35 years later also RNI and NSGDX remembered

Also ‘Radio Northsea International can at the moment be heard on Surfradio. On August 31st 1974 the offshore radio stations off the Dutch Coast were forced to close down. Surfradio will replay the original programmes as broadcast on Sunday, August 30th 1974, from 12 noon till midnight European time. This includes the closedown at midnight of the English service. On Monday August 31st Surfradio will rebroadcast the final Radio Noordzee programmes from 09.00 in the morning till 20.00 hrs. Between 13.00 and 15.00 hours Monday afternoon you can also hear the final two hours of the International Shortwave service of RNI with AJ Beirens and NSGDX, which was the longest running programme on the station.

www.surfradio.eu

Simon Dee, the first voice on Caroline, died on Sunday

Simon Dee, the first presenter to be heard on Radio Caroline in 1964 has died of bone cancer at the age of 74, said his daughter on Sunday. Simon spoke those now famous words, welcoming listeners to Radio Caroline on 199 metres, "Your all day music station". He then went on to find fame on television, hosting television chat shows which attracted 18 million viewers in the late sixties.Simon was born Cyril Nicholas Henty-Dodd and was also the first pirate broadcaster to become a BBC star when he was offered a show on the Light Programme in 1965 which also aired on Radio 1 in 1967.He also had spells on Radio Luxembourg, Radio 210 in the 1980s, and BBC Radio 2 in 2003. Former colleague Tony Blackburn said on his Facebook profile today: "So sorry to hear that my old friend Simon Dee has died. I was out on Radio Caroline with him in the 60's and loved him. He was a brilliant broadcaster who threw it all away sadly because he couldn't handle fame. I appeared on his very successful Dee Time Saturday night TV show, people forget how big he was. My memoried of Simon will always be happy ones. His daughter Domino Henty-Dodd said her father was diagnosed a matter of weeks ago and could not be treated.
"It happened very, very quickly," she told BBC News. "He was dearly loved by his family."
Friends previously told how he was admitted to hospital near his home in Winchester, Hants, in recent weeks.
His condition deteriorated and it was understood that his cancer is so advanced that it is beyond treatment.
Dee, real name Cyril Nicholas Henty-Dodd, moved to Winchester 15 years ago and lived in a tiny, one bedroom flat.
At the height of his fame he compered Miss World, appeared on Juke Box Jury and Top of the Pops helped launch pirate pop station Radio Caroline.
Due to a disagreement between Dee and BBC bosses over Dee's huge salary demands, his contract was reviewed in 1969 and he left the channel.
He was offered £100,000 for a two-year contract with the independent channel LWT and commenced a series with them in January 1970.
But Dee fell out with the LWT management as well and they terminated his contract after only a few months. Dee lived in a tiny flat in Hyde, Winchester, and cut an anonymous figure, far removed from the star who was mobbed on the streets.
Earlier this summer, in his first interview for 20 years, he said: "Sadly, honesty and intelligence have vanished from national TV.
"Truth, interesting stimulating conversation, and, above all, real 'showbusiness' has been replaced by juvenile 'reality' shows and endless audition programmes.
"We need to remember what original entertainers and entertainment is all about.
"I've no regrets. If you change your past, you change your present. Bitterness destroys, but laughter lifts you.
"It's all been enlightening and as a girlfriend said the other day, 'you've still got your hair.'"
Dee was treated at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester.

Former Radio Caroline pioneer Simon Dee very ill

Sixties Caroline dj Simon Dee is terminally ill with bone cancer and friends say he has just days to live. Dee, 74, was admitted to hospital near his Hampshire home in recent weeks. His condition has deteriorated and it is understood that his cancer is so ­advanced that it is beyond treatment. In his brief but glittering heyday, his twice-weekly chat show Dee Time, with US-style opening catchphrase “It’s ­S-i-i-i-i-i-mon Dee”, regularly attracted 18 million viewers and earned him £100,000 annually. John Lennon, Charlton Heston, ­Sammy Davis Jr and Bob Hope were among his guests. He compered Miss World, appeared on Juke Box Jury and Top of the Pops and helped launch offshore station Radio Caroline. But he fell from grace dramatically in rows over his huge salary demands. Having alienated both BBC and ITV, Dee simply disappeared. He signed on for unemployment ­benefit at the Fulham labour exchange and, unable to revive his showbusiness career, took a job as a bus driver.
He also had several court appearances and, in 1974, served 28 days in ­Pentonville prison for non-payment of rates on his former Chelsea home. Every time he left his cell, ­inmates shouted: “It’s ­S-i-i-i-i-i-mon Dee!”. He moved to a tiny one-bedroom flat at Hyde in Winchester 15 years ago.

Tom Romita, a friend who runs a ­newsagents and cafe in the city, said: “Simon is terminally ill. He’s got days left. He has got bone cancer and it is well advanced.
“It’s very sad, he has been a very good customer here over the years and he’s a very likeable chap.
Another friend, John Harding, said: “Simon is a much-loved character.
“There’s a network of people visiting him and he is being very brave.”
Roger Backhouse QC, who is close to the fallen star, said: ­“Simon is being amazingly strong. His mind is not gone and he is still fun to be with.
“He is bearing himself in a very ­composed and dignified manner.
“He’s never ever shown any rancour or bitterness about his fall from grace. He’s an old-fashioned gent who never has a word of regret or sourness.”
Earlier this summer, in his first interview for 20 years, Dee said: “Sadly, ­honesty and intelligence have vanished from national TV.”
He insisted he had no regrets. “If you change your past, you change your present. It’s all been enlightening and as a girlfriend said the other day, ‘You’ve still got your hair’.”

Caroline returns to its AM roots

Legendary offshore station Radio Caroline will hold a rare AM broadcast over the bank holiday. Radio Caroline was set up in 1964 and spent years broadcasting on medium wave, from a ship on the high seas off the British coast. The station now broadcasts legally through Sky Radio channel 0199 (on the Astra 2) and internet site www.radiocaroline.co.uk. The ship is moored at Tilbury Docks. From Friday to Monday (31st August) it will broadcast to Essex and Kent on 531AM. Peter Moore, 62, who now manages Radio Caroline, said: “We had to broadcast on AM in the past because FM, satellite radio and the internet didn’t exist.” Monday we also commemorate the fact that 35 years ago the offshore stations Radio Veronica, RNI and Atlantis were silenced off the Dutch coast.

Scandinavian offshore radio pioneers held reunion in Copenhagen

On Wednesday August 19th 2009 remaining pioneers of all the Scandinavian offshore radio stations held a reunion at Frederiksberg in Copenhagen. Some 50 years ago offshore radio started in Denmark with the advent of Radio Mercur. Media historian Pia Charlotte Schultz made it all happen. Participating on Wednesday were former employees of Radio Mercur, Radio Syd, DCR and Radio Nord:

Kenneth Andersson, Skånes Radio Mercur (tekniker)

Klas Wik, Radio Syd (tekniker)

Kurt Nilsson, Radio Syd (tekniker)

Seve Ungermark. Radio Nord (nyhedsredaktør)

Ove Sjöström, Radio Nord (chefstekniker)

Preben Ploug, Radio Mercur (tekniker)

Gert Tejlmann, Radio Mercur (tekniker)

Birger Svan, Radio Mercur (tekniker)

Lise Helmgaard (Lise Svan) Radio Mercur (diskoteket)

Lise Reinau, Radio Mercur (programvært)

John Steenberg, Radio Mercur (programvært)

Jerry Katz, Radio Mercur (tekniker)

It was a day full of memories from way back when. Even the original Panamian flag used on board the Cheeta put in an appearance.

RADIOPIONÆRER SAMLES I KØBENHAVN

For 50 år siden betragtedes de som pirater af etablissementet, og de danske og svenske regeringer gjorde alt for at stoppe deres succes på radiobølgerne. Radiomonopolet i Danmark og Sverige blev brudt ved at et antal entusiaster og entreprenører startede med at sende radio fra skibe, der lå for anker på internationalt farvand, og dette fænomen blev så kaldt piratradio eller offshore radio. Efter alle disse år samles onsdag den 19. august 2009 medarbejdere fra samtlige skandinaviske flydende radiostationer til et træf i Hansens Familjehaver på Pileallé 10-12 på Frederiksberg, København.

Den første skandinaviske offshore-station hed Radio Mercur, og begyndte at sende fra det lille skib Cheeta i Øresund i juni 1958. Programmerne fik en enorm gennemslagskraft med sit store udvalg af populær-musik og underholdning som en velkommen kontrast til de kulturelle og dannede programmer, som var hovedlinien i Danmarks Radio’s programflade. Radio Mercur blev model for flere andre lignende stationer, og der var fire stationer i luften fra fartöjer ud for den skandinaviske kyst: Radio Mercur, DCR (Danmarks Comercielle Radio), Radio Syd og Radio Nord. Mens de første tre sendte på FM-båndet, og fortrinsvis dækkede området rundt om Øresund, så satsede Radio Nord på mellembølge og kunne derfor høres over store dele af Sverige. Under efteråret i 1958 startede svenske udsendelser under navnet Skånes Radio Mercur, ved at journalisten og radioentusiasten Nils Eric Svensson købte sendetid over danske Radio Mercur. Denne station blev senere udviklet til Radio Syd under ledelse af Britt Wadner, og opnåede en enorm popularitet hos skånske lyttere gennem 60-erne.

Selvom mange af disse pionærer nu er borte, så findes der stadig mange i live, og det er første gang at repræsentanter for samtlige skandinaviske offshore-stationer træffes på denne måde. Nogle af deltagerne:
Kenneth Andersson, Skånes Radio Mercur (tekniker)Klas Wik, Radio Syd (tekniker)Kurt Nilsson, Radio Syd (tekniker)Seve Ungermark. Radio Nord (nyhedsredaktør)Ove Sjöström, Radio Nord (chefstekniker)Preben Ploug, Radio Mercur (tekniker)Gert Tejlmann, Radio Mercur (tekniker)Birger Svan, Radio Mercur (tekniker)Lise Helmgaard (Lise Svan) Radio Mercur (diskoteket)Lise Reinau, Radio Mercur (programvært)John Steenberg, Radio Mercur (programvært)Jerry Katz, Radio Mercur (tekniker).

Bag dette arrangement står Pia-Charlotte Schultz, som voksede op med Radio Mercur i København. Hun er initiativtager til et projekt som stiler efter at dokumentere denne del af skandinavisk mediehistorie, og har ansvar for at materiale i form af tekst, billed, lyd og film bevares for eftertiden. Dette skal ske indenfor rammen af en idealistisk forening, som netop er grundlagt med domicil i København. Dette møde er et led i dette dokumentationsarbejde selvom hovedårsagen er, at de gamle radiopirater på en dag skal få muligheden for at træffes og tale om gamle minder.

Where were you on August 31st 1974, the Day the Music Died?

On August 31st 2009, Spectrum Radio will be rebroadcasting the final hours of Radio Veronica on 558kHz AM. So where were you on August 31st 1974? Many people know where they were when J.F. Kennedy died. Some close their eyes and can still see the first man on the moon. Historic events that we can relive time after time thanks to DVD, video, MPeg4, I-pods and whatever. You see the same and still.... it's different. A lot of people in the Benelux, who were over twelve in 1974, can remember where they were during the close down of Radio Veronica, Radio North Sea and Radio Atlantis. Veronica was a ship based radio station, which started broadcasting in 1960 from a former German light vessel anchored outside the terrotorial waters in the North Sea. At that time radio in Holland consisted of Government controlled broadcasting companies radiating programs as exciting as watching grass grow. In 1959 a couple of entrepreneurs decided to follow the Scandinavian example of broadcasting "free" radio from outside the jurisdiction of the authorities. Free of charge, free of Government interference and available at no costs. The content? Music! Radio Veronica, as the station was called, built up an audience beyond belief and forced the Government to launch a new National station (radio 3) broadcasting pop music all day as a (non successful) attempt to take away the reason for Veronica's existence. It was that same success that made the authorities reticent to act as no political movement had the courage to jeopardize an election over the popularity of Radio Veronica. An explosion on board a competing radio ship pushed the Government into gear however. After September 1st 1974 anyone working for, supporting or advertising on offshore stations would be breaking the law. Radio Veronica decided to cease broadcasting August 31st 1974 at 6pm (CET). From then on the 538 meters wavelength, (558 kHz AM) remained silent until much later other stations started using it. Do you remember the last hour? Did you hear it but forgot? Was it before your time and have you always regretted not to have been there? Now here is your chance. On August 31st 2009 the sound of Radio Veronica will be back on 538 meters, 558 kHz. By courtesy of Spectrum Radio in London and Radio Seagull in The Netherlands the final two hours of Radio Veronica are going to be re-broadcast. Not on I-pod or MP3 player, but on the same old Medium Wave frequency as 35 years ago. So dig up your AM receiver and tune to 538 meters, 558 kHz on Monday August 31st between 15.00-17.00 CET, but also all over London on DAB from 3-5 pm UK time (16.00-18.00 CET). Same date, almost same time, same frequency, just 35 years later...Can't listen to AM? Use Spectrum Radio's Website to listen live via the web or to listen to the recording later. If you missed it in 1974, here is your chance. If you heard it then, relive the sentiment and listen again. All the others, ask the people who missed it last time and they'll tell you why you shouldn't...

Waar was jij 35 jaar geleden op 31 augustus 1974? De dag dat de muziek van de zeezenders doodging…

Veel mensen kunnen zich precies herinneren waar ze waren en wat ze deden toen John F. Kennedy werd vermoord. Anderen sluiten hun ogen en kunnen zich zo de beelden voor de geest halen van de eerste man op de maan. Historische gebeurtenissen die we dank zij DVD, video, mpeg4 enz. eindeloos opnieuw kunnen bekijken. Je ziet hetzelfde, maar toch.....het is anders. Veel landgenoten die in 1974 twaalf jaar of ouder waren, kunnen zich nog herinneren waar ze met de kleine draagbare radio in de handen zaten te luisteren naar de laatste klanken van zeezenders Radio Veronica, Radio Noordzee en Radio Atlantis. Wel straks op 31 augustus kun je echt 35 jaar terug gaan in de tijd. De oude golflengte 538 meter (558 kHz) van Veronica wordt even weer in gebruik gesteld voor het heruitzenden van de laatste twee uur van de legendarische zeezender dankzij Spectrum Radio in Londen (15-17u). Kun je niet naar de middengolf luisteren? Ga dan naar www.spectrumradio.net en lees hoe je via de website live kunt afstemmen of achteraf zelfs naar de opname. Heb je het in 1974 gemist, dan is hier je kans.

Radio Days: DJ Reunion Marks End of Caroline Exhibition

This Sunday, 23rd August, will be the final day of Manx National Heritage’s highly successful temporary exhibition ‘Pirates of the Irish Sea’ at the House of Manannan in Peel. Offshore station Radio Caroline North broadcast from the MV Caroline (formerly the MV Fredericia), anchored off Ramsey, between 1964 and 1968, and broke new ground in British broadcasting history. The exhibition, which celebrates the phenomenon of Radio Caroline North forty years after it left Manx waters, has been running for just over a year and has proved very popular with visitors. To mark the end of the exhibition, former Caroline DJ Alan Turner has organised a special reunion of former DJs and engineers who will gather at the House of Manannan on Sunday. Among those attending will be DJ Tony Prince, who went on to broadcast on Radio Luxemburg. Exhibition curator Matthew Richardson comments, “The story of Radio Caroline North was one of the most significant chapters in Manx post-war history. "The station was a real icon of the swinging sixties, when young people decided they no longer wanted to listen to what they were told they should by the establishment, and decided instead they wanted their own kind of music. "It was revolutionary, and it all happened right here in the Isle of Man.” Alan Turner worked for Radio Caroline when the ship was still anchored off the Suffolk Coast in 1964. He then stayed on when it sailed to the Island and broadcast as Radio Caroline North. The exhibition was opened by Terry Cringle, who as a young Manx freelance journalist reported on Radio Caroline for the major British newspapers. It features the memories of those who worked on the station and also some of the people whose lives were touched by the music which it broadcast. The Caroline memorabilia on show also includes the famous Caroline bell. Last September the exhibition was visited by Caroline founder, Ronan O’Rahilly, who gave it his personal seal of approval.

Het legendarische REM-eiland gaat even terug naar zee. REM Island to be turned into restaurant

Het REM-eiland gaat heel even terug naar zee. Het verlaat daarbij vrijdag via de Scheldemonding benoorden Knokke-Heist de haven van Vlissingen. Het gaat om de eilandconstructie die in 1964 door Verolme op zee werd gebouwd om van buiten de territoriale wateren de programma’s van Radio en TV Noordzee (de latere TROS) uit te zenden. Bij gunstig weer konden die uitzendingen toen ook aan onze Oostkust ontvangen worden op Kanaal 11 van de VHF band. Het REM-eiland werd drie jaar geleden op zee afgebroken door het grote Zeebrugse kraanponton Rambiz van de Vlaamse bergingsmaatschappij Scaldis. Het bedrijf Heuvelman Ibis in Delfzijl gaat nu van het platform een restaurant met een dakterras maken voor woningcorporatie De Key in Amsterdam. Maar voor het zover is, is het REM-eiland nog te bewonderen tijdens DelfSail van 22 tot en met 26 augustus.