Vinyl Resting Place
So-called 'death-discs' – singles with sickly (and sometimes plain sick) lyrics about road accidents, suicides, ghost lovers and generally anything related to becoming an ex-person and ceasing to be – have long proved to be chartbusters. Bestsellers of the genre include 'Terry', 'Johnny Remember Me' and the Kenny Everett World's Worst Wireless #1 – 'I Want My Baby Back'. Alan Clayson even devoted an entire book to the subject: 'Death Discs: An Account of Fatality in the Popular Song'.

Now an enterprising company called And Vinyly, has launched a service where anyone with the wherewithal (and a certain sense of humour) can become part of their own, personal 'death-disc'. The company offers the opportunity of having one's ashes incorporated into a tub of vinyl and pressed into a playable record. The content is entirely the choice of the deceased, or their loved-ones, although choosing your own recording obviously requires a bit of forward-planning.The choices are endless and you can opt for RIV (Rest In Vinyl) sleeve artwork or even design your own.Maybe you've written a song or two? You can ensure that you have them ready recorded in preparation for the moment when you literally get incorporated into the mix. Numerous copies can be pressed for your friends and relatives, allowing you to entertain them until they make their own vinyl pressings. The And Vinyly website is a hoot. (As soon as you arrive, your cursor turns into a skull-and-crossbones.) It's a wonderful idea, but like so many memorial ideas (ashes can be incorporated into paintings, turned into diamonds, made into fireworks...) it does require the wherewithal. The basic package costs £2,000.

The Spirit of Radio Caroline
Nigel Harris, Peter Clayton and others relate spooky encounters aboard the Ross Revenge.

Pauline Miller reports on the farewell ceremony held in Harwich on October 20th 2010

A year after the untimely demise of Mike Ahern (October 9th 2009) friends gathered in Harwich to say a final farewell as his ashes were scattered at sea. Organiser Dave Cash had wanted this to happen from the LV18 lightvessel, the last place from which Mike broadcast, during the Easter 2009 Pirate BBC Essex.

Dave, John Aston, Mike Barrington, Mark Sloane, Paul Peters and Tony Prince represented the ranks of offshore radio, while Gary Walker of the Walker Brothers represented the many Sixties recording artists helped on their way up the charts by Mike.

Unfortunately, a number of Mike's friends, including Johnnie Walker, were unable to be there due either to illness, or to work commitments.

Typically of the North Sea, it was far too windy and choppy to take the tender out to the LV18 as had been originally intended, so alternative arrangements had been made with the Harwich lifeboat. At 1300, the lifeboat left its station next to the Ha'penny Pier with the flag at half mast. The friends gathered on the pier with the priest whilst he conducted the service, during which time Mike's ashes were scattered on the water and the flag returned to full mast. This was followed by a minute's silence and a final prayer.

Refreshments had been organised by Tony O'Neil and Colin Crawford of the Pharos Trust at the Electric Palace cinema. Once everyone was gathered, the sound of the Caroline bell heralded the start of some good Sixties music, whilst refreshments were consumed and glasses raised to Mike.

(Right) Mike waves as he leaves the LV18, Easter 2009

Dave Cash and Tony Prince took to the stage to read out tributes sent by absent friends Johnnie Walker, Norm St John, Tom Lodge and Chris and Mary Payne. Then Mark Sloane, John Aston and Mike's agent, Ingrid Hooper, delivered personal remembrances and anecdotes. The final speaker was Colin Crawford of the Pharos Trust.
(Click here to hear the Electric Palace tributes, or right-click on the icon to download the mp3 audio file. (Runs 23mins 45secs).
Recording, courtesy of Pauline and Dave Miller, edited by Chris Payne.)

After more socialising and chatting, mostly about Mike, the proceedings were rounded off by a DVD of a recording made by the BBC of Johnnie Walker interviewing Mike during last year's Easter broadcast.

All went off extremely well and we gave Mike a good sendoff in a dignified but humorous way, which I am sure he would have heartily approved of.

Please click here for a page of photos of Mike's Farewell, courtesy of Dave Miller.

Tributes to Mike from October 2009, are here. He also appears in the pages of photos of Pirate BBC Essex broadcasts from 2004, 2007 and 2009.

Finally Certified
Over the years, we have certified a few people as Anoraks, but somehow our friend John Sales had escaped the net. This was rectified on Saturday Sept 25th, in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, when John received his Certificate of Incurable Anoraxia from fellow certified Anorak, Keith Skues.Congratulations, John and about time too!

(Photo: 'Fab' Alan Field)

Keith had intended to use the final four-hour show to tell the story of his radio career, using music from his extensive record library. Unfortunately, he found himself struggling against adversity. After driving back from the Anorak ceremony mentioned above, Keith had to his horror, arrived home to Skues Towers to find his street flooded. He had no power in the house, no access to his PC and great difficulty in getting anything out of his library. Therefore, he unexpectedly was forced to present his show from the Norwich studios, instead of from home. He was unable to play very much of his own vinyl, because the BBC studio has only one turntable. Therefore, much of the show's intended musical content had to be changed in a hurry along with the drive to Norwich that he hadn't anticipated.Keith, also battling a cold that threatened to claim his voice, managed to pull off a successful programme where a lesser broadcaster might have failed. He received many messages of support from his faithful listeners and ended by reading one from the former head of Radio One, Johnny Beerling.

(Photo: Cari Wilkins)

JW strikes Pirate Gold
'Pirate Johnnie Walker', which was made for BBC Radio 2 by independent production company Wise Buddah, has won gold at the New York Festival Awards. The 2009 series took the prize for Best Regularly Scheduled Music programme. During the twelve-week series, Johnnie recreated his on-air pirate life aboard the fictional 'good ship Rock 'n' Roll'. Guest visitors from 'other stations' included Twiggy Day, Dave Cash, Paul Burnett and 'Bill the Boilerman'.'Pirate Johnnie Walker' culminated in a live programme from the LV18 in Harwich Harbour on Easter Saturday, April 11th 2009 as part of the 'Pirate BBC Essex' weekend broadcast. It must have been the large crowd of us cheering loudly from Harwich Pier that clinched the gold!

(Left, Johnnie in his 'Sir JW togs', broadcasting the final 'Pirate Johnnie Walker' from the deck of LV18, with a little assistance from Pirate BBC Essex)

Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin
This ambitious new album interweaves Brian Wilson's own interpretation of well-known Gershwin numbers with new songs that he has based on unfinished Gershwin compositions.YouTube feature here

(Thanks to Alan Hardy)