So our Elton remembers the radio of yesteryear according to an interview in this week’s Radio Times. “I love radio and grew up with it. It was a magical time where you had to use your imagination. My Sundays were built around Two-Way Family Favourites, The Billy Cotton Band Show, Round the Horn (sic), Movie-Go-Round…”
Speaking about this Monday’s The Elton John Show on BBC Radio 2 he concludes “my real ambition since I was a child was to be a DJ. Now I’ve done it once. I’d like to do it again.”
Radio Times 28 March 1975
Sir Elton has, it seems, overlooked his appearance as a Radio 1 DJ back in the mid 1970s on EJ the DJ. “Is this the end”, asked the Radio Times, “for Tony and Ed. Goodbye to Kid and DLT?” EJ the DJ aired on Good Friday 28 March 1975 and he was re-booked for a second turn on Boxing Day 27 December 1976.
Do you have a copy of these shows, if so please get in touch.
In the meantime he’s a clip of an historic broadcast from 1979 as BBC Radio 1 relayed a live Elton John concert from Moscow. Presenting the programme from the Rossya Hall is Andy Peebles.
Edit 20 Nov 2017: Since I wrote this post some audio of E.J. the DJ has surfaced. A clip was played during the Radio 1 Vintage weekend. I've also received a short off-air recording from David C. Mitchell.
I recorded the Good Friday 1975 show on a basic cassette recorder from a small transistor radio on my bedroom floor through an open mic!! The tape deteriorated over the years but I "rescued" EJ's links including the "fluffed" lead up to the news. I then interspersed them with new recordings of the various songs to make a playlist of the show on my iPod. I had to leave the recording to go for a holiday job interview and don't know if I got the whole show. The last track I have is by the Main Ingredient "Happiness Is Just Around The Bend"
Hi David. That's just the way I used to do my off-air recordings around that time! If you email me I can always put some of EJ's links online if you're OK with that.
Hi Andy, just found this post today. I recorded the December 27th show on cassette, but missed the beginning of the show. It is on a Sony C-120HF tape and still plays perfectly in my Nakamichi.
I had one of those sweat shirts once...
ReplyDeleteI recorded the Good Friday 1975 show on a basic cassette recorder from a small transistor radio on my bedroom floor through an open mic!! The tape deteriorated over the years but I "rescued" EJ's links including the "fluffed" lead up to the news. I then interspersed them with new recordings of the various songs to make a playlist of the show on my iPod. I had to leave the recording to go for a holiday job interview and don't know if I got the whole show. The last track I have is by the Main Ingredient "Happiness Is Just Around The Bend"
ReplyDeleteHi David. That's just the way I used to do my off-air recordings around that time! If you email me I can always put some of EJ's links online if you're OK with that.
ReplyDeleteHi Andy, just found this post today. I recorded the December 27th show on cassette, but missed the beginning of the show. It is on a Sony C-120HF tape and still plays perfectly in my Nakamichi.
ReplyDeleteHey there...I found the 1974 posted on youtube! https://youtu.be/JnIrYZQsuK4?si=OkBmUra1ODNKZuho
ReplyDelete