May 2002 (last month's is here...)

PY in Time Out!

A PY question-and-answer feature in Time Out magazine resulted in some typical PY answers! One of our favourites was...

What brand wouldn't you be seen without: "A Tesco's carrier bag!" [PY has a habit of carrying his valuable CDs about in one, so we know this is true!]

Right: Not so much a Soul Cellar, more a Soul Portacabin! PY in full force during Big L 2001.
Ex-Big L Jocks Loom Large in Sony Awards

Paul Rowley, has kindly sent a report of the 20th Anniversary Sony Awards, which took place on May 2nd at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. The winners were chosen by a panel of over 100 judges who listened to over 1500 hours of radio programming.

Paul was nominated for his superb documentary, Kenny Everett – The Local Radio Years, which was broadcast on most BBC local stations over the 2001 Christmas period and repeated over Easter 2002. (see 'Give the Man a Sony', Happenings March). Paul says:
I didn't win the Sony Radio Award, but it was nice to be shortlisted for such a prestigious event. But I get a scroll with a nice citation from the judges. They played extracts from all the entries during the event, and it was nice to hear the elite of the radio industry laughing at the genius of Cuddly Ken.

You can even access the event on the webcam on www.radioawards.org

Here's what the judges said :

NOMINATED

Kenny Everett: The BBC Local Radio Years
producer & writer: Paul Rowley
engineered by: Darryn Garrett
presenter: Paul Rowley
BBC Westminster for BBC Local Radio

"The time and dedication given to investigating Kenny Everett's BBC local radio career was extraordinary: from tracking down the secretly recorded tapes on enthusiasts' shelves to checking the stations' payroll records. This was a thoroughly enjoyable, well made, personal odyssey."

The big prize of the 20th Anniversary event went to John Peel, who earlier in the year came fourth in a Radio Time Readers' Poll of favourite male broadcasting voices. (See 'Still in Top Thirty After Thirty-Five Years', January Happenings). Paul continues:

Extracts from the Perfumed Garden were played, and there were pictures of John on board the mv Galaxy. He also paid tribute to his heroes in his acceptance speech, including Keith Skues. Among the people presenting awards was Tony Blackburn who described the event as a 'BBC night out'.

Sounds more like a Big L night out to us! Thanks, Paul.

May in the Hall of Fame

Jonathan's updates to The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame include:

"The second page of Look Boden's pictures from his time on board the mv. Laissez-Faire. This time we concentrate on his Dutch colleagues from Radios Dolfijn and 227;

Tom Lodge begins his epic tale: The Radio Caroline Story. This very personalised account of the life and times of "the lady" will be in an estimated 24 chapters and they will be added to the site at the rate of two or three a month;

Eric Jay worked on Radio City back in 1965. Fortunately for us he had a very good camera with him and the first page of his fantastic pictures appear this month - many of them in glorious colour.

There is also news of the sad demise of the Radio Broadcasting Library and we have added some more audio."

Marine Broadcasters Update

Paul de Haan and son Mark's Marine Broadcasters site now contains great new pages devoted to the Galaxy. The photos of the ship cover her wartime days as the Density to her sad demise in the Eighties. Paul also gives a fascinating complete listing of all the commercials broadcast during a Saturday Keith Skues Show from July '67, and it proves surprising how many of the companies still exist.

Paul notes that one of the more unusual advertising challenges was the promotion of Horlicks as a summer drink. Ah, but it was! Many's the time we rushed, freezing, into the sanctuary of seaside 'caffs' during summer holidays, to thaw ourselves out with a cup of that malted milk drink. At one time, the 'Horlicks machine' was a standard feature of every British caff.
Radio-Locator finds BBC LDN

Our Down-Under Correspondant, John Preston, has discovered Radio-Locator, a site that does what it says and provides links to stations in the US and around the world. Unlike many confused visitors to our site, Radio-Locator proves perfectly capable of finding BBC LDN.

John also recommends a nostalgia site devoted to kids' TV shows, with the comment: "Jiffy the broomstick man – and Twizzle – what memories!!
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