Friday 28 December 2012

Spectrum is Green


Childhood heroes come in various shapes and guises. For a generation of children of the 60s chances are it’s the indestructible defeater of the Mysterons, one Captain Scarlet. 

Like many boys of my age I loved all those puppet series: Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90. Though filmed in glorious ‘Supermarionation’ we saw them in good old black and white. I remember every Friday walking round to the newsagents in Brough with my Dad - he was going for that night’s copy of the Hull Daily Mail - to pick up the latest issue of the TV21 comic. I’d pour over those blowout diagrams of the gadgets and vehicles.  Shame I didn’t keep them, they’d be worth a fortune on eBay.


Anderson’s series led to the creation of a whole set of Corgi toys. I had the blue Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle (inexplicably the driver sat facing backwards and drove with the aid of a monitor).But mostly I yearned to have Joe 90s attache case, I never did get it.   



As a tribute to Gerry Anderson, who died earlier this week I’ve dug out this edition of the Radio 4 arts programme Kaleidoscope from 1987. Broadcast at the time of Anderson working on a new project, Space Police, its presented by Christopher Cook.  You’ll hear not only Gerry Anderson himself but also Lew Grade, special effects supremo Derek Meddings, puppeteer Christine Glanville and actors Francis Matthews, Ed Bishop and David Graham.

 

Kaleidoscope: FAB was broadcast on Wednesday 23 December 1987.


Gerry Anderson 1929-2012 FAB!
  

Tuesday 25 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 25 December – The Christmas Mysteries

It’s Christmas Day! My final advent radio offering is Classic FM’s take on the Medieval mystery plays. The Christmas Mysteries imagines how they might have been performed by the craft guild in 15th century Yorkshire. The play is written by David Spicer and stars Jack Shepherd, Mark Benton, Jasper Britton, Catherine Cusack and Simon Greenall. It was directed by Frank Stirling for Unique Productions.

The Christmas Mysteries

That’s all from Random Radio Jottings for 2012. A Happy Christmas to those of you who follow the blog. I’m back in 2013 starting with a tribute to Sports Report.

Monday 24 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 24 December – Chart of the Year

Reviewing the major events of 2011 are Richard Bacon with Clive Anderson, Jon Holmes and Katie Hopkins.  The show may have been the Radio Times pick of the day the year before but Richard hasn’t got the gig at all this year: the Review of the Year on 27 December is with Tony Livesey and Stephen Nolan.   Warning: this recording contains Jimmy Savile!

Chart of the Year_241211

Tomorrow a Classic FM Christmas Mystery.

 

Sunday 23 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 23 December – Richard Keys on Talksport

Holding court everyday on Talksport are Richard Keys and Andy Gray, who moved to the station from Sky Sports in February 2011. A year ago today there was no Andy, who had “business elsewhere ” so joining Richard is Brian Moore. The guest is former Coventry City and Liverpool player Gary Gillespie.

Richard Keys_231211

Tomorrow the news events of 2011 as heard on Radio 5 Live.

Saturday 22 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 22 December – Eric Smith and Clare Ashford


There’s a major shake-up of BBC Local Radio just around the corner in January but the keystone of all the stations, remaining unchanged, are their Breakfast Show programmes. Every morning in Shropshire it’s in the hands of Eric Smith and Clare Ashford.

Eric is another name I know from Radio Humberside, and you’ll have also heard him on Radio Sheffield and Radio Aire.
 


 

Friday 21 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 21 December – John Peel’s Shed

A delightful mix of self-effacing humour, music and a paean to the joys of radio John Osborne’s John Peel’s Shed had been touring the country when it was recorded for this Radio 4 broadcast.  The spark for the show was an eclectic box of records that John won in a Peel slogan competition: “records you want to hear, played by a man who wants to hear them”. 

John Peel's Shed_211211

Tomorrow we pay a visit to Radio Shropshire.

Thursday 20 December 2012

Christmas 42

Memories from 70 years ago: Petula Clark’s radio debut, Wilfred Pickles singing the Internationale, Dimbleby over Berlin, Ack Ack Beer Beer, Victor Sylvester’s Dance Club and Churchill announcing the end of the beginning.

Christmas 42 was a BBC Radio 4 programme presented by Christopher Andrew was first broadcast on Saturday 25 December 1982.
 

Christmas Countdown – 20 December – Ditchy & Salty



A real end of term feeling to this award-winning show as Ditchy & Salty prepare to leave Real Radio in the North West – a decision that angered many listeners. In the studio alongside David Ditchfield and Paul Salt is Debbie Ousbey (who continued at Real for a couple of months or so before she was also dropped). Playing in their ‘best bits’ with clips of Peter Kay and Anne Kirkbride.

Ditchy and Salty_201211

Tomorrow John Peel’s Shed.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 19 December – Dinner Jazz

Time for some jazz. As Sarah Ward says here’s music in a “cool and mellow” mood. So unwind with this recording of part of Dinner Jazz from 19 December 2011.

Dinner Jazz_191211

Tomorrow Ditchy and Salty.

 

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 18 December – The Chart Shows


In 2011 there was a Christmas Day chart so strictly the Christmas No 1 wasn’t announced, on the radio at least, until just before 7 pm on the big day. The question was whether the X Factor winner was going to make No. 1, or would there be a concerted attempt to back an outsider. In fact the number one hit announced on the 18th differed depending on your source. The Official Chart with Reggie Yates on Radio 1 did indeed see Little Mix make the top spot.

The Official Chart_181211



Over on commercial radio the Vodafone Big Top 40 with Rich Clarke and Kat Shoob had the Military Wives Choir. In the event it was the Choir that made the official Christmas number one. Had the X Factor winning song been released a week too early?  

As you’ll hear the X Factor acts (Rebecca Ferguson, One Direction, The Finalists, Leona Lewis and Olly Murs) and some old seasonal favourites made up the bulk of the chart.
 
The Big Top 40_181211

Tomorrow some mellow jazz.

Monday 17 December 2012

That’s All Folk



With Mike Harding leaving Radio 2’s folk show this month I’m posting this brief history of folk programming on the network. Admittedly Mike has not chosen to leave but with the changing of the guard after nearly 15 years I recall the names of Wally Whyton, Tony Capstick and Jim Lloyd.

When Radio 2 started in September 1967 the folk show, broadcast on that opening Saturday, was billed as a Radio 1 production, but simulcast on Radio 2. In fact it was not purely folk, but an hour-long mix of country and folk under the title that made this abundantly clear: Country Meets Folk. Hosting proceedings was Wally Whyton. At the time Wally was already known as a skiffle player and folk singer and to a generation of children, myself included, as appearing with the puppets Olly Beak and Fred Barker on ITV’s The Five o’Clock Club.  He’d already broadcast on the Light Programme in Skiffle Club, Folk Room and It’s One o’Clock.

Country Meets Folk was an old Light Programme show, first aired in July 1967 in the dying days of the old network. It was a replacement for the half hour A Cellar Full of Folk, both programmes being produced by Ian Grant.  Alongside Wally was Jim Lloyd (more formally billed in the Light Programme shows as James Lloyd) who was tasked with presenting the folk and country news and then later also looking after the new record release reviews.

In the rather confusing way that programmes were scheduled back then by early 1969 Country Meets Folk had moved to an earlier slot on Saturday afternoon on Radio 1 only, but months later shifted across to become a Radio 2 show, this time simulcast on Radio 1. The other occasional hosts were Malcolm Price and Johnny Silvo.

Throughout most of 1968 and 1969 Wednesday evenings, again on Radio 1, was home to a series of specially recorded folk sessions called My Kind of Folk. Most of this series was produced by Frances Line – later to become Mrs Jim Lloyd and in the 1990s Controller of Radio 2.

Of course other shows featured folk music, especially with the rise of progressive folk at the end of the 60s. On Radio 1 John Peel, David Symonds and Night Ride all played folk sessions.


Whilst continuing to contribute to Country Meets Folk, Jim Lloyd was to get his first solo folk series, Folk on Friday, starting on Radio 2 on 10 April 1970. This was also produced by France Line. Jim had started as an actor in repertory before joining Tyne-Tees in 1959 as a continuity announcer, moving to ATV two years later. There was a spell introducing Midlands Today on BBC1 before contributing to radio shows such as Today, Roundabout and Woman’s Hour. A chance meeting in 1964 with The Spinners sparked his interest in folk music.

Folk on Friday ended in September 1971 when a schedule re-shuffle introduced the daily magazine show After Seven. Its replacement was Folk on 2, again with Jim at the helm and now going out late on a Sunday night. Meanwhile Country Meets Folk itself lasted another year, finally closing its doors in September 1972. Wally would return to Radio 2 the following year with Country Club – but that’s another story, and another blog post.


Folk on 2 continued as the sole folk show from October 1972 by which time it had shifted to a midweek position. But it was joined by an accompanying programme Folk 73 from 4 July 1973, the presenter this time being one Simon Bates.  Each week this show presented a different folk artist or group in a 30-minute session and so it fell to the continuity announcing staff, of which Simon was one, to do the honours. Folk 73 became, not unnaturally, Folk 74 with Len Jackson and then Jack McLaughlin. Folk 75 again had Jack as the announcer. For a few weeks on 1976 we also had Folk 76, this time with Michael Meech.

I am, however, leaping ahead with the timeline, as back on 8 July 1973 Folk on 2 was replaced by Folkweave, best known, of course, for being presented by Tony Capstick. Tony had been on the club circuit since the early 60s but got his break into broadcasting thanks to Radio Sheffield, where his popular, if quirky style ensured a 30 years career with the station. Regrettably ill health due to heavy drinking led to his dismissal in early 2003 and his death a few months later.

Folkweave was to be a Radio 2 fixture until 17 January 1980. The series was produced in Manchester by Peter Pilbeam. In fact show one in 1973 was presented by Harry Boardman and Harry along with Martin Winsor filled-in for Tony when he was unavailable. This is a clip of Tony in 1978. I can’t take credit for this recording which I’ve edited down from the show that I found on the web; at the time of writing the whole show, plus several others, are available to download.
 


Here’s Tony with his final Folkweave on 17 January 1980.
 


Three years after Folkweave started there was another new show, Both Sides Now, again a fusion of country and folk, again presented by Wally Whyton with Jim Lloyd doing the news and reviews. Starting in early 1976 on a Thursday night it moved to a Saturday, after Sport on 2, from that October until the end of its run in December 1977.

1978 saw the revival of the session shows with Folk 78 from 3 January, this time with announcer and part-time folk singer Ruth Cubbin. Later that year Johnny Silvo took over, continuing with Folk 79. Folk 80, running from January to March, was introduced by Isla St Clair.

Folk on 2 with Jim Lloyd returned to the airwaves on 31 March 1980, and remained part of the schedules until 1997. Here’s Jim introducing that first show that would feature The McCalmans, Seamus Gavin, Cyril Tawney and folk news with Colin Irwin.
 


After 30 years of presenting folk music Jim Lloyd retired in 1997. His place in early 1998 was taken by Ralph McTell, who’d’ sat in for Jim the previous summer. This is part of Jim’s last show on 17 December 1997, with apologies for some of the reception interference part-way through.




And so we come to the present but departing incumbent, Mike Harding. Mike first show was broadcast on 22 April 1998 and would soon be billed as “the best in folk, roots and acoustic based music”.  During his tenure a new generation of folk performers have ensured yet another revival of folk music and from 2000 Radio 2 initiated the annual Folk Awards. In October it was announced that Mark Radcliffe would front the weekly folk show from next January. Mike’s last programme is on Boxing Day.

Christmas Countdown – 17 December – Frank Skinner

The notion of getting the nation’s funny men to play DJ probably started in the 1980s with Lenny Henry.  A year ago Absolute Radio offered us shows with Frank Skinner and Dave Gorman, who left the station just last month. 

Today’s advent calendar radio offering is part of Frank’s show from 17 December 2011. With him in the studio are Alun Cochrane and Emily Dean.
 
Frank Skinner_171211

Tomorrow it’s the Sunday chart shows.

Sunday 16 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 16 December – Danny Baker



One of the radio moments of 2012 must be Danny Baker’s on-air two-hour (“pinhead weasels”) rant. On 16 December 2011 however it was business as usual on Danny’s BBC London 94.9 afternoon show. As you’d expect there’s an eclectic mix of talking points and music. With Danny is Baylen Leonard.

Danny Baker_161211

Tomorrow Frank Skinner.

Saturday 15 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 15 December – Ant & Rosie

There’s a unwritten rule that all commercial radio breakfast shows must be (a) constantly plugged all day and (b) hosted by a couple of DJs, ideally one male, one female. Presumably the expected on-air chemistry will produce great results.  

This time last year Viking FM Breakfast host Paul Foster had left the station in November and filling in at short notice was Drivetime DJ Ant Nichols alongside Rosie Madison. For December the station was running a ‘Cliff is Cool’ campaign. Probably started in response to the launch of Absolute 60s in November that had declared itself a Cliff-free zone, despite his musical contribution in that decade. For Viking though it was all in the name of the Cash4Kids charity.
 
Ant & Rosie_151211

Tomorrow Danny Baker.

Friday 14 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 14 December – Toby Foster

Waking up listeners in South Yorkshire is Radio Sheffield’s Toby Foster. A year ago today he was encouraging folk to phone-in with their Desert Island Discs – the Radio 4 programme was celebrating its 70th anniversary.

Apologies for a few pops and clicks on this recording.
 
Toby Foster_141211

Tomorrow we stay in Yorkshire and head over to Hull.

Thursday 13 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 13 December – Mandate AM

This time last year the bad weather was dominating the news. Those storms were battering the Isle of Man and so news of the Steam Packet sailings features in this recording of the daily morning news programme on Manx Radio, Mandate AM hosted by John Moss.

Mandate AM_131211

Tomorrow BBC Sheffield.

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 12 December – Simon Bates



The notion of sending Simon Bates into a war zone is not a new one. Back in his Radio 1 days Simes went off to the Gulf War. So it is perhaps surprising, and quite heartening, for Smooth Radio to spend the time and resources on a week of programmes from Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. It makes fascinating listening.

Four months later it was Bates in the Falklands. Meanwhile this week on Radio 1 Greg James’s show is broadcast live from Afghanistan.
 
Simon Bates_121211

Tomorrow across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man.

Tuesday 11 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 11 December – Johnnie Walker

This is perhaps untypical of Johnnie’s usual Sounds of the 70s shows on BBC Radio 2. No musical guest. Instead, in this programme from 11 December last year, we get Sir Roger Moore, so the link with all things 70s remains a little tenuous.

Johnnie Walker_111211

Tomorrow a trip to Afghanistan.

Monday 10 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 10 December – Michael BublĂ©

Michael BublĂ© was all over the radio and TV schedules last year – mind you he did have a Christmas album to promote. In fact he’s back this year too – already appearing on Heart and with a series of seasonal shows on both Magic and Smooth this month.

In these recordings you’ll hear Michael chatting to Dermot O’Leary on his Saturday afternoon Radio 2 show and also doing a spot of DJ’ing – voicetracked one assumes - on Magic 105.4. It seems we simply can’t get enough of the BublĂ©.


Dermot O'Leary


Michael Buble
 

Tomorrow Johnnie Walker

Sunday 9 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 9 December – Simon Logan

It was only in retrospect that I realised that the geographic spread of stations I’ve chosen for this series of advent posts is concentrated in the North, can you tell I come from Hull?

There’s a Hull connection here as I remember Simon Logan from his Viking days but now on daily at BBC Newcastle. We get the good old radio standby of The Golden Hour, in this case two mystery years under the title ‘Time of Our Lives’. There’s the first of many appearances in these recordings of the eventual winners of The X Factor, Little Mix. You have been warned.   
   
Simon Logan_091211

Tomorrow Michael Bublé.

Saturday 8 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 8 December – Heart Breakfast

Jamie Theakston’s usual partner on Heart Breakfast in London was Harriet Scott (who’s just left the show after seven years) but this time last year Emma Bunton was sitting in – we even get a Spice Girls track.

At 32 minutes in see how many of the tasks you still do that have now been replaced by new technology.
 
Heart Breakfast_081211

Tomorrow BBC Newcastle.

Friday 7 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 7 December – Peter Levy

Peter Levy is your multimedia man. Viewers of Look North in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire can see Peter grilling local politicians and needling weatherman Paul Hudson each weekday evening.

Meanwhile at lunchtime on BBC Radio Humberside (as well as BBC Radio Lincolnshire) Peter’s doing what local radio does best, covering local issues or providing a local slant on national stories. So in this programme we get wind turbines in Swanland, working half-pay to help your employer, Sue Holderness in panto at Grimsby and why staff who work in HR are more likely to get off with someone else at the Christmas party.

Peter Levy_071211

Tomorrow Heart London  

Thursday 6 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 6 December – Ken Bruce

Amazingly Ken has occupied Radio 2’s mid-morning slot for twenty years; it’s a broadcasting institution.

In this recording you’ll hear all the usual features: The Love Song, Pop Master, Tracks of My Years (Ralph McTell) and the banter with travel reporter Lynn Bowles. This show also includes a magical live performance from Carole King.
 
Ken Bruce_061211

Tomorrow Radio Humberside.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 5 December – Hirsty’s Daily Dose



In the days of my daily commute into York I always had Galaxy as one of the presets. If I wasn’t tuning in to Moyles or Wogan it was Hirsty.

Simon Hirst, Danny Oakes and Jojo Kelly have been a fixture on Galaxy/Capital for nearly a decade so a chat, a laugh and a bit of bickering amongst mates is the order of the day.

When Moyles left Radio 1 breakfast in September Hirsty was told to expect more listeners, his typically self-deprecating response on Twitter was that you’ll need to “lower your expectations” if you do listen.

Here's the daily Dose from this day last year:
 


Tomorrow it’s Ken Bruce.

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 4 December –Mark Punter

In today’s advent radio countdown it’s the Sunday show from 4 December 2011 with Mark Punter’s Gravy Train. This segment is billed as The Big Quiz of the Week as listeners phone-in to win … the Mark Punter Prize Pen! Well were are talking BBC local radio budgets!

I’m a regular listener to this show as Mark and I both have an appreciation for the late great broadcaster Ray Moore.

This time last year the BBC local radio stream was suffering from ‘pops and clicks’ that had started about December and wasn’t fixed until around Easter time. So apologies in advance for quality of this recording.

Mark Punter_041211

Tomorrow Capital Yorkshire.

Monday 3 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 3 December- Boogie & Dingo


A trip to Scotland for today’s advent offering. Although recorded on Clyde 1, Boogie and Dingo were networked across Bauer’s Scottish FM stations. In this clip Boogie (Andrew Bouglas) and Dingo (David Konoc) are keen to out any males that resort to tanning.

Boogie and Dingo_031211

Tomorrow BBC Essex.

Sunday 2 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 2 December – Tony Blackburn

There can’t be many DJs (any DJs?) who broadcast on five different radio stations each week. You can hear Tony Blackburn on Radio 2, London 94.9, Magic, Radio Berkshire and KMFM. A year ago, before he got the Magic and Berkshire gigs, Tony was on each Friday morning on Hull’s KCFM. Here he is doing his stuff on 2 December 2011.

Tony was dropped from the KCFM schedules in early 2012 when the P&O sponsorship was withdrawn.
 
Tony Blackburn_021211

Tomorrow Clyde 1.

Saturday 1 December 2012

Christmas Countdown – 1 December – Chris Moyles

Little did we know at the time but this was to be the last Christmas for Chris and the team. But here we are with the first of a series of posts of radio shows from this day one year ago, my radio advent calendar. Today it’s a scoped version of the Chris Moyles Breakfast Show from 1 December 2011.

You can have a good old sing-sing, not only with the Cheesy Song but the first festive outing for Dominik the Donkey. The programme started a campaign to get Dominik to the top of the Christmas charts. In the event it peaked at number three.
 


Tomorrow it’s a show on KCFM.
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