Maart 2008
In het International Radio Report onder andere meer nieuws over de film "The boat that rocked the ocean", Radio Waddenzee en Red Sands Radio. De zeezender herinneringen in het Report gaan onder andere over de mast van de Galaxy, de Radio Caroline / Harold Wilson tapes en de Carl Mitchell files. In het Report wordt ook stil gestaan bij het overlijden van Chris Cary (foto). Lees nu het volledige International Radio Report.THE HANS KNOT INTERNATIONAL RADIO REPORT MARCH 2008
Welcome to this month edition of the report, with of course thanks for all your e-mails and memories. First I would like to plug the combined March and April edition of Horizon Magazine: In this issue: ‘Caroline celebrates its 44th Easter with some very special broadcasts. Horizon and Caroline pay tribute to Rob Leighton. Pandora delves deep into her Rock Box. We reveal the efforts of the 70`s Caroline Movement, despite government interference. Tim Charles talks of standing in for Imagination and his own 'Magic Carpet Ride' shows for Caroline. The Ross Revenge team report on the ships restoration with new photos from Tilbury. John Brocks is the fascinating subject of 'The Caroline interview`
Plus all the usual news and views Caroline and Free Radio, Past Present and Future. http://www.horizonmagazine.co.uk/
One of our readers, Patrick Karswill wrote that he enjoyed all the stories of the festivities last year, including the August reunion in London as well as the Radio Day Report from November 10th. Patrick went to his loft and found back a few newspaper cuts from which one is published here. It’s from August 15th 1967 showing the office of Big L with one of the secretary in tears. The other photograph shows three Caroline North deejays going back to the Fredericia: Dee Harrison, Mark Sloane and Daffy Don Allan. The youngster where then 15 and 18, Janet Gibson and Pauline Goines saying goodbye to their favourite deejays who wanted to fight the law.Well movie time and let the internet sites speak for themselves!
www.radiocarolinethefilm.com
Here's the ship The Boat that Rocked the Ocean are going to use.
http://www.marinefilm.co.uk/news/index.php
http://scheepsfotoruilbeurs.web-log.nl/scheepsfotoruilbeurs/2008/02/nb142_sleepvaar.html
Well isn’t that a well known ship we saw a lot in Scheveningen in the sixties and seventies?
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a89886/hoffman-nighy-join-boat-that-rocked.html
http://www.ais-live.co.uk/News/shippingnews.html
(scroll naar "Timor Challenger")
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a89886/hoffman-nighy-join-boat-that-rocked.html
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a88931/curtis-to-make-pirate-radio-film.html?rss
And then a newsletter came in, which for one time we republish. An e mail is given at the end to subscribe yourself.
WELCOME ABOARD
Hello and welcome to the first newsletter, bringing you updates, news and just a little gossip about Radio Caroline the film and other projects in the pipeline. It’s early days still, so the newsletters will be sent on an ad-hoc basis at first, every few months, increasing in frequency as production dates approach. We want to keep you informed and involved and this is our first step in creating a forum where you can exchange views and opinions about the project. So please feel free to send us your feedback, comments and contributions by email to Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken..
Subscription details and instructions can be found at the end of this newsletter.
HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU KID - RECOGNITION ALREADY!
We’ve been excited about this film from the very beginning, but it’s always good to know others see merit in the project too, especially established European film industry institutions. So it’s with great pride that we announce our selection by EAVE, which stands for European Audio Visual Entrepreneurs (a bit of a mouthful but quite an achievement!). We’re amongst the lucky few to be invited to the series of workshops throughout Europe, to learn and grow with industry experts and take our film to the highest level. You may not have heard of the programme but you probably have seen or heard of some of the films EAVE graduates have produced, including: 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days’, ‘the death of a president’ and ‘the last king of Scotland’. The peer pressure is on! The first workshop is in March in Luxembourg and Caroline Producer Saskia Vischer will be attending with Screenwriter Kara Kidman. If you want more information on EAVE go to www.eave.org, but a word of warning: this is a website in need of a little TLC from a good web designer - a polite way of saying: it’s a little hard to navigate!
SPIRIT OF THE FILM
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 19. Audacious. Passionate. Defiant. Sassy. Radio Caroline has attitude. It’s an inspiring story about rock and roll, social revolution and the fight for free speech. The creative vision of the film exudes the energy and essence of the Sixties with a contemporary twist. The drama, cinematography and music will be edgy, authentic and powerful.
SYNOPSIS
The Sixties in Great Britain was an exciting and turbulent decade. Ambitious young men and women rejected the Establishment, defining a new way to live and love. Max Cashman, a brash young music lover is swept aboard Radio Caroline, an offshore ‘pirate’ radio station set up to play pop music and challenge the government’s monopoly of the airwaves. Radio Caroline epitomised the emergent youth culture, redefined broadcasting, and provided the soundtrack to a social revolution. As Max’s celebrity increases, his older sister Clare, a smart, tenacious aide, ascends the ranks of Harold Wilson’s government. When the audience for pirate radio out rates the BBC’s, Clare must legislate against the pop pirates and their stations. With their principles and family bond at stake, Clare and Max are forced against each other in a struggle that will teach
them the high price of free speech.
MEET THE SCREENWRITER
It was important to find just the right person to bring this great story to life. Kara Kidman is that perfect candidate with her background in stand-up comedy, political satire, criminal law, and music. She is a published writer and DJ on Australian national radio station triple j. Her experience includes writing a political satire column for ninemsn during Australia’s 2007 Federal Election (articles, interactive components, and vodcasts),writing for the award winning TV series ‘The Chaser’s War Against Everything’ broadcast on ABC, the Andrew Denton produced ‘David Tench Tonight’ (Channel Ten), and the top rating ‘Sunrise’ programme (Channel Seven). For the past 15 years now, Kara has been published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Sunday Telegraph, the Chaser newspaper and jmag. Prior to full-time writing and radio, Kara practised as a criminal lawyer. The energy and passion she continues to inject into Radio Caroline are inspiring, the script a true reflection of the times, the issues and the music. We’re proud to have her on board.
PRODUCTION UPDATE
All is going well on the production front. More and more people are being swept up in the excitement surrounding our project and there is heightened anticipation from Caroline experts, fans, film industry professionals, financiers and members of the general public alike. The script will be finished this year and by the end of 2008 we should have secured the financing and attached the talent. We plan to shoot early 2009, to finish later in the same year for a 2010 release in theatres, festivals and on DVD.
MESS ROOM GOSSIP
We can confirm rumours about a forthcoming Working Title film written and directed by Richard Curtis, set on a 70s (and yes, we’re as confused as you are!) pirate radio ship, which starts shooting soon. Reported as a “romantic comedy for blokes,” it is largely a fictional, romanticised storyline in classic Hollywood studio style. While we look forward to seeing the final result, our film is quite distinct - a political drama with more grit and authenticity. The Radio Caroline film is developed and produced independently in the anti-Establishment style of the era and in true Caroline spirit. There are also reports of TV series, documentaries and books in the pipeline… we’ll keep you posted as these come to light. Stay tuned.
LINKS
Official film web site http://www.radiocarolinethefilm.com/
Radio Station today http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/
Horizon Magazine http://www.horizonmagazine.co.uk/
NEWSLETTER CREDITS
Texts by Chloe Preece, Kara Kidman
Editor: Kerry-Jane Lowery
Design & layout: Nicolas Robel, B.ü.L.b grafix
© Saskia Vischer 2008
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We go to last issue when Colin Nichol reflected on an earlier question: ‘I'm confused about the question from someone in one of your reports about the height of the Galaxy's mast - the answer is in one of your publications in Soundscapes: ‘Galaxy leaving Miami with its towering 212 feet (64,5 meters) tall aerial mast’ Thanks Colin. MV Galaxy Hamburg Harbour 1967 (Archive Soundscapes)
A reader in the USA came back after he read it: ‘As I had reported previously ... back in 2001 at a USS Density/Radio London Reunion held in Dallas, Tom Danaher (one of Radio London's founders) spoke about the logistics of bringing Galaxy over from Miami. Tom specifically said that the antenna mast was not erected until the ship had crossed the Atlantic. This makes perfect sense due to the mast being "top heavy" (with no counter-weight cement being poured into the hull) and the potential for rough seas/storms in the Atlantic. Also, Tom showed the attendees some video footage (from a grainy 8mm movie) and I remember seeing the mast's thick steel sections lying on the deck. As I recall him saying, the ship docked in the Azores and the mast was erected there, before Galaxy relocated off the Essex coast. May you keep up your great work! Thank you! Best Regards, Paul Mustill. Dallas, Texas.’
Thanks Paul for the information. It shows us that all publicity in the early days about the ship crossing the Ocean as a complete radio ship was misleading. Anyone reflecting on this or other story our e mail address is Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
In the last issues a few times the song ‘Peace’ by Peter, heavily used by the offshore stations in the seventies was mentioned as well the name from Peter Gosling. Peter Timmerman, one of the contributors wrote me that I forgot to mention that Peter Gosling also played keyboard on two albums from Renaissance. Another one reflecting was Chris Edwards from London who wrote:
‘Found a bit more on the "Peter" story. Peter Gosling's group Moon Train, produced by Bill Wyman is on CD
http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=341909
Last issue I published a very early photograph from the MV Tiny, which decades later became the MV King David from Capital Radio. It was Theo Bakker from Leeuwarden who wrote to me that he recognised the place where the photo was taken: ‘Hi Hans, thanks for the latest report. The photo from the MV Tiny shows the ship in ‘Zuiderhaven’ (The Southern Harbour) in Harlingen. I came there very often due to the fact my grandparents were living there, just around the corner from this harbour in the Brouwerstreet. Maybe you can remember me, although we haven’t been in contact since decades. Many years ago you sent me a tape which I still have, also I’ve been at your place at the Goudlaan in Groningen. I was on last Radio Day in Amsterdam which was fantastic. A lot of thanks for that. As it was so busy there I hadn’t the time to speak to you, but that will happen the next time. It was thanks to you many years ago I could record a test program from Radio Caroline. I also have to tell you that I like it very much that you have gone on all those decades with your work to get the free radio scene alive. It was a beautiful time in the sixties and seventies. Much different to the computerised radio which we have nowadays. Theo Bakker.’
That was indeed realy a surprise to hear from Theo again after so many years. We were in contact between 1970 and 1974, and which so many other, lost contact after the Dutch government thought to bring an end to transmissions from offshore radio and stations like Veronica, RNI and Atlantis closed down. Lucky enough it would take 17 more years for no station on international waters were active.
Do you remember the story Clive Warner told in last issue about the ‘Wilsan II’ tapes he got with the request to play them on the air on Caroline in the mid seventies? He didn’t play the tapes but we got some response on the story. It was Mr Anonymous who wrote: ‘Hi Hans, Now some more information which I would ask you not associate with my name as I do not like the attention of the SS:-); The Harold Wilson BBC ´interview´ tape was circulated during 1974-5 from various sources. As well as being involved in radio I was at the time a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain and it was via this organisation that I received a cassette tape of the interview. I passed it on to a certain M/W London pirate who did actually broadcast the tape in the early hours on one Saturday, I doubt many people heard it. Now I have since heard from various sources that in fact it was a fake, and was distributed as "black propaganda" by the British Security Service (MI5). Obviously there is no way to verify this but it does tie in with accounts from a number of people, including the spy Peter Wright and a more recent BBC programme "The Plot Against Harold Wilson", broadcast in 2006 that there was indeed a smear campaign by MI5 which resulted in Wilson's sudden resignation in 1976. It would therefore seem that Ronan and Clive did not act as MI5 anticipated as they did not broadcast the tape.´ Best regards Anonymous
I informed Clive about this answer who came back again with: ‘ This is very interesting. Why would the BBC guy have given me the tape rather than the DJs? After all I was only running the midnight till two a.m. program, not exactly peak listening time. I had previously worked for DWS (Diplomatic Wireless Service) which is closely connected with Hanslope Park and other such places, and had been on the anti-spy course, and they were well aware that I was on the Mi Amigo. In fact I issued a threat after the jamming started that I would bring up the reserve 10KW on top of a main London station, possibly Capital with whom I still bore a grudge. And I heard later that I was persona non grata as it were, with the Foreign Office. This is strange stuff. Many thanks for the info.
Clive.’
Of course I went back to Mr Anonymous with Clive his answer and also he came back with the following words: ‘ Wow, makes sense then that Clive was already known to the authorities as a possible "loose cannon", more likely to broadcast the tape, they obviously got that bit wrong, but as with our M/W transmission it was not at peak times which maybe would be too obvious, who knows how these "spooks" think or operate? What gives the lie to the MI5 accusations of Wilson being in the pay of the Soviet Union is that they gave us (CPGB) the tape when we were most definitely on the payroll of Moscow, and this was no secret, so we would hardly be likely to betray one of our own.’
Finally Clive again: ‘ I've spent about 4 hours today reviewing and searching the period, and I believe the tape - from 1971 - was genuine. The BBC themselves acknowledge it, and the best reference I can find is at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/in_depth/pressure/yesterdays.shtml
Hwever this is not to say that there was no intent of the security services to denigrate Wilson. I'm prepared to believe that was the truth since there were serious suspicions that he was beholden to Moscow, and the Cold War was still going on.
Last issues also had the subject ‘ Amen, song by the Impressions from late 1964, which was heavily played on Big L but didn’t make the chart. A Caroline deejay from the sixties responded on last issue: ‘ Hi Hans, regarding the Mary Payne note on Amen’ by the Impressions, its on the album "People Get Ready" The Curtis Mayfield story. I am bemused although not surprised it’ s not in the BMI. As Mary says it was a Massive 60s hit at Wigan Casino, The Twisted Wheel Manchester, The Torch in Hanley Stoke on Trent and every Northern Soul Club Night across the country. Hans, You still write the best Pirate info around. Best Regards Ugli Ray Teret www.manchesterradioonline.com 14.00 till 16.00 every Sunday
Ray Terret in the sixties
Next one with just a little accident: ’Hi Hans Hope you and your are well. I stupidly deleted your bulletin this week - could be so kind as to copy me again please? Yours Graham (Jones) Radio Hertford UK.’
Well this counts for everybody, if something like this is happening to you simply go to www.hansknot.com as there are all issues since early 2004!
Our man in California USA needs a name check every issue, it’s just a game between him and me. We talk about the Emperor Rosko who wrote this time:
‘ Hans if the report get any longer I will need to take a lunch break in between the parts. Whew!!! that only took 45 min !! EMP I forgot anyone who missed Amen by the Impressions had to have their head in the sand!’
Now I like to ask you to have special attention to the next special item, which just the first part in the report and the rest to be find on a special internetsite.50 years ago, in July 1958, the launch of Radio Mercur started the offshore radio boom in Europe. Nowadays, the offshore stations are increasingly considered in a nostalgic way. The deejays and personnel having served on the ships as well as their listeners are getting older. This also applies for the hundreds of people who visit the annual Radio Days in Erkrath, Calais and Amsterdam with melancholic feelings. Many of these enthusiasts have even reached their retirement age, are wearing glasses and some even need hearing-aids, have synthetic hips or need specific assistive technology.
These are the reasons that the organizers of the Amsterdam Radio Day (Hans Knot, Rob Olthof and Martin van der Ven) have been dealing with the question how to help all these elderly radio enthusiasts. In several brain-storming sessions comprehensive plans were made which are now laid out to the public for the very first time. After several discussions and negotiations with financial institutions and insurance companies the financing of the project has been assured. Flats in the “Radio Amigos” retirement home can be booked from today. Details on the project
including some pictures can be found at:
http://www.offshore-radio.de/elderly/
Next one comes from an American living in Belgium: ‘Hi Hans, only one comment on your longer report. As usual, it's not long enough! I love the reminiscing. Back then being in the US my only taste of this wonderful radio was via recordings. Now that I am in Belgium, not far from the North Sea I think how wonderful it would have been to tune the dial and hear all this exciting radio! I can only imagine, and thanks to your report, and a vivid imagination I try to! There is good old' Big L (on 1395kHz) which I listen to constantly. And for me with the kind of reception I get it, at least, gives me a "taste" of what listening to the old pirate ships were like. Again, thank you for keeping the memories alive! Your infamous radio collector friend. Tom Konard, La Louviere, Belgium.’
Thanks Tom and it’s good to see you like living in this part of the world and you’re enjoying the stories about radio’s past!
It’s time to have another look in the Carl Mitchell files. When I took this archive from Amsterdam, now two years ago, one of the many boxes were put apart at my loft, with the thought to give the contents time. Lately on a Saturday I took the grey faded cardboard box into my recording studio. In the box some fifty singles, most of them very scratchy due to the fact they had be hidden in a wet cellar for 35 years. Although I did some cleaning, they still sounded scratchy. Many of the singles carried either the words ‘advance promotion copy’ or ‘not for sale’. I must admit that many of the singles, although I was a more than avid listener, I’ve never heard before. Some were typically RNI singles and most of the box contained songs from 1970. one cover of a single paid special attention to me as it was a song from D.J. King with on the A side a song called ‘Lazy’ and on the B side ‘One finger one thumb’. It was released on Negram Records in Holland and mentioned as a ‘little M.A. Production’. The photo on the cover reminded me of one of the many photos I found in the Carl Mitchell Boxes. D.J. King is no one other than Stevie Gee, who was for one stay onboard the MV Mi Amigo for Radio Caroline International in 1968. So another singing deejay.
This one is added to the long list of songs and tunes used in offshore radio days. You can find the lists on www.soundscapes.info At the main page at the right side there are buttons to click and go to ‘zeezenderdiscografie’ .Remember we once wrote a short item about those Mexican stations who once blasted their programs into the USA? Well here’s an interesting site to scope:
http://borderradioshow.com/
Radio Waddenzee, which broadcasts to the Netherlands on 1602kHz from the restored lightship the Jenni Baynton, is planning an offshore broadcast. Between May 1st and 3rd, the ship will anchor off the island of Griend to provide live coverage of a boat race taking place on May 2nd. Already on April 29th the ship will be anchored at her temporary position and live broadcasts will be on air from May 1st up till May 3rd. on Saturday May 3rd it’s possible to go to the radio ship with a ferry, which travels to Griend from the harbour of Harlingen. Together with Martin van der Ven I will visit the broadcast and a photos will be shown in May on Martin’s internet site. www.offshore-radio.de
Bob LeRoi sent us the following press report: ‘Tower takes a tumble’ The severe gales over recent weeks have taken their toll at the Red Sands Fort. Situated seven nautical miles out from Whitstable in the Thames Estuary, the Forts are exposed to the full onslaught of winds from every direction. So hardly a surprise that the transmitter antenna installed on the Red Sands Fort last summer has taken a tumble
Said radio engineer and overall Project Redsand Chairman Robin Adcroft “We’re disappointed it’s fallen but in reality it was a temporary antenna which we didn’t expect to survive the winter”. He continued, “We have a new and permanent replacement ready to ship out and erect for this and future Red Sands Radio broadcasts”. Radio Red Sands plans a return to the air in early July 2008
Talking about Bob LeRoi here is this month update for his internetpages:
Welcome to the March 2008 Update. A Double Bubble Scrapbook as we roll out the 1st of a brand new series ‘Call Up The Groups’ looking at the groups signed to Reg Calvert & their association with his stations Radios Sutch and City. We continue the Red Sands Radio adventure with a double issue of Parts 5 and 6. ”One Subject one Link” asks why do so many TV junctions go wrong, is Television trying to be too clever? Auction Lot 7 for a signed copy of the Tornadoes now rare instrumental “Dragonfly” has as yet failed to reach it’s reserve, so it remains open for bids this month. Finally the 2nd set of 1960’s Compilations are available from the CD Store. Enjoy Your Visits. www.bobleroi.co.uk
From Bob to Mary and Chris Payne is just a small step:
They had several updates this month including: Forty years ago this month Radio Caroline North and South were silenced by boarding parties and the ships towed away. This momentous day in radio history is recalled in recollections by Bud Ballou and Martin Kayne here:
http://www.radiolondon.co.uk/caroline/march31968/bud030368.html
Also see newspaper clippings from the time in our Francis Pullen collection feature
http://www.radiolondon.co.uk/otherwaves/newsclips/newsclipsintroP1.html
Another update comes from The Pirate Hall of Fame:
What's new this month?
• Forty years ago this week Radio Caroline North and South were silenced by boarding parties and the ships towed away. We look back at that tragic event;
• we hear about Radio Sutch's blind DJ;
• we see some pictures from Steve England's photo album
• and a photo of Woolf Byrne on Radio City in 1966;
• there is news of the current incarnation of Radio Caroline's plans to mark the station's 44th birthday with live programmes from the mv Ross Revenge;
• and we link to a fascinating magazine article about offshore radio from 1934! All the best, Jon www.offshoreradio.co.uk
Eric Wiltshire wrote us the following: ‘The Challenge and Show - Let's Connect Europe’. Did it work – Yes! What did it sound like – great. How was it done? Skype, a laptop and the RTI Poprad Studios Who were the guests? Listeners through to highly respected European broadcast experts. The programme lasted 2.5 hours and the final 10 minutes are here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsDyghCnPmE
Regards, Eric.
Five nicknames this time in the report. Partly used on Radio Atlantis in 1974. Dave ‘Good Guy’ Rodgers, Dave ‘Big D’ Rodgers and Dave ‘Far out’ Rodgers. Larry 'the LP man' Pannel and Larry Pannel, ‘the smiling grinning deejay of yours’. The extensive list with nicknames from offshore radio people is on www.hansknot.com If your own nickname is not listed yet, please feel free to send it to: www.hansknot.com
Then just go back to the extra small report on the death of Spangles Maldoon. Several messages and wishes came in on the message board as well as at my address, which I’ve forwarded to the family. Some of the memories I want to share with the readership. Martin van der Ven and Jon from the Pirate Hall of Fame made two very nice memories. First the one Jon wrote:
Chris Cary, he joined Caroline South just as the Marine Offences Act took effect on 14th August 1967. Previously an engineer, he was initially responsible for playing non-stop music through the night and, during this period, he was known as Chris Anthony. once he had mastered the studio, he started to make the occasional announcements, changed his name to Spangles Muldoon and then took over the noon-3pm show. It became known as the Lunchtime Loonabout ("with the goon, Muldoon"). The Offshore Themes web-site reveals that his theme tune was an instrumental version of Yeh Yeh by the Mark Wirtz Orchestra. For a few months he broadcast under the name of Herb Oscar Anderson, having acquired a jingle for an American DJ of that name (from New York's WABC). In March 1968 he left Caroline South to transfer to the North ship but the station close-down beat him to it. His return to sea came in July 1970 when he joined Radio Northsea International. He later ran the returning Radio Caroline off the Dutch coast and broadcast on Radio Luxembourg, both as Spangles Muldoon and under his real name. At the same time he was getting involved in the early video games market, later expanding into computers. Former Radio Scotland DJ Brian Webb (also known as Brian McKenzie on Radio Northsea) told him about the burgeoning Irish land-based pirate scene and, together with former Caroline director Philip Solomon, Chris started Sunshine Radio in Dublin. The station manager was his old Caroline colleague Robbie Dale who later took over the station as Chris moved on to start up another, Radio Nova. This was probably the most professional and successful of all the Irish pirates. In 1986 Nova closed down and Chris moved back to the UK. He now had a company dealing in satellite equipment and for a while ran a satellite-distributed version of Radio Nova in Britain which employed a number of former pirate DJs including Paul Burnett, Mark Wesley (alias Mark West) and Tony Blackburn. He also owned a Birmingham station Buzz-FM for a time. In 2002 Chris put in a bid to take over the long wave transmitter in the Republic of Ireland previously used by Atlantic 252. Unfortunately RTE, the Irish state broadcaster which owned it, turned him down. Chris continued to run a computer business Exidy Media (formerly known as Compshop) and re-launched Radio Nova on the internet. He was about to start a version of the station in Tenerife but, while visiting the island in January 2008, he suffered a stroke. He died on 29th February. ‘
Martin van der Ven wrote the next memory as well as he place 23 photographs featuring Chris Cary on his site www.offshore-radio.de Spangles Muldoon aka Chris Cary photo: Martin van der Ven
--Chris Cary (Spangles Muldoon) 5th October 1946 - 29th February 2008
I feel deeply sorry to report the sad news of Chris Cary's death following a second stroke some weeks ago. As a young teenager being 15 years young, I first heard "Spangles Muldoon" with his "Lunchtime Loonabout" programme on RNI just after the station had returned to the Dutch coast at the end of July in 1970. Spangles immediately fascinated me as I strongly imagined he was a tough-minded guy with a lot of humour who consequently committed himself to the idea of "free radio". on a Saturday afternoon in August - whilst on holiday in Italy along with my parents and my younger brothers - I listened to RNI on shortwave (31 and 49 metre band) and followed the dramatic events when Kees Manders tried to hijack the Mebo II with Spangles and several colleagues on board the ship. And with much sorrow I listened to Spangles' farewell programme in September 1970. During the summer of 1972, he suddenly reappeared on the station, soon leaving to take part in the reincarnation of Radio Caroline from the MV Mi Amigo. I soon realised that Spangles played an important role within the new Caroline "organisation", but unfortunately he could be heard not too often as a deejay on the station...
More than three decades later, in October 2005, I met Chris for the very first time when he took part at the "RNI-in-1970 Reunion" on the Amsterdam Radio Day. I saw him again at the "Celebration of Offshore Radio" in London in August 2007. And then in November 2007, we were so pleased that he took part in the "Radio Caroline resisting the MOA" panel which was held during the recent Radio Day. I have compiled several pictures as a decent help to bear Chris in our remembrance. Martin van der Ven’.
Also on the internetsite from Radio Luxembourg some farewell words have been placed: http://www.radioluxembourg.co.uk/cms/index.php
On the Public radio in Ireland also attention was played: http://www.radio.ie/archives2/chris_cary/jc_020308.ram John Clarke on 2 FM RTE Eirland
Radio 227 remembers the offshore radiostations during 28 weeks. Look Boden, former offshore 227 deejay and nowadays owner of the radiostation 227 in Holland has restarted his Laissez Faire Story on March 2nd. Each Sunday evening a two hour program will be on the station between 20.00 and 22.00 CET. It’s a repeat of the programs which were earlier aired in 2004 an d 2005.
www.radio227.nl
The whole story on the Laissez Faire can be found on http://www.northernstar.no/sre.htm
‘Hi Hans’ wrote John Cronnolley, hope you are well and thanks for the International Reports that you send. They certainly contain a wealth of information! Just to let you know that Dr. Martin van der Ven has updated the German Caroline website on the Photo Gallery page with photos from 1st/2nd February, 2008 showing the restoration work on the Ross in the Barge Dock at the Port of Tilbury. There is another batch of photos from Easter, 2006, when the ship was in Berth 21 and the aim is to put together a record of the work done on the Ross between April, 2006 until the present day whilst the ship is out of public view. The photos have been taken by members of the Restoration Crew and thanks must go to them for the photos and Martin for his time and effort in putting these photos together on his website. As the ship is the last complete surviving offshore radio ship in the world, it would be remiss of us all, not to keep this last bastion of radio history alive. Regards, John Cronnolley.’
Well it looks like that you as a reader have to go to Martin’s pages and take a lot of time this months as he has several new things on: www.offshore-radio.de
From Germany it’s Burkhardt Nowotny who sent me the internet addresses where the readers can find the documentary (in Dutch) made about the work and live from Joost den Draayer or Willem van Kooten (what his real name is):
http://www.avro.nl/tv/programmas_az/hoge_bomen/afleveringen/willem_van_kooten.aspx
I got an e mail from Bill Rollins in which, after some personal lines to me he wrote for the readership: ‘I still do weekend presenting for Dream 100 - I attach a short email and current picture of myself. Hope to hear from you soon and thanks very much for sending the monthly reports - Regards to you and the family. Bill Rollins.’
Bill started his radio career with the pirate radio stations twelve miles off the Essex coast on an old wartime fort in 1965. It is rumoured his family had originally sent him out there while the rest of the family planned to emigrate to Australia - unfortunately for Bill's family - the supply boat arrived before the family had packed their final suitcase and Bill was returned to dry land. Over the years Bill has been heard on many radio stations voicing commercials and even we find this hard to believe! Bill used be a continuity announcer for religious programmes. He has been regularly broadcasting to the North Essex/South Suffolk area since 1990. Join Bill every Saturday and Sunday morning from 6 for the best way to start your weekends!http://www.dream100.com/on-air/index.php
Bill Rollins personal archive
From Australia another segment of an e mail which came in on March 3rd. ‘Also, Hans - I meant to say this earlier - how much I enjoyed reading your "Forty Years on". It was particularly interesting for me because, as you will know, I was on Luxembourg then the BBC during those post-MOA days and later abroad with BFBS and had no time to follow what was happening, I was too busy with my own career. It is a fascinating view of the situation at the time and I have kept it on file. Regards, Colin Nichol.
Thanks Colin for your nice a mail. Several other e mails came in with compliments about the long story of what was happening to Caroline and their people after August 14th 1967 and I only can say that it was a pleasure for me to do the research and writing. I’m glad you all enjoyed it and it brought so many of you to respond on the story.
TAPE has published web-based guidelines for digitisation. They describe the digitisation workflow for analogue open reel tapes as a step by step approach for the production of digital copies from analogue tapes from a technical point of view. Most of the workflow may also be applied to audio cassettes. The workflow was written by Juha Henriksson (Finnish Jazz & Pop Archive) & Nadja Wallaszkovits (Phonogrammarchiv, Austrian Academy of Sciences). The workflow is mainly aimed at newcomers in the world of audio tape digitization. It contains references to other literature and many detailed photographs. You will find the workflow at http://www.jazzpoparkisto.net/audio/
Martin again and he found a German site about the history of ships including very interesting material about a MV Olga, which later became the world famous Caroline ship MV Mi Amigo
http://suche.seeleute.net/viewtopic.php?t=1805&view=next&sid=70b28ac061b3d0a232914d92cabdf1b5
Time for an interesting double cd which is released in Belgium and which is specially available for the readers from the Hans Knot International Report. Best of André Brasseur & his multi-sound organ
André Brasseur had only one small hit in Belgium and Holland but his music was heavily used for tunes and jingles in the offshore radio world. A few ones I want to mention: ‘Ballad on the beach’ was used on Veronica for a request promo.
‘Big Fat Spiritual . Tune from Eddie Becker on Radio Veronica. The number was also used as tine on ‘House Wife Choice’ on RNI in 1971.Early Bird Satellite was used on the Laissez Faire as tune for Jos van Vliet on Radio 227. Also Tony Windsor used a track called ‘Holiday’ for Radio 227 jingles and ‘Holiday’ was also used on RNI by the late Crispian St. John. on Radio 390 the same track was used for the program ‘Radio 390 invites you on the scene’.
‘Lonely Beach’ was used for a jingle on Radio Atlantis ‘Andy Anderson got three legs’. The same station had a drive in show and the promo’s for this had ‘Lonely back’ from André Brasseur. And so I can go on but just decide yourself if this album is to be found soon in your own collection. In total there are 40 tracks on this double cd. You can order it by e mailing to Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken.
The price for the double cd is 20 Euro, postage and package for Belgium in 2 Euro, other countries in Europe 5 Europe and to the rest of the world 6 Euro.
Again time for a rare newspaper cut, which is sadly also incomplete. It is from the Haagse Post (newspaper in the Hague) form January 24th 1966. It reported on the fact that the MV Mi Amigo was taken to the harbour of Zaandam for repairs after the ship went adrift. Captain De Vrij (48) was interviewed and started reflecting angry as there were to many rumours going round in the press that on board the MV Mi Amigo the crew only noticed the ship drifting when it was almost on the shoreline. De Vrij: ‘Last Wednesday, as normal, crew had a schedule for watchmen. Around 10 o’clock in the evening it occurred to me, due to the fact a light ship / which is normally far away, was in our surroundings. We have tried to save our ship with the engine but the windforce and stream were to strong. It was between midnight and half past midnight we ran aground.´ On the photograph of the newspaper cut you see below Captain De Vrij, upstairs first three English technical people and then first engineer A. Visscher, Cook G Van Vliet and sailor H. Kaatman.
And that winds up this edition of the Hans Knot International Radio Report. May I wish you all Happy Eastern and till next month. Best wishes, Hans Knot