"Diesel In The Coffee, Music In The Air" - Easter Monday, 6-8pm, Phantom 92.1FM

Steve Conway

A Musical Journey through Caroline's years as "The Album Alternative"


What's so special about Radio Caroline? Why do people who worked on it regard it with so much affection?

This coming Easter Weekend, the former offshore pirate station Radio Caroline celebrates it's 40th birthday. These days Caroline broadcasts via Sky, and is one of dozens, if not hundreds of stations which are available for the music-lover.

But throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s the station was a high power international broadcaster, beaming in to the UK, parts of Ireland, and much of Europe from international waters in the North Sea. It was "Europe's first and only album station" and brought rock and alternative music to an audience that could otherwise only hear pop and easy-listening records on the very small number of national and local stations of the time.

Join us on Phantom 92.1FM, Easter Monday 6-8pm, for "Diesel In The Coffee, Music In The Air" as we commemorate the history of the most famous pirate of them all, with a musical journey through the artists and album tracks that were played on the station over the years.

We'll start with The Animals (who were given their name by the Irishman who founded Caroline, and whose most famous track "House of The Rising Sun" could only get airplay on the pirate - the BBC and other legal stations refused to play it because it was more than 3 minutes long). Skimming quickly through the 60s (when Caroline was pop-based) we'll then pause for an extended dwell in the 1970s, when Caroline became "the album alternative".

Deep Purple, Barclay James Harvest, Foghat, Uriah Heep, Little River Band, Be Bop Delux, Atomic Rooster and Focus are just some of the bands to be featured as we celebrate an era of the station regarded by many as it's most classic period.

The programme concludes with a look at the 80s, when Caroline became more commercial, but still managed to air bands and tracks which either wouldn't be played on mainstream radio, or wouldn't become well-known until much later.

MAINLY MUSIC:
Many radio stations around Europe have been broadcasting Caroline tributes over the past 10 days or will do this weekend. These shows (including Gerard Roe's excellant Media Beacon on Phantom on Easter Sunday) focus on interviews and clips. I've been very keen to do something different here - a very small number of clips and IDs *will* be included along with some observations and anecdotes - however this is a programme where the music will be doing most of the talking.

If you've ever wondered what the backstory to Caroline was, or why those involved went to such lengths to broadcast their choice of music, or if you simply want to immerse yourself in some great classic album rock from the past, this could be the show for you.

Join me for coffee and music at 6pm on Easter Monday. Diesel optional.

Tyrrial

sounds great! will be tunning in for sure.... but are you guys aloud to broadcast on a monday?

acquiescefc

They have an extended licence for bank hols so they will close down on Mon night instead of sunday.

Banks are deadly, giving us holidays.

geekstinkbreath

Listened to the show today, it was brill steve!
Great to hear such a variety of classic music not often heard anymore, and also some great anecdotes about caroline to boot!

Media Beacon was also really interesting on sunday, it inspired me to read the long and very eventful (to say the least!), history of 'The Lady', on its website.
I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a good read, and a look back to the pirate station that did it all www.radiocaroline.co.uk

SolidSnake

geek where do u get those smileys at the bottom of your msg's??

memaeve

They look like the ones on the gigsmart board, so that's probably where they were got.
xm

Silverfish

Best show ever.


I got quite emotional, having listened to the fate of Radio Caroline on the news at the time!!


Steve Conway - even though I knew this before, is indeed, the man.