Remembering The Big-L : Radio London 50 Years On

Earlier this year we celebrated Radio Caroline which first went on the air at Easter 1964. Radio Caroline was Britain’s very first offshore pirate radio station but it was not as popular nor was it as profitable as Radio London which was first heard with test transmissions on 5th December 1964.

Radio London was the most popular and profitable of all the 60’s U.K. offshore radio stations. It gained many millions of listeners and, despite being on the air for only 32 months (closing on 14th August 1967) the Big L, Radio London left behind an enduring legacy as the first station to bring format radio, ID jingles and regular news bulletins to Britain. Radio London also provided the model, and a lot of the DJ talent (e.g. Tony Blackburn, Pete Brady, Dave Cash, Kenny Everett, John Peel, Keith Skues, Ed Stewart, …), for the BBC’s new pop music service, Radio One which started in September 1967.

Philip Birch was Radio London’s Managing Director but in the words of Gordon Sheppard, Big-L’s promotions manager: “Philip Birch WAS Big L … The real financial brain, the controlling wizard that made it all work. … He put together that terrific team: Ben Toney, Alan Keen (Sales & Programme Controller), Eddie Blackwell and Dennis Maitland (Advertising Managers), Mike Stone (Press & Publicity). … In pirate offshore radio (1964-1967), Philip Birch stands taller than most. He put together that amazing team and has to have pride of place.”

In 1980, several years after Radio London had closed, Philip Birch gave an extensive interview recounting Radio London’s history. The recording also includes many original Radio London jingles, its famous Big-L theme tune and the voices of Paul Kaye, Dave Cash, Kenny Everett, Mark Roman, and other Wonderful Radio London voices.

Here are a few more useful Big-L Radio London links:
1. OffshoreRadio.co.uk recently updated its site and mark the Big L’s 50th anniversary with a six-part Radio London Story.

2. If you’re interested in pics, there are plenty to see here from Martin Stevens collection.
And here are more pictures by Gerry Bishop, Hans Knot and John Platt.
Plus more fascinating Big L pics here.

3. On 23rd December 2014 Chris and Mary Payne who jointly run the Radio London website, organised a 50th anniversary celebration on a floating pub on a ship moored on the river Thames in central London. Those attending included Big L DJs Duncan Johnson, Pete Brady, Keith Skues, Ed Stewart, Ian Damon as well as engineer David Hawkins and the m.v. Galaxy’s steward Mitch Philistin, who having crossed the Atlantic ocean with the ship in 1964, worked throughout all of Radio London’s life.

4. Radio London’s first Programme Director, Ben Toney, tells his fascinating story of “The Amazing Radio London Adventure“.

5. And to listen again to the Big-L, Azanorak has one of the biggest online collections of recordings to download for free. From test transmissions in December 1964 to close-down in August 1967, listen once more to Pete Brady, Earl Richmond, Dave Dennis, Paul Kaye, Tony Windsor, Dave Cash, Kenny Everett, Duncan Johnson, Tony Blackburn, Keith Skues, John Peel, Ed Stewart and many more.

6. Listen to DJ Keith Skues’ potted history of Radio London which he presented over the air on Big-L on 23rd July 1967, a couple of weeks before the station closed. This abridged version lasts about 31 minutes and includes jingles, the Big-L “Sonowaltz” theme and other well known Radio London promotions. Note that this recording is in .mp3 format within a password-protected .zip file. After downloading the .zip file to your computer, please contact us to obtain the password which you’ll need in order to unzip the file.

1960’s Pirate Radio – Was It Legal?

It’s well known that successive UK governments of the 1960’s were unable to control the offshore “pirate” radio stations until the passing of the Marine Broadcasting (Offences) Act in 1967.

What is less well known today is that it was actually illegal for anyone in the UK to listen to the pirate stations because, since the stations were unauthorised/unlicensed, listeners were contravening the UK’s 1949 Wireless Telegraphy Act.

The absurdity of prosecuting millions of UK residents for listening to music provided by Radio Caroline, Radio London, 390, 270, Scotland and several other offshore radio stations was not lost on the stations themselves and many will remember promotions they broadcast, such as this one in which a magistrate is sentencing a listener to have to listen to the BBC Light Programme for the rest of their life!

This promo also reflects on the policy of Harold Wilson’s Labour government and his Postmaster General, Edward Short, who were dogmatically set against any end to the existing radio monopoly and thus alienated a generation of young people. The script of the promotion went like this:

Magistrate: You have been found guilty of listening to an offshore commercial station. This is your 59th offence, therefore your punishment must be severe. I sentence you to listen to the BBC Light…
Defendant: Oh No!…
Magistrate: For the rest of your life!…
Defendant: Anything but that!…
Magistrate: Order, Order! – Any more of this contempt of court and it will be the Home Service!…
Defendant: (gulps)
Magistrate: That’s better!

Although the August 1967 Marine Broadcasting (Offences) Act caused all the offshore radio stations (except Radio Caroline) to cease broadcasting, it is also worth noting that this legislation, whilst criminalising anyone in the UK who advertised or supplied the offshore pirates, did not in fact make the stations themselves illegal. This point was taken up by a defiant Johnnie Walker in his words over Radio Caroline South at midnight on 14th August 1967, when the new law became effective:

“Radio Caroline would like to extend its thanks to Mr Harold Wilson and his Labour government for, at last, after over 3-1/2 years of broadcasting, recognizing this station’s legality, its right to be here, its right to be broadcasting to Great Britain and the continent, its right to give the music and service to the peoples of Europe which we have been doing since Easter Sunday 1964.
And we, in turn, recognise your right as our listener to have freedom of choice in your radio entertainment and, of course, that Radio Caroline belongs to you. It is your radio station even though it costs you nothing…”

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