"If you're
slaving all at home or relaxing or you're working in a noisy factory, just set
yourself free when the clock strikes three cos everything stops for tea".
Know the
lyrics? And the tune? Chances are you too were enjoying a cuppa on a weekday
afternoon sometime in the mid-1970s tuned into the David Hamilton show.
David
Hamilton's career stretches back over 50 years from his time on British Forces
radio and the Light Programme and as an announcer and presenter on ABC
Television and elsewhere on the ITV network. Since then he's made hundreds of
TV appearances and thousands of radio broadcasts on dozens of stations. Retirement?
Not a hint of it.
I've been
able to share some of my own off-air recordings of David and some press
cuttings on the recently formed Facebook group David Hamilton's Hot Shots. Set up and administered by David 's
friend, and supporter of this blog, Noel Tyrrel there are audio contributions,
photos and rare TV footage from Diddy's own collection. The man himself is
keeping a eye on proceedings. Launching the group David said:
"I am very excited and flattered
in equal measure at the prospect of a group in appreciation of my work past,
present and future. I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome all members and hope
that you will derive pleasure and stimulation from our interaction.
Each week I shall suggest a David
Hamilton Hot shot. A record of the week featured on my past radio shows; I
shall also give a little bit of background on the reasons for choosing it.
Please feel free to add memories of your own too".
David continues to broadcast on The
Wireless and pops up now and again on BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey. He's also
fronting the live stage show Rock 'n'Roll Back the Years that has nationwide tour dates booked for the next
twelve months. Members of the Hot Shots
Facebook group will be offered a chance to win free tickets for one of the
shows. So why not join?
Ploughing a similar furrow is the
Facebook group Retro Radio. Stacks of
unscoped airchecks, mostly from the 70s and 80s are available and up for
discussion. I'm sure Stuart Busby will welcome more members.