Radio Northsea International still remains as my favourite station of all time.
I remember, fondly, trying to move my tranny around to block that awful noise the government used to jam the wavelength with.
In 1970 I went to the Free Radio rally in London. It was so well attended.
RNI went through so many trials and tribulations. In particular the time the Mebo2 was fire bombed. If I recall correctly the attackers were something to do with rival pirate Veronica. I may be wrong though. It has been nearly 40 years!
The DJ's I recall in 1971 when RNI returned, after a short break, were Andy Archer, Martin Kayne, Crispian St John, Dave Rogers, Tony Allan, Alan West, Rob Eden, Mark Wesley and Stevie Merike. I know Tony Allan passed away. I remember Andy Archer on Radio Orwell in the mid to late seventies.
Does anyone know about the rest?
Don't forget Daffy Don Allen, Graham Gill, Brian McKenzie, & Bob Noakes
Don't forget Daffy Don Allen, Graham Gill, Brian McKenzie, & Bob Noakes
I used to listen to Brian McKenzie he was on late at night & a bit soft spoken for a dj but very good all the same & well Daffy Don Allen never lost his dry sense of humour, I think he did the last english top 40 on RNI ? I might be wrong
If the stories about the station and it's purposes are correct, it was never intended to make a profit!:rolleyes:
Somewhere on this forum is a quote from Roger Day that says the idea of it being a spy ship was unfounded. He said he had been in every room on the Mebo 2 and there was no secret spying equipment.
The fact that the owners were alleged to have supplied the East German Stasi with electronic equipment does not seem to fit in with them and Ronan trying to rid this country of a bunch of trotski's in the 1970 elections
Perhaps this year if the Dutch Radio Day people can get Edwin Bollier along as I believe they are trying to do, then maybe someone will ask the question. Could be a very interesting day!
I used to listen to Brian McKenzie he was on late at night & a bit soft spoken for a dj but very good all the same & well Daffy Don Allen never lost his dry sense of humour, I think he did the last english top 40 on RNI ? I might be wrong
Does anyone know where Brian MacKenzie is now. I also used to listen to him at nights and thought he was perfect for late night listening
I read in a radio magazine in the mid 70's can't think which one now? Roger Day said power politics took over RNI at the time,changing the name to Radio Caroline for two weeks before the election etc thats why he left shame at the time because he's good dj:)
That is true. On the run up to the 1970 election Radio Northsea International morphed into Radio Caroline International. I think (if memory serves me right) they brought back The Caroline Club.
Yes that's right on 6205kHz ("on the 49metre European Band") also somewhere just on the edge of the 31m band too. I've got sevral cassettes in the loft of recordings of the Sunday morning programmes where they gave potted histories of the 60s pirates. I think that Sundays were the only time the short wave programming was differnt to the MW. And, it may have only been Sunday mornings.
Someone also said they were unsure about FM - they were on 100MHz ("channel 44") as I recall. Never could hear it in London!
Happy days indeed
There was a short lived RNI2 in 1971. I took my tranny (portable radio) on a charity London Bridges Walk so I could listen to it.
Don't forget Daffy Don Allen, Graham Gill, Brian McKenzie, & Bob Noakes
I remember those names so well. I think they were DJs towards the end of RNI's life.
I recall Brian McKensie telling us to try and tune into Radio Nova International, which was supposed to be Nordsee's successor from the Mebo2. It was going to broadcast from The Med. Don't know what happened to it.
Brian was involved in the 80's irish pirates, Spangles Muldoons Radio Nova, I think.
He is no longer in radio but moved to spain where he was running a recording studio at one time.
I hope he will return to radio one day he was one of my favourite DJs. RNI really did have some fantastic people in its 4 year history
That is true. On the run up to the 1970 election Radio Northsea International morphed into Radio Caroline International. I think (if memory serves me right) they brought back The Caroline Club.
The Caroline people paid a hell of a lot of money to RNI to take a pot shot at the Wilson government in the last two weeks before the election, right or wrong? but you can understand at the time how Ronan the boss of Caroline felt at Wilson, Benn, & Ted Short, its reported that Ted Short saw Ronan in the street in London just after they lost the election & he asked Ronan why he had done it.
There was a short lived RNI2 in 1971. I took my tranny (portable radio) on a charity London Bridges Walk so I could listen to it.
I remember those names so well. I think they were DJs towards the end of RNI's life.
I recall Brian McKensie telling us to try and tune into Radio Nova International, which was supposed to be Nordsee's successor from the Mebo2. It was going to broadcast from The Med. Don't know what happened to it.
The Mebo 2 was used as target practice by one nutter [who shall be nameless ]the head of Libya and shot to pieces how stupid & sad is that:(
Oh yes! DR's late night show kept me awake and hooked and thus late and sleepy for school. His humour was knockabout surreal with elements of Goons and Harry Worth. A great giggle, not dissimilar to Alex Lester.
Such a disappointment when he was removed (why??), and later manifestations including Breeze didn't have that spark of fun. I hope that doesn't mean his departure from RNI was traumatic.
If yoiu're reading this Mr Rogers, thanks for the late night laughs. You were a broadcasting hero to me.
Overall, gotta say that RNI's Dutch output sounded more professional and pacier than the English service. Some excellent voices there too, particularly Ferry Maat, Nico Steenbergen, Peter Holland and Leo van der Goot. When RNI's English output disappeared in a temporary flurry of feathers, this listener enjoyed the changes.
RNI went through so many trials and tribulations. In particular the time the Mebo2 was fire bombed. If I recall correctly the attackers were something to do with rival pirate Veronica. I may be wrong though. It has been nearly 40 years!
The DJ's I recall in 1971 when RNI returned, after a short break, were Andy Archer, Martin Kayne, Crispian St John, Dave Rogers, Tony Allan, Alan West, Rob Eden, Mark Wesley and Stevie Merike. I know Tony Allan passed away. I remember Andy Archer on Radio Orwell in the mid to late seventies.
Does anyone know about the rest?
From what I heard, Veronica apparently, paid RNI a substantial amount of cash to withdraw from the airwaves although it may well have been small talk hanging around at the time.
Regarding the rest of the DJ's, you missed out John Denny (I took the photo), who boarded the Mebo2 for a stint of around 2 weeks although he had an extension out to stay there for a month!
He was a character was Denny as he was a very good friend of mine whom used to hang out with me during the early 90's
I have lost contact with him now as he has left the area and no longer works in the radio industry.
What do you think about the internet version of RNI ?
I think it's great!
As RNI was my favourite radio station of all time then I am pleased that it has been "brought back" in this form. It certainly sounds better than a lot of the output from Radio Caroline at the moment.
I listened on christmas day, I thought it was well done what suprised me was the fact the BBC loaned the Wilson government the transmitter that jammed RNI in June 1970 weeks before the election, if that had got out then the BBC would have looked very bad no wonder the BBC wanted it kept under wraps.
The government did introduce commercial radio in 1972 but only for London - just as well the rest of us had Radio 1.
Can't let this go unchallenged. Just noticed it when the thread was bumped. Don't understand the point you're trying to make.
LBC launched in London on 8th October, 1973. Capital on 16th October 1973, Radio Clyde in Glasgow on 31st December 1973.
Back on topic.
Yes, I listened to and enjoyed RNI when I was much younger. Many years later I did two stints on the "Mebo III" (or LV18 as it really was) for RNI rsl broadcasts. That was even more fun and we were safe from firebombing!
As to the pirate ships in general. Someone said "They just wanted to play records". That's blatently untrue. They just wanted to make money. RNI, however, may have been an exception for some odd reason......
I listened on christmas day, I thought it was well done what suprised me was the fact the BBC loaned the Wilson government the transmitter that jammed RNI in June 1970 weeks before the election, if that had got out then the BBC would have looked very bad no wonder the BBC wanted it kept under wraps.
What is even more of a coincidence is that transmitter was originally earmarked for Caroline!
Can't let this go unchallenged. Just noticed it when the thread was bumped. Don't understand the point you're trying to make.
LBC launched in London on 8th October, 1973. Capital on 16th October 1973, Radio Clyde in Glasgow on 31st December 1973.
Back on topic.
Yes, I listened to and enjoyed RNI when I was much younger. Many years later I did two stints on the "Mebo III" (or LV18 as it really was) for RNI rsl broadcasts. That was even more fun and we were safe from firebombing!
As to the pirate ships in general. Someone said "They just wanted to play records". That's blatently untrue. They just wanted to make money. RNI, however, may have been an exception for some odd reason......
Not quite sure what you are challenging. If it is the date then fair enough. Surely it is not that the vaste majority did not have anything but Radio 1. Where I live in the north of Scotland there was no alternative until 1980 and it was a pretty awful alternative in my opinion. So it is just as well we had Radio 1.
Not quite sure what you are challenging. If it is the date then fair enough. Surely it is not that the vaste majority did not have anything but Radio 1. Where I live in the north of Scotland there was no alternative until 1980 and it was a pretty awful alternative in my opinion. So it is just as well we had Radio 1.
I'm simply correcting your fairly major mistake. You said:
"The government did introduce commercial radio in 1972..."
Well, no it was 1973 when it began. Then you added
".... but only for London - just as well the rest of us had Radio 1." Which is wrong. Commercial radio started in London; a few weeks later it started in Glasgow, and progressively spread to Birmingham, Manchester, Tyneside, Swansea, Sheffield and Liverpool over the space of the year with stations opening a few weeks apart. Your suggestion that Commercial radio was introduced 'only in London' is simply erroneous.
I'm simply correcting your fairly major mistake. You said:
"The government did introduce commercial radio in 1972..."
Well, no it was 1973 when it began. Then you added
".... but only for London - just as well the rest of us had Radio 1." Which is wrong. Commercial radio started in London; a few weeks later it started in Glasgow, and progressively spread to Birmingham, Manchester, Tyneside, Swansea, Sheffield and Liverpool over the space of the year with stations opening a few weeks apart. Your suggestion that Commercial radio was introduced 'only in London' is simply erroneous.
But it was only for London when it started - I am well aware that it spread. The point I was making is that if it had not been for the introduction of Radio 1 in 1967 many of us would have continued to have nothing. I apologise if it was not totally clear and it was not meant to be erroneous.
It was not until 1975 that a second station began in Scotland but even then this covered only the Edinburgh area.
RNI a station with so much drama. Even with the jamming it was still one of the best stations of the time... Remember Mozart 40 in G minor played regually on the station ....
I totally agree that RNI was the best station in the 70's. The first time I heard RNI was when it was broadcasting out of band on 186 mtrs and it had an annoying Morse signal on it.
I do remember the Mozart 40 record being played such a lot on RNI and also some very odd songs that all featured "knickers" in the title.
Johnny Reggae - "Don't get your knickers in a twist"
Katina - "Don't stick stickers on my paper knickers"
St Cecilia - Leap up and down and wave your knickers in the air"
Great memories.
I remember hearing those naughty records on RNI. I think the X Certificate version of Paper Knickers from 1973 was a much better version than the Katina one.
And do you remember Katina and 'Don't Stroke My Pussy'.
I think the Mozart 40 version RNI used was by 'Waldo De Los Rios' - I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. (I've added it to the recording)
Indeed it was by Waldo De Los Rios. This record was liked, but was not in keeping with RNI's pop format, no other pop stations played it either. I think it was Steve Merike, the senior DJ early in 1971, who decided to put it on the station's play-list. For a short while it was the RNI 'Smash Play' aired once every hour! If RNI could get it into the charts, it would show others in the record industry the influence of RNI.
Indeed it was by Waldo De Los Rios. This record was liked, but was not in keeping with RNI's pop format, no other pop stations played it either. I think it was Steve Merike, the senior DJ early in 1971, who decided to put it on the station's play-list. For a short while it was the RNI 'Smash Play' aired once every hour! If RNI could get it into the charts, it would show others in the record industry the influence of RNI.
...and it worked perfectly!
I think in it's life on the Mebo 2, RNI also introduced the UK to bands like Focus and Earth & Fire.
Comments
Don't forget Daffy Don Allen, Graham Gill, Brian McKenzie, & Bob Noakes
I used to listen to Brian McKenzie he was on late at night & a bit soft spoken for a dj but very good all the same & well Daffy Don Allen never lost his dry sense of humour, I think he did the last english top 40 on RNI ? I might be wrong
The fact that the owners were alleged to have supplied the East German Stasi with electronic equipment does not seem to fit in with them and Ronan trying to rid this country of a bunch of trotski's in the 1970 elections
Perhaps this year if the Dutch Radio Day people can get Edwin Bollier along as I believe they are trying to do, then maybe someone will ask the question. Could be a very interesting day!
Does anyone know where Brian MacKenzie is now. I also used to listen to him at nights and thought he was perfect for late night listening
That is true. On the run up to the 1970 election Radio Northsea International morphed into Radio Caroline International. I think (if memory serves me right) they brought back The Caroline Club.
There was a short lived RNI2 in 1971. I took my tranny (portable radio) on a charity London Bridges Walk so I could listen to it.
I remember those names so well. I think they were DJs towards the end of RNI's life.
I recall Brian McKensie telling us to try and tune into Radio Nova International, which was supposed to be Nordsee's successor from the Mebo2. It was going to broadcast from The Med. Don't know what happened to it.
He is no longer in radio but moved to spain where he was running a recording studio at one time.
I hope he will return to radio one day he was one of my favourite DJs. RNI really did have some fantastic people in its 4 year history
The Caroline people paid a hell of a lot of money to RNI to take a pot shot at the Wilson government in the last two weeks before the election, right or wrong? but you can understand at the time how Ronan the boss of Caroline felt at Wilson, Benn, & Ted Short, its reported that Ted Short saw Ronan in the street in London just after they lost the election & he asked Ronan why he had done it.
The Mebo 2 was used as target practice by one nutter [who shall be nameless ]the head of Libya and shot to pieces how stupid & sad is that:(
Oh yes! DR's late night show kept me awake and hooked and thus late and sleepy for school. His humour was knockabout surreal with elements of Goons and Harry Worth. A great giggle, not dissimilar to Alex Lester.
Such a disappointment when he was removed (why??), and later manifestations including Breeze didn't have that spark of fun. I hope that doesn't mean his departure from RNI was traumatic.
If yoiu're reading this Mr Rogers, thanks for the late night laughs. You were a broadcasting hero to me.
Overall, gotta say that RNI's Dutch output sounded more professional and pacier than the English service. Some excellent voices there too, particularly Ferry Maat, Nico Steenbergen, Peter Holland and Leo van der Goot. When RNI's English output disappeared in a temporary flurry of feathers, this listener enjoyed the changes.
I met up with
Graham Gill in Amsterdam last year, he tells me that Brian and his wife are now living in Spain.
From what I heard, Veronica apparently, paid RNI a substantial amount of cash to withdraw from the airwaves although it may well have been small talk hanging around at the time.
Regarding the rest of the DJ's, you missed out John Denny (I took the photo), who boarded the Mebo2 for a stint of around 2 weeks although he had an extension out to stay there for a month!
He was a character was Denny as he was a very good friend of mine whom used to hang out with me during the early 90's
I have lost contact with him now as he has left the area and no longer works in the radio industry.
I think it's great!
As RNI was my favourite radio station of all time then I am pleased that it has been "brought back" in this form. It certainly sounds better than a lot of the output from Radio Caroline at the moment.
Can't let this go unchallenged. Just noticed it when the thread was bumped. Don't understand the point you're trying to make.
LBC launched in London on 8th October, 1973. Capital on 16th October 1973, Radio Clyde in Glasgow on 31st December 1973.
Back on topic.
Yes, I listened to and enjoyed RNI when I was much younger. Many years later I did two stints on the "Mebo III" (or LV18 as it really was) for RNI rsl broadcasts. That was even more fun and we were safe from firebombing!
As to the pirate ships in general. Someone said "They just wanted to play records". That's blatently untrue. They just wanted to make money. RNI, however, may have been an exception for some odd reason......
What is even more of a coincidence is that transmitter was originally earmarked for Caroline!
Not quite sure what you are challenging. If it is the date then fair enough. Surely it is not that the vaste majority did not have anything but Radio 1. Where I live in the north of Scotland there was no alternative until 1980 and it was a pretty awful alternative in my opinion. So it is just as well we had Radio 1.
I'm simply correcting your fairly major mistake. You said:
"The government did introduce commercial radio in 1972..."
Well, no it was 1973 when it began. Then you added
".... but only for London - just as well the rest of us had Radio 1." Which is wrong. Commercial radio started in London; a few weeks later it started in Glasgow, and progressively spread to Birmingham, Manchester, Tyneside, Swansea, Sheffield and Liverpool over the space of the year with stations opening a few weeks apart. Your suggestion that Commercial radio was introduced 'only in London' is simply erroneous.
But it was only for London when it started - I am well aware that it spread. The point I was making is that if it had not been for the introduction of Radio 1 in 1967 many of us would have continued to have nothing. I apologise if it was not totally clear and it was not meant to be erroneous.
It was not until 1975 that a second station began in Scotland but even then this covered only the Edinburgh area.
I totally agree that RNI was the best station in the 70's. The first time I heard RNI was when it was broadcasting out of band on 186 mtrs and it had an annoying Morse signal on it.
I remember hearing those naughty records on RNI. I think the X Certificate version of Paper Knickers from 1973 was a much better version than the Katina one.
And do you remember Katina and 'Don't Stroke My Pussy'.
I think the Mozart 40 version RNI used was by 'Waldo De Los Rios' - I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. (I've added it to the recording)
Enjoy a few memories.
...and it worked perfectly!
I think in it's life on the Mebo 2, RNI also introduced the UK to bands like Focus and Earth & Fire.