Radio Rewind - home page link

home

faq

sitemap

 
     
 

Home Interactive

 radio 2 home page

 

INTERACTIVE » YOUR VIEW 2

MESSAGES (Page 2)

 

Page 1 (Oldest) Page 3

Page 4   Page 5  Page 6 (latest)

VIEWS STATED ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND NOT

NECESSARILY THOSE OF RADIO REWIND.

Opinions/memories of Radio 1 presenters, music policy, shows, style, roadshows, events

past  and present are welcome, but I do reserve the right to edit prior to publishing.

 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR TEXT ADDED PLEASE Email STATING SO. 

Please also let me know if you wish your e-mail address and/or home Town shown.

Messages will normally appear within 14 days.

 

Wed 29/10/2003 14:38

FM Should be Mainstream

Just happened to see the latest figures for Radio 1 and... yes, thousands more deserted. A very simple suggestion for those suits spending the licence fee; transmit Radio 1 on one of these digital radio channels which are springing up - its aimed at younger people who are more likely to have one of these digital jobbies; use the FM transmitters to broadcast a mainstream Radio 1 format.

Millions of people are of an age that has been abandoned by the BBC in both radio and TV. I don't see anything wrong with using talent and formats from the past which are a good deal more professional than much of today's alleged programming. Nice to hear Noel on Radio 2.

Tony

East Yorkshire

 

Wed 01/10/2003 12:00

Locked in Our Hearts

What a super fantastic site for Radio 1 lovers of the past. I generally agree with what is being said and suggested, well it's nice to dream about what once was or what could always be.

I feel like we have all been swept along the past 10 years like sucked into a kind of twilight zone where things have changed so much and music always has a wonderful way of touching our souls to spark up a memory or experience. I don't think we will ever have a good old Radio 1 like we once had although I do always believe in my dreams and can always like thousands hope.

I now very rarely listen to any radio stations and Radio 2 is about as close as you get to Radio 1. Sarah Kennedy gets up my nose but Terry Wogan is a very funny man and....well I could go on for ever; but hands up... who hungers for Simon Bates and Adrian John oh and Andy Peebles - what a cool voice he had/has to name just a few. Well in my hospital radio days I was lucky enough to be with Adrian John on one of his shows at one of our local radio stations so that was fab, and Mike Reid was up to a few months ago working in the same station; so its nice to know they are all still about, it is very comforting.

As for Radio 1 now it's a no no altogether unless I'm in a 'rap' sort of mood which now being 32 is very rare too. Well if our dreams were for sale what would we buy .

Anyway hello to everybody and to those ex-Radio 1 presenters that happen to pass through and remember always that you are more thought of than you will ever know, locked in our hearts forever.

David Thompson,

Gateshead,Tyne and Wear.

dt002c7158(at)blueyonder.co.uk

 

Tue 23/09/2003 22:09

 

Revamp Overdue
 

I think Radio 1 was well over due a revamp in 1993 (I was 19 then, and had been listening to the station since 1985). Dance music was well and truly taking off and it's only really output was on Jeff Young's Big Beat....Simon Bates, DLT, Mike Read, Alan Freeman were well in to 20-25 years of complacency at the station, and would bark endlessly on about 'their halcyon days' with much relish....occasionally DJ's would sound out of touch (I remember Simon Bates introducing Frank Black (former Pixies lead singer) as a newcomer, or Neale James assuming Bob Dylan was dead at his tribute concert! (hmmm, prapz he had a point!)....he was 'all so cosy' and lacked any real emphasis on new music, or on what was really happening. Pop music moves on, and so the station should reflect that in its presentation and output.

Has anyone out there heard '6 Music '...It is a damn fine station that bridges the gap, musically between Radio 1 and 2.
 

Jamie Robinson

JAMIEROBINSON675(at)aol.com

 

Tue 23/09/2003 01:10

Music Policy Too Restrictive

I had been travelling for a couple of months in Australia in the summer of 1993, and one of the few blessings of being back in the UK was being able to listen to 'decent' radio rather than the dull, bland Aussie stations. As the plane crossed the English Channel, I was able to pick up Radio 1 on my Walkman, and it being about 8am, expected to hear Simon Mayo. I have to say I was a bit disappointed to hear Mark Goodier's voice, but assumed Simon was on holiday. Of course, this wasn't the case, and I soon found out that Radio 1 had begun to change.

I wasn't very happy when I discovered what changes had already taken place, and the others that at that stage were in the pipeline. I have to be honest though, and amongst my friends there was about a 50/50 split over whether getting rid of much of the Radio 1 old guard was a good or bad thing. I wrote to Matthew Bannister to vent my anger, and surprisingly I did get a reply - if I can find it I'll send you a copy. It didn't really answer my questions though - which were essentially why was BBC sacking DJs / presenters with genuine broadcasting skills and/or music knowledge, such as Bob Harris, Nicky Campbell, Alan Freeman and Dave Lee Travis.

Prior to 1993, I wasn't 100% loyal to Radio 1, but there were certain shows where Radio 1 was always the first choice. These included the breakfast show - and I personally thought Simon Mayo's reign there, particularly when he'd established the banter with Rod MacKenzie, Diane Oxberry and his producer (who was always in a topical character as a 'guest' producer) was the best (I can't really remember pre-Mike Read). The charts were always the best on Radio 1, though I thought the Top 40 went downhill a bit when Bruno Brookes took over, as much as anything else, I never thought him either knowledgeable or entertaining; Tommy Vance and Richard Skinner before him fulfilled both these attributes.

Controversial too, I also, in hindsight, preferred the Top 40 when the chart itself was released on a Tuesday lunchtime, Maybe it's just nostalgia, but hanging round the common room at school and being late for afternoon classes each week in order to find out (and win bets!) on who is No1 is something school kids today will never experience! When the chart was released on a Sunday, there was a pretence that it was literally being compiled as the show went out…I think not. They also extended the duration of the show, first to 2 and a half hours, then to 3 hours. Good in the sense they could play all 40 records, but it allowed the show to lose pace. Back in Tommy Vance's day, he made an interesting point quickly and played the next record! Another show that were great in this era of Radio 1 was undoubtedly Anne Nightingale's Request Show, this was such a brilliantly put together show. By directly following the Top 40 she had a large audience, and would always start the show with a fairly recent hit song, but after that, it was anything goes! I heard so many different bands / artists first on the Annie Nightingale show. Other shows I enjoyed were Saturday Live with Richard Skinner and Mark Ellen, the evening shows with Nicky Campbell and Bob Harris, Pick Of The Pops on a Sunday lunchtime (Fluff always had so much enthusiasm for the music he played, that even the most tedious songs sounded good), and in the early 90s, the Gary Davies 'pure quality' Sunday night show.

But about 10 years ago, I abandoned Radio 1. I was initially living in the Midlands, where even at that time, there were masses of stations, but I soon realised, as I was increasingly listening to the local commercial stations, such as BRMB, Beacon, Signal etc., just how bland they were, and therefore just how wrong the arguments were that "Radio 1 needed to change because it could be fulfilled by the commercial sector". A year later I moved to London, and was quite looking forward to listening to Capital Radio (I think it is true that Capital was once good) - even more bland. Virgin 1215 had launched of course by this stage, but by then, I'd made the move to FM stereo and wasn't going back! In 1995, Virgin went on FM in London - hurrah! - but I soon tired of this station. In the same year, London had another new radio station - Heart 106.2. Prior to their launch, they re-broadcast a New York rock station, it was very good. Unfortunately, when Heart came on the air, they decided they'd only bother playing about 3 or 4 different records, a policy they seem to stick to today! (despite the fact their current slogan is "more music variety" - is this intended to be ironic ) I began to make BBC GLR my station of choice, Maybe a bit too much talk for my liking, but at least most of the presenters were okay, and the music policy sufficiently wide. So this was great until the BBC ruined my radio listening for a second time when, in 2000, and against much opposition, axed GLR and invented BBC London Live. The station lost hoards of listeners (sound familiar ), including me, because it played no music. I then discovered that Radio 2 had moved on somewhat (although I was a bit worried that I was getting old before my time), and that, combined with BBC 6 Music, with the odd bit of Xfm (Ricky Gervais is very good on Saturdays 1-3pm) and Virgin on a Sunday night for Captain America (not quite sure how that show remains on Virgin…Maybe no one's noticed) make up my current music radio listening.

To quote from the song The Way We Were "could it be that it was so different then, or has time re-written every line ", I think the answer is yes…and no. There were great things about Radio 1 in the 1980s (and before), and good things came out of the circumstances of the times. The most significant thing that we've lost, is that through Radio 1, and other stations of the time, my generation actually learned something about music. Because they didn’t have a music policy that restricted music because it was a certain age, I heard music of the likes of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Kinks, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Marvin Gaye, etc. - years after they'd been hits. It is unlikely that you will ever her music by these artists on Radio 1, or any of the Heart, Galaxy, Capital, GWR or EMAP FM stations. Radio 1 now plays to such a tiny audience - most people over the age of 20 are too old, and the output isn't suitable for anyone under 16! It's a far cry from the station that I used to switch on when I was about 5 years old on a Saturday and Sunday morning so I could hear songs about Runaway Trains and Windmills in Old Amsterdam! Back in the 1970s and 80s, you usually had the choice of Radio 1, one or two local stations, and that was it. Radios also came with dials as opposed to pre-sets, all of which meant you didn’t (or couldn't) change stations just because of one bad /unfamiliar song.

But times have changed. More radio stations have probably resulted in less choice (ie they all sound the same - and in the case of many of the local stations, they are the same), with restricted music policies, and dull character-less presenters. The way that Radio 2 is at the moment is the nearest thing to the old Radio 1, but the BBC must be careful about future changes it makes. If Radio 2 becomes too successful, it will face pressure to become less popularist, just like Radio 1 did. It should also be wary not to upset (any further) all those who've loyally listened to Radio 2 and the Light Programme for decades. Unlike at Radio 1 where the station changed almost overnight, the changes at Radio 2 have been gradual, and as others have reported, it still has many of its traditional programmes (I do wonder though how fans of Desmond Carrington get on if they accidentally catch Mark Lamarr when he's sitting in for Jonathan Ross ) - if Radio 2 loses these shows, where is there for these listeners Maybe the answer is that we need just a few more new digital stations, where the BBC can recreate Radios 1 and 2 from the 1960s onwards…then everyone would be happy, surely

Thanks for an interesting and entertaining web site.

Regards
Andy
Surrey.

andrewdaines(at)blueyonder.co.uk

 

Sun 21/09/2003 12:14

Ruining A Station

What is happening with Radio 1 Now they are employing former creations record boss Alan Mcgree who discovered Oasis and Primal scream to promote younger talent. So it looks like the station bosses are looking a little worried now with their figures tumbling to an all time low. Back in the '80s & '90s when they had those brilliant voices of you know who, they didn't need to employ these high flyers as the DJ's just promoted the station and music themselves. Sorry to say with some of those idiot ignoring DJ's of today on Radio 1 it is just ruining a station which used to be Britain's Favourite. Believe me, if the station was left to what it was we would have had voices of (DR) Neil Fox, Gary King, to name but few - you decide (if any one wants to email me a pretend radio 1 schedule of your choice voices to present weekday/weekend programmes from early brekkie all the way through breakfast lunchtime drivetime late nite etc it would be fun to hear what peoples' choices are) But lets just think its now Britains Favourite Radio 2.........OR the best sound in Britain Radio 2.......... which I listen often, plus Magic, London, Capital, (Radio One; sorry, NO..NO!!!)

Mark Occomore

Crawley, West Sussex

mark(at)occomore.fsnet.co.uk

 

Wed 17/09/2003 16:16

Changes Were Overdue

Radio 1 is not what it was, but all things change. Yes, I think that SOME of the changes rung were not for the better, and I dislike the fact that they don't mix old and new music (especially when one considers just how influential much of the oldies are, now more so than ever) but Radio 2 covers that ground successfully these days. Radio 1 has to, as a pop station, cover the latest music. This was always it's job, if the latest trends are not to your liking, it has to be faced, and we move on! No-one is young forever (though I'll give it my best shot!). Call me controversial, but some of the changes were overdue.

By 1993, DLT was boring and not right for the station. Nowadays, they could have done a Mayo or Goodier on him, back then there was a stigma for those guys moving to "Radio Quiet", one cannot deny it was handled badly (as was most of the hiring and firing), but it was inevitable. Seriously, I remember DLT railing against dance music, going on about Tasmin Archer and "singer-songwriters hiding in a bunker" ..he was a man out off time.... it is a great shame he's not employed by Radio 2 though, he should be there in a "Bob Harris" type role. Similarly, Bruno Brookes... I never did rate him at all, he's best off as a manager and producer, Most of the DJ's.. Gary Davies etc should be on Radio 2 now as Steve Wright is.

Where Radio 1 is poor nowadays is the "celebrity" presenters (they aren't DJ's!) such as Sara Cox (and her awful predecessor Zoe Ball) and the girly teen-aimed dj's like Scott Mills. This is just a sign of the times, though, it's unfortunately the way things are everywhere now. I remember when Smash Hits was a music magazine!

Where Radio 1 excels now (though it may not appeal to most of you here!) is its Specialist shows. "The Evening Session" is basically what Kid Jenson was doing years, Dance Music is very well catered for and Westwood (hip-hop) and Goldfinger (dance hall reggae) produce shows of staggering excellence. (It is notable that those 2 use jingles quite extensively, not unlike they used in the halcyon days!) Jo Whiley's lunchtime show is superb (she's a proper Music Lover, first and foremost).. whilst Mark & Lard's afternoon show is everything it should... Staggeringly inventive, funny, pro-active and presented by Music Fans! Indeed, they are the equal of (if not better than) Stave Wright (in his heyday) In my opinion, the Breakfast Show is where Radio 1 is going wrong. Most people I know would rather listen to a local radio station then, a pitiful situation. Unlike most of you, I found Chris Evans' time in that timeslot highly entertaining (he May be a twat, but he had excellent taste in music, breaking many great acts/songs) - he was genuinely ENTERTAINING, unlike Ball and Cox (but then again, he had a radio background). Also, axing the Mystery Years/Golden Hour... big mistake.

Radio 2 is much improved (though still not perfect), a good balance of old and new music... is it only me that finds Steve Wright a shadow of his former self I find his "Mr Media" posturing irritating, and his smug overconfident manner a far cry from his days on Radio 1. Wheras he was once supremely funny, he is now contrived and arrogant. Also, he doesn't appear to actually enjoy music, just the sound of his own voice!

Apart from the evening/Sunday "Light Programme" style cobblers, I feel that a show Radio 2 could improve is Pick Of The Pops - replace Winton with a knowledgeable presenter such as Mike Read (even Bates or Blackburn could do it) and make it a little longer than it's current meagre 90 minutes; this programme would unmissable (as opposed to merely fairly entertaining). Other than that Johnnie Walker, Ken Bruce, Richard Allinson etc. all do a great job (I had forgotten though just how irritating Janice Long is).. if only they'd replace Mo Dutta's inane Alan Partridge-style ramblings with, say, DLT or Gary Davies!

I personally listen to 50% radio 2, 20% local (BBC) radio/Magic AM, 30% Radio 1 (mainly weekday afternoons/eveninggs)... Keep up the good work!

Chris Barratt

East Yorkshire.

Chriswbarratt(at)aol.com

 

Sun 14/09/2003 17:24

Before the Rot Set In

Where do I start I was born in '66 so I am old enough to remember many of the great days of Radio 1. I feel so mad that it has ended up like this. I too feel it all started in 93 when they took the heart out of the station by getting rid of many of the great DJ's who were the back bone of the station. As we all know when you take the heart of something it dies and that is what Radio 1 has been doing in the last 10 years dying.

When I think of all the amazing shows I have listened to over the years I can't help but wish we had DLT back telling us about the ducks on his farm and the great quizzes he had. Also Fluff with his great show on Saturday afternoons and Steve Wright when he had all that great stuff on his show like Mr Angry instead of the rubbish he now calls a 'show' on Radio 2. Then Noel Edmonds and his crinkly bottom on a Sunday morning. The list goes on...hours and hours of great shows.

Now what we have got is DJ's with no interest in music who are too young to remember the great days and how a show should be. They are just interested in themselves. I am sure that Radio 1 don't really want to play the top 10 songs over and over. I feel they would like it to be like the old day's were they played a bit of everything and nothing was too old to play. I think it is the music industry who have paid Radio 1 to do this so that we are not tempted to buy old music that is not by the boy bands or rap stars etc that are out now.

I am just glad that in '87 when Radio 1 came to Aberdeen for a week I got to see Radio 1 before the rot set in. I now listen mostly to radio 2 but find unlike some on here who seem to think it is like Radio 1 before '93 I find that is more like Radio 1 today. I mean you are just as likely to hear all the boy bands and Atomic Kitten, stuff that I hate on Radio1 on Radio 2. I so long for Radio 2 to get back to how it used to be with all the Frank Sinatra and Carpenters etc.

In my opinion you just have to go on a long journey in a car and tune in to all the local stations to see how bland and dull and very much the same, no matter were you live, all radio has become.

Maybe one day it will get back to how it used to be; until then we can dream and remember the good old days of Wonderful Radio One.

Amanda

Scotland

amanda(at)penroses.demon.co.uk

 

Thu 11/09/2003 20:17

 

Ten Years After

 

Just to remind you this is the 10th anniversary of DLT's speech to the nation and the the start of the end for Radio One. Would it be possible to invent some kind of Tardis, go back to 1993 and have Matthew Bannister's application for controller of Radio One rejected with Johnny Beerling's contract extended another 5 years. Who knows we would still have had DLT, Simon Bates, Tommy Vance and Steve Wright on Radio One and Sara Cox would still be a loud mouthed obscurity on late night TV, where she belongs. As a counter point, though, could we have someone brave enough to step forward to defend the changes at Radio One.

 

Glenn Aylett

Cumbria

GGlenn34(at)aol.com

 

Sat 06/09/2003 20:33

 

Radio 1 Gold on AM

Radio One is rubbish now; it all started in 1988 when Independent Local Radio split the AM & FM frequencies to gold stations on AM. I was there when Radio Trent did this and Leicester Sound launched GEM AM on 4th October 1988, using Trent's former AM frequency. Then very gradually people from Radio One, old names from the Beeb, came to the Independent Radio Network gold stations; like Jimmy Saviles' Old Record Club.

In 1994 all the different 'gold' services merged gradually to either Capital Gold, Classic Gold  Magic or Big AM where they shared the same schedule but had different commercial breaks and only kept one or two local shows on the station.

The Classic Gold Network is now relayed on GEM AM and carried DLT for a few years, Paul Burnett, David Hamilton, Pat Sharpe, Tony Blackburn, Simon Bates, Mike Read, Jimmy Savile who did Saviles Travels was Old Record Club on Radio One. Capital Gold had Kid Jensen, Tony Blackburn, Jimmy Savile, Kenny Everett, Chris Tarrant, David Hamilton & Fluff Freeman as well as Radio One Pick Of The Pops. Magic AM network has Richard Skinner. Kid Jensen was also on Heart FM network in London & Birmingham as well. He presented the Network Chart on all the AM & FM commercial radio network from 1984-1993 to compete against the Top 40 on Radio 1 which was the first ILR Networked show. He since has kept in touch with John Peel who is still on Radio 1. John Peters was the first DJ on Radio Trent back in 1975 & from 1988 started GEM AM. Incidentally Duncan Goodhew was a special guest when Radio Trent split its AM/FM.  John Peters was a pirate on Radio London in 1965 with Alan Fluff Freeman & Kenny Everett & Dave Cash. Also in 1975 Dale Winton was on Radio Trent as well.

When Radio One switched off its medium wave transmitters, why couldn't they be used for all the old Radio 1 shows & presenters such as DLT, Jimmy Savile, Mike Read, Fluff Freeman, Steve Wright, Tony Blackburn & all the other presenters that went to either Capital or Classic Gold.

Why couldn't 275 & 285/1053/1089 be a gold station instead for ILR doing that It would have been a lot simpler than re-tuning your car radio from one ILR Classic/Capital Gold to another.

Chris Derbyshire

 

 

Wed 03/09/2003 17:48

Radio 1 Is Top Of The Flops

Hi Alan and to everyone who else reads this.

First of all, it was a surprise to stumble across a web site dedicated to pre-1992 Radio 1. This web site is brilliant! Well done Alan!

Anyway, I’m going to be just like the rest of you and have a dig at Radio 1. What a load of crap the station is turning into. Isn’t it about time that Sara Cox, Mark Radcliffe and Chris ‘Motormouth’ Moyles were axed They are the worst DJs ever to appear on Radio 1 in my book. Their style of presenting is disgraceful. No wonder Radio 1 is going down the pan yet again! Obviously most of this still reflects on that huge massacre that took place in 1993 when Matthew ‘The Butcher’ Bannister took control of the reins and yielded that big bloodstained axe of his. Radio 1 has never been the same and is never going to get up off its knees all the while it carries on the way it is.

I am 25 next month and I’m proud to say that I have been a Radio 2 listener for about a year. The station has gone from strength-to-strength. I don’t remember much about the pre-Matthew Bannister era on Radio 1 but I do remember the controversy that he caused. I remember seeing it on the news. The thing I like about Radio 2 is that it is similar to the pre-Matthew Bannister era on Radio 1. I have a wide range of different music genre’s which is why Radio 2 is my favourite station. Radio 1 on the other hand seems to play continuous repeats of the ‘lollypop’ chart releases day in, day out. The DJs think their cool but they’re not. The station bosses think the line up is good but it’s not. It’s the worst it’s ever been. Maybe this is why they are having a re-shuffle in the autumn. It’s long overdue I can tell you. Is it any wonder that Radio 2 gets over 13 million listeners and Radio 1 only gets just under 10 million

You loyal listeners, who remember the good old days on Radio 1, were the ones to suffer. When Bannister axed the likes of Simon Bates, Dave Lee Travis, Adrian Juste and Alan Freeman, etc (I know, the list goes on!), you were the ones who were left out in the cold. Radio 2 was still playing crap records back then and Classic FM was too highbrow. So you were forced to listen to independent radio. Thank goodness for Virgin Radio back then. I know Virgin did poach a load of Radio 1 listeners and a few of Bannister’s victims i.e. Tommy Vance and Alan Freeman.

So where am I leading to Well, since Jim Moir took control of Radio 2, he has transformed the station from ‘dead FM’ to ‘cool FM’. He has done wonders for the station and has managed to transform Radio 2 into the old shadow of pre-1992 Radio 1. Not only has he changed the playlists completely, he also brought home some former Radio 1 DJs such as Bob Harris, Steve Wright, Johnnie Walker and Paul Gambaccini, etc (yet again the list goes on!). It’s only a shame that Radio 2 hasn’t changed its music policy on Sunday’s and started playing decent records and have decent DJs on. I mean, let’s face it, who’s really going to fill the shoes of Desmond Carrington, Russell Davies, Richard Baker and David Jacobs when they eventually call it a day Radio 2 is a dead loss on a Sunday and Friday night’s are no better. It’s about time the Friday night and Sunday line-up were axed. Here are a few ideas for some new shows and DJs for Radio 2:

1. Axe Sarah Kennedy and replace her with Sybil Ruscoe.

2. Axe Jonathan Ross and replace him with Noel Edmonds.

3. Axe Dale Winton and replace him with Simon Mayo.

4. Give Mark Goodier Richard Allinson’s Saturday Show.

5. Give Andy Kershaw a slot on the station.

6. Axe the Radio 2 Arts Programme and replace it with the Friday Night Rock Show and get Tommy Vance to present it.

7. Give Adrian Juste a Saturday lunchtime slot.

8. Give Gary Davies a Sunday afternoon slot.

9. Axe Malcolm Laycock and David Jacobs and give Andy Peebles a late-night soul show slot on Sunday night’s.

10. Axe Mo Dutta and Don Maclean and replace them with Dave Lee Travis.

I know this is a site dedicated to pre-1992 Radio 1 but if Jim Moir and the other Radio 2 cronies were to do some of the above, I’m sure that Radio 2 audience figures would go even further ahead of Radio 1. I’m sure that a lot of you who used to listen to the above DJs on Radio 1 would love to see them back on national BBC radio. I know full well that the Friday Night Rock Show would be a huge success, as would DLT be on weekend breakfast. If any of you agree then let me know. It would be great to transform Radio 2 into the old Radio 1 (even though it already seems that way). What a shame Matthew Bannister was ever made Radio 1 boss. Who knows where Radio 1 would be today if that butcher had never been made Radio 1 boss in the first place.

Well, happy listening!

Scott

Essex

sclout(at)hotmail.com

 

Mon 01/09/2003 20:18

 

Had It's Day

 

I remember the good old days of Radio 1 when in the morning you would wake up to Noel Edmonds, Mike Read or Simon Mayo. At nine o'clock it was the Simon Bates Golden Hour and the nutty Steve Wright in the afternoon. I used to love listening to DLT with his `double top` on Saturday mornings and the UK top forty on Sunday evenings. Then one fateful day a man called Matthew Bannister came along and ruined it overnight. He hunted down the old school DJ`s like prey and one by one got rid of them (except DLT and Bates, they resigned). What he should have done was to change Radio 1 gradually over a period of time so that people can get used to it. Literally overnight Radio 1 had lost its audience and the plot (nothing older that five years to be played). After then I stopped listening to it and I had be a fan since the seventies when it was on 247m. I then switched over to its new rival Virgin1215.

A few years later Radio 1 tried to get its audience back by employing "Ginger" Chris Evans on the breakfast show, as we all know it didn't work and Radio 1 slipped further into the abyss. Meantime on the other network, Radio 2 was growing in capacity. It started to change its image from its "granddad in slippers and pipe sat in his rocking chair round his trannie " style to how Radio 1 used to be with some of the old Radio 1 Djs on it.

As soon as Evans left Radio 1 after his bust up with the bosses he went to Virgin and bought it of Branson for a tidy sum and then after ruining that he finally sold it to the Scottish Media Group. Radio 1 isn't what it used to be, for all the family, its now for teenagers and all it seems to play is music that you cannot hear properly or you could never sing along to (Rap, Garage stuff like that). However, Radio 2 is the nations favourite now with its celebrity presenters and a good rich mix of old and new music, quizzes, competitions and requests. As far as Radio 1 is concerned, I think you will all agree....its had its day....but your website brings the good old days back to life and lets you remember it the way it was............."Britain's favourite music station.......Radio One"

Many Regards

 

Andy Stinton

Worcester

 

Mon 11/08/2003 12:51

Audience without a Station

Great site Alan; comments about Radio 1, well where do I start

The people who do still listen...the playlist causes younger people to be biased to certain music, so much to the point that older music becomes unlistenable to them.

The days of SIMON BATES and JIMMY Savile were great because they brought the widest range of music to everyone of any age. Notably the fact that JIMMY Savile on Sundays smashed listening figures of all other networks, including T.V.

Radio 2 should not have to mimic the old days of Radio 1; it should still be the same. For instance, what do the older generation listen to MON-SAT, BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT RADIO 2 DOES NOT CATER FOR THEM, EXCEPT ON SUNDAYS!

It's quite simply that BBC Radio has gone the same way as BBC TV, they don't listen to viewers or listeners but expect a big licence fee, that shoud be abolished forthwith! It is also becoming increasingly obvious that according to the BBC anyone over 25 should be put out to graze!

Trevor Ager

Reading, Berkshire

trevs(at)bushinternet.com

 

Mon 28/07/2003 17:21

All Change at Two

I was looking at Radio 2 website today and see that Noel Edmonds is returning to his old roots, sitting in for Johnnie Walker on drivetime from 4/8/03 to 3/10/03 as Johnnie is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. It will be something different; he did say in an interview sometime ago that he wanted to return to the old mic. He has to watch for those buttons and faders, as it has all changed, but it will be good to hear him again.

Mark Goodier looks like a regular stand in for presenters on radio 2 as for the past 3 weeks he has been standing in for Richard Allinson on the late show while Richard has been doing breakfast for Terry Wogan. This week he is standing in for Steve Wright on the afternoon show so the BBC haven’t lost him yet.

Did you see the report in the paper this week that Radio 1 have lost listeners and Radio 2 have overtaken them in the audience figures Well I think we predicted this when they started to change Radio 1. I think they should have an AM Radio 2 and a FM Radio 2 now, with Mark Goodier etc. presenting shows on the FM station and presenters like Terry Wogan & Ken Bruce on the AM station…….good idea but will never happen….. shame!

Mark Occomore

West Sussex

mark(at)occomore.fsnet.co.uk

 

Thu 24/07/2003 17:44

The Good Old Days

I have fond memories of Radio 1.  I think the earliest is around 1978; the year Radio 1 moved medium wave frequencies from 247m (1214Khz) to 275/285m (1053/1089khz). Also listening to Radio 1 when it was available in stereo - as Radio 2 used to let Radio 1 borrow their VHF/FM transmitters, particularly on a Saturday afternoon for the Adrian Juste show, the Stereo Sequence and In Concert. Then Radio 1 used to close down extremely early (at 7.30pm!) and hand VHF/FM back to Radio 2.

Also I remember during the weekdays and weekends the five minute Jingle Jam used to warm up Radio 1's medium wave transmitters before they started for the day - that was so cool!

Weekends were great on Radio 1; Saturday mornings started at 7am with Playground then Tony Blackburn's Junior Choice at 8am. Sunday Mornings had Tony at 8am then Noel Edmonds at 10am. Tony Would return between 5pm-7pm with the Top 40 Show which again was in stereo using the 88-91 VHF/FM band from Radio 2.

Radio 1 Roadshows were also fun, when they came to my part of the UK which at the time was Norfolk; they always held it at Great Yarmouth. I do remember one particular Roadshow, it was actually Simon Mayo with Sybil Roscoe presenting the Breakfast Show from Norwich's Main Train Station in 1989 and it was the day when finally we were getting our FM Transmitter switched on for Radio 1 in Stereo on 99.3 fm.

I stopped listened to Radio 1 shortly after 1992 as it didn't seem the same anymore and then a year later it got ten times worse when Johnny Beerling quit and Matthew Bannister took over and completely ruined Radio 1, turning it into a trashy music station! Thank goodness that Radio 2 have in a way made Saturday afternoons sound like Radio 1 pre-1993.

We will never have Radio 1 anymore as it was but at least we all have our happy memories of the Happy, Happy Sound of Radio 1 as we remember it!

Rob Lubbock

Loughborough, Leicestershire,

East Midlands

Ojohnnrob(at)aol.com

 

Sun 20/07/2003 20:14

Sunday Revival

I was talking to a few friends from my hospital radio days last night and we came up with a way for Radio One to regain its old audience. While Radio Two has taken on many of the aspects of the pre Bannister Radio One, and most of the best loved DJs, on Sundays Radio Two seems to revert back to the Light Programme, featuring such antique presenters as Desmond Carrington and Richard Baker playing music from the forties. Consequently the audience that's too old for the new style Radio One but too young for Mantovani has nowhere to go except to an often dull set of ILR stations. How about the BBC on a Sunday, where they know they must lose millions of listeners in the 25 to 65 age group, restore the old style Radio One on Sundays. We can have DLT and snooker on the radio in the morning, the old record club at lunchtimes, a classic rock show with Tommy Vance in the afternoon, the Top 40, and then Anne Nightingale doing a request show where she plays anything slightly avant garde- just like her show in the 80s- from the past 30 years. I think Radio One could be on to a winner with this arrangement, as it allows them to keep the new music only policy in the week and regain a few million of their old listeners on Sundays. It's something the BBC should consider as Radio One is starting to slip even further back in the ratings again.

Glenn Aylett

Cumbria

GGlenn34(at)aol.com

 

 

 
 

Site design and text

© Radio Rewind

Sitemap

About

If you wish Radio Rewind to continue..