S1 Ep323: Tony Blackburn - Medley
He's a national treasure. What puzzles me about Tony Blackburn is how he sounded like Tony Blackburn from the beginning. Whilst there were few 'British -sounding' pop music radio presenter influences, he instinctively created a sound of his own which was to influence others right through to the mid '80s: the smile in the voice, the energy, the 'feelgood'. Tony careered through the ranks at Ra...
5m Jan 28, 2012
5m
S1 Ep322: Desert Island Discs - Medley
The best radio ideas are the simplest. Asking an individual to choose their favourite songs is not a revolutionary idea. Yet as, in so many great radio concepts, it is the twist and the packaging which makes an idea really live. In 1942, Roy Plomley devised the idea of asking the guest to choose the eight records they would take with them to a desert island. The non-challenging interviewing en...
1m Jan 28, 2012
1m
S1 Ep321: Colin Berry - Medley
Hello London. What a voice. The Eurovision is not the Eurovision without him. He is the voice of Blighty. Colin began in wireless on board the pirate, Radio Caroline. With more TV and club work under his belt, he moved to BBC Radio Medway. Like Noel Edmonds, he spent some time working at Radio 1 in the imaging team, long before it was ever called that. Colin joined BBC Radio 2 in 1973. We hea...
3m Jan 26, 2012
3m
S1 Ep320: City Talk 105.9 launch
1m Jan 25, 2012
1m
S1 Ep319: Last Radio 2 Closedown
Hear Sarah Kennedy, then reading news on BBC Radio 2, closing down the station for the last time. The following night, a programme called 'You & The Night and the Music' (Da da da da da da dah dah) filled the gap twixt night and day. It's strange to believe that even so recently, stations would close down each evening. After a fond and warm 'goodnight', a piercing tone would fill the air until ...
59s Jan 25, 2012
59s
S1 Ep318: BBC Radio Blackburn launch
The launch of BBC Radio Blackburn in 1971. The station evolved quietly into BBC Radio Lancashire ten years later.
51s Jan 25, 2012
51s
S1 Ep317: BRMB - Launch in 1974
BRMB launched on 19th February 1974 – the first commercial radio station in England outside London. Its name is a puzzle to many: not actually an acronym, but its letters are plucked wildy from the company Birmingham Broadcasting Ltd which was awarded the franchise to broadcast. Back then, commercial radio’s regulator did the dirty business of transmission, and merely franchised out the fluffy ...
3m Jan 23, 2012
3m
S1 Ep316: Radio Forth - launch jingle 1975
30s Jan 19, 2012
30s
S1 Ep315: RNI 1970 Test Tx. German and English
RNI, Radio North Sea (Nordsee) International is hailed as the most dramatic of the offshore 'pirate' stations. Probably with good reason. After the first burst of sixties pirates had surrendered to the new UK legislation, only Caroline battled on. She was joined on 23rd January 1970 by test transmissions from a colourful ship called the Mebo II. Under the name of RNI, programmes proper began o...
1m Jan 19, 2012
1m
S1 Ep314: CWR (1990) - Launch package
The launch of CWR for the first time in 1990. The station was later sucked into BBC WM, before reversing out again. On this audio, hear the launch story which onlookers saw as a battle of the BBC challenging what was a successful ILR station (Mercia Sound), which had occupied broad territory in the absence of a BBC local competitor. Hear the voices of CWR launch managemment alongside Stuart Li...
4m Jan 17, 2012
4m
S1 Ep313: Roger Day - England/Caroline/Luxy/Picc
Roger Day is one of a cluster of pirate survivors who have created a lasting career. His life on-air began on-board 'Swinging Radio England', where presenters were urged to sound like the Americans. His own very English chirpy sound later was later allowed to shine through, as it has to this day. Roger's next stop was at Luxy with noteworthy spells on board Radio Caroline and the dramatic 70s p...
4m Jan 15, 2012
4m
S1 Ep312: Listen with Mother & Narrative
'Listen with Mother' was a programme of stories and nursery rhymes for children under 5. It was first heard on 16 January 1950 on what was then the 'Light' programme (now Radio 2), before moving to Radio 4. Like you maybe, I remember it well. Huddled round the Rediffusion speaker in the corner of the infant school classroom, sat cross legged on the parquet flooring. The programe was aired just...
2m Jan 15, 2012
2m
S1 Ep311: The Navy Lark
Launched on the BBC Light Programme in 1959, The Navy Lark was a hugely popular sitcom. It starred the likes of Jon Pertwee, Ronnie Barker and Leslie Phillips. Its familiar signature tune was a traditional hornpipe piece called St Ninian's Isle. The series ended in 1976 after fifteen series, albeit the Queen’s Silver Jubilee prompted a special edition in 1977.
1m Jan 15, 2012
1m
S1 Ep310: Dale Winton into Weetabix ad on Trent '77
42s Jan 14, 2012
42s
S1 Ep309: London ILR Test Transmissions 1973
Although he seems completely unphased, this chap appears to be one of the first voices on Independent Local Radio (before you were allowed to call ILR 'commercial radio'). He is testing transmissions in London on 539m and 417m on AM - and also 95.8 MHz FM. Back then, of course, AM was the 'lead waveband! FM radios were rarer - certainly in cars. Whilst 95.8 is familiar to this day for commerc...
50s Jan 12, 2012
50s
S1 Ep308: Steve Wright on Breakfast - Radio 1
Steve Wright is one of the most enduring of the 'second generation' of Radio 1 presenters. From a helper at Radio 2; through early days at Radio 210 in Reading; through Luxembourg; and then to Radio 1 where he graduated to afternoons in 1981. On that huge vehicle, a generation grew to enjoy him and his characters. A move to breakfast followed; and I may not be the only one who felt even befor...
3m Jan 12, 2012
3m
S1 Ep307: Chris Evans first show on BBC Radio 2 - 2010
How reassuring it was when Chris Evans got his act together sufficiently well to be welcomed back to the radio fold. It’s always so sad to lose great talent to temptation; and it’s not only the radio world where that which happens. The new BBC Radio 2 was a fitting home for Chris; and a great place to showcase his innate radio instinct. In time, he assumed the coveted breakfast mantle - and the...
6m Jan 10, 2012
6m
S1 Ep306: Michael Aspel on Capital Radio
So many think of Michael Aspel for ‘This is Your Life’ and much mainstream successful TV; but his calm tones were heard on Capital’s mid-morning show for ten years from 1974. Natural, engaging. A radio pro; and, but for a different turn of events, one can imagine him having enjoyed a long Radio 2 career. Few TV presenters can also master radio; Aspel is one. Michael Aspel makes your morning; ...
1m Jan 09, 2012
1m
S1 Ep305: Listen with Mother
1m Jan 07, 2012
1m
S1 Ep304: Alvar Lidell. On Radio Two?
23s Jan 06, 2012
23s
S1 Ep303: Horace Batchelor
A generation can recite his name and spell the place where he is based. The name is Horace Batchelor – and his home is in K – E – Y – N – S – H – A – M. Mister Batchelor advertised frequently on Radio Luxembourg in its '50s and '60s heyday, He believed he could predict pools wins with his ‘Infra-Draw method’, although there is a danger that those claims might not pass muster with today’s RACC....
2m Jan 06, 2012
2m
S1 Ep302: Chris Moyles's first Radio 1 breakfast- 2004
Some presenters were born to do the Radio 1 breakfast show. Chris Moyles clearly thought he was, with his under-stated programme start. Like Evans, there was a delicious sense of ‘this is my show – I deserve it – and you’ve waited too long for me’, yet discharged in the sort of way that listeners accepted with a smile. As he took over the swivel chair from Sara Cox in January 2004, however, may...
3m Jan 04, 2012
3m
S1 Ep301: Howard Stern moves to Sirius
You probably would not want to manage the chap who describes himself as ‘radio’s biggest star’. Howard Stern moved around the States, from station to station, being fired from WNBC in New York. At WXRK, a twenty year spell was, to say the least, controversial. As the show was syndicated, even more complaints were made, earning him the title ’most fined radio presenter’, after the American regu...
5m Jan 04, 2012
5m
S1 Ep300: Johnners - Leg over
It’s called corpsing. You laugh; at the wrong moment. The more you try to stop laughing; the more you laugh. And then just as you recover, your mind drifts back to why you were laughing in the first place; and off you go again. If it’s in the middle of a supposedly serious piece; so much the better. There's something about the laughter in a genuine corpse which is utterly infectious. And here...
2m Jan 02, 2012
2m
S1 Ep299: Gem 106 launch - 2011
The launch of Gem 106. This was a bizarre moment for me personally. We changed the brand on our East Midlands station at the stroke of midnight as 2010 became 2011. You can hear here the last mention of the 'Heart' brand, which had brought great success and continues to live nationally; and moved to our own name. Three of us were on site at midnight, as we jolted, literally, from one brand to t...
2m Dec 31, 2011
2m
S1 Ep298: BBC Radio Nottingham - The story
The story of BBC Radio Nottingham, one of the early BBC locals. Established in January 1968, the station was one of the 'experimental stations', partly funded by the local council. This is more than just the story of one BBC local; it is almost the story of them all. Breaking new ground; finding its place in its community and in the Corporation. On the audio, you'll hear early reflections from...
10m Dec 31, 2011
10m
S1 Ep297: 2-Ten - Extension test
When your station is named 210 after its AM wavelength, the last thing you probably need is yet another FM frequency to make life even more complex. Radio Two One Oh (or Two-Ten as it later began) launched in Reading in 1976. I shall remember the station as being the scene of my first spectacularly unsuccessful interview. Steve Wright and Mike Read were on-air at the station in its early days,...
1m Dec 31, 2011
1m
S1 Ep296: Final Pepsi Chart
Neil Fox took over what had become the Pepsi Network Chart in 1993. As sponsorship regulations eased, the show then became simply the ‘Pepsi Chart’  which Neil hosted until this final edition in December 2002. The show evolved into hit40uk, with Neil still at the helm; and then, in 2009, became The Big Top 40. The commercial radio chart story is further complicated by EMAP's own 'Smash Hits' ...
2m Dec 29, 2011
2m
S1 Ep295: BBC Hereford & Worcester launch
1m Dec 28, 2011
1m
S1 Ep294: BBC Radio Teesside launch - 1970
New Year's Eve, 1970 saw the birth of what was BBC Radio Teesside. Just as in Humberside, the station was caught up in the 1974 re-organisation of county boundaries, thus it evolved into BBC Radio Cleveland. Now the station is again proudly BBC Tees. The station had been part of the second tranche of 12 BBC stations reluctantly agreed by Government at a time when funding remained uncertain; and...
2m Dec 28, 2011
2m
S1 Ep293: Dave Cash on Radio London - 1965
Dave Cash, famously half of Kenny (Everett) and Cash began broadcasting in Canada. The influences there poised him well for the move to pirate Radio London, aged 21. After the familiar spell at Radio Luxembourg, he returned to be part of the large team at Radio 1's outset, before moving to Capital where he spent 21 years. The 'Kenny & Cash' programme was revived there on land. Since Capital, Da...
59s Dec 26, 2011
59s
S1 Ep292: Quack quack oops
There was an era, now long gone, where sound effects and character voices appeared as part of the radio presenter armoury. BBC local radio was littered with talking or squeaking animals; Ed Stewart had 'Myrtle'; and Tony Blackburn had his dog 'Arnold'. DLT had his, well, 'Quack, Quack. Oops'. The ‘Oops’ came from the PAMS Series 32 jingle package; and there was a great Sonovox ‘Yeeeeeeeaaaaah...
2s Dec 26, 2011
2s
S1 Ep291: Archers Medley
Ambridge is in Borsetshire. Well, actually, neither exists, but after so many years of featuring in The Archers, it seems that they might. The series was established as 'an everyday story of country folk' in 1950. Trial episodes, aired only in the Midlands, sought to achieve educational aims, with messages rendered more memorable by the skills of the 'Dick Barton' writers, Such was their succ...
3m Dec 25, 2011
3m
S1 Ep290: Mrs Dale's Diary
Mrs Dale's Diary was one of the earliest BBC radio soap serials. It was first broadcast in 1948 on the BBC Light Programme, later carried on Radio 2.  The programme, transmitted each weekday afternoon with a repeat next morning, covered the events in the life of Mary Dale - the wife of Jim, a doctor. Mrs Dale, over a cascading harp began each edition with a monologue, as if writing a new page i...
39s Dec 25, 2011
39s
S1 Ep289: The first Reith Lectures, Bertrand Russell - 1948
The Reith Lectures began in 1948, offering a chance for a leading figure to speak on significant issues of contemporary interest. They bear the name, of course, of John Reith, the BBC's first Director General.  The first lecture was given by Bertrand Russell on 'Authority and the Individual'.
2m Dec 24, 2011
2m
S1 Ep288: TDK - 1980s radio ad
Love this. A commercial advertising jingle which takes us back to the days when the Radio Times was printed on silly paper; Morecambe and Wise ruled; and Ed Stewart broadcast on Christmas mornings. Most importantly, it takes us back directly to the days of audio and video cassettes. Complicated plastic boxes laced with tape on which to deposit memories. One could buy the cheap ASDA versions, or...
59s Dec 24, 2011
59s
S1 Ep287: Rosko, first show - Radio 1
Rosko. A Radio 1 name, famed for his 'Round Table' and for the priceless retort from John Dunn who remarked within Rosko's 'Midday Spin' on the station's launch day: 'and now the news - in English'. His style was pure energy: a wall of sound, commonplace in the US, but still, to this day, never a real part of the sound of UK music radio. Great fun to do though. Rosko hailed from Radio Caroline...
2m Dec 24, 2011
2m
S1 Ep286: Home Service (Ronald Fletcher) - Fog and Ice!
13s Dec 23, 2011
13s
S1 Ep285: Trent 945 - Tests and Launch
Some of these Booms are personal to me. This certainly is. Radio Trent (Nottingham)'s franchise area was extended to Derbyshire, given, in a tough climate, the regulator felt a 'small' area like Derbyshire could not support its own station. So a new 'Trent 945' in Derby was launched on 3rd March 1987 to complement 'Trent 999' in Nottingham. This was also effectively one of the first 'brand ext...
5m Dec 23, 2011
5m
S1 Ep284: Kenny Everett - Tribute
This short Boom will not even risk doing justice to the talents of Kenny Everett. Thankfully, the many, many hours of quarter inch tape do. Edit some yellow leader tape in here. Kenny was offered a BBC gig at the Light Programme; but chose to take up a job with the pirate Radio London. He was sacked from there after making disparaging remarks about a syndicated religious programme. The sackin...
6m Dec 23, 2011
6m
S1 Ep283: Children's Hour
Education, laced with entertainment. This was radio's Blue Peter. Children's Hour began in 1922; and came to an end in 1964. The programme was originally broadcast from Birmingham on 5IT, graduating to the Regional Programme and then on to the Home Service.
2m Dec 23, 2011
2m
S1 Ep282: King George V - 1st Christmas Message
46s Dec 21, 2011
46s
S1 Ep281: Pete Murray - Medley
Pete Murray. The sound of Radio 2 for a generation, back in those cardigan days when shows had sig tunes; and his ding-dong ‘Open House ‘ theme was instantly recognised. Pete first joined Radio Luxembourg in the late ‘40s, before joining the BBC Light Programme in 58. He became one of the first presenters on Radio 1, posing for that now-famous photo on the steps of All Souls Church prior to la...
3m Dec 21, 2011
3m
S1 Ep280: All Network Radio
Like most industries, radio was more unionised in the 70s than it is today, in both the BBC and commercial sectors. The early days of commercial radio were frequently troubled by strike action, as was often evident with days of jolly back-to-back music, punctuated with announcements. On occasions, the management stepped back onto the coal face. I recall one day when Trent management sought to ...
2m Dec 20, 2011
2m
S1 Ep279: Early Radio London
When one hears the sixties pirate radio days re-told with relish, it is quite naturally the buccaneering Caroline which rightly seizes the headline story. She was primus inter pares from the 21 stations which broadcast offshore. The Lady was first; she bore a real name; and she was established by a wily Irishman. It's rather more than a great story - but, well, it is a great story. In radio fo...
41s Dec 19, 2011
41s
S1 Ep278: Noel Edmonds - Medley
It was very sad that Everett was moved on. But when his Saturday Radio 1 show needed filling at short notice, who better that that bright young man from BBC trails who already had an off-peak weekend show. Noel had arrived at Auntie from Radio Luxembourg in 1969 and quickly made his mark. His weekend shows were well-recalled by the audience, and thus the prestigious breakfast show beckoned in ...
2m Dec 19, 2011
2m
S1 Ep277: First football commentary
Rather like my first radio efforts, the first football commentary came from a garden shed. It was January 22nd 1927. This was a Division One fixture: Arsenal v. Sheffield United. The broadcast was not without its critics: after all, was it not logical that to broadcast football commentary would lure fans from matches; and reduce press consumption? The first commentator was a chap called Henry...
53s Dec 19, 2011
53s
S1 Ep276: Ray Moore - Last show
They could have banged spoons together rather than play songs and the audience would still have loved it. Terry Wogan, preceded by Ray Moore. What a Radio 2 schedule. Although the station’s music schedule did wander off in all Lines of directions over the years, Terry and Ray did the business. Ray Moore. A warm, intimate, rasping, teasing voice which so s...
2m Dec 18, 2011
2m
S1 Ep275: Steve Wright's final afternoon show on Radio 1 - 1999
2m Dec 18, 2011
2m
S1 Ep274: Steve Penk - Last Key 103 show 1996
A commercial radio name who rose to the premier league. Steve Penk began his career in 78 in his home town, at Piccadilly Radio where he remained for 18 years. Famous for his wind up calls, Penk left the North in 1996, bound for Capital, before transferring to Virgin where he ‘replaced’ Chris Evans. Penk has probably returned to more stations than most too, returning both to Capital and to Key....
6m Dec 18, 2011
6m