It was forty years ago today
The Brit government destroyed our play,
So I'm here to introduce to you
The one and only great Big L - Wonderful Radio London!
(Apologies to the Beatles and Sergeant Pepper).
On this day in 1967 the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act came into force, and caused the demise of our pirate radio stations.
They were pirates of the Airwaves who were moored offshore on the sea waves broadcasting pop music to the nation. Until Radio Caroline, then Radio London, came on the scene, the only place to hear pop music was on Radio Luxembourg. I was totally addicted to Big L, and was distraught when it was shut down. The BBC had 3 radio stations (aside from the World Service). The Light Programme broadcast light music and entertainment, comedy and game shows - things like Music While You Work, Have A Go Joe, lots of leftovers from WW2-type broadcasting, nothing for the young once they'd outgrown Listen With Mother. The Home Service was the spoken language station, with plays and current afairs. Classical music with some Jazz was put out on The Third Programme (I kid you not, that was its name).
In the wake of the pirates, new BBC stations were spawned. The Light Programme was split into Radio 1 (pop music, using a lot of the old pirate DJs) and Radio 2 (light and middle-of-the-road music). The Third Programme became Radio 3, and The Home Service was Radio 4.
On Radio 4 this morning, they played Radio London's theme tune as a request from a listener to remember the end of Radio London. I had a few tears. Somewhere on an old flexible plastic 45rpm record, I have the last hour of Big L. I might have to dig it out and have a reminisce.
The Brit government destroyed our play,
So I'm here to introduce to you
The one and only great Big L - Wonderful Radio London!
(Apologies to the Beatles and Sergeant Pepper).
On this day in 1967 the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act came into force, and caused the demise of our pirate radio stations.
They were pirates of the Airwaves who were moored offshore on the sea waves broadcasting pop music to the nation. Until Radio Caroline, then Radio London, came on the scene, the only place to hear pop music was on Radio Luxembourg. I was totally addicted to Big L, and was distraught when it was shut down. The BBC had 3 radio stations (aside from the World Service). The Light Programme broadcast light music and entertainment, comedy and game shows - things like Music While You Work, Have A Go Joe, lots of leftovers from WW2-type broadcasting, nothing for the young once they'd outgrown Listen With Mother. The Home Service was the spoken language station, with plays and current afairs. Classical music with some Jazz was put out on The Third Programme (I kid you not, that was its name).
In the wake of the pirates, new BBC stations were spawned. The Light Programme was split into Radio 1 (pop music, using a lot of the old pirate DJs) and Radio 2 (light and middle-of-the-road music). The Third Programme became Radio 3, and The Home Service was Radio 4.
On Radio 4 this morning, they played Radio London's theme tune as a request from a listener to remember the end of Radio London. I had a few tears. Somewhere on an old flexible plastic 45rpm record, I have the last hour of Big L. I might have to dig it out and have a reminisce.
5 comments:
I have fond memories of trying to persuade Radio Luxembourg onto my transistor radio at 2 in the morning. Ah, happy days ;0)
i just love radio lore...here in the states, there's this tape called, "the last day of cfl" which was a rock & roll, "top 40" station in chicago that changed to a "beautiful music" format in 1975...it's been floating around for the last 30 years along with another tape, called, "the nine tape". both are considered must-haves for all radio freaks in the states. so, val, good for you for having that 45 of the last hour of the "Big L"
I love radio lore as well.
Did you all know that radio stations west of the Mississippi begin with K and the eastern ones begin w/ W? Except for KDKA in Pittsburgh.
No Jojo, I didn't - thanks for explaining. We have mainly boring station names over here like BBC Radio 3 - sets the pulse racing doesn't it (not!)
We used to listen to Radio Caroline and Luxembourg.
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