Radio Seagull

The first version of Radio Seagull appeared quite unexpectedly from the Radio ship Mi Amigo at 9pm on the 24th July 1973. I recorded extracts over the next few days on my (t)rusty reel to reel tape recorder. But only having a 30 minute reel to spare I had to just record the DJs rather than the music. So a few years ago I was pleased to see someone else with more blank tapes/money than I had recorded an hour of Barry Everitt from 26th July 1973 of not just the links as heard on my recording but also included the music and placed it on the Azanorak site. Barry had been involved in the music scene, the underground scene and Radio Geronimo prior to his few weeks aboard the Mi Amigo (First Radio Seagull show: 24th July, Last show: 7th September). He would go to the States where he continued DJing. Later back in the UK he remained in the music business. He passed away in 2017.

Radio Seagull Barry Everitt 26th July 1973 

Barry is third from the left, arm raised, behind Andy Archer.

 

Here are a couple more copies of Monitor magazine covering the first period when Radio Seagull was broadcasting from the Mi Amigo. (Aerial trouble beginning 1st October would put the station onto low power and eventually completely off the air from 18th October 1973. Radio Caroline managed to return for a couple of days over the Xmas period. Radio Seagull would re-commence 7th January 1974 until 22nd February 1974 when the powers that be decided the station should once again be called Radio Caroline).

Monitor 04 Summer 1973

Monitor 05 Winter 1973

More Monitors

Roland C. Pearson, better known in Free Radio circles as “Buster” (1928-1985) was the man responsible (with help from others) for the fascinating publication known as “Monitor”. Begun in 1972 as coloured foolscap sheets, by the early 1980s it had progressed into an A5 booklet format. Always crammed with information about Offshore Radio these news-sheets have become even more interesting as time has gone on. I believe there were a total of 38 issues and an “extra” issue in Autumn 1990 prior to issue 39 (which was probably never published). Buster died prior to the publication of issue 33. Join me in my Time Machine as we revisit the first three issues published in those interesting times of 1972 and early 1973.

Monitor 01 issued Spring 1972

Monitor 02 issued Summer 1972

Monitor 03 issued early 1973

 PS: Monitor 01 was typewritten onto white foolscap paper. Monitor 02 was typewritten on dark blue foolscap paper. Monitor 03 was typewritten on multi-coloured foolscap paper for the full psychedelic experience. Do you remember typewriters? If you didn’t clean the keys regularly some letters got a bit clogged up with ink. My antique machine would make neat little holes whenever I used the full-stop key. Foolscap paper is longer and thinner than A4 which made copying these newsletters a pain. I apologise if some pages are difficult to read. Fuzzy typewritten text on blue paper doesn’t make for the greatest readability. I guess I could have tried tweaking things to improve them, but hey they are what they are.

Sealand

His Royal Highness Roy Bates Prince of Sealand (also known as Roughs Tower), ruler of the world’s smallest country died on the 9th October 2012. Presumably the title now passes to his son Michael. Sealand is the only known country that will cease to exist when it finally rusts away.

Monitor 24 from 1983 featured a number of articles about Sealand.

PS: Monitor No 1 featured a number of articles about the original fort-based Radio City.

PPS: AZAnorak is the place to find great old off-air recordings from the pirate days, and recently, copies of Monitor ……

Another Monitor

Monitor number 37 was very likely the final issue.

Monitor 37

Laser 558

I’m currently reading an (out of print) book which covers the beginnings and setting up of this offshore radio station in depth. It was published in 1984 when Laser 558 had only been broadcasting in the UK for a few months so it doesn’t cover the “siege” by the DTI. Laser 558 officially began in May 1984 and disappeared suddenly in November 1985. Radio Caroline soon moved in and captured the clearer (at the time) 558m frequency for themselves. (Laser would make a comeback of sorts under new owners as Laser Hot Hits for a few months in the beginning of 1986 but the moment had passed).

Lo-fi recording of Laser 558 in October 1985.

Brief audio extract of an invite to a Laser 558 party.

For more Laser etc details than you can shake a stick at there’s no better place to look than an old 1980s issue of “Monitor”.

Monitor No 27

Buster Pearson

Roland C. Pearson, better known as “Buster” (1928 – 1985) was responsible for the fascinating publication known as “Monitor”. Begun in the early 1970s as coloured foolscap sheets, by the early 1980s it had progressed into an A5 booklet format. Always crammed with information about Offshore Radio these news-sheets have become even more interesting as time has gone on. Here are a few more issues from 1978 and 1979. Earlier issues are available on the Interweb at various locations. Later (A5 sized) issues may appear here one day if the mood takes me.

Monitor 15

Monitor 16

Monitor 17

Monitor 18

Monitor 19

In 1984, to celebrate 20 years since Radio Caroline began, Buster and the team produced a “20th Anniversary” special edition of Monitor. Enclosed in the next edition of the magazine was a sheet listing the (very few and very minor) errors that had cropped up in the “special”. Just shows his attention to detail.

In April 1986 Radio Caroline broadcast a tribute to Buster Pearson. Although I posted a recording of this previously it was taken from a cassette copy. Here is my original recording from a reel-to-reel tape. The quality isn’t much better but it is slightly longer as it includes a few minutes of programming from both before and after the documentary. (Disclaimer: I’m sure sonically superior recordings of this are undoubtedly available elsewhere.)

Radio Caroline – Tribute to Buster Pearson

PS: Here is a brief lo-fi aircheck of Radio Caroline September 1976 I’ve just found whilst looking for something more interesting….

Monitor

In the 1970s and 1980s Fanzines and Newsletters were the means of communication for info about hobbies/interests etc. “Monitor” was one of a number that specialised in the (even then) minority interest that was dubbed Pirate Radio or Free Radio or Offshore Radio.

Issues 1 – 9 have already been posted on the Internet by others and you can find them quite easily with a quick “google”. As slightly more recent issues haven’t yet been made available here are five issues from 1976-1977. Originally typewritten on coloured foolscap paper hence the hazy reproduction quality.

Monitor 10

Monitor 11

Monitor 12

Monitor 13

Monitor 14

PS: Much of the above concerns Radio Caroline when the station was broadcasting from the Mi Amigo. Of course Radio Caroline continues today from the Eurobird 1 Satellite (at 28.2 degrees east and possibly alongside the Movies4Men channel).  Living on board a satellite must be worse than being 3 miles out to sea for weeks at a time. Instead of a rusty old tender I suppose they commute via the space shuttle ??  I was amused to read that as the nation prepares to migrate to digital radio, Radio Caroline would like to return to the Medium Wave. Sounds like a good plan to me. I’ve always had difficulty in getting my Sky Decoder Box out onto the back lawn and setting up portable satellite dishes on the beach is tedious.