New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

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New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by JakeB » Thu Jul 25, 2019 1:34 pm

Having recently resigned as joint founding director of two commercial radio stations over the last fifteen years or so, I found myself with a bit more time on my hands...and so I've finally finished the book I've been working on. As you'll probably be aware, there are loads of books about pirate radio in the 60's and rightly so; there are even quite a few about pirate radio in London from later times.

But there aren't many books about pirate radio from the late 80s - early 90s from outside London. My book 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996' is an attempt to try and do something about that! Following the success of the book I co-wrote with my brother Paul, 'Broadcast Brothers: On The Radio' the book kind of developed as a spin - off from there. I found I'd got too much material, too much that I considered to be of interest and of historic value, to just cast aside, and so I'm happy to present this which I think will be of interest to anyone who has even worked on a pirate station, or even a licensed outfit, outside London and at or around the time. Whereas it tells the pirate story from the perspective of one city - Nottingham - it should ring true wherever anyone 'did the business'.

It is A5 sized, 112 pages long (approx) and includes 32 B and W pictures, the majority of which have never been published. It is just 7.99GBP for the paperback which is offered with free postage and packing for a limited time and can be ordered through www.broadcastbrothers.co.uk. Similarly if you prefer you can click through the website to find the Kindle e book version via Amazon (and remember these days if you download the free app you don't even have to have a Kindle to get a Kindle version!) for just 2.99GBP albeit WITHOUT the pictures.

We've very limited numbers of the paperback available, so if you want one, you'd be advised to move fairly quickly on this as half the copies have already gone on pre-orders. Oh - and whilst I'm about it, we've still got a few copies of 'Broadcast Brothers' still available, which is a window on a world which is now rapidly disappearing. Thanks for reading - and thanks to those of you, and I know there were some, who traveled miles to visit our exhibition in Buxton Museum celebrating the 20 - year legacy of Radio Buxton, which included a mock - up of a typical pirate studio of the period including audio from Horizon Radio from the very early 90s. Eventually the best part of 10000 people came to see it during the two months it was on. If you missed it, feel free to have a look at the pics on our Facebook page, broadcastbrothers106.4. There's a fair bit about the books there as well and we'd be right chuffed if you'd give us a like or a follow or whatever, or just have a look around.

Cheers

Jake B

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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by oldskoollondon » Sat Jul 27, 2019 1:57 am

Pirate radio in Nottingham was incredible in the 80s and 90s. I can't wait to have a read. I know a few who were involved in some of the most popular and I'm wondering how you squeezed it into just 112 pages to be honest. I'll let you know what I think when I get my copy. Nice one for bothering, Nottingham seems to be forgotten when it comes to pirate radio.

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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by Albert H » Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:08 pm

Nottingham's not forgotten by me! I supplied quite a few rigs to stations in Nottingham, Sheffield, Derby, and other towns and cities back in those days. Most of them were in the 20 - 50 Watt class, but a couple of Midland stations ran more power at times (usually when they wanted to run stereo).

You have to remember - back in the 80s, there were many fewer "ILR" stations, and no endless "Classic", "Heart" and "Gold" repeaters. The band was much quieter, and the noise floor was much lower - there were fewer nasty switched-mode power supplies (like in your phone charger, computer, TV, LED lamps and almost everything else electronic that you own these days) and so you could get great coverage from a high site with relatively low power. For example, the mighty "Veronica" from West Yorkshire (Stephen Moss's station) seldom ran more than about 40 Watts, but could be heard over a huge area.
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"Because it doesn't know the words!"
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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by Ironman » Sat Jul 27, 2019 6:05 pm

What a surprise....Yawn Yawn Yawn. Can't believe you have also name dropped a person that was involved in pirate radio as well Albert. Unless of course he is yet just another figment of you're imagination. Do keep taking the tablets dear boy.

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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by JakeB » Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:50 pm

Hi Guys

Thanks for the responses; and yep, as usual it is very difficult to know what to leave out and what to leave in but I wanted to produce something that didn't cost loads - and it is a subjective view from my perspective, even though I interview many of the people who were involved. It is the sort of subject where you just know you won't make everybody happy; but I hope I've done justice to a whole bunch of people, right the way across the country, not just in Nottingham, who made a real contribution to the way local media and society in general developed. I just felt that unless I put this to print and got it in the universities and city and county libraries etc etc., which I have, there'd probably be no printed record and probably nobody else would have the platform to launch it from, given the performance of the last book. There's a review of it on www.musicriot.co.uk a site that I do occasionally contribute gig reviews and other stuff to, which I will admit to being very happy with which explains the main thrust of the book better than I could. Oldskoollondon I'd be delighted to hear what you think of it, as I would anyone else who gets a copy.

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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by Albert H » Sun Jul 28, 2019 1:47 am

Ironman wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2019 6:05 pm What a surprise....Yawn Yawn Yawn. Can't believe you have also name dropped a person that was involved in pirate radio as well Albert. Unless of course he is yet just another figment of you're imagination. Do keep taking the tablets dear boy.
Read your PMs. You really don't have a clue about anything to do with me.
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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by oldskoollondon » Tue Jul 30, 2019 10:25 pm

JakeB wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:50 pm Hi Guys

Thanks for the responses; and yep, as usual it is very difficult to know what to leave out and what to leave in but I wanted to produce something that didn't cost loads - and it is a subjective view from my perspective, even though I interview many of the people who were involved. It is the sort of subject where you just know you won't make everybody happy; but I hope I've done justice to a whole bunch of people, right the way across the country, not just in Nottingham, who made a real contribution to the way local media and society in general developed. I just felt that unless I put this to print and got it in the universities and city and county libraries etc etc., which I have, there'd probably be no printed record and probably nobody else would have the platform to launch it from, given the performance of the last book. There's a review of it on www.musicriot.co.uk a site that I do occasionally contribute gig reviews and other stuff to, which I will admit to being very happy with which explains the main thrust of the book better than I could. Oldskoollondon I'd be delighted to hear what you think of it, as I would anyone else who gets a copy.
What stations does the book cover?

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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by JakeB » Wed Jul 31, 2019 5:34 pm

Hi Oldskoollondon

It features Heatwave and Horizon, Globe and Pulse but it does reference a large number of other stations as well; smaller operations like Cosmos, EZE FM and Sherwood. I was personally involved as a presenter and latterly in the management of Horizon. Rather than being another 'about me' job, which our 'other' book largely is, this includes a number of verbatim interviews with those who were involved at the time so I've tried to be led in the narrative by what other people told me rather than my own experiences. BTW sorry about the slight delay in getting copies out - the printer hadn't included page numbers on the draft copy so that held things up a bit - but they assure me the copies will be with me tomorrow and anyone who has got an order in already will have them dispatched either tomorrow or Friday latest. Over 60% of the print copies have already sold on advance orders, which I'm delighted about. I'd particularly like to think that even though the pictures are rough and ready, they capture the spirit / atmosphere / realities of the time. Basically, I hope it is enjoyed by people who know about and / or have been involved in this stuff. Beyond that, I'm glad it is now a matter of public record. Cheers, JB.

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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by trancetechnic » Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:45 pm

Does the book include anything about Nottingham's finest Underground dance - Pirate radio station 'Rave FM' :rip
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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by JakeB » Fri Aug 02, 2019 11:01 pm

Hi Trancetechnic

Yes, albeit briefly; I do reference it early on when I list a number of the local pirates I recall and then later in the book, the station turns up once again briefly in a context which might surprise you! I must admit I don't recall any of the guys from Rave; but that doesn't necessarily signify anything. As I'm sure you'll recall, whilst there was some contact between some of the people involved in some of the stations the whole clandestine nature of things meant organizations were often very 'closed'. Even now and at this great historical distance it wasn't easy to get some people to 'open up' about the nature of their involvement, knowing it was going to end up in print. I suspect one of them might have worked for us later on our Lazer FM dance RSL from '98 but I couldn't be sure. I can remember it being 'on' occasionally when stations we were either involved in or were 'close to' were operating. Cheers, JB PS the book has just gone to #2 on Amazon.co.uk 'Radio History and Criticism' chart and has gone into the same US top ten as well. So I will admit to feeling pretty chuffed tonight!

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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by Dj Senator » Mon Dec 16, 2019 3:01 pm

I’ve just ordered the book and I’m looking forward to receiving it.
It’s a shame you don’t mention Rave fm because it was massive in the early 90s. Huge

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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by trancetechnic » Tue Dec 17, 2019 12:39 pm

Dj Senator wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2019 3:01 pm I’ve just ordered the book and I’m looking forward to receiving it.
It’s a shame you don’t mention Rave fm because it was massive in the early 90s. Huge
Sure was! I use to listen in When I was down there (carlton) back in 1991/2. I've got a recording of Rave FM giving me and
my sister a shout out!. :tup

Great station! With good mixing and Scratching by DJ SY And DJ Trade. Shame they went off But I believe they made a return as Touch FM on 107.3MHz with the intention of obtaining a licence but never happened. They were quite good too! DJ Senator was on touch. Managed to get a few free copies of his new record in 93 Which I still have to this day.
Nottingham's Rave FM crew are on Facebook. :smoke
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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by Dj Senator » Tue Dec 24, 2019 2:43 pm

Loads on YouTube if you’re interested.
Nice 1


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Re: New Pirate Radio book - 'Loud, Proud and Illegal: Pirate Radio in Nottingham, 1986 - 1996'

Post by trancetechnic » Sat Dec 28, 2019 7:43 pm

trancetechnic wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2019 7:55 pm Superb! Also many recordings on - https://www.thepiratearchive.net/ravefm-nottingham :)
Here's that record I'm talking about From 1993.
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:tup

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