Reflections on the way it was...
I noticed this item posted on the SW programs mailing list by Joe Buch:
"5/22 - ABC plans to dump the talk format on its NYC blowtorch WABC (770 AM) on Memorial Day to feature music countdown shows from the station's top 40 days in the 1960s and 1970s, with Harry Harrison, Ron Lundy, "Cousin Brucie" Morrow, Chuck Dunaway, Dan Ingram, Bob Lewis, Howard Hoffman, and Chuck Leonard. The bad news - it'll run from 6 AM to 6 PM, making it hard to hear in the DC/Baltimore area. WABC's signal reaches the region after dark. But you can listen via www.wabcradio.com."
Coincidentally, last night I was listening to UK oldies station Classic Gold on the Astra satellite. They have a live show from Los Angeles on Friday evenings presented by Emperor Rosko, one of the original 1960's Radio Caroline jocks. Rosko was cracking jokes about being kept going by prosac and viagra, but he was on great form.
Sad news from that era is that an operation for throat cancer has robbed the legendary Alan 'fluff' Freeman of the golden voice that made him a household favourite in the UK for several decades. On the other hand, another of my favourite presenters, Tony Allan, has battled against cancer and is still able to broadcast from time to time on Radio Caroline. The station is currently advertising a double CD called The Tony Allan story, which I shall certainly be buying. Perhaps a sign of the times is that the ad prominently features the fact that Tony claims to be "the first openly gay disk jockey" in the UK, though I'm sure the late Kenny Everett got there first.
I would have preferred them to have focused on Tony's broadcasting talents. He was quite a lad in his younger days, too: there was the infamous incident on Radio Northsea International, I believe it was, when he got drunk and went to the transmitter room (when sober he was a half decent engineer) and switched off all the transmitters :-)
I have on my PC hundreds of MP3's of offshore radio programmes which a friend kindly gave to me. Listening again to what entertained us almost 40 years ago, I can't help reflecting that, while radio undoubtedly sounds more professional now, there was a simplicity and a sincerity about the presentation back then which you don't often get nowadays. Presenters always sounded as if they were talking to individuals, not showing off their voiceover skills.
11:10:20 AM 
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