Great new book for DJs
Excellent book describing
over 130 RADIO STATION formats
available now on Amazon.
For more details click book cover
Radio 270 Turntables
Radio 270 Programmes.
The Radio 270 programmes were originally each to run for 15 minutes and with the idea that they would be sponsored by the advertisers, similar to the way Radio Luxembourg had been run previously. Using local businesses to sponsor these programmes, they were to be produced in the studios that Radio 270's Chief Engineer, Peter Duncan, had built in Newcastle.
The plan was for most of these to be programmes of the magazine type, with a variety of topics discussed between the records. There would be visits to local events and factories in the "Down Your Way" style and other places of local interest to promote regional tourism. A health advice programme was scheduled and a Radio Doctor was planned. In addition, a Radio Vicar had been appointed, Reverend Hedley Pickard from Hunmanby, just outside Filey.
Quite a number of programmes had already been produced as well as some pilots, but these wouldn't be suitable for the new Top 40 format. The new revised programme format would include more popular music and require a simpler method of delivery that could be easilly produced live on board the ship.
The new revised programme format would be more popular music based and require a much simpler programme type that could be made and presented live from on board the Oceaan 7.
RADIO 270 DJs' THEME TUNES
Roger Gale A Walk in the Black Forest. Horst Jankowski
Pete Bowman 1. Bird Rocker by The Ventures,
2. These Boots are Made for Walking
Rusty Allen Deep in the Heart of Texas, DUANE EDDY
Brendan Power Rockin Goose DUANE EDDY
Ross Randell Skyliner MITCH MURRAY (and many others!)
Guy Tomorrows World & Iechyd-Da Alan Price Ser
Philip Hayton Countdown Dave Baby Cortez
Mikimo Rainbow Round My Shoulder, TED HEATH
Paul Burnett Peridot BOB MILLER
Hal Yorke Man of Mystery The Shadows.
Dennis Straney On the Street Where You Live Quincy Jones
Paul Kramer Kinda Kinky The Ray McVay Band
Alex Dee Along the Boulevard by Joe Loss Orchestra
Ed Moreno So Whats New Herb Alpert
Bob Snyder Quite A Beat by Sandy Nelson
Roger Keene In the Midnight Hour Little Mack & Boss Sounds
Mike Barron Climb The Apples BOB WALLIS
Neddy Noel Bye Bye Love, later an arrangement of his own
Radio 270 was one of the first radio stations in the UK to take politics and religion seriously. One programme in particular combined both in one slot!
Each day at 6:30, Radio 270 broadcast a pre-recorded programme called 'the World Tomorrow', which was hosted by Gardner Ted Armstrong of the Worldwide Church of God, in California. It paid Radio 270 £700 a week, which covered almost all the weekly running costs of the station!
The World Tomorrow was not a religious service, nor even a sermon, but a quasi-political lecture, in which Garner Ted warned of impending problems if NATO didn't stem the flow of communisim from the Soviet Union. He also warned the UK to NOT join the Common Market (which became the EU) and said that the ordinary people would rebel against this and soon want to leave!
The World Tomorrow invited listeners to write to them for free literature to explain the ideals much better, but they never asked for financial donations during programmes.
Radio 270 studiously avoided the shorter, overtly evangelical religious programmes however, which were the 'stock in trade' of some of the smaller stations, such as Radio City.
Radio 270 was one of the many brainchilds of station founder Don Robinson. It was to be a radio station for all the family. Don had talks with Alan Crawford at Radio Caroline in 1965, but the first 'Caroline Yorkshire' plan was abandoned. Don decided to set up his own Yorkshire based radio ship.
Don has always been a serial entrpreneur; in 1965 his business interests included the first trampolines on Scarborough's south sands and promoting music gigs at Bridlington Spa. Among the acts he put on were Ike & Tina Turner (they cost him £30!) and the Rolling Stones (more expensive - £55!). He was a founder of Flamingo Land and Morecambe Bay Marine Land, as well as theme parks in London. He was also a guiding light in the organisation of Live Aid in 1985 and owned the London Dungeons attraction.
Don set up a studio and office in Newcastle where programmes were recorded by the early Radio 270 team, including Stacey Brewer, Roger Gale and Paul Burnet. These were intended to be taken out to the ship off Scarborough where there would only be a newsreader to introduce them, and do rudimentary continuity. The first Programme Controller was Roger Gale.
After the launch debacle (see other pages) the project s delayed until June. In the meantime many ideas were changed, and new MD WIlf Proudfoot took over, making many changes, including programming. It was now intended to have a team of DJs, live on the Oceaan VII.
When Radio 270 got on the air (June 1966) the team included Roger, Paul Burnett, Andy Kirk, plus Noel Miller who had been head-hunted by Wilf's pal, Cyril Stapleton, a Pye producer, who was also a shareholder in Radio 270 while his wife was a director. Stapleton's secretary Carol (later a senior executive in Australia's ABC) was married to Neddy Noel, a talented DJ from Melbourne.
After yet another week of 'tests' from 4th June, Radio 270 launched on 11 June with Wild Thing by the Troggs being the first record played. The top record in the first 270 chartt was Frank Sinatra's Strangers in the Night.
This interesting variation in music styles was to set the scene for Radio 270's life for the next 15 months, with plenty of 'easy listeneing' tunes, some very adventurous rock music and a lot of general pop in between. Few other stations have ever since played such a wide variety of music as did Radio 270.
RADIO 270
PROGRAMMES
Collated by Dennis Boreham
The 270 Show,
270's Super Hit 40 Countdown
Agent 270
Afternoon Show
Back with the Beat
Barron's Boundaries
Breakfast Show
Cold Cream and Currlers Show
Commuters Special
Dennis the Menace Show
Early Bird
Early Morning Sleepwalkers Show
Farewell Dance Party
Hiya Pals it's Hal's Show
In the Power House
Ladies Morning Show
Lunch Date
Mikey Mo Breakfast Show
M.H. Evening show
Midnight Hour
Midnight Up
Munchtime at Lunchtime
Musical Matinee
Music for the Housewives
Paul Burnett Twelve Hours Later
Peter Phantoman
Power House Party
Radio 270 Fun 40
Rock and Roll Party
Roger Scott Commuters Special
School Special
Siesta
Siesta Time
Swap Shop
Teenbeat 66
That Wise Guy again
The 720 Show
The Be-Oh De-Oh Do Show
Wise Guys Lunchtime show
The World Tomorrow (Garner Ted)
The Sunday Times Hour of Jazz
The Radio 270 DJs
'Roll of Honour'
Vince 'Rusty' Allen Programme Director
Richard Andrews
Mike Barron
Pete 'Boots' Bowman
Jeff Bridger aka Jeff Jones
Robin Best
Paul Burnett
Alex Dee
Bob Dewing
Roger Gale Programme Controller
Guy Hamilton
Mike Hayes Station Manager
Julian Hewit
Albert Hough (news)
Allen Ives
Derek Jewel
Roger Keene
Roger King
Andy Kirk
Alexis Korner
Paul Kramer
Len Martin
'Neddy' Noel Miller Prog' Director
Mick the Mod
Ed Moreno Prog Manager
Harvey Proctor
Brendan Power
Ross Randell
Roly Roland
David Sinclair
Phil Oakley
Bob Snyder
Dennis 'Menace' Straney ProgamManager
Steve Taylor (Jack McLaughlin)
Leon Tippler
Ben Toney Programme Consultant
Marcus West (Mark Wesley)
Hal Yorke News Director
Roger Gale
Radio 270's first Programme Controller
Radio 270 studio control panel
Joint PDs of the final Radio 270 team
Rusty Allen Mike Hayes
The variety and breadth of Radio 270's music can be seen from some of the songs that featured heavilly in the last few months of the station's life. Among the crooners, the RnB, the soul and the straight pop were such progressive rock acts as Jimi Hendrix, the Who, the Electric Prunes, Moby Grape and the Jefferson Airplane.
Radio 270 plugged the new Beatles album, Sgt Pepper, albums by the Doors and Traffic, plus an album called Zodiac Cosmic Sounds - twelve tracks of Moog Synthesizer, then a brand new thing. The music was a credit to DJs Rusty Allen and Mike Hayes, who alternately led the two teams of young DJs on the station.
Neddy Noel, the alter ego of Noel Miller, in the Radio 270 studio in 1966
Dennis The Menace, as Dennis Straney called himself, on the air.
Brendan Power, suitably attired for another stretch on the North Sea!
Radio 270 DJ and Chief Newsreader PHIL HAYTON who later joined the BBC and became a regular face on the BBC1 TV 9pm news.
Rusty Allen and Ross Randell (Alan West) in the Radio 270 studio, July '67.
The late MIKE BARRON, one of Radio 270's most energetic and experienced DJs who came along for the last few months of the 270 voyage in 1967. Mike later went to work as a TV continuity announcer in the West Country then ran a hospital radio station in Leeds. He passed away in the 1980s. RIP MIke.
They do say that every disc jockey is a frustrated singer or musician. Tony Blackburn is a good example. Since the days of Radio 270, several of the DJs have had musical careers. The station's first breakfast show DJ was Paul Burnett, who left to join Manx Radio in the Isle of Man. He later moved to Radio Luxembourg and then Radio One. While at Radio 1 he made a novelty record with former Radio Caroline DJ, Dave Lee Travis. It was a parody of an American hit (Convoy), Anglicised it, called it Convoy GB, and made the top 5.
Marcus West left 270 to join Radio Scotland and then Radio Luxembourg. He released a couple of singles but had no big hits, however he has now turned his hand to writing novels, and very good they are too. (see seperate box). Mike Hayes, always a prolific singer on 270, has released a few songs too - details are elsewhere on this site. Ross Randell sang some excellent jingles with Stevi Merike on RNI, but none were released.
Neddy Noel has made dozens of recordings, most are available on Apple, such as the Ballad of Radio 270. See this page.
Radio 270
- with God on your side
Garner 'Ted' Armstrong was heard daily on Radio 270 at 6:30pm.
Politics on Radio 270
Radio 270 was managed by Wilf Proudfoot, a staunch Conservative, who was twice elected as an MP - for Brighouse & Spenborough in West Yorkshire and for the seat of Cleveland in North Yorkshire. Both Wilf's seats were well within the Radio 270 coverage area. He firmly believed in LOCAL radio and invited politicians of all persuasions to air their views on Radio 270.
Most of the takers were fellow Conservatives however, including Sir Paul Bryan, the MP for Howdenshire in East Yorkshire, who would later become a large investor in, and founder of Piccadilly Radio in Manchester.
Wilf was always keen to foster genuine political debate and persuaded York University's Monday Club to produce a series of talks, which were aired on Radio 270 in Spring 1967. These were presented by future Conservative MP, Harvey Proctor, seen here.
UK
non
UK
All your favourite jingles as heard on Radio 270 throughout '66 and '67. Right from the very early days until the station's closedown, Radio 270 used a variety of Station IDs and 'stingers' to punctuate the music and dialogue.
Some of these sounds have rarely been heard for almost 50 years. Now you can have a set of the Radio 270 sounds and play them any time you wish.
Presented on an audio CD, so you can play them in your car or
on
any CD player.
Canadian & SESAC promo' songs
Stan Freeburg sketches for radio
Legendary Radio A-GoGo shorts
Those unforgettable "ThatMan"
melodies and beds
Just £7.95
for your very own copy -
plus postage
All your favourite jingles as heard on
Radio 270throughout '66 and '67. Right from the very early days until the station's closedown, Radio 270 used a variety of Station IDs and 'stingers' to punctuate the music and dialogue.
Some of these sounds have rarely been heard for almost 50 years. Now you can have a set of the
Radio 270sounds and play them any time you wish.
Presented on an audio CD, so you can play them in your car or on any CD player.
Radio 270
station IDs & Jingles CD
Just £7.99 for your very own copy -
Order now, while stocks last, by clicking
on the appropriate button to the right
The buttons will add the cost of postage
(Addresses outside UK, use lower button
The Radio 270 format
This was described as Top 40 Hits in 1966, a time before radio formats were highly developed. After the original idea of imitating the BBC Light Programme was ditched, the 270 DJs were given a heap of tapes of WABC and WMCA, New York's leading Top 40 stations, and told to emulate the style and delivery of DJs like Dan Ingram and Cousin Brucie.
The 270 playlist was a Top 100, divided into sections, with the top 10 positions being the most hotly rotated. DJs were allowed a big degree of free choice, especially over LP tracks and old hits.
The format grew more sophsiticated in 1967 but retained many of the elements that gave Radio 270 its unique 'local' flavour. Local music was a core component with local groups and singers heavily plugged. No one used the word "band' in those days - it meant a large team of musicians playing real instruments!
Click Books for more details
Mark Wesley
Mark Wesley (aka Marcus West) left Radio 270 in 1967 to join another ship farther up the coast, Radio Scotland. He then moved to Radio North Sea before joining Radio Luxembourg. Mark also had an impressive career in music production and promotion.
Today Mark lives in Essex, produces movies and writes books. His recent novel FRACK! is all about oil exploration, something that's a very controversial subject in Yorkshire right now. Click the book covers for more details.
Critics say:
"Brilliantly structured…crackles with energy, superb writing."
"Knife-edge drama…an atmosphere heavy with danger."
"Genuinely difficult to put down."
This book forms the perfect introduction and contains enough advice and advanced instruction to be valuable to more experienced DJs. It's informative and easy to understand for all levels and provides lots of tips and ideas to make it in what is now a very competitive world. But one that can bring untold riches, fame and fortune if you get it right!
The book is written in an entertaining no-bullshit style, with a healthy dose of realism. It includes everything you will ever need to know, from illustrated tutorials on mixing techniques and styles, digital mixing, tips on buying the right equipment and records.
Radio 270's musical DJs ?
Excellent book describing
over 130 formats of radio stations, in the UK & US,
available now on Amazon.
For more details
click book cover
The turntables on the Radio 270 ship were Garrards 401s, mounted in huge gimbals to counteract the effects of the sea swell.
Fascinating new book for radio fans & students
Radio 270 proposed schedule, early 1966
Radio 270 Programmes
