happenings. Steve Young, Victoria, BC, Canada.’
So nice to see these response and good the Canadian Radio paid interest to such an historic subject Steve. Well done!
From Thomas Voelkner I received the latest edition of Infodigital, which brought a lot of info about ‘digital speech based literature and audio book radio channels ’ in German but also the latest info about radio, internet and television. It’s a bit similar to what oneward does in the UK and Telerama Radio in France.
www.info.digital
Commercial time for Foundation for Media Communication (SMC):
Dear radio friends: we offer you the opportunity to have your favourite station on a Canvas "painting". We print a photo on canvas and... it's rather cheap! We now have: REM island, Veronica, RNI, Caroline's Mi Amigo, Fredericia, Ross Revenge, and Radio London on canvas. The sizes are as follows: A 4 € 31,-- or 25 pounds, A3 € 45,-- or 30 pounds and A 2 € 75,-- or 60 pounds.
You may put the banknotes in an envelop and send it to:
SMC, PO BOX 53121
1007 RC AMSTERDAM
THE NETHERLANDS
After receiving the money the painting will be sent within 3 days! This is also your address for cheap Dutch cd's from Golden Earring, Focus, Earth and Fire, Outsiders and so on. Prices? Just ask Rob Olthof at Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
A wonderful interesting site on Scandinavian Radio History including downloads from Radio Nord days can be find at the next address: http://radiohistoria.jvnf.org/radionord_ljud.htm
The month February brought is already twice very sad news. First of all the passing away from Tom de Munck at the age of 59. Tom wrote, together with Karel Gerbers, Jelle Knot and myself the book ’25 Years Radio Caroline’ as well was a regular writer for the Freewave Media Magazine, Free Radio Magazine and others using his own name as well as the name John Wendale. He became famous to his integer way of contacting people and bringing a lot of information two his readers about the Caroline organisation during the period 1980-1984, which others failed to explore. Saturday February 10th brought the sad news of the passing away from Jeanne from North Wales. Better known to a lot of readers as Penopele Page. She was sub editor for the Monitor Magazine in the seventies and early eighties and after the editor Buster Pearson died, she took over his work as editor for Monitor Magazine. I had the luck to write with her on the Magazine for many years in the eighties and brought in the news from the Dutch stations which transmitted from the Ross Revenge as well by interviewing several deejays from the past. Therefore I visited the 31 Avondale Road in Benfleet several times, to meet up with Don Scott and Jeanne. Never forget these two people cared a lot for Buster Pearson, who stayed in a wheelchair for most of his life. I wish the family of Tom de Munck as well as Don Scott all the strength in the world to carry the lost of both fine people. on www.hans.knot.com a long article about Caroline in the eighties can be found, written by Tom and myself as well as photos.Hans Knot and Jeanne talking about radio in 1986. (Photo Rob Olthof).
Well that ends up this edition of the report. Hope to bring better news when the next edition comes out in March. As always your news and views as well as memories can be sent to Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
Greetings
Hans