New index Page (added Jan 05)
The Radio London website grows and grows! All the time, new visitors continue to discover it, and with over 700 pages, there's a lot to see. Many fantastic reunions have taken place recently, resulting in numerous pages of lovely photos, and we want to make sure that visitors are not missing out on enjoying them. To rectify this, we have now added a Reunions Index Page.

Jazz Organist Jimmy Smith
1926-2005
A personal tribute by Chris Payne

As a teenager in the Sixties, my weekend radio listening was variously spread between the pirates, Luxie, and the BBC Light Programme's Saturday Club and Jack Jackson's "Record Round Up". The highlight of the whole weekend was that the last track on Jack Jackson's show was always an organ instrumental. The most frustrating part was that the title was never announced!

After a lot of detective work, my favourite turned out to be Jimmy Smith's "Walk On The Wild Side", and it always started from the middle of the track where there is a total change in tempo. I used to hope the engineer wouldn't fade it before the end, so that I could hear it all!

Because of Ronan O'Rahilly's love of jazz organ, an historic musical event took place on Radio Caroline's ship Mi Amigo, when Jimmy and two guys named Tony went aboard with their instruments to give a live performance, introduced by Simon Dee. It's very sad that Jimmy should have died shortly before the 40th anniversary of this event, which as far as can be established, took place in May 1965.

Modem Users

Broadband Users

Jimmy Smith died peacefully in his sleep on February 8th. A full obituary is available from Toby Walker's Soulwalking website

Rest in Peace

Radio London was saddened to learn of other recent deaths.

Traffic drummer and Fab 40 artist, Jim Capaldi, died of cancer on January 28th. A photo of Jim from 1968 is here. Jim's official website is here.

Doobie Brothers drummer, Keith Knudsen, died of pneumonia on February 8th. Dobbie Brothers Official website here.

Soul singer Tyrone Davis, died on February 9th. A full obituary is available from Toby Walker's Soulwalking website.

Signed Single and Singed Guitar in Hendrix Sale

The huge collection of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia collected by fan Bob Terry and featured in the 2004 Marquee exhibition, was auctioned on February 16th at London's Hard Rock Cafe. The sale was hosted by auctioneers Cooper Owen, specialists in music and film memorabilia.

A 1965 white Fender Stratocaster went for £100,000, but several other guitars, including the remains of an instrument destroyed on stage at Brown University in 1968, failed to sell.

A copy of the Jimi Hendrix Experience's first single Hey Joe, signed by all the band members, was sold for £2,000. A 1967 personal bank statement and credit receipt (right) from the long-defunct Martins Bank, fetched £850. A photo of the bank statement and other exhibition photos are here.

Full auction results from Cooper Owen here.

Phil Makes Progress with Physio

Thanks for putting the note on the website about Phil.

I printed a copy off and took it into the hospital to show him today.

I read the contents out to him and his face really lit up. He was very very grateful, so a big "ta" from him. I received about 8 or 9 messages, following Hans's report, all of which I read to him, but yours was the one that put the biggest smile on his face!

Phil is making very slow progress, but at least he is making progress.
He looks great and seems to understand everything you say to him, but he is limited to about 5 words "yes", "no" "but" "so" and "am" and cannot read anything. However, he has speech therapy every day and as I say, each time I see him there is that very small improvement. He can now move his right arm a bit and after I left he was due for some exercise work, which he wasn't looking forward to! But then as I said to him, he always was lazy!

In honour of Radio London's 40th birthday, Mary was interviewed by Graham Barnard at 7.20 on the BBC Norfolk Breakfast Show, 'Today in Norfolk', when she attempted to explain to listeners the huge impact that Radio London had made both on British radio and on its listeners.

Norm St John speaking from Brisbane, represented the Big L DJs and Steve Burnham, calling from Norwich, explained how much Radio London meant to its listeners.

Oldies Rule! Wonderful Fab 40 success!
"Our servers had great difficulty coping with the increased demand!"

In collaboration with Radio London, the Oldies Project team presents a very special feature – the Big L Fab 40! Every Sunday at 1100 GMT, you'll be able to enjoy a chart which was first broadcast from the mv Galaxy for the same week 40 years ago and featuring the voices of original Big L DJs John Edward and Mark Roman.

An Oldies Project spokesman says:

Apparently the Radio London "feeling" is very much still alive, even after 40 years, as so many additional listeners logged on during the Fab 40 broadcast that our servers had great difficulty coping with the increased demand.

The announcements by John Edward immediately sparked off responses from our listeners. For example, one wrote to us asking if the voice he heard on the jingles was from "the real Radio London DJ" who had previously played with David Bowie in a band called the Manish boys?

(Yes it was! – Mary)

Don't just tune in on Sundays as the regular Oldies Project feed is pretty impressive too, with at least two songs from the Radio London playlist per hour, preceded by a classic Big L jingle. More info about the project in January Happenings.

"It is great that the Oldies Project is reviving the songs from the Radio London Fab 40, which brings back lots of nice memories." Holger Postelmann, Fab 40 chart contributor, Germany

Martin's Silver Service Certificate

Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio held a celebration in honour of Martin Kinch, who had achieved 25 years of service. June Snowdon, President of the national Hospital Broadcasting Association, presented Martin, who has been with the station almost since the beginning, with a commemorative certificate.

Several original members of the charity organisation, which began life on 4th December 1978 as Radio Park Sound, were there to add their congratulations, including Freda Roberts, MBE, JP, who has been Chairman since the start.