inside pete
Post on 22-Feb-2022
18 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
and Radio Monthly
InsideNoel EdmondsAnne NightingaleTony PrinceRay MooreFree Radio Newsand much much more
11o.6 March 1973
Pete -another of theBig Three
. So . -0,111111111WP
'
0 * : e o featuringWilsonPickettOtis ReddingSam&DaveArchie Bell&the DrellsOtis&CarlaPercySledgeAretha FranklinBarKaysArthur ConleyThe DriftersBooker T& the MGsClarence Carter
S. 4:
. S. .
2
editorialWell here we are with issue number six - half way through our first year - and an ideal
opportunity to say thank you to all our many regular readers and to the hundreds of newreaders who are joining us each month. Thanks for your tremendous support, and if youlike the magazine, which I sincerely hope you do, please be sure to tell all your friends.
In this month's 48 page issue we have the full results of our recent "DEE JAY AND RADIOMONTHLY" poll - and you can find these on Page 14. PETE MURRAY is the second of the"Big Three" - so who will be number three? You can find out next month.
Other features are included on DJs Noel Edmonds, Anne Nightingale, Tony Prince andRay Moore - and Paul Burnett picks his records of the month. We also tell you what wenton when "DEE JAY AND RADIO MONTHLY" went to MIDEM!
a And of course all the latest Free Radio news - plus all the usual features, which all addup to make "DEE JAY AND RADIO MONTHLY" Britain's brightest radio and DJ magazine.
Finally don't miss our exciting 'Jackson 5' poster offer on page 23 - two great 24" x 30"posters for just 5op. Dee jays - why not order in bulk? - they make great give-aways orcompetition prizes!
See you all again next month - and here's to our first birthday in six months' time!
BEN CREEPUBLISHER
C, B.C. Enterprises Ltd. 1973Dee Jay and Radio Monthly is published by B.C. Enterprises Ltd., Willmott House, 43 Queen Street, Hitchin, Herts. (0462-54399).
Typesetting by Leagrave Press, Luton (Luton 51525).Printed by George Pulman & Sons Ltd., Watling Street, Bletchley, Bucks. (Bletchley 4921).Distributed by New English Library, Magazine Division, Barnards Inn, London EC1 (01-405 4614).
contentspage page
4 news and views 3o beatwave - free radio association
6 "THE BIG THREE" No 2 - PETE 33 Tony MercerMURRAY
35 RAY MOOREto deejay in MIDEM
38 Disco Gear with Karl Dallas12 ANNE NIGHTINGALE
40 disco picks of the month14 dee jay POLL RESULTS
42 Hospital Radio Notebookfrc cib
43 dx corner20 sounds of the month - Paul Burnett sounds on stage
22 the tony mercer column 44 dee jay album sounds LP reviews
24 NOEL EDMONDS 46 "Record World" US charts
27 TONY PRINCE 47 Radio Luxembourg charts
3
Jim to move to radio 2 !It was announced this week that popular Radio 1 DJ Jimmy Young is to move over to Radio 2 at the beginning of July. Jim will
host a new two hour lunchtime programme from Monday to Friday, but the exact time of the show has not yet been finalised.The move is seen as a strengthening of the Radio 2 network in the face of the recent announcement by Capital Radio of their plan
to use a "Radio 2" type of content for their programmes.At the same time Tony
Brandon will move to anearly evening spot, and"Woman's Hour" will moveover to Radio 4 and bereplaced by a musicprogramme. The onlynon -music content for Radio 2will then be "Waggoner'sWalk".
It is also understood that"After Seven" will bedropped and replaced againby an as yet undecided newshow.
During the month ofMarch, Radio 1 and 2Controller DouglasMuggeridge and Radio 1head Derek Chinnery will belistening to tapes, etc, to findthe replacement for JimmyYoung on Radio 1. This maymean that another new facewill find themselves in a topspot, although a BBCspokesman told "Dee Jayand Radio Monthly" that"it is likely to be someonewho is already broadcastingon the network".
We also understand thatthere is likely to be a majorshake-up of Radio I at aboutthe same time - which couldbe the most widespread andsignificant since DouglasMuggeridge assumed controlof the network in 1969.
sandi - thenew familyfavourite
Comparative newcomer tobroadcasting Sandi Jonestakes over from MichaelAspel as presenter on BBC'spopular show "FamilyFavourites" on April 8 - thedate the show movesexclusively to Radio 2.
Sandi, age 27, gained herfirst broadcasting experiencewith BFBS in Cologne, andhas appeared on the show asGerman hostess. She also satin for Michael Aspel at thebeginning of February.
She says: "I am obviouslya little nervous about takingthis programme on - well,who wouldn't be? "FamilyFavourites" is more than arecord programme, becauseyou have this feeling ofactually helping people to getcloser together, it's fabulous.I don't agree with peoplewho say that broadcasting isa man's market. I hopethey're wrong, anyway!"
lux onlong wave
Radio Luxembourg'sBritish service have takenover - for a trial period -RTL's late -night broadcastingon long wave from Mondayto Friday.
The programmes which goout on 1293m run frommidnight through to 3 amwill be transmitted live fromLuxembourg by the Englishteam of DJs. First in thestudio was Dave Christianwho put out an interestingmulti-lingual programme, but"Dee Jay and RadioMonthly" understands thatthe other DJs will speak inEnglish.
The programmes will becompiled in London by 208'sKen Evans and will featurein the main the usualLuxembourg style of
steve'sback ...again
Steve Jones returns againto the Saturday afternoonspot on Radio 1 on March 3for four weeks, taking overfrom the Baron. From thebeginning of April, the newBBC series "The RollingStones Story" will run onSaturdays on the pop networkand the DJ show will bere -timed from 3 to 5 pm.The Stones episodes will berepeated on Wednesdays at10 pm in "Sounds of theSeventies".
programming, although oneor two French hit paraderecords will occasionally befeatured.
Although reception here ispretty good, the programmesare primarily aimed at Franceand are not intended tocompete with the existing 208programmes.
London commercialcontracts awarded
The Independent Broadcasting Authority announced lastmonth the names of the two companies who will run the firstof Britain's new commercial radio stations.
The two stations, both located in London, are understood tobe likely to start transmissions later this year, which isconsiderably earlier than was generally expected.
The general station will be run by Capital Radio, headed byRichard Attenborough, the film actor and producer. Alsoassociated with this group is broadcaster David Jacobs.
The news station will be operated by The LondonBroadcasting Company, a consortium of five companies and sixindividuals. Their chairman is Sir Charles Trinder.
It appears likely that Capital Radio, who are at presentnegotiating with the IBA for 24 hour broadcasting, will use amusic format somewhat similar to Radio 2. RichardAttenborough will be revealing more plans later, but was quotedas saying "We are not going to be a legalised pop pirate!"
The successful applicants for the stations in Manchester,Birmingham and Glasgow are expected to be announced by theIBA later this month.
4
dee jay into dragNo, contrary to many reports, we are not becoming involved
with Danny La Rue - but are pleased to announce ourforthcoming involvement with the world of Drag Racing.
On May 13, "Dee Jay and Radio Monthly" will besponsoring a major drag race meeting at the Santa PodRaceway - and have also agreed to sponsor the John WoolfeRacing Team "Funny Car" which will be driven during theseason by world champion driver Dennis Priddle.
We are also investigating the possibility of sponsoring aconventional motor race meeting at Brands Hatch later this year.
More news next month.
news inbrief
BBC Radio 2 Stars of theWeek for the coming weeksinclude Tommy Steele(Mar 5), Vera Lynn (Mar 12),Dorothy Squires (Mar 19),Ray Stevens (Mar 26), CliffRichard (Apl 2) and JimReeves (Apl 9) . . . Gerry &the Pacemakers, TheSearchers, Billy J. Kramer &the Dakotas and WayneFontana and the Mindbendersjoin Peter Noone andHerman's Hermits for a"British Beat" tour of theStates later this year. Britishdates are also possible .The Sweet are currentlyworking on a concept albumfor release in April. Thealbum will trace the history ofrock music from Bill Haley toDeep Purple, and the groupare writing the tracksthemselves together with theirmanagers, songwriters NickyChinn and Mike Chapman
. Cliff Morgan, formerinternational rugby playerand regular broadcaster, hasbeen appointed BBC Radio'sEditor of Sport from August Iof this year . . . former MissUnited Kingdom MarilynWard now presenting arecord programme on BBCRadio Solent - "At YourRequest".
top tamlatours
Two top Tamla Motownacts - The Supremes and TheTemptations - are set to tourBritain this month. Both openon March 9 in London, theSupremes at the GaumontState, Kilburn, and theTemptations at theHammersmith Odeon.
Other Supremes dates areTalk of the South, Southend(Mar 10), Fairfield Hall,Croydon (Mar 11), Fiesta,Sheffield (Mar 12-14), Odeon,Manchester (Mar 15), FloralHall, Southport (Mar 16),ABC, Stockton (Mar 17),Empire, Liverpool (Mar 18),Heavy Steam Machine, Stoke(Mar 19), Central Hall,Chatham (Mar 21), Odeon,Hammersmith (Mar 23),Odeon, Birmingham (Mar 24),Odeon, Lewisham (Mar 25)and the De Montfort Hall,Leicester (Apl 1).
The Temptations follow upwith dates at the Odeon,Manchester (Mar 10), DeMontfort Hall, Leicester(Mar 15), Odeon, Lewisham(Mar 16), Odeon, Birmingham(Mar 17), Fiesta, Sheffield(Mar 18-24), EmpireLiverpool (Mar 25), Dome,Brighton (Mar 26) and theCity Hall, Newcastle(Mar 26).
more big beebchanges
More stereo for Radio 1, separation of Radios 1 and 2 onSunday lunchtimes, the return of Kenny Everett and the startof the Rolling Stones andBing Crosby stories - just some of thebig changes at the BBC announced recently by DouglasM uggeridge.
Brian Matthew, who hosted many of the top radio pop showsin the late 50s and early 60s, returns with a new show "MyTop 12" on Sunday mornings at 10 am. In this show a toppersonality will select his favourite music for an imaginary popLP. The Noel Edmonds Show then runs from 11 am to 1 pmand at 1 pm comes Kenny Everett's new programme. The restof Sunday programmes remain unchanged but this means that"Family Favourites" will now be heard on Radio 2 only.
The Bing Crosby Story, which will trace the career of thisimportant show business figure, will go out on Radio 2 onSundays from 2.30 to 3.30 pm.
As revealed in last month's "Dee Jay and Radio Monthly"Radio 1 will now go out in Stereo in certain areas on Saturdaysfrom 2.0 to 7.30 pm, which will cover the new six part series onthe Rolling Stones, the Saturday DJ show, David SimmonsR & B programme and "In Concert".
"Scene and Heard" moves to Friday evenings at 5 pm andRosko's "Roundtable" goes out from 6 until 8 pm.
"Sounds of Jazz" incorporating Humphrey Lyttelton's "JazzClub" and Peter Clayton's news/reviews show moves to Radio 1and stereo VHF on Saturday evenings from 10 pm to midnight.
All these changes take place from Saturday April 7 andaccording to Douglas Muggeridge are designed "to giveadditional strength to our weekend programmes and help todevelop even further the separate identities of Radio 1 andRadio 2".
Di's TONY BLACKBURN, JIMMY YOUNG and TERRY WOGAN seenhere at the Variety Club "Tribute to the BBC" luncheon last month.
THE SEX MACHINE
IT WILL TURN YOUR JINGLES ONNISTANTLY
** ULTRA TIGHT PROGRAMMING**CONTINUOUS LOOP TAPE OPERATION** AT ONE THIRD THE PRICE OF ANY
COMPARABLE BROADCAST UNIT* PLAYBACK VERSIONS AT 334 OR 712 IPS
D *SUPERDISCOTHEQUES!
DETAILS NOW :S.I.S LTD.12,MIUTARY ROADNORTHAMPTON NN1 3EUSTD 0604 32965
WHOLESALE AND DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOMEWE HAVE AGENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.K.
5
Ask around, and you'llhardly hear a word againstPete Murray. His philosophyis simple: "I try to get onwith everyone I meet -frankly, in this industry, youcan make enemies withouteven trying!".
Pete is a broadcaster inevery sense of the word, witha hell of a lot of experienceto back it up. Born inLondon in September 1928,he went to St Paul's Schooland won a scholarship to theRoyal Academy of DramaticArt, where he won a bronzemedal for acting. Hegraduated to repertory andfrom there into West Endplays . . . and then the warcame and Pete was called upfor the RAF.
After the war, Petecontinued his stage career inLondon and on Broadwayand his first taste ofdee-jaying was when hejoined the English Service ofRadio Luxembourg in 1950.
"You know," smiled Pete,"life in Luxembourg todaymust be the same as when Iwas there. It's just simply aquiet little spot in the middleof Europe - in some ways anunlikely place for a radiostation. Radio, of course,
Pete Murray, aprofessional
past and presentis one of the Grand Duchy'smain industries.
"We had some fun while Iwas over there. In those daysGeoffrey Everitt was incharge of the -English boys.I remember going to him oneday with a script and hesaid: 'what do you want that
.ter'. Well, I'd been an actorfor years and was used toworking with scripts. Buthe gave me some advicewhich I found reallyvaluable. He said: `throtv itaway and make all themistakes you're going tomake, because it's the onlyway you'll ever be a discjockey'.
"It was pretty nerte-
racking at the beginning Iassure you, but I guess I gotthrough. 1 worked there foreight years, and thendecided to try my luck backhome."
On his return, Pete startedworking with BBC Radioand TV and also did somework with commercialtelevision. He becameestablished as one ofBritain's top DJ's and sharedthe awards with names suchas David Jacobs, AlanFreeman, Sam Costa andBrian Matthew. He alsostarred in a domestic comedyseries with Dora Bryan andwon third place in a TV"Actor of the Year" award
for his part in a play, "TheLast Enemy". In 1962, Petereturned to the stage in"Scapa!" the musical versionof "Seagulls Over Sorrento"and at the end of that yeartook over the lead in "ComeBlow Your Horn".
Some of the youngerreaders of "Dee Jay andRadio Monthly" must bemore than a little surprisedto see that Pete has crammedso much into his career sofar - he's truly been throughthe mill. And it is all thisexperience that has sustainedhis position today, as one ofour "Big Three".
When the BBC startedRadio 1 & 2 in October
6
Rodney Collins talks to PETE MURRAY
1967, Pete presented"Family Choice" everymorning on the networks.Two years later, whenRadio 1 & 2 went theirseparate ways in themornings, Pete was placedwith the middle of the roadnetwork as presenter of thestyle "Open House"show.
" 'Open House' is atremendously enjoyableprogramme to do, becauseit is a little different everyday. The guests mould theprogramme into a particularshape - it's as simple as that.I enjoy interviewing andchatting to people and itmakes for a different typeof show, other than justplaying a pile of records.
"Some of the guests arevery nervous when theyarrive for the programme -well, I suppose everyone is alittle nervous really. Youhave to be a sort of instant
psychologist on theprogramme, and I canusually tell what the guestsare going to be like. Iexplain that it is just aquestion of sitting downhaving a chat and a cup ofcoffee and reading a fewcards from listeners."
"Open House" can boastquite a guest list, too. Overjust the past few weeks theprogramme has introducedstars such as Eartha Kitt,Max Bygraves, Pet Clark,Cyril Fletcher, AnthonyNewley, David Frost,Kenneth Williams, YvonneMitchell, Labi Siffre,Frankie Vaughan, RayConniff, Buddy Greco...pretty impressive, isn't it?
I asked Pete who, in showbusiness, did he count asgood friends. "Oh, there areso many people. DickieHenderson, definitely - Ithink he is one of the mostunselfish people I have ever
met in my life, really.Roger Moore is great, and soare Mike and Bernie Winters.Henry Mancini, too.Recently I've worked on acouple of TV things withMorecambe and Wise. Ithink they are probably themost professional people I'veever met, completelyuntouched by their incrediblesuccess. When I was bookedto appear on their TVspecial on Christmas Day Iwas scared stiff I would letthem down!"
Back to "Open House".Three hours a day is a longhard slog for any DJ.Does Pete get stuck foranything to say?
"Not really, because of thetype of programme 'OpenHouse' is. As I've saidbefore, the guests make forvariety, I just chat to them.If I were doing a straightrecord show for three hoursevery morning, then things
might be a little different, Isuppose.
"You know, I think wehave the format of thisprogramme so 'just right'that the whole thing couldrun along quite efficientlywithout me. I don't considermyself all that an importantingredient of theprogramme."
Others, not unnaturally,would disagree with Pete onthat point. For "OpenHouse" seems tailor-madefor him in every way . . .
"That's a point, I suppose. Imean, looking back over mycareer, I always wanted toact - to communicate. Now,I think, for the first time inmy life, I am actuallygetting through on the radioand reaching the listeners.And that, surely, is whatacting is all about. Youcould say that I don't haveto hunt around for the rightpart these days - because
Discotheque Sound Systems
"Why Stem?Because your audiencelistens with both eau!'
Johnnie Walker chose Squire Disco de luxe for his own roadshow because he thinks his customers deserve stereo.
And he only uses the best.The Squire Disco is available as a console only or with built-in
50w, 1 00w , 200w AMPS. In mono, too.All models feature professional button start turntables and slide
faders. Tape input and other options are also available.You have a choice of six colour finishes.Come and see us for the best in disco equipment. The latest
liquid wheel projectors, strobes and chromosonic and kinematiclighting effects are just a few examples of the range of gear ondisplay at our new showroom.
Come and see us. Come and hear us. Our payment terms areeasy and our equipment is profitable - for you.Or write for literature to: Squire Electronics 1 76 Junction RoadLondon N 19 500 or phone. 01-272 7474
Squlic!u lecteonicsARoger
7
I've already found it!"Pete's programme has
quite a production teamworking on it, with HarryWalters working as seniorproducer. He says of PeteMurray: "I love workingwith him, he's a superprofessional, without thecoldness of someprofessionals. He's the sortof man you could always goto if you were in trouble -areally good friend.
"In fact, our friendshipgoes back quite a way, towhen we were both in ourteens and working as filmextras. I lost touch withPete after that, but we metup again when I was workingat Philips records. I took atrip out to Luxembourg andhe was one of the DJ's thereat the time. When the BBCopened Radio 1, I foundmyself working with himagain at the BBC and I founda still photograph from oneof the films we both workedon - I think it was calledThe Day Will Dawn'.Anyway, it was all aboutthe Norwegian resistance.Small world, isn't it?"
Mark White, Head ofRadio 2: "I think for manyyears, we thought of Pete as
the ideal late night discjockey and I was surprisedwhen he agreed to transferto a morning spot. I thinkit is a mark of his trueprofessionalism that he hasmade an even bigger successin the mornings. Pete is oneof the really greatbroadcasters - along withpeople like Christopher Stoneand Jack Jackson.
"I'll tell you somethingelse. I think that the publicoften think that apart frompossessing an ability to talkoff the cuff for a long timedisc jockeys are not blessedwith a lot of brains.
"That isn't true and Petecan talk in an amusing andinteresting way on a varietyof subjects. He's a charmingguy."
Praise, indeed, from oneof the BBC's top executives.
Mrs Eileen Davies, wholives in Seaton Carew, nearHartlepool (that's RadioTeesside country) failed toget a ticket for the "OpenHouse" road show when itvisited the area - so shedecided to queue for a seat.The show began at 9 am,but Mrs Davies was outsidethe venue at 6.20 am.Pete interviewed her onthe programme andcongratulated the lady onher "staying power" . . .
"I suppose I've alwaysbeen a fan of Pete Murray's,"she said afterwards to alocal newspaper reporter."I spend most of the daylistening to the radio, andI get annoyed with some of
`I don't reallyplay that manyrecords at home'
the dee-jays who seem totalk down to you. WhenPete is broadcasting hetreats his listeners as anintelligent being. Andwatching him today, heseems such a hard worker."
A hard worker, certainly.He's usually in the studioby 8.15 every morning -"I'm not all that good atgetting up in the mornings -I need my sleep, you know!"- and after the show usuallyeats a light vegetarian lunchand takes the rest of the dayfairly easy. This routine,however, goes to the windwhen Pete's team take theprogramme out of studio B13Broadcasting House for thebenefit of listeners likeMrs Davies.
"Open House" is one ofthe Radio 2 programmeswhich, like the "TonyBrandon Show" gets out tomeet the public in theprovinces. On some of theseoccasions, Pete's programmehas formed part of a radiopromotional campaign invarious centres, called "BBCRadio Weeks". Theprogramme has been to mostmajor cities in the UK, andfor some of the showsqueues of 3,000 people are
8
not uncommon."You know, when we
first went out on theseroad shows, I didn't knowwhat to expect. It seemsincredible to me that somany people will take timeout to come along and see aradio show put together.
"When I do these livedates, I have to think of twoaudiences - the one at homeand the one in the venue.It would be a disastrousmistake to think only of thepeople with you and forgetthe listeners at home. Ithink the London Coliseum`Open House' date was oneof the most amazing thingsI've ever undertaken - it'sa wonderful feeling seeing aradio programme filling aLondon theatre. OverEaster, we're taking theshow to the LondonPalladium - that's afrightening thought, isn't it?"
Other than those "OpenHouse" road shows, Petedoesn't get much chance toget out on personalappearances during the week.
"The problem simply isthat I've got to be back inLondon to do a show atnine o'clock the followingmorning. At any rate, I
like to keep myself fairlyfresh for the show which is,after all, the most importantcommitment I've got."
What about other discjockeys, who does Pete ratehighly?
"Well, Alan Dell,certainly. He uses theminimum amount of chatwith the maximum effect.He's definitely one of myfavourites. Then there'sTerry Wogan, who I listento while I'm crawling out ofbed in the mornings.John Dunn is a marvellousbroadcaster, as is DavidHamilton. I reckon he couldgive most of us a run for ourmoney."
Music? "I don't reallyplay that many records athome, but when I do shove
something on, my mooddetermines what I listen to.Tony Bennett, I like, andSinatra. In the pop field Ilike listening to GeorgieFame and Alan Price - theyare real entertainers in thetrue sense of the word. TomJones, I think, could beevery record collector'sdream with even bettermaterial and perhaps byslightly modifying the wayhe sings."
I asked Pete for his viewson the forthcomingcommercial radio scene.
I've worked forcommercial radio, so theprospect doesn't hold anynovelty for me, quitefrankly. Look, I'll stay withthe BBC as long as theywant me - as long as I'm a
`Commercialradio ? Iprefer the BBC'
viable proposition to them."I prefer the BBC. If I'm
asked to do a TV show forthe Beeb, the whole thing isbetter than a commercial job.You could almost say thatit is the difference betweenwatching an A and B film,although perhaps that'svalittle unfair.
"I think the samestandards will be true of theworld of radio.
"I am more than happywhere I am. In fact, I thinkI'm happier now than I'vebeen for a long time - sowhy change? I'd like tothink that, at the moment,I have something to offer theBBC. But I don't expectcharity to go on forever."
This, then, is Pete Murray,much -respected disc jockeyof Radio 2. You only haveto meet him the once andyou feel you've made afriend. Indeed, you canfeel that simply by listeningto his programme.
In the music -radioindustry you are meetingnew people all the time. Formy money, Pete is one ofour finest broadcasters andin ten years' time, he couldstill be one of our "BigThree". Right?
9
dee
What a week it was!Yes, it all really happened
for "Dee Jay and RadioMonthly" at the 7th MIDEMInternational Music Festivalin Cannes towards the endof January!!
We were there, of course, tosponsor the 'live' programmeson Radio Luxembourg andI'm sure those of you whoheard them will agree thatthey were pretty fantastic.
These shows which wereintroduced by 208 DJ PaulBurnett included 'on -the -air'interviews with such stars asTony Christie, Peter Skellem,Middle of the Road, RickSpringfield, Mac and KatieKissoon, as well as yours truly.
In addition there wereworld, European or Britishpremiers of many new records,including the New Seekers`Pinball Wizard', Kenny's`Heart Of Stone', Mud withwith 'Crazy' and CurtisMayfields"SuperFly'. Plusnew albums from Derek andthe Dominoes, the Bee Geesand Yoko Ono.
For "Dee Jay and RadioMonthly" the other highlightsof a very exciting week werethe three galas (see separatereviews) and the Europeanpremier of the film 'SuperFly'.
'SuperFly', which featuresmusic by Curtis Mayfield, andis produced by Sig Shore isbasically about drugs -cocaine in particular - and theattempt by one dealer Priest(played to perfection byrelative newcomer RonO'Neal) to get out of theracket. There is plenty ofaction, a more than generoussprinkling of sex (viz. a 7minute shared bath sequence)and certainly a lot to makeyou think. The film and therecords of the music have been
fantastically successful in theStates - and deserve to be sohere. Certainly no selfrespecting DJ should bewithout the album `SuperFly'.
Throughout the MIDEMweek reaction from the wholeof the International music
AT MIDEM
scene to "Dee Jay and RadioMonthly" was extremelyencouraging - and we lookforward already to attendingnext year's event.
Paul Burnett kept usentertained on many eveningswith his great Anthony Newleyimpressions, accompanied bypianist/arranger John McLeod.
Paul Burnett in the studio at Cannes
idEir e46c rt
3,-)i,f.96 Jo-110sitjswo3e3 1'3
s;17
a.
- while 208 Press OfficerJimmy Parsons added hisSinatra -like interpretations tomany songs aided andabetted by his accompanistLuxembourg's own AlanKeen. The best "Dee Jay andRadio Monthly's" editor couldmanage was a rather dated AlJolson impression !!)
10
(above)' Dee Jay & Radio Monthly' editor Ben Cree enjoys lunchon the beach in January with John Howson, European label manager
of Buddah records-who release the 'SuperFly' sound track(below) Paul Burnett and 208 Press officer Jimmy Parsons have
fun with a statue outside the studio
the midem galasThere were three gala
performances at this year'sMIDEM - each featuring theusual mixed bag of American,British and Continental acts,and as in previous yearsalmost without exception theshows proved the completedominance and capabilities ofthe British and US acts overour Continental rivals.
Star of the opening galawas undoubtedly IsaacHayes, and although restrictedto some 15 minutes managed,with the aid of some prettyerotic dancers, to completelycapture the essentially tradeaudience. Also on the billthat night were Britain's TonyChristie, who gave a powerfulperformance, America's BillWithers, who had theunenviable task of openingthe show, and Esther Ofarim- who drew prolonged
I applause with a superbversion of "MotherlessChild".
Wednesday evening's show!was a new idea devoted to"New International Artists"land again it was our own
Peter Skellern together withUS stars John Prine and theNitty Gritty Dirt Band whostole the show.
The closing gala on Fridayevening featured goodperformances by theRaspberries, Roberta Flackand Canada's Anne Murray -whose spot was somewhatmarred by amplificationproblems.
It was left, however, toBritain's Hurricane Smith toclose the show and the lastof these galas - and what anact! "The man who put theshow -biz back into MIDEM"was the note I scribbled onmy programme.
His act comprised hisvarious hit records from"Don't Let It Die" to "OhBabe what could you say"(currently number two in theUS charts) - and included alightning off-stage costumechange.
Very, very good and let'sface it pure entertainment -which is really what it shouldbe all about!
ben cree
Curtis Mayfield who composed and plays the music,also appecre :n cne sequence
1
Ron O'Neal us Priest seen here in a spot of trouble
.4,41011i
No trouble here though as Ron shares a bathtub sequence withgirl friend Sheila Frazier
11
TN THE TOKEN WOMAN'
PP. "I'd like to know all aboutyour private life!"Anne "Oh, I could go onfor hours! It's funny, but noone's ever asked me thatbefore!"P.P. "Well, I've been dyingto know! Are you married,not married or what?"Anne "Was. Was marrieduntil about three and a halfyears ago, and I've twochildren, a boy of ten and agirl of five. One of each,which I think is prettyclever!"P.P. "You definitely arrangedthat well dear!"Anne "I'm now with someonewho I'm not married to. Wekeep talking about it andcan't decide whether we willor not."P.P. "How did you first cometo settle in Brighton ?"Anne "I've always had aromantic thing aboutBrighton since reading`Brighton Rock' at the age of18, and then, as circumstanceshappened, I ran away fromhome to Brighton to live witha man. I shall never forget,as I left home carrying mygreat suitcase, just like in the
Polly Perkins talks toANNE NIGHTINGALE
Radio l's lone lady DJ
Beatles song, the taxi driversaid 'You going back toschool dear ?' I thought-here's this great adultmoment in my life, this greatstep and he thinks I'm aschoolgirl! I wanted to say`No, I'm going to live in sin',but of course I didn't."P.P. "How did you cometo get into reviewing records,because you were the firstand still the only known ladyone?"Anne "I know. In a way I'dlike there to be more becauseI sometimes think I don'tknow if I'm any good or not
because I've got no one tocompare me with. I startedby doing reviews for theBrighton Argus."P.P. "I think you're alovely reviewer-you'vealways been very nice aboutme! I was speaking to KathyKirby and she said you alwayssay nice things about her.I was wondering if you'reparticularly nice to girls ?"Anne "Perhaps a fractionmore sympathetic. Also,maybe I'm subconsciouslythinking that if I'm nastyabout another woman she'llthink 'Bitch'! Really men are
a lot bitchier than women."P.P. "Do you think of yourwriting as a separate thing toperforming?"Anne "Oh yes. I like radioso much better. Writing ishard work for me, and I feelI'm not a born writer althoughI've picked up the techniqueover the years. I likecommunication and that'swhat the revolution in musicwas all about. The Beatlesmade music totally classless.Also you can meet people andsay, 'What kind of music doyou like?' and by what theysay you can see if you'regoing to like them or not."P.P. "What kind of musicdo you like?"Anne "Good question. Ilike that-straight in! Well,King Crimson is one, Nielson,David Bowie and Lou Reed-all that camp lot."P.P. "That's Brighton'sinfluence on you dear!"Anne "Yes, that's whatBrighton's done to me!"P.P. "Do you find you onlylike to listen to music or doyou appreciate performers?"Anne "I try to get to as manyconcerts as I can. Generally
12
the two seem to gell. I thinkELO are the most excitingthing I saw last year, but RoyWood's left now and I've notyet seen Wizzard. Goodperformances and goodrecords usually go hand inhand."P.P. "You've been in musicsince the beginning of theSixties. Do you think thingshave changed for the better?"Anne "Oh yes. Everything'sbeen opened up. There's beena social revolution."P.P. "On 'Sounds of theSeventies' do you choose yourown records?"Anne "Yes. On 'What'sNew' I didn't, but therewouldn't have been muchpoint anyway. In some shows,like Tony Blackburn's, Idon't think the disc jockeyswould have the time to puttogether their own material.I gather that Alan Freeman,when he was offered his newafternoon show, stipulatedthat he wouldn't do it unlesshe could choose his ownrecords. I think this showsbecause he plays good music."P.P. "How do you get onwith the other disc jockeys?Are you very aware of yourfemininity or don't youthink about it at all?"Anne "I try to forget it!"P.P. "You're one of theboys then are you?"Anne "When I worked onthe newspapers I alwaysseemed to be the only girlso I suppose I'm used toit. I don't have an incrediblyactive social life within thisbusiness because I've alwaysgot to get back home toBrighton and the kids and Ijust haven't got the time."P.P. "Why do you thinkthere's only you?"Anne "I'm the tokenwoman! I really am. Thereused to be a story that one ofthe previous heads of RadioOne used to play auditiontapes of aspiring girl discjockeys to liven up his dinnerparties. I think this was anevil thing to do. WhenDouglas Muggeridge tookover as Controller he wasspeaking to Derek Taylorabout getting a girl discjockey and Derek suggestedme. The reason they couldn'tturn me down ultimatelywas because I've got theknowledge about music and
I'd done a fair bit ofbroadcasting on programmeslike 'Today' and 'Woman'sHour'."P.P. "Does being a womanhave its special problems inradio ?"Anne "When I was doing'What's New?' I thought theaudience was basically femaleand I had women in mind,although I never played upthe femininity thing at all.Once I said on the air thata girl had sent me a pot of herhome made marmalade,which I thought was great,and I thanked her. Theengineer said, through theglass, 'I suppose we'll behaving knitting patternsnext'. I thought, now JimmyYoung can do this but I,presumably, should be tellingpeople how to wire up plugs!"P.P. "Have you got anyadvice to women strugglingalong in a man's world?"Anne "The only way thatwomen can succeed is notby shouting, screaming ordemanding, you see you don'tget anywhere that way, butjust by quietly getting onwith it."
DISCOTRON ELECTRONICS
150 Watts R.M.S. Integral Amp 15HZ-50 KHZ 1DB
Garrard Decks Cross -Fade
Cue Switches P.F.L. etc
250, 400 8- 1000 Watt Models
also available
Free Demonstrations
Lighting Effects Sound Activated Strobes
No Deposit Credit and H.P. Terms available
S.A.E. for Leaflets to: -
64 Oldhill Street, London, N.16 Tel. 01-806 6421
13
TOP OF THEPOLLS
TONY BLACKBURN
What a fantastic response! Literally thousands ofvotes were received for our first "DEE JAY ANDRADIO MONTHLY" poll - in fact at one stage theywere arriving by the sackload, much to the annoyanceof our local postman. So to all of you who voted avery sincere thank you - let's make sure that the"DEE JAY AND RADIO MONTHLY" pollbecomes recognised as THE definitive radio poll.
As for the results - no real major upsets we feel,and so we offer our congratulations to messrsBlackburn, Walker, Rosko, Wogan, Wesley and Rossplus messrs Glitter and Stewart for two excellentrecords.
Special "DEE JAY AND RADIO MONTHLY"trophies are now being prepared and will be presentedto the winners at a special party to be held onMarch 20. Pictures and news of this event will beincluded in our next issue.
TOPRADIO DJ
1 TONY BLACKBURN(BBC Radio 1)
2. NOEL EDMUNDS(BBC Radio 1)
3. DAVE LEE TRAVIS(BBC Radio 1)
4. JOHNNIE WALKER(BBC Radio 1)
5. MARK WESLEY (208)6. BRIAN McKENZIE (RNI)7. KID JENSEN (208)8. ROSKO (BBC Radio 1)9. JIMMY SAVILE
(BBC Radio 1)10. TONY BRANDON
(BBC Radio 2)11. ROGER 'TWIGGY' DAY12. KENNY EVERETT
(-, soon BBC Radio 1)13. ED STEWART
(BBC Radio 1 Er 2)14. PAUL BURNETT (208)15. MIKE ROSS (RNI) JOHNNIE WALKER
TOP RADIOONE DJ
1. JOHNNIE WALKER2. NOEL EDMONDS3. TONY BLACKBURN4. DAVE LEE TRAVIS5. ROSKO6. ALAN FREEMAN7. ED STEWART8. JOHN PEEL9. JIMMY SAVILE
10. JIMMY YOUNG11. STUART HENRY12. STEVE JONES13. BOB HARRIS14. ANNE NIGHTINGALE15. ALAN BLACK
14
ROSKO
TERRY WOGAN
TOPDISCO DJ
1. ROSKO2. ROGER 'TWIGGY' DAY3. MARK WESLEY4. TONY PRINCE5. PAUL BURNETT6. JOHNNIE WALKER
TOP RADIOTWO DJ
1. TERRY WOGAN2. TONY BRANDON3. PETE MURRAY4. JOHN DUNN5. DAVID HAMILTON
BRUCE WYNDHAM6. TOM EDWARDS7. BARRY ALLDIS8. RAY MOORE9. PETE BRADY
10. KEITH SKUES
MARK WESLEY
MIKE ROSS
TOP208 DJ
1. MARK WESLEY2. KID JENSEN3. TONY PRINCE4. PAUL BURNETT5. DAVE CHRISTIAN6. BOB STEWART
TOPRNI DJ
1. MIKE ROSS2. BRIAN McKENZIE3. DON ALLEN4. ARNOLD LAYNE5. ROB EDEN6. MARK SLATE
4e.a.6
would like to thankthe readers of
etIRadio monthly
for votingrock & roil
partsthe number 1 single
in their1972
SINGLES POLL
BELL RECORDS3 Charles Street,Berkeley Square,London W1X 8LNTel: 01-493 0673
ROCK ARTISTESMANAGEMENTLIMITED252/260 Regent Street,London W1R 6DNTel: 01-4341881
15
ROD STEWART
GARY GLITTER
TOP DISCOSINGLEOF 1972
1. Rock 'n Roll (Parts 1 Et 2)- Gary Glitter (Bell)
2. Crocodile Rock - EltonJohn (DJM)
3. School's Out - AliceCooper (Warner)
4. Mama Weer All CrazeeNow - Slade (Polydor)
5. My Ding A Ling - ChuckBerry (Chess)
6. Hallelujah Freedom -Junior Campbell (Deram)
7. Mouldy Old Dough -Lieutenant Pigeon (Decca)
8. Locomotion - Little Eva(London)
9. Gudbye T'Jane - Slade(Polydor)
10. Big Six - Judge Dread(Big Shot)
TOP DISCOALBUMOF 1972
1. Never A Dull Moment-Rod Stewart (Mercury)
2. Slade Alive - Slade(Polydor)
3. Glitter - Gary Glitter(Bell)
4. 25 Rockin' and Rollin'Greats - Various Artists(K -Tel)
5. Slayed - Slade (Polydor)6. The Slider - T. Rex (T. Rex)7. The Rosko Show - Rosko
Et various artists (Atlantic)8. Motown Disco Classics -
Volume 2 - Various Artists(Tamla Motown)
9. 20 Dynamic Hits - VariousArtists (K -Tel)
10. Crazy Horses - TheOsmonds (MGM)
VKr7PPCU/IE/
:An Old Raincoat will never let you down VO4
Gasoline Alley 6360 500
Every Picture Tells a Story 6338 063
Never a Dull Moment 6499 153
:ALSO AVAILABLE ON CASSETTE . AND CARTRIDGE
From Phonogram- the best sounds around
M.A.M. (Agency) Limited
MAM House, 24-25 New Bond Street, London W1Y 9HDTel: 01-629 9255
ARE PROUD TO REPRESENT
TONY BLACKBURN
NOEL EDMONDS
ED STEWART
TERRY WOGAN
* TONY BRANDON* KENNY EVERETT
* DAVE LEE TRAVIS* JIMMY YOUNG
And congratulate them all on their successin the `DEE JAY' Poll
Ilik,ARNOLD LAYNE * DON ALLEN
BRIAN McKENZIE * MIKE ROSSon board the radio ship
MEBO 2
and ROB EDEN and all the staff in Zurich
thank you for your votes in this year's poll and for yourcontinued support.
RADIO NORTHSEA INTERNATIONAL-220 metres MEDIUM WAVE
The "'oiee" of Europe- The Sound of the World-17
Free RadioCampaign
To start off we would like towelcome all new members ofCIB and subscribers to FRC'snewscaster. Since the last twoissues of "Dee Jay andRadio Monthly" which wehave appeared in, there hasbeen a really fantasticresponse. If you have writtenand there has been a slightdelay in your reply, we doapologise, but bothorganisations have beeninundated with letters.Thanks a lot! Keep writing,our addresses are at the endof the article.
Radio IBA Calling!Regular British listeners to
the Dutch off -shore stationRadio Veronica on 538m,during the last few weeks ofJanuary were very upsetbecause of the test
CAMPAIGN FORINDEPENDENT CBROADCASTING
THE IBAON TEST
transmission by theIndependent BroadcastingAuthority on the samefrequency 557 kHz.
If you remember in ourarticle last month wementioned that the IBA werehaving difficulty in finding asite for their medium wavetransmitters. So, they havehad to use a temporarytransmitter with a temporaryaerial at a temporary site (!)This is located at Lots Road,Chelsea, London Transport
Power Station (Tower ofPower? - sorry). For thetechnically minded, thetransmitter power is 1 kW tothe aerial a 275 ft vertical,top loaded by 212 fthorizontal suspended betweenthe two main chimney stacks.(See photo).
ComplaintsA recorded announcement
went out with the testtransmissions which explainedthe purpose of the tests was
to help plan the forthcomingLocal Commercial Radiostations for Britain. Theyalso gave an address andtelephone number forreception reports. Many callswere received, but not allwere reception reports . .. anengineer estimated thatduring the first 10 daysapproximately 250-300Veronica fans had telephonedto complain. The reply givenby the IBA was that thefrequency was allocated tothem by the Ministry ofPosts and Telecommunicationsand that it was chosen manymonths ago before Veronicachanged from 192m at theend of last September.
The FutureAs they are using a
temporary aerial and aerial
18
Veronica's aerial between two masts; the IBA aerial between two chimney stacks. (Pix. courtesy Radio Veronica CV and FRC London.)
site it may be necessary, theIBA have said, to use differentfrequencies than those alreadyannounced (1151 kHz - 26Imand 1546 kHz - 194m) forthe London stations whenthey start at the end of 1973or beginning of 1974. Weasked the IBA if they will, inthe light of their previousstatement, state whether theywill continue to use 557 kHz;we received a "no comment"!The question to be answeredis why did the IBA use thisfrequency when Veronica'ssignal must be making theirtests difficult?
The test were due toterminate on January 26, butthey have continued after thisdate.
Incidentally, RadioVeronica in an effort to tracewho was "jamming" theirtransmissions contacted RNIat Zurich who subsequentlytelexed CIB to trace thesource. We sent a telex backinforming 'them it was theIBA, but it was not deliberate"jamming" but testing theirtransmitter.
If you are a Veronicalistener and are worried thatthey may start using thewavelength permanently thenwe urge you to write to themand simply explain theproblem. The more letters ofgenuine protest they get, theless likely they are to use it.They obviously do not wantto start permanentbroadcasting with an annoyedlistenership. The address towrite to is: IndependentBroadcasting Authority,Engineering Dept, 70Brompton Road, LondonSW3. No need to get angrywith them, just register asimple complaint, saying thatyou listen to Veronica.
Radio CarolineAt the time of writing,
reception of Caroline is stillrather weak over most of thecountry, nevertheless quitelistenable during the day(Dutch service) and latenight/early morning (Englishservice). According to stationowner Ronan O'Rahilly, thefinancial position should bemuch improved this monthand so perhaps they willfinally be able to fit the newaerial mast and thus increasepower. The maximum powerof the transmitter they areusing at present is 50 kW.The address for letters is:Radio Caroline, CarolineHouse, Den Haag, Holland.
Who isArnoldLarne?
Now all is revealed! OurDJ photo this month isArnold Layne of RN I.Arnold first joined the stationat the end of April last yearand left for a couple ofmonths in October. Since hisreturn in December his showshave been getting better andbetter so we thought hedeserved a .`plug" in "DeeJay and Radio Monthly".His off -beat sense of humourmakes his shows well worthtuning in to.
Before joining RNI Arnoldworked on several of the oldoff -shore stations underanother name, and then oncommercial television.
Arnold Layne on his way back to the Mebo IL (Pic. courtesy ofFRC London).
Radio Nordsee InternationalNo "dramas" to report
from RNI which is of coursegood, so we can fit in theirInternational Serviceprogramme schedule.
All times are GMTMonday - Thursday05.00-19.00 Dutch Service19.00 Mike Ross Show21.00 Big Wide Wonderful
World of Daffy DonAllen
24.00 Brian McKenzie Shov03.00 Close Down
Friday05.00-19.00 Dutch Service19.00 International Top 30
with Mike Ross21.00 Big Wide Wonderful
World of Daffy DonAllen
23.00 Rock 'n Roll Specialwith Brian McKenzie
01.00 Brian McKenzie Show02.00 Skyline - Various DJs
Saturday05.00-19.00 Dutch Service19.00 Mike Ross Show21.00 Brian McKenzie Show23.00 Country & Western
Jamboree with DonAllen
01.00 Big Wide Wonderful
World of Daffy DonAllen
02.00 Skyline - Various DJs
Sunday06.00-19.00 Dutch Service19.00 Hitback Show with
Mike Ross21.00 Big Wide Wonderful
World of Daffy DonAllen
24.00 Brian McKenzie Show03.00 Close DownRelief DJs: Arnold Layne
Mark SlateOf course we must not
forget the World Service,every Sunday in the 49mband, 6205 kHz, from09.00-19.00.
Finally, don't forget theFree Radio Campaign cansupply car stickers, posters,etc, to help you publicise theoff -shore stations. As we area Campaign in the true senseof the word, all prices arekept to a minimum andcover our printing andadvertising costs only. All areavailable in small or bulkquantities, or just send afoolscap SAE for full detailsof this publicity material, ofour regular Newscaster
Magazine and of theCampaign itself, plus somefree sample car stickers!!The stickers for Caroline,RNI or Veronica cost 3 for 5por 50 for 35p. Our address issimply: Free RadioCampaign, BM-FRC,London WCIV 6XX.
The Campaign forIndependent Broadcasting at13 Ashwood House, London.NW4, costs only 38p annualmembership, and you willreceive regular newsletters,free car stickers andinformation on our policies.If you just want moreinformation send a foolscapSAE, and also send one ifyou wish to join.
Late NewsJust as we go to press, the
IBA are still continuing withtheir test transmissions on557 kHz. The IBA have saidthat they WILL use thisfrequency for one of theLondon stations, until theycan get planning permissionfor the site in Barnet.Veronica fans start writing tothe IBA NOW!
19
sounds of the month
Hi there, this is PaulBurnett!
As you will have readelsewhere in this month's"Dee Jay and RadioMonthly" I was luckyenough to be down inCannes for the MIDEMmusic festival - to presentthe half-hour programmesthat were sponsored by themagazine. What a week itwas - I'm still talking aboutit - and all the otherdeejays here in the GrandDuchy are getting just alittle bit fed up with it, Ithink!
Anyway the programmeswere great fun to do and wehad some really nice peopleon the show. The otheraspect of the programmeswas the fantastic number ofBRAND NEW records thatwe were able to play - whichhad NEVER been playedon the air anywhere before -and had certainly not beenheard in England before.
So I have devoted my"Sounds of the Month"selection to just some ofthem.
Singles1. Pinball Wizard - The
New Seekers (Polydor) - Tome the knockout record ofthe week. It's such a greatchange from their usual styleand it comes off really well.I'm sure you all know thisis from the rock opera"Tommy" - and willdefinitely be a big one forthem. The production, whichwas done in America isabsolutely fantastic.
2. Nice One Cyril -Cockerel Chorus(Youngblood) - This was thephrase of MIDEM, and thiswas the record that had us alfalling about. I honestlydon't think I'll ever forgetthe expression on AlanKeen's face when MikiDallon, the head ofYoungblood records, firstplayed it to him! I'm surethat this will be in the chartsvery soon - probably by thetime you read this piece -
and will be another "Blue isthe Colour". Yes, in caseyou haven't heard it this oneis another football song allabout a certain NorthLondon team! It's got agreat beat to it - but don'tmiss the opening either!
3. Crazy - Mud (Rak) -From songwriters Chapmanand Chinn, who wrote allthe Sweet's big hits, comesthis knockout sound. Theidea behind this record is toget you all dancing the tango(I think that was a dance
which was popular inballrooms many moons ago)it's got a definite tangorhythm to it and, whoknows, maybe people willwant to start dancingtogether again.
4. Heart of Stone - Kenny(Rak) - Another sensationalsound on Mickie Most'sRAK label, and one whichdeserves to be a hit. We'vehad this one as aLuxembourg Power Play -and I think it's great.It's got a good beat and
this month's selection by208 DJ PAUL BURNETT
should be popular in thediscos.
5. Change It All - Mac andKatie Kissoon (Youngblood)- We had Mac and Katie"live" on the programmeand we were all knockedout by this record. It has avery repetitive backing andsome great lyrics.Incidentally Mac and I gotinvolved in a fabulous bluessession at the Royaltypiano bar one evening inCannes - and that man cansure lay down some mean
a
20
piano.
* * * * * *Albums
Well, I think that's aboutall for the singles - so let'shave a look at three albumswhich we were allowed"exclusive radio previews"on. Firstly let's look at theinitial two releases on thenew Robert Stigwood label(RSO) which came to us viathe kind offices of theirlabel manager David English- always well in evidencethroughout the week atMIDEM (as were stickersand tee-shirts bearing the redcow label symbol of RSOrecords) -a double albumby Derek and the Dominos,featuting, of course, EricClapton and a new releaseby the Bee Gees.
DEREK AND THEDOMINOSIn ConcertRSO 2659 020
Recorded some 18 monthsago at a concert at theFillmore East - this is a greatalbum. Eric, BobbyWhitlock, Carl Radle andJim Gordon are all on fineform - and these extendednumbers (four run for overten minutes each) allow themroom to really stretch out.Nice variety of tempos makethis an exciting and at thesame time interesting album.
THE BEE GEESLife In A Tin CanRSO 2394 102
Beautiful album from thispopular group. Every songhas really great lyrics andseveral tracks could well make
future singles. Guest musiciansinclude Rik Grech, JimKeltner and Sneaky Pete.Recorded in Los Angelesthis is one you shouldreally have a listen to.
YOKO ONOApproximately InfiniteUniverseApple SAP 101/102
One approaches a newalbum from Yoko Ono,and particularly a doublealbum, with a little cautionand when it was suggestedthat we should feature atrack on the programme Iwas frankly a little nervous.But there are no histrionicsand wailing on any of the 22tracks which make up thisset, and when one considersthat they are written and
sung by Yoko herself - theyare really very good. I wasdelighted with the wholealbum, as I am sure youwill be.
* * * * * *So that's it -a brief look
at just some of the greatdiscs we played to you fromMIDEM. Once again a greatbig thank you to "Dee Jayand Radio Monthly" and toeditor/publisher Ben Cree inparticular for making it allpossible.
Bye for now.
paulburnett
nextmonthanothertop DJmakes hischoice
"WHAT CAN I SAY
MY BOY" sincere thanks
JOHNNIE
WALKER
21
First may I say that I shallget round to answering you allas soon as possible. One pointI have noticed from a lot ofyour letters is that some of youare not certain of the waythat American stationsclassify their music and decidetheir station type.
So this month I will explainin some detail the way theyclassify themselves. Let'sstart with Top 40 stations.
These are just what theysay. They play the Top 40records plus the Top 40albums and look in somedetail at the new records.Most of the Top 40 stationsin the US come on the
medium wave band or thelarge networks, ie CBS, ABCand NBC.
Then comes the MORstations. These cater for themore sweeter music, notheavy pop and not to theextremes of very soft music.In fact they programmesomewhere in the middle.
We then have the sweetmusic stations. They play TomJones, Frank Sinatra etIn fact they play anything thatis "easy listening" music -Mancini, Ray Coniff - musicthat makes a nice backgroundfor daytime housewives. Theykeep the chat to a minimumand at times run albumsstraight through.
Of course there are also theSoul stations. They playwhat they say plus a fairsprinkling of blues, etc.
There are also a greatnumber of Country andWestern stations. They playas the name implies C&Wsounds and also do a lot of"live" programmes.
A few religious stations alsoexist which cater for religiousmusic and give preachers achance to try their sermonson air.
You will also find a fewFM local -interest stations,which run mainly on chat
shows and discussions. Ithink that there are about 60of these in America at thepresent time.
In the major cities there area few stations which playclassical music, and of coursethere are the progressivemusic stations which aremostly FM and broadcastin stereo. ABC/FM is themost well known progressivenetwork in the US.
As promised this month Ishall start to list a few of theAmerican stations for yourreference. These are, in myopinion, the best stations inthe US, and I will also begiving you the programmedirectors' name.
WLW,140 West Ninth Street,Cincinnati,Ohio 45202Clifford Hunter
WOAI,Box 2641,San Antonio,Texas 78206Bill Traphagen
K YA,1 Nob Hill Circle,San Francisco,California 94108Dick Starr
WQAM,767 41st Street,Miami Beach,Florida 33140Don Chandler
thetony
mercercolumn
Here are our show recordsfor this month. The albumchoice is from Dee Erwin onthe Signpost label, throughEMI.
Singles of the month includeAlbert Hammond's "ItNever Rains in SouthernCalifornia" out in the UK onCBS, and a new single onRare Earth by Wolfe called"Dancing In The Moonlight",Its Rare Earth's first Britishband.
Next month I shall tell youhow American recordpluggers get round to all the5,000 plus stations.
DEE JAYS DON'T MISS THISEXCITING POSTER OFFER
These colourful 24in 30in Jackson 5 posters make ideal prizes or "give-aways"for your disco show - or just brighten up the walls of your room or club.
The set of two costs just 50p (including postage and packing) and for orders of10 sets or more the cost per set is reduced to 40p each.
CUT HERE
To : Dee Jay and Radio Monthly (J5 Poster Offer),B.C. Enterprises Ltd,Willmott House,43 Queen Street,Hitchin, Herts
Please rush me set(s) of your JACKSON 5 FULL -COLOUR POSTERS.
I enclose cheque/PO value to cover the cost.
Name
Address PLEASE PRINT INBLOCK CAPITALS
22
Noe
l: I k
icke
d th
e sy
stem
in th
e te
eth!
Thi
ngs
tend
to h
appe
n to
Noe
l Edm
onds
on
July
21.
It w
as o
n th
at d
ay in
196
9th
at h
is v
oice
was
hea
rd f
orth
e fi
rst t
ime
on R
adio
1 -
ala
ndm
ark
in b
road
cast
ing
hist
ory
that
was
som
ewha
tov
ersh
adow
ed b
y th
e al
mos
tsi
mul
tane
ous
arri
val o
f N
eil
Arm
stro
ng o
n th
e M
oon.
Exa
ctly
one
yea
r la
ter
Noe
lha
d th
e lim
elig
ht a
ll to
him
self
whe
n -
amid
a b
laze
of p
ublic
ity -
he
took
ove
rfr
om K
enny
Eve
rett.
Ken
ny, o
f co
urse
, had
bee
nsa
cked
by
Aun
tie f
or m
akin
ga
joke
abo
ut th
e th
en M
inis
ter
of T
rans
port
Joh
n Pe
yton
'sw
ife
offe
ring
her
dri
ving
test
exam
iner
a b
ribe
whi
chw
ould
hav
e go
ne to
tally
unno
ticed
had
not
the
Bee
bde
cide
d to
mak
e an
issu
e ou
tof
it.
Man
y E
vere
tt fa
nsun
reas
onab
ly b
ut n
otun
expe
cted
ly to
ok o
ut th
eir
ange
r an
d fr
ustr
atio
n on
his
succ
esso
r."F
rom
som
e of
the
hate
lette
rs I
rec
eive
d du
ring
the
firs
t few
wee
ks y
ou w
ould
have
thou
ght t
hat I
per
sona
llyha
d ki
cked
Ken
ny o
ut,"
say
sN
oel.
"Eve
n no
w p
eopl
eoc
casi
onal
ly w
rite
to m
esa
ying
thin
gs li
ke 'I
did
n't
forg
ive
you
for
taki
ng o
ver
from
Ken
ny E
vere
tt bu
t the
nth
e ot
her
day
I bu
mpe
d in
toyo
ur p
rogr
amm
e an
d yo
uha
ppen
ed to
be
play
ing
the
best
mus
ic w
e ca
n he
ar. I
'mso
rry!
' Peo
ple'
s na
ivet
ysu
rpri
sed
me
even
thou
gh I
knew
that
I w
as b
ound
toru
n in
to a
cer
tain
am
ount
of
rese
ntm
ent."
Face
d w
ith th
e al
mos
tim
poss
ible
task
of
follo
win
gK
enny
, ex
-pub
lic s
choo
lboy
Noe
l dec
ided
that
the
only
way
to s
urvi
ve w
as c
aref
ully
to a
void
tryi
ng to
com
pete
.T
his
cam
e as
rat
her
asu
rpri
se to
the
Rad
io 1
chi
efs
who
had
giv
en h
im th
e jo
bla
rgel
y on
the
stre
ngth
of
api
lot c
omed
y sh
ow h
e ha
dm
ade
abou
t six
mon
ths
prev
ious
ly a
nd w
hich
he
desc
ribe
s as
"a
kind
of
radi
o`L
augh
-in
'.""A
few
day
s be
fore
I to
okov
er f
rom
Ken
ny I
was
take
nou
t to
lunc
h by
the
head
of
Rad
io 1
and
the
cont
rolle
r of
1 an
d 2
and
they
ask
ed m
ew
hat I
was
goi
ng to
do.
"I s
aid
that
if I
was
giv
enco
mpl
ete
free
dom
then
for
the
firs
t thr
ee w
eeks
Iw
ould
n't d
o an
ythi
ng a
t all.
The
fir
st s
how
I d
id w
as in
fact
the
stra
ight
est p
rogr
amm
eI
have
don
e in
my
life.
Ide
liber
atel
y w
aite
d so
me
time
befo
re I
beg
an to
dev
elop
my
own
radi
o pe
rson
ality
and
Ith
ink
it pa
id o
ff. I
fou
ndth
ose
firs
t few
wee
ks v
ery
frus
trat
ing
beca
use
I be
lieve
very
str
ongl
y th
at a
dis
cjo
ckey
sho
uld
do m
ore
than
spen
d tw
o ho
urs
sayi
ng 'T
his
is.
.an
d 'T
hat w
as .
.
and
read
ing
a fe
w le
tters
.A
ny a
ctor
can
do
that
. It
help
s if
you
can
do
a lit
tle b
itm
ore
and
I th
ink
you
will
find
ove
r th
e ne
xt f
ew y
ears
that
mor
e an
d m
ore
peop
lew
ill s
tart
doi
ng li
ttle
bits
- li
keco
med
y th
ings
- in
bet
wee
nth
e re
cord
s. B
ut I
thin
k th
atif
I h
ad g
one
in s
trai
ghta
way
and
trie
d to
bea
t Ken
ny a
thi
s ow
n ga
me
it co
uld
have
been
fat
al.
"He
is a
fter
all
in a
cla
ssof
his
ow
n. H
e's
not r
eally
adi
sc jo
ckey
- h
e's
a to
tal
ente
rtai
ner.
I th
ink
it's
very
sens
ible
of
the
Bee
b to
hav
ehi
m b
ack
beca
use
he's
an
asse
t to
any
radi
o st
atio
n."
If -
whe
n Ju
ly 2
1 co
mes
roun
d ag
ain
- N
oel s
houl
dpa
use
to ta
ke s
tock
of
his
care
er o
n th
e th
ird
anni
vers
ary
of h
is r
athe
r ne
rvou
s en
try
into
the
big
leag
ue o
f R
adio
1de
e ja
ys h
e w
ill h
ave
good
reas
on to
be
plea
sed
with
him
self
.In
add
ition
to h
is S
unda
ysh
ow h
e ha
s al
so e
stab
lishe
dhi
mse
lf a
s a
regu
lar
host
of
TV
's "
Top
of
the
Pops
" an
dha
s pr
oved
his
ada
ptab
ility
by g
oing
to th
e ot
her
end
ofth
e m
usic
al s
pect
rum
and
intr
oduc
ing
"Com
e D
anci
ng".
But
all
this
is o
nly
the
tipof
the
iceb
erg.
He
is tr
eblin
gth
e sa
lary
he
gets
fro
m th
eB
BC
with
per
sona
lap
pear
ance
s at
clu
bs a
nddi
scos
, voi
ce-o
vers
for
tele
visi
on c
omm
erci
als
and
othe
r fr
inge
ben
efits
.H
e is
coy
abo
ut h
ow m
uch
he is
mak
ing
but a
gree
s th
atit
is w
ell i
nto
five
fig
ures
.
Aft
er s
ome
thou
ght h
e ad
dsth
at la
st y
ear
he m
ade
five
times
as
muc
h as
his
fat
her
who
is a
gra
mm
ar s
choo
lhe
adm
aste
r.H
e is
usi
ng th
e m
oney
tose
t him
self
up
in a
var
iety
of
busi
ness
es. H
e al
read
y ha
s a
reco
rd s
hop
in th
e K
ing'
sR
oad
and
is a
bout
to o
pen
anot
her
in O
rpin
gton
.H
e ha
s ju
st s
et u
p a
com
pany
whi
ch h
ires
out
disc
jock
ey u
nits
and
he
isth
inki
ng a
bout
ope
ning
are
stau
rant
."I
'm v
ery
care
ful w
ith m
ym
oney
," h
e sa
ys. "
I'm m
adke
en o
n ca
rs a
nd I
sup
pose
Ico
uld
go o
ut a
nd b
uy m
ysel
fa
Ferr
ari -
whi
ch h
as a
lway
sbe
en th
e gr
eat d
ream
- a
nd a
real
ly b
ig h
ouse
in th
e co
untr
ybu
t I th
ink
that
wou
ld b
e a
bit s
hort
sigh
ted.
"As
a re
sult
of th
e w
ay I
have
inve
sted
my
mon
ey I
can
guar
ante
e th
at e
ven
if th
edi
sc jo
ckey
thin
g fe
ll ap
art
tom
orro
w I
will
stil
l hav
eso
me
form
of
inco
me
even
ifI'm
not
mam
mot
hly
rich
. If
the
DJ
thin
g ke
eps
goin
g a
little
long
er th
an I
will
be
doin
g ve
ry n
icel
y in
deed
."T
hat's
the
lad'
s br
ains
show
ing.
Noe
l col
lect
ed te
n`0
' lev
els
and
thre
e 'A
' lev
els
at B
rent
woo
d C
olle
ge a
ndw
as e
xpec
ted
as a
mat
ter
ofco
urse
to g
o to
uni
vers
ity.
He
caus
ed q
uite
a s
tir w
hen
he tu
rned
dow
n th
e pl
ace
heha
d be
en o
ffer
ed a
t Bri
stol
Uni
vers
ity a
nd a
ccep
ted
inst
ead
a di
sc -
jock
eyin
g jo
bw
ith R
adio
355
."I
had
sen
t out
tape
s to
all
the
Am
eric
an a
nd B
ritis
hra
dio
stat
ions
dur
ing
my
last
year
at s
choo
l," h
e sa
ys. "
Ido
n't r
eally
kno
w w
here
the
inte
rest
in b
road
cast
ing
firs
tca
me
from
."B
ut I
thin
k it'
s si
gnif
ican
tth
at th
ere
are
so m
any
disc
jock
eys
on R
adio
1 o
ras
soci
ated
with
Rad
io 1
who
wen
t to
sim
ilar
sort
s of
scho
ols
to m
ysel
f."T
ony
Bla
ckbu
rn a
nd P
ete
Dru
mm
ond
wer
e bo
th a
tM
illfi
eld
and
John
Pee
l,Jo
hnny
Wal
ker
and
Dav
idSy
mon
ds w
ere
all a
t pub
licsc
hool
. I th
ink
it's
som
ethi
ngto
do
with
the
fact
that
you
'reat
a p
lace
whe
re th
ere
are
up
41 d
on't
acce
pt th
at a
daily
pro
gram
me
isth
e lo
gica
l clim
axto
a D
J's
care
er'
to 1
,000
boy
s an
d un
less
you
are
very
goo
d it'
s di
ffic
ult t
osh
ine.
"All
the
time
you
are
blot
ted
out b
y nu
mbe
rs a
ndth
ere
is a
des
ire
to s
tep
out o
fth
e qu
eue,
to d
o so
met
hing
diff
eren
t. It
use
d to
terr
ify
me
whe
n bl
okes
talk
ed to
mas
ters
dur
ing
care
erse
ssio
ns a
nd s
aid
that
they
wan
ted
to g
o to
Cam
brid
gean
d ge
t a la
w d
egre
e an
dth
en tr
y to
get
a ju
nior
part
ners
hip,
etc
, etc
."I
cou
ld s
ee it
all.
By
the
time
you
are
31 y
ou'v
epr
obab
ly f
ound
a w
ife,
by
the
time
you
are
35 y
ou'v
e go
t aho
use,
by
the
time
you
are
40yo
u've
got
thre
e or
fou
r ki
ds,
and
by th
e tim
e yo
u ar
e 45
you
mig
ht h
ave
your
fir
stco
rona
ry. I
t's a
pas
sage
toto
tal o
bscu
rity
and
I r
ebel
led.
"Eve
ryth
ing
was
thou
ght
to h
inge
on
goin
g to
uni
vers
ity-
you
wer
e co
nsid
ered
afa
ilure
unl
ess
you
got t
o so
me
form
of
univ
ersi
ty o
r co
llege
-so
I d
id th
e w
orst
thin
g ev
erin
opt
ing
out a
nd tu
rnin
gdo
wn
the
plac
e at
Bri
stol
. Iki
cked
the
who
le s
yste
m in
the
teet
h."
The
day
aft
er h
e le
ft s
choo
lN
oel w
as o
ffer
ed a
job
with
Rad
io 3
55 b
ut b
efor
e he
coul
d ev
en g
et o
ut to
the
ship
the
pira
tes
wer
e fi
nally
sun
kby
the
gove
rnm
ent.
He
wen
t to
wor
k fo
rB
orde
r T
elev
isio
n fo
r tw
ow
eeks
and
- a
s he
put
s it
-
"lea
rned
a f
ew th
ings
up
ther
e" a
t the
end
of
whi
chtim
e he
was
off
ered
a jo
b as
an in
terv
iew
er.
Onc
e ag
ain
the
posi
tion
vani
shed
bef
ore
he c
ould
take
it u
p af
ter
the
com
pany
deci
ded
to s
ack
virt
ually
ever
y in
terv
iew
er it
had
as
part
of
an e
cono
my
driv
e.N
oel s
udde
nly
foun
dhi
mse
lf h
igh
and
dry
and
alm
ost i
n de
sper
atio
n he
took
a jo
b as
a s
tude
nt te
ache
r at
a pr
imar
y sc
hool
in S
even
Kin
gs.
A y
ear
late
r he
was
prep
arin
g to
go
to S
urre
yU
nive
rsity
to s
tudy
Psyc
holo
gy, P
hilo
soph
y an
dSo
ciol
ogy
whe
n T
ony
Win
dsor
- th
e m
an w
ho h
ad o
ffer
edhi
m th
e R
adio
355
job
-as
ked
him
if h
e w
ould
like
tojo
in R
adio
Lux
embo
urg.
Onc
e ag
ain
Noe
l tur
ned
his
back
on
univ
ersi
ty a
lthou
ghte
chni
cally
he
coul
d st
ill ta
keup
his
pla
ce.
His
fir
st d
utie
s in
the
Gra
nd D
uchy
wer
e as
ane
wsr
eade
r. "
I us
ed th
ism
id -
Atla
ntic
acc
ent w
hich
Ith
ough
t was
ver
y sl
ick
and
Ith
ink
I m
ust s
till h
old
the
reco
rd a
s th
e fa
stes
tne
wsr
eade
r in
the
Wes
t." H
eev
entu
ally
wor
ked
up to
the
mid
nigh
t -3
am s
pot.
Alo
ng th
e w
ay h
e be
cam
edi
sillu
sion
ed w
ith li
fe a
t"t
he f
rien
dly
stat
ion"
. "T
hey
said
it w
as g
oing
to b
e lik
eth
e pi
rate
s on
ly b
ette
r,"
here
calls
. "T
hey
said
the
rom
ance
of
the
pira
tes
was
the
boat
s co
min
g in
toH
arw
ich
but t
hat w
e w
ould
be je
tting
in f
rom
Eur
ope.
As
it tu
rned
out
we
arri
ved
inm
ould
y ol
d Fo
kker
pla
nes.
And
I w
ent o
ut s
uppo
sedl
yfo
r fi
ve w
eeks
and
did
n't g
etba
ck f
or f
ive
mon
ths.
The
who
le d
ream
col
laps
ed.
"Whe
n I
was
doi
ng th
em
idni
ght -
3 am
stin
t the
re w
ason
ly o
ne o
ther
per
son
in th
est
udio
s an
d w
hen
I ev
entu
ally
wal
ked
hom
e in
the
earl
yho
urs
I fe
lt ve
ry, v
ery
lone
ly.
Lux
embo
urg
is a
love
ly p
lace
to g
o fo
r th
ree
days
but
it's
not s
o ni
ce w
hen
you
have
toliv
e th
ere.
"T
he f
irst
thin
g he
did
for
Rad
io 1
was
a c
ompe
titio
n.H
e w
orke
d a
lot f
or th
e
trai
ler
depa
rtm
ent a
nd th
enm
oved
on
to th
e po
pw
orks
hop
seri
es.
In th
e sp
ring
of
1970
he
took
ove
r Jo
hnny
Wal
ker's
afte
rnoo
n sp
ot w
hen
John
nyw
as g
iven
a m
orni
ng s
how
and
thre
e m
onth
s la
ter
took
Ken
ny's
pla
ce.
"I'v
e be
en lu
cky
in th
ese
nse
that
all
alon
g I'v
e ha
dpe
ople
who
for
som
e re
ason
wer
e w
illin
g to
bel
ieve
in m
ean
d -
it so
unds
hor
ribl
ypo
mpo
us -
saw
som
ethi
ng.
It's
bee
n ei
ther
out
of
thei
row
n co
mm
erci
al in
tere
st o
rpu
rely
out
of
frie
ndsh
ip. T
his
is th
e on
ly w
ay 1
can
exp
lain
how
I c
ame
to b
e ta
ken
onby
Lux
embo
urg
whe
n I
had
no e
xper
ienc
e. I
was
the
firs
tpe
rson
they
took
on
who
had
neve
r w
orke
d on
a r
adio
stat
ion
befo
re. I
've
also
bee
nlu
cky
with
the
Bee
b."
He
reck
ons
that
the
best
thin
gs o
n R
adio
1 h
appe
n at
the
wee
kend
."A
t the
mom
ent t
here
's a
them
and
us
situ
atio
n -
them
duri
ng th
e w
eek
and
us a
t the
wee
kend
. IT
may
not
be
that
clea
rly
defi
ned
to th
e lis
tene
rbu
t it i
s if
you
're w
orki
ngth
ere. "I th
ink
the
maj
ority
of
peop
le a
t the
BB
C s
till r
egar
dth
e cl
imax
of
a D
J's
care
eras
bei
ng th
e da
ily s
how
but
I'm n
ot s
ure
that
it is
."D
urin
g th
e w
eek
peop
lete
nd to
put
up
with
Rad
io 1
.E
ven
if th
ey d
on't
like
the
reco
rds
they
put
up
with
them
bec
ause
they
wan
t ano
ise
in th
e ba
ckgr
ound
, but
at th
e w
eeke
nd p
eopl
eac
tivel
y lis
ten.
The
re is
com
petit
ion
at th
e w
eeke
ndbe
caus
e pe
ople
can
go
out
for
a w
alk,
rea
d th
ene
wsp
aper
s or
hav
e an
othe
rho
ur in
bed
. If
they
turn
on
the
radi
o it'
s be
caus
e th
eyw
ant t
o. F
or th
is r
easo
n I
thin
k th
e au
dien
ce f
igur
es a
rem
uch
fair
er a
t the
wee
kend
."I
am
ver
y co
nsci
ous
ofth
is f
act.
I tr
y -
but I
sus
pect
I do
n't a
lway
s su
ccee
d -
tosa
y th
ings
that
I th
ink
are
ofin
tere
st to
the
mus
ic lo
ver
and
anyt
hing
I th
ink
the
mus
ic lo
ver
is g
oing
to h
ate
I ge
t ove
r as
qui
ckly
as
poss
ible
. So
I ge
t a 5
0-50
split
in th
e m
ail o
f pe
ople
sayi
ng th
ey lo
ve th
e hu
mou
ran
d th
ose
sayi
ng th
ey lo
veth
e m
usic
."I
rea
lly li
ke th
e m
usic
I am
pla
ying
and
I h
ave
a lo
tof
con
trol
ove
r th
e pr
ogra
mm
ew
hich
is tr
emen
dous
. Thi
s is
real
ly w
hy I
don
't ac
cept
that
a da
ily p
rogr
amm
e is
the
logi
cal c
limax
to a
DJ'
sca
reer
- b
ecau
se I
wou
ld lo
seco
ntro
l."W
hen
I sa
y a
reco
rd is
grea
t and
it g
ets
in m
ypr
ogra
mm
e I
am f
ortu
nate
enou
gh th
at it
get
s th
ere
beca
use
I re
ally
bel
ieve
in it
.I
feel
ver
y so
rry
for
DJs
duri
ng th
e w
eek
who
eith
erha
ve to
kee
p qu
iet o
r en
thus
eov
er p
rodu
cts
that
they
have
n't r
eally
got
thei
r m
inds
on." O
n th
e w
hole
he
belie
ves
that
the
BB
C is
doi
ng a
goo
djo
b un
der
extr
emel
y di
ffic
ult
if n
ot im
poss
ible
con
ditio
ns.
"It i
s se
rvin
g a
popu
latio
nfi
ve ti
mes
that
of
New
Yor
kan
d ye
t New
Yor
k al
one
has
300
stat
ions
. Tha
t is
the
best
para
llel y
ou c
an g
ive.
"As
long
as
it re
mai
ns in
am
onop
oly
posi
tion
the
Bee
bis
bou
nd to
get
kic
ked.
"It w
ill b
e in
tere
stin
g to
see
wha
t hap
pens
whe
nco
mm
erci
al r
adio
sta
rts.
Isu
spec
t tha
t it w
ill d
ip to
the
low
est c
omm
on d
enom
inat
oran
d, a
s Jo
hn P
eel s
aid
rece
ntly
, the
sal
vatio
n of
Rad
io 1
will
be
not d
ippi
ngw
ith it
. We
shou
ld a
im a
t ace
rtai
n st
anda
rd a
nd if
they
wan
t to
com
e up
to u
s -
grea
t!"
At 2
4 N
oel i
s th
e yo
unge
stof
the
Rad
io 1
DJs
but
he
isal
read
y th
inki
ng a
bout
mov
ing
into
oth
er a
reas
of
broa
dcas
ting.
"I
can'
t see
mys
elf
as a
Jim
my
You
ng o
rA
lan
Free
man
," h
e sa
ys.
"The
re a
re th
ings
that
mig
htha
ppen
for
me
in th
e ne
xtye
ar w
hich
, if
they
con
ic o
ff,
wou
ld p
ush
me
in e
xact
ly th
edi
rect
ion
I w
ant t
o go
."Pe
rhap
s Ju
ly 2
1 w
ill o
nce
agai
n be
a s
igni
fica
nt d
ate
in19
73!
mik
eca
ble
2425
Diminutive Tony Princemay be the last in ourcurrent series of interviewswith the 208 DJ's - but he'scertainly not the least!"Your Royal Ruler" hasbeen socking it over theRadio Luxembourg airwavesnow for almost five years -apart from a break in1971-72 when he left for awhile. More about thatlater.
In fact, at one stage in hiscareer it looked as thoughhe was all set to become ajockey . . .
"I did a lot of horse ridingas a youngster. My uncle hada farm and I used to ride acart horse and take it to beshod about ten miles away.1 used to get a tremendouskick out of that and as I wasrather small people used tojoke that I should be ajockey. So one day shortlyafter I'd left school andcouldn't decide what to dofor a living, I got someaddresses of stables off agirl who was a horse fiendand wrote to the first oneon the list.
"It was Gerald Armstrongin Yorkshire, and theyactually gave me a onemonth trial. I passed thetrial period and at first Iquite liked the life. Whatmade me pack it in aftersix months, apart from thehard work and ridiculoushours, was the fact that youonly had about three ridesin your six yearapprenticeship. If you hadn'tsucceeded in showing yourselfas a good rider by beingplaced in one of thoseraces - then your career as ajockey was up the shoot.I didn't fancy mucking outstables for the rest of mylife so I weighed the oddsup and decided to pack it in.I went home, broke mycontract - whichautomatically forbade meto ride for any other stables- so I just knocked the idearight on the head. Maybeif I'd been with anotherstable I might still havebeen a jockey, who knows."
Racing's gain had thathappened would certainlyhave been radio's loss.What made erstwhile jockeyTony turn to the world Ofradio?
"Well I'd already spentsome time while at artcollege singing and playingrhythm guitar with a groupin and around Manchester -you know in competition
with people like Freddie andthe Dreamers, the Holliesand the Dakotas. By nowI'd got a job singing with aband for Top Rank andon ht the DJ, who
ave the band abrea n't arrive. Themanager asked me if Iwould stand in for the DJ,and this led to the regular
job - working all night,but earning good money, asopposed to the 22-1p a weekas a trainee jockey. ThenTop Rank offered me thejob moving round thecountry with the band andalso doing the DJ spot andI finished up in Bristol."
It was whilst in Bristolthat Tony began -to make a
name for himself and wasvoted Top DJ in a localmagazine called WesternScene. He also managed toget a regular spot on aTV show "Discs A Go Go" -by, as lie puts it - "a littlebit of cheek".
"I suppose I really was avery cheeky little swine inthose days. I went round tothis TV show at TWW andsat down in this chair. Thisfella came over and said`excuse me you're sitting inmy chair'. I said 'It'snobody's chair - it wasjust here'. So he asked meto look on the back, and itsaid producer. So I said`Oh you're Chris Mercerare you. Well I'm TonyPrince, DJ at the Top Rankin town, and I've come upto take over from KentWalton' - who was thencompere on the show. I wasa bit cheeky and small andtongue-in-cheek - and itpaid off. Six months laterI was offered the job whenKent went to do theOlympic Gamescommentary."
So for Tony Prince anywaythat little bit of cheekpaid off and for two yearshe compered the show. Hisnext step was to joinRadio Caroline North.
"The most exciting partof my life," says Tony."The pirate era. Those twoyears with Radio Carolinegave me the feel for radio,which is the job I really likenow. I like entertainmentas a whole, but really radiois the spearhead of myentertainment - my littleniche in life and I'm veryhappy."
Also on the boat at thattime were DJs such asDLT, "Daffy" Don Allen,Bob Stewart and JerryLeighton described by Tonyas "the funniest man whowas ever on radio".
"Jerry used to do themorning show and I'm notkidding I used to get upearly - even if I'd been onthe midnight show - just tohear him. I don't knowwhere he is now but I surewould like to get in touchwith him. I've even calledhim on the air - buthaven't heard a thing."
Were there any particularincidents that Tony couldrecall of those days onCaroline North?
"Hundreds - I couldwrite you a book. We usedto get up to all sorts of
27
tricks. One particularincident I clearly recallinvolved me and BobStewart. I was having ashower and had left myclothes outside the showerroom. When I came outthey were gone, andsuddenly I heard BobStewart's voice bellowingdown the corridor 'all rightPrincey, we're going tothrow you over into thesea - the tourist boat iscoming out'. This was theboat that used to come outabout five times a daywith all these tourists andholidaymakers on board -and they were going tocarry me out on deck andthrow me into the seastarkers. So I took flightand ended up in the ship'sengine room hiding behindthis great throbbing cogcovered in grease. So thereI was snuggling up behindthis cog while all the DJsand crew looked for me.I hid there for abouthalf an hour until I was surethat the tourist boat hadgone and it took me aboutthree days to get all thegrease off a certain part ofmy anatomy!"
Then like so many DJsTony came off the ship whenit was made illegal andapplied for work at theBBC.
"Of course they onlyhad so many places to fill -so nothing! Then in April
1968 I was called down foran audition at RadioLuxembourg by the agent.I was using at that time.After my audition theprogramme controller askedme if I would like to jointhe station - I said 'yeah' -and he said 'great, you'regoing out in two days'.Fantastic!
"So I came out here andit was just at the timethey were changing theformat to some degree andlosing the quarter and halfhour shows that weresponsored by recordcompanies. It was a veryexciting time for everyoneconcerned, brushing downthe old cobwebs of thestation. There's still a lot todo, although I think we'vedone a lot in the past fourand a bit years - certainlysince Alan Keen cameanyway - I really noticedduring my year away thegreat strides that weremade and the involvementthat the London Office haswith us out here now, thatwas never there before - it'sgreat!"
What made Tony Princesuddenly decide to leave 208in 19717
"There were quite a fewreasons actually. I was abit disappointed at thattime with the then stationmanagement and theirattitude towards me. I alwaysfelt that I was holding on
to my job by the skin of myteeth and I had to watchwhat I said on the air.If I hadn't been pulling inthe audience reaction I'msure I would have beenfired - because themanagement I felt neverreally dug what I did on theair.
"In addition there is alwaysthe point of bettering yourcareer and I'd always wantedto go to America. The radioscene is really exciting outthere with all the stationsfighting it out with oneanother. So I thought I'dgo there for a couple ofyears, get some experienceand then come back whencommercial radio arrived.With the experience I wouldhave gained I could thenhave either come back toLux or joined one of thecommercial bodies.
"Anyway I gave in mythree months' notice, duringwhich time Alan Keenjoined the station and triedto make me change mymind - but by that timeplans had been made andI was looking forward tothe challenge. Then amonth before we were due toleave I found out that mywife was pregnant - and sowe kicked the idea of theStates into touch."
So Tony returned toEngland and bought ahouse near Manchester.What savings they had
soon went and Tony wassoon back in the discosagain - although this timemainly overseas.
"I had very little work inBritain. The discos didn'tpay very well and at thattime they seemed to havelost their excitement - theDJ thing didn't seem tomean very much.
"I was working ahell -of -a -lot in Ireland,Germany and Scandinavia -and really wasn't gettingany home life at all. So Itried my hand at acting -I've really always wantedto be an actor. I landed afew small parts on TV -Coronation Street, TheLovers, etc - but it wasdifficult, I was alwaystype cast as a DJ. Then Ihad a go at Oldham Repand they gave me a part ina play 'Butterflies Are Free'.There were only five peoplein it - one of them a NewYork stage/film producer,and I was offered this part.Just as I was offered thepart Alan Keen contactedme and asked me if I wouldgo back to Luxembourg for afortnight because one DJwas leaving and they wereshort staffed. I had then todecide whether to help out208 or accept the part withOldham rep. So I came backto Lux which really blewall my chances withOldham rep - they didn'tcome through with
28
anything else."So what finally brought
Tony back to the GrandDuchy full time?
"I got an offer from theBlow Up discotheque inLuxembourg to come outand be their resident DJ.I'd done the odd gig therebefore but not every night ofthe week. Well the wageswere pretty good and wehave lots of good friendshere - so we came back.At the time I was fullyaware of the situation atLuxembourg. They had fiveDJs and I couldn't verywell come and say 'pleasecan I have my old job back' -I just had to wait for themto call me.
"I'd been back about twomonths when Alan Keencalled me and asked would Ilike to go back on the air -this was about 2 o'clock inthe afternoon. I said 'yeah'and he said 'well you'reon tonight' - I had about54 hours' notice which wasvery exciting - and Iremember jumping down thestreets - I'd never been sohappy in my life."
So Tony "The RoyalRuler" was back and once
more for two hours or so"The Royal Ball' was andstill is heard on 208. For awhile he carried on workingat the Blow Up - but hasnow given that up - it'splace having been taken bythe many personalappearances that the 208DJs now make all overBritain and the Continent.
"I'm not bothered aboutthe Beeb any more - theyare going to have to come tome now, I've done all thecrawling to them. They'vegot a strange attitudetowards me there - I don'tknow what it is - but thereis definitely some barrier.I don't know I might havetripped somebody up in theSpeakeasy when I've beendown there one night!I do know one thing aboutthe BBC, when I'm workingfor a station I'm very prothat station. I don't handout any compliments toany other station either tothe press or on the air,to the point where I wouldcriticise the other stations -which is, let's face it, whatcompetition is all about.I was once quoted in Discas saying 'One of the greatest
things about working inLuxe bourg is that I can'treceiv' Radio I on mytrann !' Now I heard froma DJ t the Beeb that oneof the producers found this inDisc d pinned it up on thenotice board for everyoneto see with a caption whichread WAITING TONYPRIN E AUDITIONTAP . So whether that wasin the way I don't know,but m own ego won't allowme to believe it'sprofes ionalism, because Ithink 'm very professional.I kno I'm popular and Iknow I get the mail. So Idon't know what it is at theBeebanyme allit'll h.greatnot Ia lon
thougcomm
it likefirst hI'm nand I'else. Ithat t
nd I don't really carere. If they come towell and good - butye to be a bloodyontract because I'mving Luxembourg forlong time."
s Tony have anyis on the forthcomingrcial radio scene?as very excited abouteveryone else when Iand the news. But nowt too sure about it,
waiting like everyonem rather frightenede Musicians' Union
will do to it what they did tothe BBC. I'm quite surethat Radio Luxembourg willremain as popular as ever - Idon't think it will affect 208at all. Having said that Iwould love it to succeed andlove it to be groovy. Itdepends on all sorts ofthings - how much moneyis involved, how much theyare going to make, howmuch they are going tospend, how much air -timethey are going to give to livemusic, and so on. At themoment I'm really waiting."
Finally, what sort of musicdoes "Your Royal Ruler"like to listen to in hisoff -duty hours?
"Well, I don't really getinto very heavy music. Ijust really like good music.At home I listen to Nilsson,Neil Diamond, the Mamasand Papas and Middle of theRoad - really hippy, hoppy,happy music - that's all."
Hippy, hoppy, happy -yes that just about sums upTony Prince - long may hereign!
ben tree
ATTENTIONThe
ALLindependent
DJ'Sstudio
- thatJohCas
has been used bynie Walker, Dave
Emperor Rosko,Day-Ala
Gregory, John Peel,Black, and many
_. oth:ri i ! I 11\\\ ,4 .i i We
DJsNo
our clients have PASSED thethrough using our studio. Per
RADIO DJ COURSES £25 AUDITION
Roget Squ'ee55 Charlbert Street, St. John's
Telephone 01-722
well known names.have also helped manyup the ladder of success.ess than SEVEN of"adio One Audition Test
aps we can help you!TAPES £7 per hr.
Di StudiosWood, London N.W.8.
8111
,29
bootwovefree radio news, comment and features -compiled
each month by the fra
Shivering Sands, Sutchand the
skull and crossbonesThis month we bring you
the second part of our serieson the World War IIanti-aircraft forts in theThames Estuary andoff the east coast ofEngland.
In Part 1, we describedthe two types of fort, andpromised to tell you moreabout each one and the partwhich it played in thedevelopment of British FreeRadio.
The first fort to be used asa Free Radio transmittingstation was Shivering Sands.This is one of the ex -armyforts, built with seven largestructures on legs, connectedto each other by catwalks.One of the tower structures ismissing. The fort is situatedin the Thames Estuary,about nine miles fromWhitstable.
It was never really plannedthat Shivering Sands fortwould be used forcommercial radio. ScreamingLord Sutch had decided toopen Radio Sutch merely
as a publicity gimmick. Heset sail on May 27, 1964, ina fishing trawler called theCornucopia. The ship flewthe skull and crossbones.Between the masts hung abanner with the words"Radio Sutch". Sutchand his crew even dressedlike pirates, and Sutchhimself brandished acutlass!
The Cornucopia happenedto pass Shivering Sands fort.Lord Sutch was not slow torealise the advantages ofbroadcasting from a stable
structure, so he transferred theradio equipment into one ofthe towers.
Radio Sutch opened witha very weak signal, and avery un-professional sound!But Lord Sutch's manager,Reg Calvert, could see thecommercial possibilities. InSeptember 1964, he paidLord Sutch £5,000, and tookover the station. He installeda more powerful transmitter,and changed the name toRadio City.
Radio City adopted theslogan "The Tower ofPower", and indeed wentfrom strength to strength.Then came the tragic eventsof June 1966. A boardingparty of 11 people took overthe fort. Two days later,Reg Calvert was shot dead atthe home of Major OliverSmedley during an incidentconnected with the raid. Weshall have more to say aboutthis raid and the eventswhich led up to it later inthe series.
Radio City returned tothe air after the boardersleft the fort. But inFebruary 1967 the stationwas closed down. MrsDorothy Calvert, who tookover the running of thestation after her husband'sdeath, was prosecuted foroperating the station withinBritish territory. WhenRadio City had asked forpolice help during the raidit was refused because thestation was outside territorialwaters. Yet the prosecution
claimed in court that thefort was brought withinterritorial waters by anOrder in Council which hadcome into force in 1964, andthey won the case! MrsCalvert was fined £100 andannounced: "We are closingdown for good. The fight isover as far as I amconcerned". Thisdouble-dealing byofficialdom was just oneexample of the lengths thegovernment of the day wasprepared to go to silenceFree Radio.
The ex -army fort at theGreat Nore was demolishedimmediately after theSecond World War; becauseit stood in one of the mainshipping lanes. Butimportant and dramaticevents were taking place atthe remaining ex -army fort atRed Sands.
Red Sands fort isapproximately 8+ miles northof Whitstable in the ThamesEstuary. In June 1964 it wasoccupied by Tom Pepper
30
(real name, HarryFeatherbee), Charlie Evansand John Thompson. A"good music" station calledRadio Invicta was opened.The power was only 1 kWat first, but this was laterincreased.
On December 16, 1964,Tom Pepper was heading forshore in the station's supplyboat, the Davis. With himwere Simon Ashley, a discjockey, and Martin Shaw,an engineer. Neither Martinnor Simon could swim, andthey were not wearinglife -jackets. The boatcapsized in the rough sea.Tom Pepper's body waswashed ashore. The othertwo were reported "missing,feared drowned". Monthslater, a body was washedashore in Spain. It could notbe identified, but a three-inchspool of recording tapefound on the body wasdried out and found tocontain a programme forRadio Invicta.
After Tom Pepper's death,
Charlie Evans and JohnThompson madearrangements for a newstation to replace RadioInvicta. It was called KingRadio. During thechangeover, there wasnearly another tragedy.Three men were maroonedon the fort. They had runout of water and tinnedfood, and were eatingdehydrated peas straightfrom the packet. Thetransmitter had brokendown, so there was no wayin which they could get intouch with their colleagueson shore. Fortunately, themen were rescued when afishing boat arrived at thefort to deliver somebroadcasting equipment.
King Radio begantransmitting in January 1965but the station did not makemuch headway. There wasa change of ownership,and in September 1965 thename was altered to Radio390. A 200 foot aerial mastwas constructed on one of
The Mi Amigo
One of the cabins
FRA photographs havebeen produced sinceRobin Adcroft started theservice in 1967. We are nowrevising our photolist andpreparing new sets. Thenew range is much larger,and covers more Free Radiostations than ever before. Weshall give you full details
as soon as possible. In themeantime we are making anadvance offer of the NewCaroline set to readers of"Dee Jay and RadioMonthly" at the speciallyreduced price of 90p.
The set consists of the fourMi Amigo photographsreproduced above, plus shots
the to ers, and a newtrans Ater was installed.The c mbined result was asuper signal, with anexcep ionally low level ofinterf rence.
In ovember 1966Radi 390 went off the airafter he operating companywas fi ed for broadcastingwithi territorial waters. Thestatio resumed transmissionson P; mber 31, havingobtai ed new evidence thatRed 'ands fort was outsideterritorial waters. A lengthyand ghly technical legalbattle then took place. Whilethis was in progress, thecourt proceedings wereswitched from Canterbury toRochRawliPostcondu
Radioon fatreject
Ratsilencein Julnot th
ord, and Sir Peternson, QC, accused the)ffice of "shameful"ct in seeking to have390 tried in one court
is which had beenxl by another.io 390 was finallyd by the Post Office
1967, but this wase end of the story for
Red Sands fort. The stationdecided to retain ownership,and arranged for the fort tobe guarded. After a raid,however, it was decided toabandon the fort as soon asall the broadcastingequipment had beenremoved.
Red Sands fort was thentaken over by RobinAdcroft (formerly the FRAphotographer, and now withRadio Caroline). He hadplans to develop it as adiscotheque, but the projectdid not materialise.
The ex -army forts at RedSands and Shivering Sandsare now unoccupied, andlikely to remain so. Theystand as a stark and silentreminder of the senselessand needless suppression oftwo great radio stationswhich gave so much pleasureto millions of people.
In Part 3 we shall take acloser look at the ex -navalforts, one of which is stilloccupied by Roy Bates andhis family.
The tender alongside
The studio
of the bridge, a generator, themain .ransmitter and the galley,and the photograph of RonanO'Ra Zilly on deck which wasreproduced in last month'sBeatwave section. All thephotographs were taken thisyear. We shall also includeas a free extra a view of theproduction studio.
Please write to the FreeRadio Association, 339Eastwood Road, Rayleigh,Essex, SS6 7LG, for your setof New Caroline photographs,mentioning that you read"Dee Jay and RadioMonthly". Please enclose acheque or postal order for90p, made payable to FRA.
31
THE RADIO LUXEMBOURG FORMULA TWO
TROPHY MEETING
MALLORY PARK, LEICESTERSunday March 11th
12.15 p.m.
Other Races include Formula Atlantic, Formula Ford and a special SaloonCar Race which will include the debut of the new Shell Sport Luxembourg
B.M.W., driven by Tony Lanfranchi.
A GREAT DAY'S MOTOR SPORT
THE RADIO LUXEMBOURG FORMULA TWOTROPHY MEETING
32
Tony Mercer is certainlysomething of a rarity amongBritish DJs. Besides theusual round of mobilediscotheque appearances invarious London pubs - healso has -.very successfulsyndicated radio showrunning on numerousAmerican radio stations,and has in the past beenvoted Top Radio DJ overthere.
It all started when Tonywent out to the old RadioLondon to take pictures fora Canadian magazine"Teen Scene" and met DJsEd Stewart and MikeLennox.
"From that I got veryinterested in being a DJ.It wasn't an easy way tomake a living - because atthat time there weren'treally many DJs around.And so I started to teachmyself to be a DJ becauseat that time there wasnobody to teach you - allthe people on the pirateshad been trained inSingapore or America, andone or two had been onLuxembourg - but even soat that time Luxembourgwasn't really a propercommercial station - it wasmore like the BBC withjingles.
"I started to do discothequework and then I met ChrisDenning. He was atStreatham when I was there -he was the star and I wasthe understudy. But he tookan interest and he began toshow me the differencesbetween being a live DJand a radio DJ. As Chris
TONY
MERCER
SELLING
BRITISH RADIO
to me
AMERICANS
put it the difference is in thevoice. On radio the voicemust be in 3-D - its got tobe warm, friendly and clear,and this is where a lot ofdisco DJs slip up when theygo to people like RogerSquire - they have a flatvoice and sound likesomething out of anewspaper all the time.Anyway over a period ofeight or nine monthsChris taught me what hecalled voice projection.
"It was then a matter of
gaining experience and theonly real place was America,so I went and lived there forabout two years. I wentthere with the magazineand at first it was difficultto get a break into US radio.Eventually I got a job as aninterviewer and believe me II was really bad - I alwaysused to pick the mostawkward people to talk to.Then I moved to ABC as anews reporter doinginterviews for the news,and one day there was an
accident on Broadway andI was talking to this Irishpoliceman and I really got agood interview out of him.It was so good theybroadcast it as aninterview and a few peoplerang up and said 'that guy'svoice is different - why don'tyou give him a show?' - andas a result I got a quarterof an hour show for kiddies,something like Ed Stewart'sprogramme, but also readingnursery rhymes and so on.From then on it just gotbetter and I stayed for aboutten months. Then theAmerican Army decidedthey'd like me so I left andcame back to Britain."
It was by now 1966 andthe pirate stations had onlya few months left and likemany DJs Tony receivedas he puts it "the usualletter" following an auditionfor the BBC.
"Suddenly the AmericanForces Network hit me andI thought great opportunityfor a job. So I went overto Frankfurt and saw thehead of the AmericanForces BroadcastingAssociation of Europe andsaid that I would like to beon AFN. That wasn'tpossible as I had to be anAmerican citizen, so I wentback to America.
"I got a job with stationKNAO, which is the majormarket station in Texas,and stayed there for about12 months doing themid -morning drive from8 - 12 o'clock midday.We used to do telephoneinterviews - and believe me
33
they'd ring in if you didanything wrong on the air.We used to do trafficreports - which I hope localcommercial radio in thiscountry will get into - fromhelicopters. Each stationhad its own helicopter andthey had them flying overtown. They were linkeddirectly with the DJ andwould say 'Highway so andso is blocked five miles backand if you go via so and soyou will avoid this trafficjam', and they reckonedthat within a year they hadsolved all the traffic jams inTexas.
"Anyway I stayed there fora year and then came backto England. While in TexasI had met a guy calledJim Travis - and then Isaw that he was advertisingfor DJs in Billboard. So Irang him and said 'I can'tcome back to America -same reasons as before -Vietnam, etc - but wouldyou be interested in buying"The Tony MercerProgramme from London"?'.He asked me to make one upand send it to him which Idid."
There then followed abouteight months of work duringwhich time. Tony made manyprogrammes and sent themoff to the States, only tohave them returned for onereason or another.
"Then one day Jim rangme and said 'great, I've soldthe programme to stationKONG'. So I advertised inBillboard and stationsstarted to apply to take the
#
programme and in the endwe got about 70 or 80 bigstations buying them."
Since then Tony hascontinued to send hisprogrammes to America,some recorded in a studiosuch as the Roger SquireStudios or RadioLuxembourg, and some livefrom one of the many pubsin which he works. Onesuch pub is the "Deuragon
Arms" in Hackney whereTony has recorded liveinterviews with such starsas Gary Glitter, theMarmalade, the Tremeloes,John Kongos and SuziQuatro.
As someone closelyinvolved with Americancommercial radio, what areTony"s thoughts on the UKcommercial set-up?
"I'm not sure really. I've
got a very open mind. Alot -of people have got thefeeling that whencommercial radio startsover here it'll be theCaroline -London scene allover again - which, ofcourse, it won't. It's reallygoing to be like nothingthey have ever had before.It may even develop intoa small BBC withcommercials or small FMlike in America, and THEYdo make a lot of money.I've worked for a few smallstations in the US and theydo lots and lots of remotes(outside broadcasts) - theydo them in supermarkets forexample. Say Radio Brixton -the Sundown when itopened there - they'd do aremote from that, and itreally keeps peopleinterested."
Those then are Tony'sthoughts on the UKcommercial stations - andone wonders which of thenew set ups will be the firstto take "The Tony MercerShow from London" fortheir station - let's face itthey could do a lot worse.
ben cree
Tory Marren interviewing Gary Glitter (rep) and Tie irc-m,loes (bottom)- Jor his US radio programmes-atthe "Dearagon Arms," Hackney, London
34
EIE
It's variety thatmakes 2 theone for Ray
Ray Moore is a sort ofJack-of-all-trades, presentingalmost any type of radioshow. Take a listen toRadio 2 for a while: you'llhear him doing the late -nightbit on "Night Ride", themagazine show "AfterSeven", "Dancing toMidnight", "Strike Up theBand", reading the news -and announcing that "this isRadio 2 on 1500 m LongWave and VHF".
Quite a busy boy is ourRay. "In a way I suppose Ifind it difficult to adaptmyself to certain shows. Forinstance, I found 'Strike Upthe Band' a challenge to saythe least. I like brass bandmusic, but that's not an easyshow to do."
It is the variety that makesthe job, according to Ray,who is a Radio 2 staffpresenter, like John Dunnand Barry Alldis.
Thirty year old Ray Moorewas born in Liverpool: afterleaving school, and whilstwaiting to go to the LondonSchool of Economics, heworked for several monthson the docks "as the manthat helped unload andsample the cotton as itarrived in the Gulf Statesof America". His examresults subsequentlydisallowed him from takingup the offered place at theLSE, and the dock job diedat the same time. So he wasleft without any visible meansof support. In desperation,he then took an office jobwith the Mersey Docks andHarbour Board as acheck -clerk.
After six months he could
35
'Radio 2 has themost potential
of all theradio networks'
stand life no longer, and wroteto repertory theatres inBritain asking for a job.ANY job! This would atleast move him in the generaldirection of working inradio, his only ambition.Eventually, Oldham RepTheatre replied and offeredhim the job of AssistantStage Manager at theprincely wage of £5r -per week.Hours? 8.30 am - 11 pm sixdays a week and 8 am till 1 pmon Sundays. He adored it!
After a year he left Oldhamand eventually ended up asan assistant in a sweet shopjust down the road from theBBC in Regent Street! Hethen joined a theatricalcompany doing Olde TymeMusic Hall in the villages ofSouth Devon and Dorset;Sidmouth, Beer, Seaton andLyme Regis. Then came ashort period as afully-fledged actor atSwansea Rep. Travellingback to Liverpool fromthere, he had to changetrains at Manchester, andnoticed the Granada TVstudios there.
He applied to Granada
for a job as an announcer.They called him in for achat and said that seeing hehad no experience, there waslittle chance; but a telegramarrived from Granada a weeklater asking would he beinterested in one week ofrelief announcer duty. Hearrived at the studios thefollowing Monday and fromthen on his life has beenbroadcasting. Subsequentlywith Granada, he went on toread the local news in vision,as well as announce onprogrammes such as"University Challange","All Our Yesterdays","What The Papers Say",and a selection ofdocumentary programmeslike "World In Action".During this time, he alsomade appearances onTyne -Tees TV as a visionannouncer and newsreader.
In 1965 he joined ATV inBirmingham as a visionannouncer, interviewer,scriptwriter and newsreader.After a brief ten monthsthere, he was offered a jobwith the BBC in Manchesteras the man to promote the
arrival of BBC -2 in theNorth. Later, he began toconcentrate more and moreon his first love . . . Radio.Early in 1966 he was givenhis own network show . . .
"Pop North", which in itsday was one of the mostsuccessful of the LightProgrammes presentations.
In 1967, Ray moved toLondon as an announcer andpresenter on the LightProgramme, and wasimmediately flung in at thedeep end as host of"Breakfast Special" which hesays . . . "looking back, isprobably the programme Ienjoyed more than anyother. I'm not really an earlybird, but it was good fun.These days, I'm more of anevening man" . . . He thenwent on to introduce suchshows as "Melody Fair","Galaxy" and "Ray Moore'sSaturday Night", nowadayscalled "Dancing to Midnight".
He says: "Radio 2 has themost tremendous potentialof all the radio networks . . .
music covering the wholespectrum from Gilbert andSullivan to Gilbert
O'Sullivan. That's not tosay I'm a great fan of allthe programmes, but Ireckon it's the best networkto be a part of.
"When I'm not working Ilike listening to some of theother DJ's - Terry Woganespecially and I rate SimonBates very highly. Then Ienjoy "Sounds of theSeventies" on Radio 1 - andI'm looking forward to thereturn of Kenny Everett, he'sperhaps the best of the lot".
Also, when he's notworking, he likes walking,cycling, theatre and concerts.And going to the local inBlackheath (yes, all thatabout the pint in the eveningsis true!) with his wifeAlma . . . "Although youknow, I don't think I everreally want to relaxcompletely. If I go to amusical I look for possiblethings for the programme.It's natural I suppose, but ina way, if you're in radio,you're always working!"
rodneycollins
36
A COLOUR -PACKED POP MUSIC SPECIALFeaturing : SLADE GILBERT O'SULLIVAN
DAVID CASSIDY ALICE COOPERBLACK SABBATH JACKSON 5 THE OSMOND.S
ROD STEVVART CARLY SIMON MELANIEALL IN FULL -COLOUR!
POP '73 captures the glamour, ex:itement and impact of today'spop music scene -makers n page aster page of glorious full -colouraction photos. PLUS into, comment and predictions from thepeople behind the stars on where is at now, and what's in storefor the future.
* 32 PAGES -16 FULL COLOUR ** PRICE 20p *
Available at bookstalls End newsagents everywhere, or directfrom the publishers.
Photograph:Robert Ellis
Dig out thatmiddle mud!
You've got to own up for amoment, the sound you get inmost discotheques leaves a lotto be desired, especially in themobiles.
At a time when the set-upson which most people playtheir records at home gethigher and higher in quality,too many DJs rely upon whatI describe as radiogram sound.
You know the effect: a big,fat, mellow sound that washesover you like golden syrup,with all the middle frequenciesswamping the essential basssounds that keep the dancers'feet moving, and killing thetop treble that make itpossible for you to recognisethe tune the DJ is actuallyplaying.
As often as not the DJ isnot too technical a bloke, andso while he may feel hissound leaves something to bedesired, he won't be able toput his finger on it. He'llboost the bass frequencies byturning up the bass controland even by pushing thevolume as far as it will go.
Karl Dallas reports
Front view of the Discotron, which comes complete with gooseneck for mike andcue lights. The speaker sockets - 12 of them - are on the left, with the inputand earphone PFL and slave amp outputs are on the right of the unit.
For a while this seems tohave solved the problem,which is why so many discosare so loud, but you knowquantity is no substitute forquality. And when you thinkabout it, there's no way youcan solve the problem byturning up the sound over-all,for though you boost the bassand treble that way, you alsopush up the middlefrequencies, and it is thesewhich are getting in the wayof a clear, punchy sound,which every disco tries to getbut so rarely finds.
If this sounds like afamiliar story then you'll beready to sympathise with thesearch of Steve Morton andJoe Cuschieri a couple ofyears ago.
"We decided to get amobile disco going," recallsSteve, "but we couldn't findanything satisfactory. Theunits we checked out alwayssounded fine in the soundequipment showrooms, butwhen we got them out andput them through the speakers,
all we got was that typicalmiddly disco sound."
Fortunately, it was aboutthat time they met up withBarry Cabe, who'd beencoping with the electronicproblems associated with thenew directions pop and rockwere taking. It was he whoanalysed their problem interms of those unwantedmiddle frequencies and setabout designing a custom-built set-up that would givethem what they needed.
I suppose you can guess therest of the story, because it'sfairly predictable. Yes, folks,Steve and Joe and Barrydecided to set up in business,manufacturing discoequipment, and that mobiledisco never really got off theground.
Well the mobile discobusiness's loss is the mobiledisco business's gain this time,for I'd hazard a guess thatwhatever small impact theymight have had with theirown show is nothingcompared with the response
their new Discotron is goingto have.
A moment ago Icommented that quantity wasno substitute for quality, andit's absolutely true in myopinion, but what aboutquality plus quantity? TheDiscotron is available in threeversions, starting with a mere150 watts for £258, going onto 250 watts for £318, andconcluding with 400 watts ofmassive power for £398.Since the unit has a slaveoutput socket, of course,you're not limited to thesepower outputs, but it makesa good start, you've got toagree.
In fact, there are no fewerthan 12 speaker outputsockets. The inputs includehigh and low impedancemicrophone sockets which aretreble boosted to created agood sound when using evena comparatively inexpensivemike, like one of the lower -priced Shures, for preference.There are also high and lowimpedance tape inputs, and
38
pre -fade earphone socket.But the real key to the
sound is the control theDiscotron gives you overthose all-important mid -frequencies, both on the twodecks and on the mike as well.It looks such a little thing,that knob marked "middle"between the bass and treblecontrols but it's really veryimportant-together withBarry Cabe's unique circuitrywhich he's designed to gowith it, of course.
Turntables are speciallymodified Garrard SP25 markIII decks controlled byilluminated rocker switcheson the left of the console. Athird illuminated rocker turnsthe amp on and off.
In addition to volume, bass,middle, and treble controls,the mike control panel has athree -position switch - on, off,and over -ride. Mixing fromone deck to the other is bymeans of a cross -fade sliderin front, positioned almostcentrally between the mikepanel and the decks panel,which has its own volume,bass, middle and treblecontrols.
There is a PFL panel forcontrolling earphone soundwith a three -position off -left -right switch. The PFL circuitis short-circuit proof, and ifby any chance it should beshorted the circuit can bereset by simply turning it offand on again.
The unit comes completewith cue lights and gooseneckfor the mike. The whole thingis solid-state throughout.
To go with this extremelysturdy and highly portablelittle powerhouse, they havedesigned two basic speakerunits, though they areworking on a folded hornunit to increase the bassresponse still further.
The AP100 at £60.50houses two 12in Goodmanspeakers. It is finished inmatching black leatherclothand has a kickproof grill in areally tough beige material.One of the little points I likedabout this unit is the way thejack socket has been set intothe recessed carrying handle,so that it's not likely to beknocked out or broken offwhile in use - an infuriatingthing which can be verydifficult to handle once youhave set up and are in themiddle of a show. A smallthing, you might think, but itis typical of the sort ofthought that has gone into it.
Steve Morton demonstrates the result of two years' research into a DJ consolewhich gives the right bass and treble, the 400 -watt version of his Discotron,selling at £398.
The AP200 is similar inevery other respect but housesfour 12in speakers and costs£107.
Having spent two yearsgetting the bugs out of thisunit, they are now beginningto turn their sights furtherafield. One of the mostinteresting ideas I have comeacross is a sound -activatedstrobe which they havedesigned. It's not cheap -£85 - but it certainly adds anew dimension to the sort oflighting effects you can offer.
At the other end of theprice scale is their sound -to -light converter which can copewith up to 1,000 watts perchannel but costs a mere £15.Don't ask me how they'vemanaged it, but it could havesomething to do with itssomewhat spartan appearance.Still it works, which is surelythe main thing.
Incidentally, it may beconsidered adequate testimonyto the quality -plus -quantityof their equipment if I tellyou that they are enjoyingconsiderable success with DJsspecialising in black music
like soul and especiallyreggae, where the heavy bassis an essential constituent.
For that reason, most DJsworking in this field eschewsolid-state equipment, andoften have valve amplifiers ofhuge proportions speciallyconstructed for them.
"One of these guys came into check out if our stuff wasas good as he'd been told,"recalls Steve Morton. "Atfirst, he was very hard toimpress. He asked us to turnup the bass, and we pushed itright up, but still he couldn'tfeel it. You know, with the bassthat high you don't hear it somuch as feel it, especiallywith your legs.
"No, he said, he couldn'tfeel it. Then we looked at histrousers. They were literallyflapping backwards andforwards in time with themusic. He was standing infront of one of the speakersat the time, of course.
"Needless to say, we madea sale."
If you're as hard to pleaseas that, you may still find theDiscotron fills your bill.
DISCO'S
IN
GERMANY !
Required DiscoJockeys andJockettes
Also ToplessJockettes
Excellent Pay andConditions
All Travel ExpensesPaid
Including interviewin Germany
REPLY BOX No.D.J. 1G
39
DISCOPICKSDISCOPICKSDISCOPICKThis month we are introducing a new feature to this selection of recommended disco sounds-chosen by our resident "DEE JAY AND
RADIO MONTHLY" tame disco DJ. Each month he will select two or three "Star Picks" as being those records which he feels areparticularly important to all you discotheque DJs-and to those readers who like to "leap about a bit". So, without further ado, here wego with this month's pretty vast selection . . .
NEUTHE FANTASTICSDANIEL BOONEJOE QUARTERMAN & FREE SOULTHE O'JAYSCANDYFLOSSRANCE ALLEN GROUPDAVE EDMUNDSKENNY RANKINBETTYE SWANNDAVE COLLINSALICE COOPERVAUGHAN THOMASCHUCK BERRYJIMMY DAWKINSRASPBERRIESKENNYBEACH BOYSFAME AND PRICEMUDPLATTERSLLOYD PRICEJO'BURG HAWKJOHNNY CYMBAL & PEGGY CLINGERJACKSON 5TIMMY THOMASFRED WESLEY & THE J.B'sLISTENSPONTANEOUS COMBUSTIONWOLFEMARTHA REEVESLYNN COLLINSJOE TEXCAPT BEEFHEART & THE
MAGIC BANDDAVE MACTAVISHCOCKEREL CHORUSFACESHARLEY QUINNETHE JOHNSON SISTERSFRAMEDEKE LEONARDSILVERHEADJON PERTWEEJAMES BROWNPETER D. KELLY
star pickTHUNDER ROADPeter GunnBuddah 2011 163
What a knock -out this oneis! The old "Peter Gunn"theme -a hit in 1959 forDuane Eddy - brought smackbang up to 1973. Tremendousbeat throughout - and this onemust be the disco record ofthe year. Don't you dare missit.
SuperSweet Child (When I Hear the Rain)Rock and Roll Bum(I Got So) Much Trouble In My MindI Dig Your ActDelta QueenThere's Gonna Be A ShowdownBaby I Love YouComing DownToday I Started Loving You AgainHot LineHello HurrayGiantReelin' and Rockin'Things I Used To DoI Wanna Be With YouHeart of StoneCalifornia Saga /CaliforniaDon't Hit Me When I'm DownCrazyTwilight Time/Only YouPersonality/Stagger LeeOrang-OutangGod Bless You, Rock 'n RollDoctor My EyesWhy Can't We Live TogetherJ B ShoutAstral BoogieSabre DanceDancing In The MoonlightNo One ThereThink (About It)Show Me
Too Much TimeOoh La LaNice One CyrilCindy IncidentallyRock And Roll Is Back AgainTo Know Him Is To Love HimRockin' MachineDiamond RoadRolling With My BabyWho Is The DoctorPapa's Got A Brand New Bag, etcHard Road
star pickSLADECum On Feel The NoisePolydor 2058 339
Another absolute monsterfrom the lads fromWolverhampton - and onewhich will again proveextremely popular in thediscos. Noddy is in greatvoice throughout -a reallypowerful solid sound. Anabsolute MUST!!
UA UP 35485Bell 1283Penny Farthing PEN 800GSF GSZ 3Mojo 2092 052Polydor 2041 360Stax 2025 152Rockfield ROC 1Atlantic K 10275Atlantic K 10273Rhino RNO 111Warner K 16248Jam 26Chess 6145 020Mojo 2027 011Capitol CL 15740RAK 144Reprise K 14232Reprise K 14230RAK 146Mercury 6052 213Probe GFF 112Charisma CB 202RCA 2293Tamla TMG 842Mojo 2027 012Mojo 2093 025Parlophone R 5977Harvest HAR 5066Rare Earth RES 108Tamla TMG 843Mojo 2093 029Atlantic K 10278
Reprise K 14233Young Blood YB 1016Young Blood YB 1017Warner K 16247Bell 1282Pye 7N 45209Pye 7N 45213UA UP 35494Purple PUR 110Purple PUR 111Polydor 2141 008RCA 2317
star pickOTIS REDDING ANDCARLA THOMASKnock On Wood/TrampAtlantic K 10274
Two numbers in constantdemand at most discos herenow re -issued just for you!This partnership between thelate Otis Redding and CarlaThomas, which began in themid -sixties, really works verywell - and among the starnames in the backing groupare Booker T. Jones andIsaac Hayes.
star pickCURTIS MAYFIELDSuperFlyBuddah 2011 156
Title track from the greatnew film, due to open herenext month. Was a smash hitstateside and makes reallysuperb disco material - asdoes the whole album. Besure not to miss this one!
40
MANY THANKSto the readers of "DEE JAY"
for their support in placing me
NUMBER
5he cZ:)cizetmeanoQuality
PA & DISCO SOUNDS & LIGHTSFrom The Rocket DiscoRent by Day or Weekly
Management: Henri Henroid, Bob Herd etc. 01-229 7466
HOSPITAL RAID 0 NOTEBOOK
Response to theintroduction of this columnas a regular feature eachmonth has, we are pleased toreport, been gratifying - notonly from existing hospitalnetworks - but also fromgroups and individuals whohave written to us for moreinformation. Many ask foradvice on how to go aboutstarting a network in theirown areas. Colin Marchant'sspecial article last month (andhis subsequent features tocome over the next fewmonths) has already donemuch to help these people.So, too, have the reports thatwe have been receiving aboutactivities of networks up anddown the country.
There have been manyrequests from individuals forinformation about existinghospital radio services intheir home areas. "DeeJay" is currently, with thehelp of the NationalAssociation of HospitalBroadcasting Organisation,compiling a register ofnetworks. As soon as theinformation is available, wewill pass it on.
Meantime, continue towrite in. The more networksspeak to each other, the moreall of them will benefit."Dee Jay" is pleased toprovide the links.
* *
From Tony Adamson,programme co-ordinator forRadio TH - the network ofthe South Shields HospitalBroadcasting Group -comesa welcome for the "Dee Jay"offer to start a library ofprogramme material to whichnetworks up and down thecountry could contribute aswell as draw upon.
Tony Adamson reports thathis own network would liketo extend their own.broadcasting hours - butsuffer currently from ashortage of material,principally through lack ofvolunteers to operate thenetwork. He feels that aprogramme library wouldhelp networks like his to get
over a difficult period.Radio TH, which takes its
name from the building fromwhich programmes arebroadcast - Trinity HouseSocial Centre - goes on theair five nights a week atpresent, from 8 pm to 10 pm.Programmes go out to fivehospitals in the South Shieldsarea. It was established in1956, at first onlybroadcasting a weekly soccercommentary from the town'samateur football club ground.
Now, the station has amixed format of requestprogrammes, light, pop andprogressive musicprogrammes, religiousservices and, as often as theycan, special broadcasts bytop -line cabaret artists fromone of the town's leadingnight spots.
* * *
Harlech Television, theindependent station for Walesand the South of England,has recently installed a newmixing console at theirBristol studios. What's thatgot to do with a feature onhospital radio? A great dealas it happens - because theyhave donated theirredundant desk -a 24 channelEMI purpose-built console -
edited by ROY MACK
to Bristol HospitalBroadcasting Service!!
At first the televisioncompany asked BHBS tomake them an offer; but asthe network's cash balanceat that time amounted to just£36, they offered their totalbank balance. Harlech, onhearing of the position, senttheir Head of Sound, MrMichael Gore, along to havea look at the BHBS set-up.He was impressed - so muchso that the television companydecided to give the console,lock, stock and cue -buttons,to BHBS.
The Bristol Service arenow in the process of buyingan ambulance in which toinstall the desk. This will givethem a mobile control roomto add to their two studiosuites and five outsidebroadcast points. BHBS isone of the largest hospitalbroadcast services in thecountry. Programmes arerelayed to 26 hospitals inNorth Somerset and SouthGloucestershire, as well asBristol itself. Their averagelistening audience is aroundthe 12,000 mark.
The service celebrates its21st anniversary this year.
* * *
One of the two control rooms at the studios of BRISTOL HOSPITALBROADCASTING SERVICE. Senior sound engineer LAIN ELLIOTT at the
controls and programme presenter PAUL SHARP in the studio.
Radio Whipps Cross - orto give it its full title,Walthamstow Lions WhippsCross Hospital Radio (whata mouthful!) - are in theprocess of constructing a newpresentation studio. This willbring their studioaccommodation up to three.
Over Christmas, the station,which normally broadcastsfor three hours on five nightsa week, presented a marathonsixty-four hours' continuousbroadcast to raise funds.Local firms sponsored thefeat and the result was theraising of £300. The moneywill be used to buy newheadphones for the patients.
Latest development at thestation is the installation oflines into the nurses' home,and their latest programmechange: the establishment ofan all-night programme,starting at 7 pm on Thursdayand ending at 9 am Friday.
One or two correspondentshave asked for more technicalinformation about equipmentthat would be useful inhospital network studios."Dee Jay" will continue toprovide as much as it can.
In last month's issue wefeatured an SIS Ltd suggestedhospital radio lay -out. SISalso advertised their cartridgejingle machines.
At least two hospitalnetworks seem to have beenmore than impressed.Bristol Hospital BroadcastingService have bought threemachines. We understandthat Portsmouth HospitalBroadcasting Associationhave also bought one.
Means we're striking theright note in these columns,we hope.
* * *
NEXT MONTH: Thesecond of Colin Marchant'sspecial articles on how togo about setting up ahospital radio service.This one deals with thelaunching of the newstation.
42
DX CORNER dive JenkinsThe allocation of
frequencies in the short wavespectrum is a complex oneand depends on the type ofservice making a broadcast,for instance the amateuroperator has differentranges available from thosegiven to the internationalbroadcaster. The frequenciesare also allocated differentlydepending on which radiozone of the world thebroadcast originates from.
Unfortunately some of thestations broadcast outsidethe allocated bands whichonly makes worse thealready difficult situation withfrequency allocation. Thetrouble is that there are somany broadcasters using theshort waves today, that theavailable space for them,only one tenth of theshort wave spectrum, is justnot enough.
Most broadcasters makeuse of all the variousshort wave bands whenplanning their schedules,and will often broadcastthe same programme on anumber of frequencies. Bydoing so they hope that at
Who's who and where!least one of their outletswill get through to thetarget area.By the way you don't haveto have a vast knowledgeof languages to be able toenjoy short wave broadcasts,most of the importantstations have broadcasts inEnglish and of courseBritish and Americanrecords are played on moststations around theworld.
Reception conditions varyaccording to the time of dayand year and other factorsincluding the sun, yes, solaractivity plays a large part inDxing as will be seen infuture articles. The uncertaintyof short wave broadcastingprovides a large part of thehobby's enjoyment, so thatone day a station is receivedat full strength, while thefollowing day that frequencyis "dead".
I can however give ageneral outline of what eachof the broadcasting bands hasto offer the international
listener.The 60 meter band is also
known as the tropical bandbecause it has only stationsin the tropical zone. This iswhere you will find theSouth American stationswith their distinctive andenjoyable Latin Americanmusic, unfortunately thisband is often missing from alot of receivers.
The first true internationalbroadcast band is the 49meter one, often referred toas the "Europa" bandbecause this band is chosenby nearly all the Europeanstations for their broadcaststo other parts of Europe.It is certainly a band ofinterest to the pop musicfan for here we find theshort wave outlets of RadioLuxembourg 6090 KHZ, andRNI with its "world service"on 6205 KHZ. This is alsothe band favoured by manyof the land based "poppirates" who help to increasethis already overcrowdedarea.
The 41 meter band offerslittle to the music listener,but 31 meters will provideplenty of music and is usedby nearly all of theinternational stationsincluding the popular SwissBroadcasting Corporationwhich has an outlet on9535 KHZ try their Englishservice at 21.00 GMT eachevening. Other internationalbroadcasting bands are the25, 19, 16 and 13 meterbands, and also to a lesserextent the 11 meter band,all have broadcasts ofinterest.
The short wave spectrumcontains such a variety ofbroadcasts that you will haveno trouble in findingbroadcasts to enjoy. Tunethe short waves and enjoythe sitar music from AllIndia Radio, country andwestern music from RadioCanada International orcommercial radio fromWNYW, Radio New YorkWorldwide. In fact the wholeworld is yours with short waveradio. Further details of allthese stations in another"DX corner".
UcbertaFlackat the
A. I-1.STAN BRITT
From the reactions of someother critics who attendedthis concert, it would seemthat Roberta Flack - hailedunanimously by music writersas one of 1972's Big Stars -is already well on the way tobeing demoted from amongstthe elevated ranks of the topmusical entertainers of to -day.
The prime reason for thecritical complaints, althoughstill rather obscure, seems tobe that because Roberta's a"soul singer" -a beautifullynebulous expression if everthere was one! - she shouldstick only with "relevant"items such as Marvin Gaye's"Inner City Blues", StevieWonder's "Where Were YouWhen I Wanted You?" and
"From Me To You", orValerie Simpson-NikolasAshford's "Ain't NoMountain High Enough" . . .
and to hell with all thosewishy-washy, unhip numbers.
What arrant nonsense!Thank God we have inRoberta Flack an artist ofconsummate skill, whoserepertoire always is asdelightfully diversified as it isexquisitely performed.Certainly, it was good to hearher singing the R & B -typenumbers mentioned above,when she made her solitaryappearance in London. Shesang them well: and withsoul a -plenty. She wasperhaps ill-advised to haveopened with such a lengthyvocal -instrumental work-outon "Inner City Blues" -complete with solos frommost of the accompanyingband. But, really that was all.
But how marvellous, too,it was to hear Roberta'sexpressive renditions ofLeonard Cohen's "Suzanne" -with the composer, in theaudience, obviously enjoyingevery bar - Dylan's "Just
Like A Woman" andBernstein's "Somewhere",with the singer adding newemotional dimensions to both.
Best of all, however, wereher deeply -felt interpretationsof the traditional spiritual,"I Told Jesus", and thegrossly -neglected FranLandesman-Tommy Wolfcomposition, "Ballad Of TheSad Young Men".(Amazingly, one well-knowncritic, who should haveknown better, describedRoberta's performance of thelatter as lacking in intensity.As colleague Fred Dellarremarked, if there was oneobvious ingredient in thisparticular treatment it wascertainly intensity). Notsurprisingly, "The First TimeEver I Saw Your Face" got alook -in; Roberta sang it evenmore exquisitely than on her1972 debut appearance in thecapital - and that's reallysaying something.
A word of praise, here, forthe accompanying unit -Cornell Dupree, guitar;Chuck Rainey, bass; IdrisMuhammad, drums;
SC 11U S IDS
STAC ILRichard Tee, electric piano;and Terry Plumeri, acoustic(arco) bass - which providedexactly the kind of supportwhich the vocalist -pianistneeds. Dupree's subtle use ofthe wah-wah pedal, Tee'ssubtle fills (either mergingwith Roberta's acoustic piano,or substituting for its absencewhen she was using a handmike), and Rainey's firm,resonant bass - cuttingthrough magnificently - wereindividual highlights.
Without question, RobertaFlack is one of the greatvocal performers of our time.Her Albert Hall appearancedid nothing whatsoever tochange that situation. Nor,let it be added, did itdemonstrate anydimunition of her extra-ordinary vocal qualities.
43
dee jay album sounds
ELTON JOHNDon't Shoot Me, I'm OnlyThe Piano PlayerDJM DJLPH 427
Straight into the charts atnumber one! What moreneed one say except that thisis probably Elton's finestalbum to date. Superbarrangements by PaulBuckmaster. Includes his tworecent smash singles"Crocodile Rock" and"Daniel". Don't miss thisone.
BC
THE MOODY BLUESSeventh SojournThreshold THS 7
Once again the Moodiescome along with amagnificently arranged albumcontaining some memorablesongs. Their brand oflaid-back psychedelia remainsunchanged: lavish moogwork, lyrics promoting love,peace and understanding anda concept thread runningthroughout, echoing currentpolitical and personal moods.The complex arrangementsand production request aninitial effort on the part ofthe listener to take everythingin. But it is rewarding. Thematerial is strong, andespecially recommended are
the charming "For My Lady",the driving "You And Me"and Mike Pinder's wistfulballad to Timothy Leary -"When You're A Free Man".Also included are their twolatest singles - "Isn't LifeStrange" and "I'm Just ASinger (In A Rock and RollBand)". NJ
MIKE MORTON SOUNDS20 Non -Stop Party HitsRCA International INTS 1417
As the title implies, thisalbum contains 20 prettygood cover versions of someof the big hits of 1972. If youdon't have the originals orjust want a good partyrecord - at 99p this mustrepresent a bargain. BC
STEELEYE SPANIndividually and CollectivelyCharisma CS 5
After a couple of tracksthe record was nearlyremoved from the turntablebut I stuck it out - andgradually WHAM! - it wasback on again and again.This really does grow on you.Maddy Prior's hauntingvoice really grabs hold ofyou. Just listen to "FalseKnights Of The Road" and"Three Drunken Maidens".
Joining her, AshleyHutchins, Martin Carthy,Pete Knight and Tim Hartprove definitely that"individually andcollectively" Steeleye Spanare sure to keep lookinggood.
MR
SYREETA WRIGHTSyreetaMowest MWS 7001
Keeping this one in thefamily - that's Stevie Wonder- who wrote or co -wrote,produced and played on allbut two of these numbers forhis wife Syreeta. The"foreigners" amongst thefamily being the Lennon/McCartney composition"She's Leaving Home" and atitle "What Love Has JoinedTogether". Nine tracks in all,given a wonderful treatmentfrom the orchestra of JulianGaillard - what more couldyou ask from such a team?
MR
FRANKIE VALLI. THEFOUR SEASONSChameleonMowest MWSA 5501
Nice production with someexciting vocal work from
Frankie's falsetto andefficient back-up vocals. Thematerial often borders onsad and unfulfilled sentiments- something the Seasonshave specialised in since theirmiddle -period hits like"Beggin'", "Workin' My WayBack To You Babe" and"Rag Doll". With anunusual cover package (andthe Seasons' first fromMotown's California label)the record isn't likely to winthem any new fans but won'tlose them any old ones. Onlyone problem - the drummingon some of the tracks -particularly "Touch TheRainchild" - pushes the songalong at an unnatural rhythm.Cool it next time, fellers.
NJ
SAM APPLE PIEEast 17DJM DJLPS 429
Powerful guitar work onthis blues -oriented effort.Sound is basic, heavy andoccasionally lacking instrength of material. Thegroup is good and with bettersongs and more ambitiousproduction they couldclearly make some finerecords.
NJ
44a.
RITA COOLIDGEThe Lady's Not For SaleA & M AMLH 64370
Lovely Rita is wearingthousands of dollars worth ofRed Indian jewellery on thebeautifully photographedsleeve. As much care has beentaken with the productionand performances, and someof California's best sessionmusicians appear here. Rita'svoice is not unlike BobbyGentry's and she handles"Whiskey Whiskey", "BirdOn The Wire" and the titletrack particularly well.Total effect is modest, easyon the ear and occasionallydelightful. Kristofferson mustbe well pleased at havingRita's talents at his constantdisposal. NJ
BILLY PRESTONMusic Is My LifeA & M AMLS 63516AL KOOPERNaked SongsCBS 65193
Two top keyboardmusicians with solo albums.Not unsurprisingly bothalbums have similar strengthsand weaknesses despite theintrinsic musical differences.Billy's soul style is almost toocommercial with a predictablesongbag and arrangementswhich lack the intensity thatmarks either his singles orhis session work. Yet he'scapable of great things; oneis a thoughtful arrangementof "Blackbird", and severalof Billy's own songs areintelligent and interesting,particularly "Will It GoRound In Circles" and thetitle track. A really goodproducer could easily give
his recorded music the extraedge it sometimes needs.Al Kooper has frequentlyplayed with Dylan and hiswork on "Highway 61Revisited" and "Blonde OnBlonde" is unforgettable, asis his work with one earlyBlood, Sweat And Tears. Buthis solo albums are too oftenlacking in material substancealthough this album has somereal highlights. He turns in adramatic and effective versionof John Prine's "Sam Stone",and his own "Jolie" istouching and beautiful. But"Blind Baby" is a silly song. . . the theory that becausethere are so many unpleasantthings on view, blindness ispreferable to sight is asuperficial sentiment. ButKooper fans will find thathis talent for breathtakingriffs and licks isundiminished. An album withreal highs and real lows. NJ
COMMIMDZACODYlost WW1 Dkinx)to
.g/13NITZ13, (tin MaiE4 TRUCK Ent FAVORITES
COMMANDER CODY andhis LOST PLANET AIRMENHot Licks, Cold Steel andTruckers FavoritesParamount SPFL 281
Cody and Co specialise inrecreating Americanrockabilly and latterdaycountry folk. That burlystateside institution, thetruck driver, is honouredhere with songs like "TruckStop Rock", "Truck Drivin'Man", "Looking At TheWorld Through AWindshield" and from theother side of the coin"Mama Hated Diesels"featuring a tear -jerkingnarrative and sympatheticsteel guitar backdrop. It'stongue-in-cheek but so nearthe original genre - and solovingly recreated - that theAirmen's enthusiasm for atype of music forgotten bymost has revived a certainamount of interest. If you gofor this, don't forget theirprevious LP "Lost In TheOzone" (with more accent ondrink and dope) that manyconsider to be even betterthan this. NJ
classifieds
MOBILEDISCOTHEQUES
ASTERIX DISCOTHEQUE - 01-346 2767.
A BAD DISCOTHEQUECAN MEAN DISASTER
That's why I started a selectiveDiscotheque Service for the
Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire andCambridgeshire area
BOB CALLANDISCOTHEQUES
WHY NOT RELY ON THE EXPER14,..
5,9tY A
AT4#1? gfcti
1/4441 BOS°040-Tes sivo,
TEL. HITCHIN 52749 or 55837ANYTIME
MAINSOUND DISCOTHEQUE en-tertainment for all occasions. Tel. 01 -994 4903.
RADIO NORTH KENT, MobileDiscotheque and Lights. Phonebetween 6 and 7 pm. 01-6583218.
PERSONAL JINGLES and1,000 no identity jingles available.Plus pirate recordings, Americanshows and jingles. Over 50,000jingles and shows available. Senda stamped addressed envelopefor free list to, L. Williams,2 Langham Court, West Dids-bury, Manchester 20.
RECORDS FOR SALEDELETION SPECIALISTS weendeavour to supply any 45, sendyour stated price (minimum 50p) withsae: Memory Lane Record Shop(DJ), 20 Derngate, Northampton.THOUSANDS SECONDHANDRECORDS, newies/oldies. Send 10pfor February, March, April List. Stop,Look & Listen, Hayle, Cornwall.
FREE RADIOABSOLUTELY FREE! Offshore!Here at last, the only offshore radiomagazine that gives full and up todate coverage of the offshore scene!This issue -big news from RNI,Caroline, Voice of Peace! Mebo III?Get OFFSHORE 1 now! Large SAEto: 134 Fastworth Road, Chertsey,Surrey.
AMAZING GENUINE OFFER: Fourhours featuring 15 stations - only L1!(Tape/Cassette). Hundreds sold:CRAM (D), 21 Forest Gate, Anstey,Leicester.
PERSONALARE YOU ADVENTUROUS?If so, you must not miss the chanceto make exciting new friends of theoppostte sex. Write - S.I.M. (DJ),Braemar House, Queens Road,Reading.
POSTAL INTRODUCTIONS forfriendship or marriage. Details fromDUET, 11 Macclesfield Street, Lon-don, W1.
UNUSUAL PENFRIENDS. EX-CITINGLY DIFFERENT. Stampedenvelope for reply: Dept DJ1, Bureaudes Amies, PO Box 54, Rugby.
INSURANCEFredericks Insurance Brokers-cars,vans, instruments, mortgages etc.Telephone anytime 01-886 1833,01-863 1345. 557 Pinner Road, NorthHarrow, Middlesex.
FOR
CLASSIFIEDADVERTISING
phoneWENDY
0462-54399
THE PROFESSIONALS
Prime mover for jingles, NABand Q8 cartridges, machinesinstant start solenoidoperated.
5 models at L75, E95,E145, E230, E270.
1 Oldershaw Mews, MaidenheadSTD 0628-33011 24 hours Answerphone
45
u.s.chartstop 30singles Mid -February 1973
u.s.
topcharts30albums
1 Dueling Banjos Soundtrack Warner 1 The World Is A Ghetto War UA
2 Crocodile Rock Elton John MCA 2 No Secrets Carly Simon Elektra
3 Oh Babe, What Could 3 Talking Book Stevie Wonder TamlaYou Say Hurricane Smith Capitol
4 Could It Be I'm Falling 4 Trouble Man Marvin Gaye Tamla
In Love Spinners Atlantic 5 Homecoming America Warner5 Why Can't We Live
Together Timmy Thomas Glades 6 The Divine Miss M Bette Midler Atlantic
6 Killing Me Softly With 7 Tommy London SymphonyHis Song Roberta Flack Atlantic Orch & Guest
Soloists Ode7 Don't Expect Me To Be
Your Friend Lobo Big Tree 8 Hot August Night Neil Diamond MCA
8 Love Jones Brighter Side ofDarkness 20th Cent.
9 Rocky Mountain High John Denver RCA
9 The World Is A Ghetto War UA 10 Lady Sings The Blues Diana Ross Motown
10 Do It Again Steely Dan ABC 11 For The Roses Joni Mitchell Asylum
11 Daddy's Home Jermaine Jackson Motown 12 More Hot Rocks Rolling Stones London
12 Rocky Mountain High John Denver RCA 13 Rhymes and Reasons Carole King Ode
13 Trouble Man Marvin Gaye Tamla 14 Seventh Sojourn Moody Blues Threshold
14 Jambalaya Blue Ridge Rangers Fantasy 15 The Magician's Birthday Uriah Heep Mercury15 Love Train O'Jays Phil. Int.
16 I Am Woman Helen Reddy Capitol16 Dancing In The Moonlight King Harvest Perception
17 Creedence Gold Creedence Clear-17 Last Song Edward Bear Capitol water Revival Fantasy
18 Do You Want To Dance Bette Midler Atlantic 18 360 Degrees of Billy Paul Phil. Int.
19 Cover of Rolling Stone Dr. Hook & TheMedicine Show Columbia 19 Europe '72 Grateful Dead Warner
20 You're So Vain Carly Simon Elektra 20 Who Do We Think We Are Deep Purple Warner
21 Hi Hi Hi Wings Apple 21 Living In The Past Jethro Tull Chrysalis
22 Peaceful Easy Feeling Eagles Asylum 22 Catch Bull At Four Cat Stevens A & M
23 Superstition Stevie Wonder Tamla 23 Don McLean Don McLean UA24 I'm Just a Singer In A
Rock & Roll Band Moody Blues Threshold 24 An Anthology Duane Allman Capricorn
25 Dreidel Don McLean UA 25 Loggins and Messina Columbia
26 Harry Hippie Bobby Womack 26 Summer Breeze Seals and Crofts Warner& Peace UA
27 One Man Dog James Taylor Warner27 Your Mama Don't Dance Loggins & Messina Columbia
28 Hummingbird Seals & Crofts Warner 28 Can't Buy A Thrill Steely Dan ABC
29 Jesus Is Just Alright Doobie Brothers Warner 29 Garden Party Pick Nelson Decca
30 Give Me Your Love Barbara Mason Buddah 30 Super Fly Curtis Mayfield Curtom
46
top related