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| I’m an anorak’s wet dream, I am |
Jeeez. Spare me. It’s August the 14th. Noooooooooo.
Back in 1967 this was the day that all the pop pirate radioships fell silent (except those operated under the callsign “Radio Caroline”). Radio enthusiasts (anoraks) celebrate or mark this day every year as if it was the day of the passing of something or someone important. Yet, it was only radio. It was radio that was very easily forgotten and not missed by anybody but the lonely young spotty youths of the day with no life and no friends. Pretty soon the ordinary folk were completely happy with whatever a mixture of the BBC and Radio Luxembourg were able to bring them.
Alas, a couple of hundred ‘anoraks’ were left behind and to this day mourn the passing of these ships that did nothing but steal copyright and put marine workers in peril from their jamming of distress frequencies. These old aged pensioners spend this day sitting with their old fashioned reel-to-reel tape recorders and playback recordings they made over 40 years ago as they all but re-enact Krapp’s Last Tape.
Very sad or what?
Back in 1967 this was the day that all the pop pirate radioships fell silent (except those operated under the callsign “Radio Caroline”). Radio enthusiasts (anoraks) celebrate or mark this day every year as if it was the day of the passing of something or someone important. Yet, it was only radio. It was radio that was very easily forgotten and not missed by anybody but the lonely young spotty youths of the day with no life and no friends. Pretty soon the ordinary folk were completely happy with whatever a mixture of the BBC and Radio Luxembourg were able to bring them.
Alas, a couple of hundred ‘anoraks’ were left behind and to this day mourn the passing of these ships that did nothing but steal copyright and put marine workers in peril from their jamming of distress frequencies. These old aged pensioners spend this day sitting with their old fashioned reel-to-reel tape recorders and playback recordings they made over 40 years ago as they all but re-enact Krapp’s Last Tape.
Very sad or what?
England's England 
devils avocate, dear Christopher 😉
The cries of interferance, stealing music, endangering lives etc are all fanciful. Never proven, though always a possibilty, licenced TX's can cause the same problems.
the people involved were folk heros of thier day.
Yes its a time goneby, sadly now we are being plagued by the legalised Borg.
There was an opertunity to do something good, i feer that is now lost
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your a prat you dont know what real radio sounds like try listening to big l
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Anonymous said…
your a prat you dont know what real radio sounds like try listening to big l
What an unfortunate attitued from a COWARD
(stand up and be counted). Try being constructive in your views, they will be better recieved.
Yes I do know what real radio sounds like, I make it EVERY day and not for a BORG station.
Big L does not reach me untill at least 2100 and the signal is so varied its almost pointless.
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Christopher is playing Devils advocate for sure.
I was just 12 years old back in 1967 but I can remember the events of 14 th August 1967 vividly and it has cast an extremely L O N G shadow upon my life and instilled a deeply entrenched distrust toward “Whitehall” and any form of state imposed ‘authority’.
43 years ago I lost several of my favourite music radio stations – they were forced to close by a socialist administration that was fully intent on restricting freedom of speech and expression wherever it existed.
Some have said “Get over it” but that to me would be surrender to the very repression that Wilson and his cronies were so keen to impose.
I will NEVER forget August 14 th neither can I find forgiveness in my heart for what the Labour politicians did.
Radio Caroline continued until March 1968. After that I listened to Radio Veronica, until the arrival of RNI and then the return of a new Radio Caroline.
One might laugh at “Anoraks” but we lost something very precious and important back in 1967 – Freedom of speech and the right to express our opinions and views. Then again in 1974 it happened in the Netherlands.
At that point I’d had enough of Britain, so I packed my bags and moved overseas and secured myself a job in commercial radio. All these years later, I’ve never forgotten why I decided on a career in broadcasting and why the 14th August is still such an important date in my life.
Even now – 43 years later – whenever I hear a recording of the Big L closedown or Radio Caroline at Midnight, it brings tears to my eyes and a very deep sadness in my heart.
Now, if you will excuse me, it’s just 12 minutes to Midnight and I need a quiet moment to salute the jocks and ‘backroom’ people that made the mid-sixties such a vibrant, enjoyable and fun time on British Radio.
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Of course Christopher is playing “Devil's Advocate”,that's what he does isn't it?
1967 was a long time ago.
I regard myself as “Middle aged” and even I was too young to even be aware what was happening at the time.
The fact is the majority of the population have not got a clue what the MOA was!
But that's not to say it wasn't important.
All history is important.Though it has to be said that the MOA hardly ranks next to,say,The Battle of Britain(Also being remembered at this time)
But I just wonder how many younger people really care about history.And more importantly,how history effects their lives today.
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Why is it that free radio wankers carn't spel?
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The Battle of Britain ?!!
Was that REALLY such an important event as some historians present it ?
I shall await Christopher writing about the second world war and then make a detailed comment on my opinion and views on the topic.
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Herman said…
The Battle of Britain ?!!
Was that REALLY such an important event as some historians present it ?
Herman,
The Battle of Britain WAS used for propaganda purposes.
But please do not deny it's importance…………
Or are you just an idiot?
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You've already lost the debate by resorting to name calling – goodness Christopher hasn't even written about it yet !!
I posed a question. I never stated an opinion or attempted to deny anything. Kindly re-read my posting and learn some manners.
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