Smiling at the Royal Festival Hall Brian Wilson, Saturday February 21st Smile was the musical masterpiece that Brian Wilson started composing in 1966, but failed to finish. In 2004, he chose to perform the complex work's World Premiere in the UK because of the warm support he has constantly received from London audiences. Alan Hardy's full-page review with photos, is here.

Johnnie expresses his heartfelt gratitude to his wife Tiggy, who has remained his 'rock', helping him to win his fight against the cancer which was diagnosed shortly after they returned from their honeymoon.

Issued 24th February 2004: Rodney Collins, Press & PR Coordinator

The Petition of Doleance challenging the Isle of Man Government's issue of a longwave broadcast licence was rejected by the High Court in Douglas today. Announcing his decision, Acting Deemster Roger Kaye QC said, "There is no conceivable ground on which this court can or should interfere with the decision reached by the Commission to grant the licence to IMIB."

The sole petitioner, Mr L.N. Cussons of Bride made various claims, suggesting that the Government's Communications Commission had acted unlawfully when it issued a Full Broadcast Licence to Isle of Man International Broadcasting plc. He also alleged that planning permission for the studios has not been sought and that IMIB's directors were not fit and proper persons. After documents proving the existence of planning permission were presented to the court and after hearing that full checks had been made by the Communications Commission prior to awarding the licence, the Deemster decided that Mr Cussons had failed to prove any of his claims and dismissed his petition.

The Petitioner had told the Court that he did not object to the proposed programmes but was simply concerned that the noise of generators might keep him awake at night, despite assertions and a detailed report by experts that the noise audible on the coast will be much lower than the background noise on even the quietest night.

"Despite a lengthy planning inquiry and two High Court hearings, all the claims of danger, noise and nuisance have been dismissed. Of all the concerns ever raised, only visual impact has been found to have any substance – all other claims have proven to be unfounded. As ever, we are happy to answer any queries any member of the public may have."

"With this legal obstacle cleared we can now complete our funding arrangements and plan for the launch of the radio station. The economic climate now is much more favourable than it was two years ago, so the delays caused by the objections, while very frustrating and expensive, may well have helped us. We have had a lot more interest from investors in recent months, possibly due to the large upturn in radio advertising in the UK."

Highlights include, at 1800 GMT on Saturday, 28th, a live programme presented by Colin Stevens looking back at RNI. There will also be programmes on Saturday presented by Tom Campbell and Richard Graham.

On Sunday 29th, there'll be live programmes from Colin Stevens and Black Printz. At 1800, Martin Kayne remembers offshore radio advertisements and at 1900 Colin Stevens plays some of the great music heard on RNI from 1970 to 1974

Doris Troy, 1937 – 2004
The acclaimed soul singer Doris Troy (b Higginson) passed away in Las Vegas on February 16th.

Doris will of course be remembered for her collaborations with the Beatles, her success on the Northern Soul circuit, and her vocal contribution to the 'Dark Side of the Moon' album. But few will recall Doris Troy as the singer who recorded the Caroline 'Sound of the Nation' jingles with Madeline Bell.

The Soulwalking website tribute to Doris is here.

Help Caroline Celebrate
To celebrate Radio Caroline's 40th birthday, a convention/party is being held at the Riga Music Bar in Southend-on-Sea, Essex on Sunday 11th April. Organisers Steve and Dave hope to be joined by as many of the DJs who have worked on Caroline in the past and present as possible. The fun begins at 12 noon and finishes at midnight, with the evening culminating in a concert by The Fortunes.

Towards the end of December, Johnnie made his first public appearance since the start of his illness, when he was cheered by everyone present at a dinner hosted by Radio 2 controller Jim Moir.

There's more news about satellite radio and how Casey Kasem has 'chucked it in after all these years as host of American Top 40'.

Once a star, always a star, David! David Ballantyne, our renowned 'Man with the Discatron' who's featured again in the Fab Forty for January 30th, wrote to say: Thanks for the link. It's currently giving lots of amusement to a number of people who know nothing of my murky past. Stardom, all over again! As for the Discatron, I always put it on a par with the Bond. No, no, no! I mean the car of the same name with the fibreglass body. Luv, DB In answer to our question about whether David had witnessed Ollie Beak and Fred Barker using any of that alleged 'fowl' language during his Five O'Clock Club appearance, he replied: I was far too busy thinking how wonderful Muriel Young was.

Brian Long does write extensively about the event in 'The London Sound', but does not mention an appearance by the Floyd. Brian records that the DJs in attendance were Mike Lennox, Ed Stewart and Mark Roman and that references to the event were made by Tony Blackburn, broadcasting from the Galaxy. Bands participating in the live show are listed as Chris Farlowe and The Thunderbirds, Shell Shock and Episode Six. Also present were Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky Mick and Titch, David Garrick, The Moody Blues and 'Tristram the Seventh Earl of Cricklewood' who was the vocalist with the New Vaudeville Band.

Thousands of people must have attended the Radio London Trophy Meeting (and the previous one, on June 19th, 1966). So if anyone has photos, souvenirs or simply memories of the event (or of any of the other Radio London motor racing or stock-car racing events), please get in touch. There must be someone out there with a colour photo of Radio London's memorably-painted purple-and-white racing cars. You can email us here.