Produced by George Martin

Roving Kneeporter Keith Milborrow commented on Jack the Lad's Amazon review of the CD 'Produced by George Martin'.
 
"Probably one of the most mixed bags of music on any CD that I own. Its highlight has to be the brilliant Theme One, stirring memories for those of us who had to get up early to start work back in the 60s & 70s it was used as the daily opening theme for Radio One in the Tony Blackburn Era. For anyone who may be interested the BBC's very own Brian Matthew reckons that Martin had this written and one afternoon at Abbey Road after he finished recording Sergeant Pepper and before sending the orchestra home he got them to put this track down. Very possible, as it seems its introduction carries on where Day In The Life leaves off. You can make your own mind up on that".

Keith says:
"It's an interesting theory that Theme One was recorded whilst the 'George Martin Orchestra' was still at the studios after completion of recording A Day in the Life, which of course was the last ever record played on Wonderful Radio London. I do agree there is a slight similarity between the rising crescendo at the end of the Beatles song and the falling crescendo which starts Theme One. I have to disagree about it being the daily sign-on music for Radio One in the Sixties and Seventies. Until recently, I can only recall it being played in full just once on the morning of 30/09/1967 before the networks divided at 07:00. I remember thinking at the time what a waste of money it was for the Beeb to commission the theme tune from George Martin and then not use it on a daily basis. Compare this usage of Theme One with the number of times the Sonowaltz (Big Lil) and the Home Town song were played on Radio London!
 
On Radio 2 Bob Harris concluded his tribute to George Martin by playing A Day in the Life followed by Theme One making it only the second time I had heard the Radio One theme music on the air. Also, playing these two records one after another seemed to symbolise (to me) the demise of one radio station and the birth of another."

We've had a couple of responses to the theory about Theme One:

Peter Young writes:

Reading your piece about George Martin, I think it's highly unlikely that 'Theme One' was recorded at the end of a Beatles session. 'A Day In The Life' started recording in January '67, long before the BBC were pressurised into providing a replacement for the pirates.

Radio One wasn't named as such until July/August '67, at least 2 months after the release of 'Pepper'. On early promos for the new network, including one by Kenny, the station was referred to as Radio 247. That was still the name mentioned on air until early August.

I think Martin was commissioned to write and record a theme at quite short notice. It still sounds great though and the doctored version later used by Radio One with added phasing, was even better.

Alan Hardy agrees:

According to Mark Lewisohn's 'Complete Beatles Chronicle', the string session for 'Day In The Life' took place on Friday 10th February. So I agree it's very unlikely that 'Theme One' was recorded that early.

Fenton-on-Sea?
When reporting the recent sad demise of Joan, Princess of Sealand, the Daily Mail included the map on the left to indicate the location of the minuscule Principality. Unfortunately, the paper managed to rename an iconic Essex town in the process.

Greg Bance, who broadcast on Roy Bates' Radio Essex, suggests that the town was re-named "in honour of Harry Fenton, gentleman's outfitters and purveyors of fine threads to stylish '60s mods bobbing around offshore. ("Fenton flashing": showing off some tasty narrow-lapelled jacket lining.)"

(Right) Did Greg attire himself in a pair of these 'Spotty Muldoon' hipsters – and has he still got them?

"I'm not making this up!"
On Friday 8th April, Deep Purple were inducted to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, during the 31st induction ceremony, held in Brooklyn, New York. Rolling Stone reports that when Metallica's Lars Ulrich took the stage to induct one of his favourite bands, he was wearing a dark-reddish crushed velvet blazer. He explaimed to the audience how an odd coincidence had just ocurred:

"For Christmas, my middle son gave me this coat, and seriously, I just took the tag off it offstage and the color, I kid you not, says 'deep purple'," he said. 'Can we pass this around to show I'm not making this up?"

Ian Paice, Roger Glover and Ian Gillan of Deep Purple speak at the induction. (Photo: Theo Wargo, Getty Images)

No doubt all former members of Episode Six are delighted with the news of Deep Purple's induction. The band's Harvey Shield has shared a five minute clip of the band performing 'Morning Dew' during their December 50th Anniversary reunion in London, followed by a short speech from Ian Gillan.

Paul Kaye and Mary Berry
On the Daily Mail's 'Answers to Correspondents' page, March 29th, sharp-eyed Dave Miller spotted an answer to a query about Paul Kaye and his role as Mary Berry's co-host on Yorkshire TV's Farmhouse Kitchen. (Click on picture for a legible version.)

Amongst our press cuttings, we have the TV Times listing for an edition of the programme where Paul made beer and Mary made ginger pop! (Thanks to Alan Field for finding it amongst our many pages!)

Ozpop
Mark Roman has sent links to 'Australian Music Stars of the 60s' a fascinating TV programme about the music scene Down Under, posted on Youtube in four parts. Unlike the UK, Australia had a huge number of TV programmes devoted to the pop scene and a surprising amount of early footage still survives. Many of the bands and singers who were huge stars on their home turf are unfamiliar in this part of the world. Some of them are international best-sellers, others, like Johnny Young, Normie Rowe and Lynne Randell are familiar to Big L listeners as Fab Forty artists. Surprisingly, there is no mention in the documentary of Frank Ifield.

Our favourite part of the programme is three very young Bee Gees singing 'My Old Man's a Dustman'!

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

(left) Johnny Young appears to be serenading a dead stoat

In other news
Harwich (blipitty blip!) Keith tells us the spoof Shipping Forecast as heard in the loos at the Pier Hotel (and voiced by Brian Perkins) can be found on a CD entitled 'Guide Cats for the Blind - Songs and Poems of Les Barker'.  It is the first in a series of CDs going by the same name and features a number of familiar broadcasters.

Johnnie Walker reads 'The Man Next Door's a Burglar", Dave Cash reads 'Detritus' a spoof of his 1975 single 'Desiderata' and the late Terry Wogan reads 'Have You Got Any News Of The Iceberg?'

Big Lil's 51st Birthday
Ian Wombat Damon and his wife Janice attended a small gathering in London to celebrate Big Lil's 51st birthday on December 23rd.

Some of the guests (l to r) John Sales, Jon Myer, Ian, Janice, Mary Payne

Royal Ruler's 208 history
Tony Prince's video series 'The History of DJ', now encompasses the Radio Luxembourg story.

The episodes on offshore radio history started with Part 6 the Birth of the Pirates, Part 7 Radio London, its birth, its staff and DJs, Part 8 the stations from the forts. The Radio London episode has interviews with Dave Cash and former Big L Programme Director, Alan Keen. It also contains a photo of Mary taken circa 1997, wearing a mock-up of the 1965 Big L teeshirt and clutching an elderly transistor radio! The offshore story concluded with 'Part 9 - The Pirates' Last Stand'.

From Ed Ryba in Los Angeles;
" Thank you SO much for this last (offshore radio) part of "The History of DJ". As the final chapter in this brilliant documentary series, I actually watched it TWICE in one sitting! It was obviously a labor (or a "labour" if you prefer) of love for ALL the pirates. I've loved what I've heard of them thanks to the miracle of tape, but seeing documentaries like this one really make me wish I had a time machine so I could be there to listen to these guys live on the air. I did it for 20 years myself under the American rules and regulations (which, content-wise, were not all that confining - I got away with all manner of things that some Program Director would have fired me for, but mine were very liberal in their attitudes toward what the jocks did). Because I was usually right on the line between what was considered acceptable and what was not, I believe that was the reason I consistently beat my competition (who were playing exactly the same music as my stations) by a factor of 2-to-1!! To this day, I'm very proud of that."

Wrecking Crew up for Grammy!

The announcement on the left was received on October 25th. The very best of luck to Denny Tedesco and the Production Team for Grammy success.

"What the Funk Brothers did for Motown, the Wrecking Crew did, only bigger, for the West Coast Sound. Six years in a row in the 1960s and early 1970s, the Grammy for 'Record of the Year' went to Wrecking Crew recordings."

The Wrecking Crew were Hal Blaine, drums, Tommy Tedesco, guitar, Carol Kaye, bass, Al Casey, guitar, Earl Palmer, drums, Plas Johnson, saxophone, Joe Osborn, bass, Don Randi, Keyboard. The musicians featured on countless records in the Fab Forty, but you will not spot their name anywhere in the chart. They were the Los Angeles session musicians who played on Big L hits by the Association, Byrds, Scott McKenzie, Nancy Sinatra, Sonny and Cher, Monkees, Righteous Brothers, and many other top artists. The Wrecking Crew musicians were also the 'bricks' in Phil Spector's Wall of Sound.

The Wrecking Crew! documentary is produced and directed by Denny Tedesco, son of the 'Crew's' late guitarist Tommy and its release has been long awaited. The main stumbling block for any feature film of this nature, is obtaining licensing for the music. In 2013, Denny Tedesco decided to go for Crowd Funding through Kickstarter. The Wrecking Crew! surpassed its goal of $250,000 to $312,000. The movie is being distributed by Magnolia Pictures.

Ed Ryba in Los Angeles attended a local screening:
"We saw The Wrecking Crew! at the fabled NuArt Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard lon March 19th, the second (and final) sold-out night in L.A., and it was beyond terrific! I've had an e-mail relationship with the film's producer/director Denny Tedesco, for over a year. You wouldn't believe how many records Tommy played on! Denny was there with a couple of 'Crew' members both the first and second nights, and they did a Q & A session after the movie. That ran so long on Saturday night, the theatre manager had to throw us out as he had another audience lined up outside, waiting to get in!"

Ed points out that when searching for The Wrecking Crew! on the net, be sure to include the exclamation mark. Without it, search engines turn up a lot of results about American baseball.

Stevie Wonder at the Starlite
Back in 2012, Chris Edwards, webmaster of Offshore Echoes spotted a famous local venue.

"Here's another bit of forgotten music history that has a Radio London connection. I remember Big L adverts mentioning events they were presenting at the Starlite ballroom Greenford. I didn't even know where the ballroom was until quite recently. It's in a parade of rather run-down shops in Sudbury, now likely to be demolished. See the article in Ealingtoday and there's also a Facebook page for save the Starlite."

Albertina McNeill who headed the campaign to save the Starlite was particularly interested to confirm rumours that Stevie Wonder had appeared at the venue. In October 2015, we received the following email from Jackie Farrington:

"As I lived in Sudbury Town in the 60's I can assure you that Stevie Wonder did appear there in person (starlight ballroom) I was there that night and remember it well."

Albertina tells us she has received confirmation from two other people that Stevie appeared at the Starlite, and one of them also recalled seeing Ike and Tina Turner there, but she says, unfortunately, this info is not going to be enough to save the ballroom.

Mark Roman compared a Big L show at the Starlite Ballroom on April 22nd 1967, introducing the Symbols and Knees Club favourites, the Knack. The Symbols are also promoted in the 1966 advert on the left, for September 17th, where the 'Two Top Groups' for the Big L Night must have been a last-minute booking, as they remain unnamed. Apart from the Roman Emperor, some of the biggest stars to appear at the Starlite were Them, Cream, Pink Floyd, Jeff Beck and Steampacket.

Sealand – Never out of the news!
Rasim Alam in the Daily Star turned his attention to the Principality of Sealand – but he didn't mention Homeland Security!

Another Sealand story, written by Andrea Man, popped up on September 2nd, the anniversary of the occupation of Roughs Towers in 1967.

(Left) Mike Barrington is Sealand's Homeland Security Chief

Now Michael Bates, aka Prince Michael of Sealand, has published a book relating the history of his family's principality.

'Holding the Fort' uncovers the truth behind Michael's kidnap by armed terrorists, his family setting up their own island nation, government sieges, top secret government documents and multiple attempts to bring an end to the Sealand dream. It includes previously unseen photos from his family's personal collection.

Hans Knot has penned a full review. Hans had a personal interest in the book, as once, he had been instrumental in securing the release of a Dutch national who was being held hostage on Sealand.

Roving Kneeporter Keith Milborrow remarks, "It is quite a good read, but it does contain several inaccuracies. Did you realise Radio Caroline had an office in Curzon Street?"

Timely release of new Peel book
'Goodnight and Good Riddance – how thirty-five years of John Peel helped to shape modern life' by David Cavanagh was a timely release for October, the month of the anniversary of John Peel's death. 'Goodnight and Good Riddance' has received numerous positive reviews.

Guardian Review

How's This For a Catalogue Number?
Sharp-eyed Kees Brinkerink spotted this single which, being release number 40 on the FAB label, is catalogue number FAB 40!

Amazing Caroline Artefact! The 'Buoy-O-Boy'
More info has arrived concerning George Hare's Caroline Buoy-O-Boy! – 'Your cradle on the waves' with details of a children's competition from the summer of 1965. The main judge was His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, Sir Ronald Herbert Garvey, K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., M.B.E. – which is the Manx equivalent of asking the Queen to be a competition judge!

Mary and Moosie were permitted to try on this Amazing Caroline Artefact, which has been languishing in George's garage. It made them jump for joy! (Jumping photo: Jon Myer.)

Daphne's legs are currently bemusing the gulls. Just as well they are face down and her knees remain hidden!

Radio Silent
Keith Milborrow, Roving Kneeporter:
" I recently visited Radio Silent. What was all this about? I was in Harwich last weekend (not for any radio-related activity) and dropped in on Tony O'Neil and the LV18. It was quite strange visiting the lightship and finding no music emanating from the bridge.  Apart from the Radio Mi Amigo banners still fixed to the ship's superstructure, the only evidence I could find of the recent broadcast was a weather forecast script left on the (now empty) studio desk and nearby a laminated card with lyrics to the Harwich Hometown song © M Payne!
Daphne seems to be a permanent resident in the lamp tower, although she is now quite literally legless – her legs (and more importantly her knees) are to be found elsewhere on deck!

 Tony seems enthusiastic about organising another Mi Amigo 9-day broadcast next year, again to coincide with the Harwich Maritime Festival. Roll on 2016!"

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Logo withdrawn

Radio London is pleased to note that the Games organising committee has seen fit to withdraw the intended logo for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, after considering approaches by various parties on the grounds of plagiarism.

We were concerned by the number of friends and colleagues who immediately saw a similarity between our 'rl' logo and the Tokyo ones.

Radio London Ltd was in the early stages of discussions with IP experts about the similarity and had made initial contact with Brand Management for the Olympics.

We like to think that, alongside the Belgian theatre who made complaints and the admissions revealed by the Japanese designer, we also had a part to play in the final outcome.

BBC News said, "Logo designer Kenjiro Sano admitted copying online material when questioned by organisers, Japanese media reported."

BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-34115750

Mary, Jenny (blue shirt) and other John Otway fans held up the traffic in 2002, when they recorded 'House of the Rising Sun' at the studios.
Our full report

More on that Famous EMI Studio
Take a virtual tour of the famous EMI studios with Inside Abbey Road. There's plenty of information about the individual studios and who recorded in them, but one vital historical fact about Studio 1 is missing. The 'B' Side of John Otway's second HIT, 'House of the Rising Sun' was recorded in Studio One on March 30th 2002.

Otway recording

Extension Plans
The studios recently were granted planning permission for an extension.

Vinyl Recreation
Recording equipment that would have been used by The Beatles at Abbey Road Studios is being used once again to create vinyl recordings.

Music enthusiast Pete Hutchinson from the Electronic Recording Company is using the machines so that people can hear what the albums would have sounded like when they were first released.

No, Don't Stop de Carnival!
Admiral Robbie Dale writes:
There is something special about these "Latino ladies" and it's not only that I love big boobs! Do you want to join me at the February Carnival in San Paulo? Pop on a 4-hour flight to Lanzarote. It's a very arousing, exciting time to be in Arrecife.

Return to Planet Ray!
On September 19th, Ray Clark returned to BBC Essex to present a Saturday morning show, Planet Ray, between 0900 and 1100. He will still be heard on Caroline, Thursday afternoons 1400-1800.

Focus on August 14, 1967

Keith Milborrow was in Montréal
I was doing some Internet research into Expo 67, the big World's Fair held in Montréal that year and was intrigued to learn that in recent years a campaign was launched to bring a slightly-smaller event back to Montréal to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. Unfortunately it was eventually decided by the International Exhibitions Bureau that Expo 17 will be held in Astana in Kazakhstan, so Canada will have to find another way of celebrating its Sesquicentennial in two years' time. It would have been good, had the Canadians been able to re-live the Spirit of 1967 half a century onwards.
 
I have written before about my last day in Montréal in 1967 being the 14th August. I had left the UK with my parents three weeks earlier before Ed Stewart made that fateful announcement about Radio London closing down, so I was almost expecting them to still be broadcasting when I returned home on 15th August. As it was, I had been on the other side of the Atlantic enjoying radio stations like CFCF-600, CKGM-980 (mais oui!) and CFOX-1470. Then I flew back to the UK to find silence on '266'.
 
There was one particular record I remember hearing constantly on the Montréal airwaves during my visit there. This was 'You Can't Do That' by Harry  Nilsson, a  cover version of the Lennon-McCartney classic into which he incorporated lyrics from many other Beatles songs. Nilsson was virtually unheard of at that time in the UK. I remember talking to my friends about it after I returned home and assumed it must have received lots of airplay on Radio London, but the blank expressions on their faces indicated otherwise.

(Webmaster's note: Harry Nilsson's version of 'You Can't Do That' was released as a single in the UK on RCA Victor, but not until 29th September '67 - hence no plays on Big L.)

At my 'local' recently, I sampled a pint or two of Golden Galaxy beer, brewed by the BBC! Yes, the BBC or as it is otherwise known the Brentwood Brewery Company. There was no apparent connection with a certain radio ship. Sadly, the beer was not selling at £2.66 per pint, but only a few pence more!
 
Cheers! Keith
Roving Kneeporter who previously brought you news of 'Knee Trembler' and Purple Moose ales.

(Right) Keith enjoys a pint in Harwich with a famoose moose. He had been anticipating raising a glass of Golden Galaxy at 1500 on August 14th, but sadly a course of medication has resulted in him having to kneesort to mineral water.

More about Expo 67, CKGM-980 and its tribute site run by our friends Marc 'Mais Oui' Denis, and not forgetting the follow-up release to the single of Montréal My Hometown' is on Mini-memories 6

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Many thanks to Hans Knot, who has been scanning all his issues of Pirate Radio News, the magazine that started his publishing career. The item on the left was a newsflash concerning the anticipated fate of the mv Galaxy, was from April 1971.

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Tribute on Radio Seagull
Radio Seagull always reminds us of our dear friend Jenni Baynton, after whom the Radio Seagull ship, moored in Harlingen Harbour in the Netherlands, was named. Jenni died on July 15th, 15 years ago.

Chris B is dedicating the final hour of his Radio Seagull show this week (which by coincidence will end at 3.00pm) to the Radio London closedown and MEBO act 1967.

"It still means a lot to me," Chris says. "It will not be an elaborate tribute. I'm thinking of playing the first side of The Who Sell Out - with all those super duper jingles and spoof adverts - the Beatles' A Day In The Life and finally the closedown announcement and the Radio London theme tune. Unfortunately my show goes out one day too late at midday on Saturday 15th (online only, but repeated at midnight Saturday into Sunday on 1602Khz), but it is close enough to the anniversary.

Each year I never forget the day. Today I am thinking what a miserable government, to close down much-loved radio enjoyment in the middle of the school holidays and a good six weeks before the 'replacement' Radio 1. 

My page at Radio Seagull, where my first words are 'Radio London...'

All the best, Chris B.

Everyone who enjoyed listening to Mandy 'Ma-na ma-na' Marton' on Radio Mi Amigo, can listen to her shows on Radio Seagull too.

Radio Seagull can be heard online or via your mobile device 24/7 and in the north of the Netherlands, between 1900 and 0700 CET
on 1602AM and from September on DAB+.

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Francis Pullen, Cambridge:
The Big L Sonovox theme will once again be playing for me at 3pm on the 14th  August. Hard to believe it will be nearly 50 years since Paul Kaye's immortal words, 'Big L time is 3 o'clock, and Radio London is now closing down'.

Thankfully, you and Chris have kept the station alive in our hearts and minds, for which I shall be forever thankful - medals to you both!

A nice story from Caroline's Peter Moore
When I knew that Radio London was going to close, I listened to as much as I could especially staying up half the night listening to John Peel.

The last day was a Monday and though there was nothing wrong with me, I took a day off work sick.

My Dad did not work on Monday. As he was a newspaper man printing the Sunday Times, he worked Tuesday to Sunday. Anyhow, he and my Mum saw no significance in my being home and just chattered and crashed about and ruined my concentration, so I borrowed my Dad's Singer Gazelle car and drove out in to the country so I could listen in peace to the last few hours, when of course I shed a tear or several.

Then I tuned to Caroline, which was not my favourite in those days. But as they were going to give it their best shot to continue, I resolved at that moment to help Caroline if I ever got the chance.

Don't have to say much more do I?

Mi Amigo – It's Watery Wireless!
Radio Mi Amigo returned to Harwich, broadcasting from aboard the lightvessel LV18, Saturday, July 25th to Sunday August 2nd. A full photo report is here. Use forward and back arrows to go between pictures. Feedback page is here.

Mi Amigo Facebook page.

The Cousin Moosie Show, with Chris and Mary Payne.
Click to see large version.
Photo: Fab Alan Field

The latest offshore author refuses to write what he knows about!
"They say you should write what you know," says new author Mark Wesley. "I know nothing about bank robberies. So that's what I wrote about. Call me contrary.

BanGk! is my first novel. Three first-time bank robbers come up with a crazy plan to steal gold bullion from the Bank of England. An international crime syndicate sees the potential and comes on board. Inside help is blackmailed into cooperating. Treachery and duplicity are their silent partners.

It's a fun and constantly surprising crime caper. It sprung from an idea I had for a movie. I was writing a short synopsis to pitch to producers, but it just kept growing. I stopped and regrouped. It was obvious it needed to be turned into a full blown story."

Mark attended the Radio Essex 50th Anniversary Reunion, alongside fellow author David Sinclair

Another offshore author!
Ian MacRae's new radio-related novel 'The Wilton Bay Chronicles', tells the story of two competing stations in an idyllic beachside resort town. One has a unique format, while the other is a network station playing 'The Music of Your Life'. Central to the plot is an accident-prone broadcasting executive and his illicit affair.

Ian says: "Among those who read a preview copy of this new e-book... some felt offended... some felt provoked... some felt challenged... but most had a damn good laugh!"

Pete's amazed!
A small group of Radio London people gathered in London with friends on December 23rd, to celebrate Big Lil's 50th Birthday. We are proud to present a full Photoreport.

Talking to 'Fab' Alan Field at the Birthday celebration, Pete Brady was surprised to discover that Fab had a copy of his first show on Big L. He was delighted to receive an MP3 from Fab and wrote, "It is truly amazing for me to be able to hear that first broadcast."

(l to r) Duncan Johnson, Mich, Keith Skues, Ed Stewart, Pete Brady, Dave Hawkins, Ian Damon

Keith Skues, who arrived home well after midnight, wrote IMMEDIATELY (to quote TW) to say:

I have just arrived home. This short note is to place in a more permanent form my sincere thanks to you and Chris for organising today's get together for the 50th anniversary of Radio London. You have to be congratulated on putting together the whole event.

It's hard to believe that half a century ago today Big L made its broadcasting debut. Who would have thought that on 23 December 2014 a group of former DJs, technician and Mitch would be on parade aboard another ship to remember the great times we enjoyed between 1964 and 1967.

It was simply 'magic' to talk with those in attendance. I loved every minute of the day and was sad to have to bail out to catch the 8.30pm train back to Norfolk.

How enjoyable to talk with some loyal supporters of the radio station who have kept in touch for many years.

Thank you once again for such a wonderful day.

With kind regards and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Keith
Cardboard Shoes

We have received a number of similar messages of thanks – Mary and Chris

Cardboard does us proud
The all-important Radio London anniversary may have been ignored by the media in general but during his Radio Norfolk show on Sunday December 28th, 2200 - 0100, Cardboard Shoes did both the station and us proud. The tribute to Radio London is 37 minutes 50 into his programme, followed by the Top Three from the Fab 40 of January 24th, 1965.

(Thanks to Hans for sharing the photo. Happy New Year, Hans!)