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On Monday Gold celebrates the 45th anniversary of the infamous Pirate Radio stations that captivated British ‘pop’ fans throughout the mid 1960’s by becoming ‘PIRATE GOLD’ for the day.

Pirate Gold Day Returns -  Easter Monday

After our last Pirate Gold day, you e-mailed, texted and phoned in your hundreds saying how much you loved the day, so on Easter Monday Gold celebrates the 45th anniversary of the infamous Pirate Radio stations that captivated British ‘pop’ fans throughout the mid 1960’s by once again becoming ‘PIRATE GOLD’ for the day.

Re-live listening to the pirates ….. ‘knob twiddling’ under the bed covers on your little tranny!! From 6am with Paul Coyte and Erika through to 8pm, we’ll be playing a glorious soundtrack of mid 60’s anthems with every song coming from the Pirate heydays of January 1964 - April 1968. Then from 8pm we’re making Dean Martin’s Gold Control an all 60’s affair, so you can request and recount your favourite 60’s memories to Dean.

So get ready to ride the rocking roller coaster once more and be Fab, Cool and Groovy

Pirate Radio Through The Years

Take a look in pictures at the history of pirate radio to celebrate the release of The Boat That Rocked.

Click here to view the gallery.




The Boat That Rocked Photogallery And Trailer

To celebrate the release of the new Richard Curtis film, watch the trailer plus loads more.

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The Boat That Rocked Premiere

Take a look at the red carpets pictures for the UK premiere of the boat that rocks.

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Red Carpet video

Jo Parkerson catches up with Bill Nighy, and Richard Curtis at the world premiere.

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The Boat That Rocked Stars Attend Premiere

Rock, pop, drugs and love on the high seas are just some of the goings on in new Brit comedy The Boat The Rocked which has had its world premiere in London .

Click here to view the gallery.





Important dates – Pirate Radio

1964

• 28th March (Easter Sunday) Radio Caroline became the first pirate to broadcast ‘pop’ music 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The first record played on Radio Caroline, the station theme, 'Round Midnight from the album I've Got A Woman by Jimmy McGriff.
• 3rd July Radio Caroline expands. Previous competition Radio Atlanta becomes Radio Caroline South and the original Radio Caroline ship becomes Radio Caroline North. Both have separate play lists and broadcast from separate locations.
• First songs played included:
  Rinky Dink by the Johnny Howard Band
  The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals
  Lulu's Shout,
  The Mojos' Everything's Alright
  You're My World by Cilla Black
• 25th July – Tony Blackburn joins Radio Caroline
• 16th December  Radio London first starts broadcasting

1966

• 10 pirate radio stations broadcasting from around the British coast.
• 19th January Radio Caroline South ship the ‘Mi Amigo’ is beached on Finton beach after a storm. Radio Caroline
• South continues broadcasting from a new ship ‘Cheeta II’ while repairs to Mi Amigo are carried out.
• 25th March pirate DJ Tom Lodge gains exclusive onshore interview with the Beatles
• 4th June - Yorkshire's first and only offshore station Radio 270 began test transmissions
• 20th June - Shivering Sands fort, the home of Radio City, was boarded by a raiding party. The disc-jockeys were locked out of the studio and the station was silenced. Within a few days Reg Calvert, City's owner, was dead, shot by the boss of a rival station.
• August – Radio Caroline celebrates achieving 23 million listeners & is officially the number one station.
• Dcember ‘BBMS’ (Formally Radio Essex) closes down. Last song played The Markey’s instrumental Philly Dog

1967

• 8th February ‘Radio City’ closed down after Mrs. Dorothy Calvert was found guilty of operating Radio City from inside territorial waters
• 23rd July ‘Radio 227’ closed without warning
• 28th July ‘Radio 390’ goes off the air
• 6th August ‘Radio 355’ goes off the air
• 14th August, 3pm just nine hours before the new law would come into force. The last record was played on Radio London, The Beatles' A Day in the Life (an album track banned by the BBC), the final advert was aired (for Consulate cigarettes).
• 15th August – New Marine Law comes into force
• September Radio 1 launched

1973

• First commercial radio stations launched in the UK

DJs

Too many to list all of them. Here’s a few of the best remembered

• Tony Prince was on both Luxembourg and Caroline
• Kenny Everett
• Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart
• Keith Skues
• Tommy Vance
• John Peel
• Dave Dennis
• Tony Allan
• Alan Black
• Robbie ‘The Admiral’ Dale
• Vince “Rusty” Allen
• Tony Blackburn
• Robbie Dale