American Reacts to Britain's War Against Pirate Radio!

[@Ayns.L14A]

I've said it before and i'll say it again....... WATCH "THE BOAT THAT ROCKS"....it's a classic

[@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.]

JJ, I'm so glad that you covered this, as during the mid to late '80s I was a DJ for a pirate radio station in South London called Quest FM, we were continually being raided by the 'DTI' (The Department for Trade and Industry) so much so, there was a record produced by an artist called 'DTI' the track was "Keep This Frequency Clear" it was a way of the pirate stations hitting back at the Government, who were trying to close us all down.

[@JJLAReacts]

Wow! I commend you for sticking it out and changing the world! Bravery in the name of art 🙌

[@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.]

@JJLAReacts It wasn't easy, we had equipment and music seized by The DTI, but it only made us more determined to continue.

[@Ade2bee]

KISS FM was amazing at first, it's just a normal commercial radio station now and only is a shadow of what it was, sort of like MTV I feel honoured to have lived through this time and actually done some stuff with KISS FM and their associates station elsewhere

[@johnpipere83]

Apart from hating pirate radio Tony Benn was a great man and MP

[@carolineskipper6976]

Came here to say just that. He may not have been on the right side in this story- but he was a much respected and hard working MP, who was usually on the right side of history.

[@14percentviking]

Agreed

[@markmckinney4149]

He didn't always get it right, but he damn well didn't get much wrong. We could do with more like him around today.

[@steveparkes]

The only time I've ever paid to see an MP. A fantastic public speaker.

[@stefanbusher7551]

Look up John Peel and the influence he had on bringing new bands, artists and genres to the youth of the day everything from punk and reggae to dance, indie and hardcore metal. A true legend of the radio waves and so formative in many peoples music in the UK

[@klaxoncow]

He's heard of John Peel from an earlier video. But he should watch someone that focuses on him, sure.

[@tobyleigh1507]

DJ Johnnie walker retired on Sunday after 58 years starting on Radio Caroline

[@JJLAReacts]

I'm glad he was able to turn it into such a long career! Good for him 🙌

[@wendypow1963]

He was my favorite DJ on Radio Caroline, followed closely by Dave Lee Travis.

[@patriciacarter1147]

I remember my dad got my sister and I a transistor radio one week and I used mine at night with Luxenburg - with ear plugs of course under covers so the parents couldn't see us awake late. Then Caroline came out and we could use them all day, loved them radios.

[@JJLAReacts]

LOL yes!!!

[@bobclarke1815]

The guy dancing, was doing Northern Soul.

[@Escapee5931]

The movie "The Boat That Rocked" was renamed in the US as "Pirate Radio".

[@brian9731]

Really funny movie with great music. Any similarity between actual true facts and the plot is apparently pure coincidence BUT it was all the funnier because the characters WERE based a little more closely on real DJs, some of whom moved over to legal radio including the BBC and some of those are still on air to this day. Johnny Walker, who happens to have broadcast his last show on BBC Radio 2 this week before retirement due to ill health, was portrayed in the movie as the cool character who spent some time on radio in America. "Whispering" Bob Harris remains on air playing his own curated playlists, specialising mainly in Country and Americana - he was the graveyard shift DJ character who even some of the others on the boat didn't know about. Tony Blackburn (the first voice on Radio 1) is also still on air and in my opinion is just as good as ever, if not better, despite being over 80.

[@gwaptiva]

It's not that strange the Post Office was in charge: It was a government agency in charge of delivering not just mail, but also telegrams (and telex etc etc), so they were in charge of assigning frequencies for particular purposes to particular organizations. It was to ensure that your grannies gardening radio programme wouldn't interfere with the defence of the realm. And that's of course why they came down so hard on pirate radio. And yes, I loved listening to pirate radio across the north sea in my youth: Radio MiAmigo primarily. PS A massive correction: Tony Benn was not a dick, he was a legend

[@JJLAReacts]

Ah I see, makes sense that the Post Office was in charge because of telegrams, thanks! I guess there's more for me to learn about Tony Benn ☺️

[@Snarnler]

​@@JJLAReactshe was a champion of the underdog and gave up his title. Much missed by some of us.

[@domramsey]

It's a gross over simplification to blame "The BBC" for much of this. They are relatively independent compared to the government agencies that really fought/enforced this stuff ( Ofcom, the DTI, the IBA, the Post Office etc). Also worth noting that one of the big issues with the pirate stations is that they often block out legitimate, licensed radio. Part of the license is there to ensure that stations don't use too wide a frequency or too much power. The video is pretty accurate but it does romanticise it quite a lot.

[@dVb9]

John Huston's surname is pronounced 'Hooston'. Although he was a renowned director in his own right, you might be more familiar with his daughter, the actress Anjelica.

[@Snarnler]

Thank you for pointing that out.

[@AskFuzzy78]

THE BOAT THAT ROCKED.... It's a movie about this. Well worth a watch.

[@AlexByth]

I would think the thing with Radio 1 not playing "The Last Waltz" was that they were trying to appeal to younger people and "The Last Waltz" was rather staid "older people music". And certainly not the kind of upbeat song you would want to start your opening breakfast show with.

[@mej6519]

pirate radio was our social media back in the day, its where we heard of all the illegal raves that where going on. its where we heard the freshest tunes long before they hit the commercial record stores, the pirates where just as much part of the rave scene as the raves themselves.

[@jimmeltonbradley1497]

As a teenager I was an avid pirate station listener. And then in the 80s, when I was in my 30s and living in London I discovered the new generation of stations. Great stuff.

[@angeladormer6659]

Tony Blackburn was a Radio Caroline DJ and is still working. He has become a revered Golden Oldie. The fingers of the BBC reach into many pies even now. A law unto themselves. They banned songs or had lyrics change to fall in line with their policies and probably still do. They sanitized Graham Norton, too.

[@Snarnler]

Tony Benn was one of the few politicians that had some integrity. Made me sad to see such comments about a bloke who actually gave up you title.

[@14percentviking]

One of the few good politicians of my lifetime

[@aroemaliuged4776]

Tony been in the sixties still had a fascist flag insinuating He thought britian was a virtue He was behind the times

[@aroemaliuged4776]

MTV didn’t have Lionel Ritchie? But this at the time ! MTV was trying to be 🆒 cool Lionel Ritchie was 3 years ago so not cool You need to get the prospective of teenagers in their time line

[@aroemaliuged4776]

MTV didn’t have Lionel Ritchie? But this at the time ! MTV was trying to be 🆒 cool Lionel Ritchie was 3 years ago so not cool You need to get the prospective of teenagers in their time line

[@aroemaliuged4776]

Apparently he wasnt in his own timeline

[@johnallsopp6324]

NZ had a similar situation in the 1960s and had pirate stations like Radio Hauraki.

[@felonmarmer]

"You can't just declare something illegal!" Excuse my laughter.

[@CathyCrolla]

i used to listen to pirate radio back in the 1960s radio caroline, you also used to pick the police on the radio as well.

[@stephenbrough8132]

"People Just do Nothing" highly recommended - a fly on the wall type comedy about a group of pirate radio enthusiasts into Garage music, taking themselves a bit too seriously considering how few listeners they have.

[@vaudevillian7]

Seconded!

[@BonkersAboutAlice]

MC Grinda is my hero.

[@stephenbrough8132]

@@BonkersAboutAlice I think Charbuddy is my favourite character.

[@Coops985]

@@stephenbrough8132 obviously cha buds Is the boy lol

[@JJLAReacts]

I just looked it up and it seems hilarious! Thanks for recommending!

[@spursgog835]

During the 60s I always listened to pirate radio as there was no choice.

[@snowfirma5423]

Centuries ago, I used to listen to pirate stations, Radio Caroline,Radio London and Radio Luxembourg on my small translator radio under my pillow while in bed.

[@katashworth41]

I love Jimmy The Giant, does some really interesting social commentary videos.

[@marieparker3822]

John Reith, a Scot, was a Calvinist. He was very high-minded and unbending. I don't believe for a moment that he admired Mussolini and Hitler.

[@utterlee]

That moment made me choke. He was absolutely not a fascist sympathiser.

[@nolaj114]

Just had to pause and go listen to "Flowers in the Rain".. I remember that song as child just entering her hippiehood. I haven't heard or thought about it for decades. Nice memory, simpler times.

[@el_es]

@RingwayManchester has a nice set of documentaries about this :)

[@JJLAReacts]

I just checked out their channel! Thanks for sharing!

[@petermizon4344]

IN THE NORTH BLACK PEOPLE ALWAYS WELCOME IN THE CLUBS BUT DOWN SOUTH NOT QUITE AS MUCH, in the 1970S

[@Deltic07]

Yes, this fella seems very badly informed or perhaps skimped on the research.

[@wendypow1963]

All the top DJs and Top of the Pops presenters started out on Radio Caroline...Dave Lee Travis, Johnny Walker, John Peel, Kenny Everett, Tony Blackburn, Jimmy Saville(?) and more. My siblings and I were glued to Radio Caroline and Radip Luxembourg in the 1960s whilst mum and dad enjoyed the easy listening, plays and comedy sketches the BBC aired.

[@anthonyv6962]

Growing up in S. Florida we had so pirate radio stations. Around 1988 when I started driving and through the 90s anytime I would get down around Miami I would scan all the frequencies. Often I would find pirate hip hop and reggae stations. But the best station was a public channel 91.3 WLRN at 2 AM almost every night Clint O'neill (rip) would come on with his show Sounds of the Caribbean playing reggae till sunrise. He was so smooth talking over the record etc. a legend.

[@chashopkins6667]

I listen to BBC radio for a few hours every day. BBC might possibly have it's faults but it's output doen't have any adverts, this is such a massive relief, you can actually enjoy it and not be interrrupted every 5 mins with some idiot trying to sell car insurance.

[@terry9325]

Remember the days when you had to pay for a radio licence it was abolished about fifty years ago , about the time miniature transistor radios came on the market ,making it impossible for the BBC to track down millions of mobile portable radios .

[@gailstevens6831]

And yet they still charge for tv licences!

[@marieparker3822]

Radio Caroline was a ship in the North Sea - Great! It was FAB!!! But the killjoys eventually boarded it and dragged the existing DJs off it.😢

[@newuk26]

I never understood how we had commercial television from the 1950's but had to wait until the 1970's to get commercial radio.

[@Robhalifax]

A couple of points. 1. Tony Benn was a great man. 2. Grime music is intrinsically linked with criminality.

[@JillHughes-n1h]

Radio Caroline .the sounds of the national 😊Tony Blackburn ,still around 😊

[@MrChasanDayve]

Brought back memories of late night listening to Nick Manasseh on KISS in the late 80's and Energy Radio 87.9FM in the early 90's

[@eddievision]

Also he didn't mention you had to pay a reciever licence to the BBC but what undermined that was the portable transistor radio,a bit like The BBC trying to still get money for the TV licence but online content is undermineing that today....

[@markmckinney4149]

Ronan O'Riley is arguably the most important man in modern British music history.

[@eddisstreet]

After the Marine Offences Act 1967, I continued to listen to Caroline until it went off air in March 1968 - it was only after that that I started to listen to BBC Radio 1

[@sphinx3r]

If you wanna see a good movie about pirate radio, there's a great British movie called "The boat that rocked". It's not very historically accurate, but it's close enough and stars a lot of great actors.

[@utterlee]

I would take the accuracy of this video with a pinch of salt.

[@tinawaggoner8166]

I, like many others on here, used to listen to Radio Luxemburg under the covers of the bed with my sister late at night. We would sneak marmite sandwiches with us and just enjoyed listening to the radio.

[@gamingtonight1526]

To listen to the radio, BBC or commercial stations, you don't need a licence any more. It's free. As long as you don't own a TV - like me!

[@steveparkes]

Bad equipment and antennas mean the signal on the harmonics of the frequency can be stronger than the legal signals. Thats how emergency frequencies can get jammed. It's normally a complete accident and happens with anything that broadcasts rf including stuff that shouldn't leak any rf. If you look at the right frequencies you can tell if the neighbour is charging their phone or starting their car. Incidentally this is how the TV detector vans worked you asked about a few weeks back. They did work. The post office just didn't have the number of them in service that was suggested.

[@christinewhelan7949]

Absolutely depended on Radio Luxembourg, listened to in the dark, under the bedcovers.

[@marieparker3822]

That supposed notice ' No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs' is fictional.

[@stefanbusher7551]

Is it f**k. I remember seeing this as a kid in the 70s. There were also ones with ‘no actors’ which meant no homosexuals or lesbians.

[@veroniquewolff8963]

That notice was real, i remember seeing it too.

[@steveparkes]

The last one around was the No Travellers, that's only recently vanished, relatively, despite all of them being illegal since the early 70s.

[@scotmax8426]

enjoyed this a lot :D gave me brilliant memories of my first ever flat. out my kitchen window i could see the high flats (15 story buildings) (( there was five of them and they were called the five fingers in the sky)) and aye, you could see the anteannae easily on the veranda lol. we listened to it nightly, they even had a phone in!! where you phoned the phone box on the corner lol and yes, inevitably one night it was raided live on air lol talk about exiting stuff! lol loved it all! and well done to each and every one of them. control the air waves? lol aye, good luck with that one ;) was going to suggest as a wee fun thing to watch the boat that rocks, but i see others have said so too lol, good wee film.

[@klaxoncow]

♪♫ Marconi plays the mamba ♪♫ ♪♫ Listen to the radio ♪♫ ♪♫ Don't you remember? ♪♫ ♪♫ We built this city... ♪♫ ♪♫ We built this city... ♪♫ ♪♫ We built this city... ♪♫ ♪♫ ...on Rock 'n Roll !! ♪♫

[@bobclarke1815]

The BBC disdn`t pay the artists because they didn`t play their records.

[@berrytyrant]

Check out the film 'the boat that rocked'...

[@WOFFY-qc9te]

41:10 Pirate radio men charged Wirral News 28 Nov 1985..... They transmitted from a tower block in Moreton, a friend of mine had an ex yellow Telecom van which they must have thought was DTI as every time we drove past the transmitter went silent. It was easy for the DTI to find those transmitters but the studio was remote and fed from the telephone line. Allegedly ? .......

[@scousenotenglish2819]

Huston = HOOSTUN. He directed loads of Humphry Bogart films, The malteze falcon, prizzi's honor, african queen, annie, man who would be king etc etc. And tons more massive and famous films

[@DJKC]

That 1st clip isn't London. It's Ipswich. The irony being the building in the left used to be Radio Orwell. Which was a local legal station!

[@WookieWarriorz]

yea the movie the boat that rocked is right up your alley, lots of big british actors and that classic indie british movie vibe and its about the priate radio on a boat but also pirate radio was on installations in the ocean that were created to defend london during ww2 were used, they look like at-at's or something, you should react to a video about them. BTW fun fact 5:45 infant mortality is much lower in the uk than the usa. Btw all bbc content is still completely ad free and even even product bias free.

[@Diovanlestat]

Oh dear Tony, you were the choosen one, you failed us, you let us down. 😢

[@scottwebb1978]

Talking of voice of America in the 90s I use to listen to a programm on shortwave radio about radio and communications it was alled Communications World it was on a Saturday hosted by Kim Andrew elliot

[@JungleTunes94]

There are still pirates out there just not many people have analogue tuners now and you can just do it online so I guess its less worth it. I had an older car with an old tape player so would love going into any city even a few years ago. 2pm Monday afternoon listening to 90s jungle and garage on the radio with relative amateurs on the mic. Most of the music played on the 80s-00s pirates was not commercial and the labels and producers would actively encourage djs to play it and say what it was as it was promotion. I remember on many occasions hearing a tune and running into town the next day to track down a copy.

[@paulmidsussex3409]

There was a movie made - The Boat that Rocked.

[@marieparker3822]

Radio Caroline kept broadcasting until the very last second when the killjoys from the Department of Trade and Industry (I think it was) physically removed the record and physically arrested the DJ - tragic!

[@petermizon4344]

ALSO COMPANIES LOKE KELLOGS WERE ADVERTISING OFFSHORE AND WERE WARNED THAT IF THEY KEPT AVOIDING TAXES THEY WOULD BE STOPPED FROM TRADING IN UK

[@niallrussell7184]

Post Office was responsible for the Telegraph system, that transmitted messages - delivered to people much like normal post.

[@mary-y8x8h]

A certain J. Savile had his first breaks with the pirates...

[@andreasimpson273]

I remember Caroline when young use to listen to it often. There wasn't many black people around in the 70's when I was at school but had a friend and never saw him stopped for going in anywhere maybe certain areas. The spinner looked like Wigan Casino went in the late 70's

[@brian9731]

The BBC gets a LOT of bad rap and I too have many criticisms of them. However, I have a lot more good to say about them than bad. In general, they are very good at what they do on radio (and TV) and they do it without the frankly dreadful and annoying adverts and constant promises (as you get on commercial radio) of winning large sums of money as an incentive to listen. How about making your output actually good and engaging and people will listen anyway like they do to the BBC in their millions‽

[@benjames9158]

You probably know Georgie fame as well

[@xKynOx]

There are some still near me mostly Drum and Bass.

[@BonkersAboutAlice]

Checkout when Craig David sang with the guys from the show People Just Do Nothing. MC Grinda and his crew

[@nolaj114]

I can't see the name Craig David without thinking of Bo Selecta. 😅

[@londo776]

there are still lots Pirate stations in London On FM And still a lot on shortwave At weekends

[@JL-uq6dq]

in parallel with the second wave of pirate radio you also have the illegal party movement, culminating in the gvt banning music with repetetive beats.

[@JL-uq6dq]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGecm4F8iauDpJosi=VJ7ZkRU_egmE4kUO

[@AnyoneForToast]

I want to party with that pirate radio station that you want to create...

[@archiebald4717]

Radio Luxembourg 208 MW!

[@jamiemacdonald5203]

The government complained about race relations then the 90's exploded and people of all races and class got together in a field with a soundsystem and had a good time. And to the surprise of absolutely no one the government and the police outlawed that too. The government and the BBC feel they have a god given right to get to be the ones who decide what information they think you can handle and exactly how much of said info you get and how you should feel about it. Their constantly on their moral high horse reminding you just how great and enlightened they are. Meanwhile every few years they have recurring pdf-file scandals, and let's not forget the sheltered, ran cover for and kissed the ass of arguably Britain's most high profile and most prolific s*x offender. A man who when it came to victims was basically an equal opportunist didn't matter if it was girls, boys women including seniors he even had a key to the morgue. And he's not the only one they've had there.

[@johnpipere83]

Highbury fields 1990 Kiss FM launch party what a day.

[@bobclarke1815]

You should watch "The Boat That Rocked"

[@shrike1313]

Loving JJLA - regularly highlighting good content. If you do like, do follow the original source too - everyone benefits.

[@Mike-James]

Caroline now has a licence to transmit.

[@bobclarke1815]

Radio Caroline was the first. then there were dozens.

[@jamiemacdonald5203]

With you guys in America not having the BBC channel you're lucky enough not to hear your 83 year old grandmother after Xmas dinner request to leave the dishes and get comfy and watch some BBC, apparently nothing beats Xmas BBC

[@Jimmy_Jones]

Maybe a while back. But nowadays it's usually just old movies.

[@vallejomach6721]

14:58 'As far as I'm aware' - He's not aware. There's plenty of issues...he seems to be describing co-channel interference where you have two transmitters on the same frequency and their signals overlap and cause problems for receivers. However, you also have issues when you have adjacent interference where you have signal frequencies that are close to each other AND something called intermodulation interference when signals from two or more transmitters combine to make new frequencies that also can potentially interfere with other signals. Also, very strong transmitters can overload nearby receivers and cause them to lose their signal thus causing malfunctions and loss of service that way too. This guy rarely makes good videos...a lot of poorly researched half-baked garbage...like the Cod Wars wally.

[@LateBoomer-sl1dk]

Mexican Border Blasters were the American equivalent. What ZZ Top's "Heard It On the X" is about.

[@JJLAReacts]

Oh wow! I haven't heard of that! Thanks!

[@gracefuller9981]

What are you doing currently? Podcasts are basically a radio station Rogan is basically a radio station If you set up with other channels to either prerecord or go live Give them each a time slot….. do 24 hours and because KZbin etc the whole world is listening, it’s always 5pm somewhere

[@scotmax8426]

forgot to say, that yeah, this was also (the second wave i mean) around the time of cb radios being a thing, having cards made up for when you eyeballed etc! lol negatori big mamma lolol bizarrely fun times. (anyone remember the horrid spiteful sods that'd pin your coax so your signal was fooked lol the swines)

[@2005Guyver02]

I would take all info on the Wiki with a hand full of salt: It can be edited by anyone! It's has a lot of propaganda and a sliver of truth (most of which is Twisted).

[@garethm3242]

G'wan Ronan! Once again the Irish to the rescue

[@timglennon6814]

I listen to Kiss FM now.

[@petermizon4344]

DID HE MENTION THE 4 MILLION OUT IF WORK IN THE 80sAND DONT FORGET THE TORIES RIGHT WING WRRE IN GOV, IN THE 60S IT WAS LABOUR WHO ARE ALWAYS MORE ACCOMODATING

[@kenhobbs8565]

And I was born 28th May 1968

[@JJLAReacts]

A legendary date! 🙌

[@kenhobbs8565]

@@JJLAReacts also, the very same date as Kylie Minogue

[@matthewashman1406]

Well that BBC guy was right. Society is really shit now.

[@wulfgold]

I don't think many are on the side of the bbc these days - bunch of nonces. Perhaps on par for importance, it's now only really the domain of old people for listener/vierwship - so many alternatives. Why let some stranger choose what I hear/watch and when - I'm into niche music that the bbc really does not cover well, if at all and there's plenty of other sources that do cover my interest well. *WARNING* it is kind of a hate-crime against your ears, but you should check out some Cilla Black - especially in comparison to The Beatles of the same time 🤣🤣🤣 She was the kind of "acceptable" that the BBC liked. Might also be worth checking out Northern Soul (have a wiki browse).