DJs still get all misty-eyed when
they recall those heady pioneering days in the 1970s. But what did those
stations sound like? Sadly there’s no central online archive. Each station was
a separate business; they were under no compulsion to keep copies of their output,
other than the logging tapes kept for a month or so for regulatory purposes and then wiped.
Anyway tapes cost money and took up space in the basement.
So any chance of hearing the early
days of ILR must rely on amateur off-air recordings, the recordings we weren’t
really supposed to make. What’s available on the net is a bit sketchy. If you were in the
Midlands, the North East or Liverpool you’re well catered for. Looking for
Swansea Sound, Plymouth South or, surprisingly, Radio Clyde then you’ll be
disappointed (launch day audio aside).
Anyway I’ve been looking through my
Favourites list and trawling the web to bring you this list of sites that
celebrate all things radio and where you’ll find programme clips, jingles,
photos, schedules, publicity material and car stickers that cover many of the
early ILR stations that launched in the 1970s and 1980s. Happy browsing.
Needless to say I may have missed
something, so send me your additions. I know there’s even more material to be
found on YouTube, Soundcloud or Audioboo. Of course if you have any old
cassettes tucked away at the back of a cupboard that have recordings of your
favourite ILR DJ I’d love to hear them.
By the way, if you can listen in to LBC this evening there's a documentary, LBC at 40, going out at 21.00 BST.
By the way, if you can listen in to LBC this evening there's a documentary, LBC at 40, going out at 21.00 BST.
http://www.thisisilr.co.uk/index.html
MDS975
An excellent site written by Mike
Smith. It has great sections on the history of radio in the UK and looks at
some depth into the transmitting and engineering side. Loads of great coverage
of local radio in the Midlands covering BRMB, Xtra AM, Mercia Sound, Fox FM,
Buss FM with photos, publicity, sound clips and jingles. Plus there are pages
on Forth Radio, County Sound, Wiltshire Radio and Radio 210. Set aside a few
days to look round this site!http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/radmem.html
Aircheck Downloads
With over 2,000 scoped airchecks from
the 1980s onwards. For its sheer range this perhaps the best audio source on
the web.http://www.aircheckdownloads.com/
Radio Moments
Radio professional and fully signed-up radio anorak David Lloyd has a vast collection of radio airchecks covering both commercial and BBC radio. He’s made a point of collecting station launches and you’ll find all the original 19 ILR stations on his Audioboo channel.
https://audioboo.fm/channel/radiomoments
LBC News Radio
Loaded with audio from the first ILR
station all recorded and uploaded by Geoff Lumley. If you remember the days of
AM with Douglas Cameron and Bob Holness this site is for you. http://www.geofflumley.org.uk/lbc261/index.html
Beacon Radio Memories
Thoroughly researched site about the
last of the original 19 stations http://www.beacon-radio-memories.co.uk/
Radio Aire Archive
Stacks of DJ profiles, with photos
some DJs would probably rather forget, and audio for the Leeds-based
station. An associated page covers Magic
828.https://sites.google.com/site/radioairearchive/
Radio Hallam
Dozens of clips from the first four
years (1974-78) of Radio Hallam with Messrs Skues and co.http://www.soundboard.com/sb/frank21c.aspx
Radio Tees 257
One of two sites dedicated to this
fine station with plenty of audio to keep you listening for a few hours.http://radiotees257.110mb.com/index.html
Metro Radio
Linked to the above Tees site you’ll
find stacks of info and programme clips for Metro Radio.http://northeastradio.110mb.com/index.html
Radio Tees Tribute Site
This site benefits from having plenty
of audio that is easily playable online. You’ll have fun with dozens of jingles
dating from 1975 to 1987.http://www.radiotees.co.uk/index.htm
Radio City – Brian Jones Tribute Website
http://www.citygold.me.uk/index.html
194 Radio City
The second
site dedicated to the Liverpool station. Slightly less on offer here but check
out the jingles page, just how many stations did Kenny Everett make jingles for
I wonder?http://www.nige-194radiocity.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.html
Devonair
The “heart
and soul of Devon” is recalled on this Devonair tribute site. Most of the audio
clips on offer are jingles but you can hear part of the final day from 1994. http://www.devonairfm.com/
North West Radio Memories
A
collection of photos for Piccadilly, City, Signal, Red Rose and others. http://www.northwestradio.info/memories/
Remembering Radio Orwell
A page compiled by Phil Archer with
links to a number of Soundcloud clips.http://philarcher.org/radioorwell/
KPS
Site run by Keith Sykes that features
Mercia Sound, the ill-fated Centre Radio plus Viking Radio http://kps.org.uk/
Essex Radio
A page on the history of Essex Radio
on the Radio and Telly websitehttp://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/essexradiohistory.html
GEM-AM
A page on the Radio Trent group
oldies station GEM-AMhttp://www.justin-case.co.uk/simon/gemam.htm
Swedish Radio Archive
Swedish radio enthusiast Ingemar
Lindqvist has amassed hours of recordings including Capital Radio, mainly Kenny
Everett, and Radio Victory.http://radiohistoria.jvnf.org/eng.htm
History of Commercial Radio
David Harber is writing a history of
commercial radio in the UK which should be published soon. http://www.historyofcommercialradio.com/#
And finally if you want to hear more
from the early days of Viking Radio then I can, in all modesty, suggest looking
through the posts on this very blog.
Fancy a canter through 40 years of
ILR? Turn up the volume and wallow in this audio montage from David Lloyd.
listen to ‘ILR - The story ’ on Audioboo
The Honeysett cartoon comes from the 28 April 1976 edition of Punch.
The Honeysett cartoon comes from the 28 April 1976 edition of Punch.
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