This Guy Stole Over 1000 Pirate Radio Transmitters

[@boilerroombob]

It was clearly an addiction which has left some unhappy and some with good memories....but whatever your views...its now part of the fabric of radio history Great series Lewis thank you for your time in posting this up 73s rog

[@MarioDXFM]

I live in Hatfield and I can get many stations from London. The longest lasting stations that I rememberr that stays all the time on air is Vision Radio, there were more but most changed frequencies or get busted over the years. There are also some new signals that appearing here and there. Nice chat with this lad, he seems like a decent fella. Great vid, thanks.

[@stuartarundale6219]

He didn't take the Carousel main TX. We knew it wasn't the DTI because the generator was left behind (still running). It took twenty odd years to find out who it was....

[@sparkidee]

Fair play for owning up to nicking rigs but the fact he did that kinda makes him an enemy in the scene. The pirate scene was always about just putting something on and not treading on anyone's. This guy used to nick rigs for fun even if no one bothered him or anyone else.

[@mindblast3901]

stealing rigs is wrong just saying

[@sparkidee]

@@mindblast3901 Nah ya right I agree and this is why personally I can't stand people like him who mug other people off when they were no bother to anyone and were just doing their thing. He never bothered Kool though I noticed 😂 or Rinse, prob knew he'd get his legs broken lol

[@sparkidee]

@Uncle K the Reverend Well its good you turned over a new leaf if you've stopped all that, I think that was everyone's point on forums it was like... Why though? 🤷‍♂️ What was the point? 🤷‍♂️ Yeah that station was all we had down there it was our thing when we had no money to go out we'd put the radio on and there was the rave. You'd hear stations then they wernt there anymore, the buzz went. Tbh I just didn't get why you did it and it became an annoyance mostly but like I say if you've changed your ways then that's something. Start as u mean to go on etc.

[@the.internet]

@@sparkidee cos he had nothing to lose and it made him money, I think that's all there was to it looking back..killa did a lot of people wrong but he was imo an inevitably after the authorities made pirate radio a criminal offence rather than a civil one. when doing something like transmitting music can see your job taken, massive fines and even prison time (enough to destroy families) then the good guys jump ship and your left with people like killa. I tell you what though, Mr K is actually f___ng self aware though which puts him way above half the c***s I grew up listening to in the 90s\00s. I'll hand it to killa that he doesn't defend his actions or act like it was all owed to him or something. I grew up in London and Essex and listened to probably the same stations that killa did before he started doing radio himself and the shit I've heard about some of the wronguns doing those stations is something else. There weren't many heroes in the pirate scene by the end of the 90s put it that way. They were all doing what killa did and worse. The geeza K mentions in this interview called DJ slick from charge FM last I heard he was doing time for shooting someone, last interview killa mentioned Martin kelly bloke ran klass FM and built for loads of London stations and killa won't even mention what hes on the run for...heard it aint radio related. Trust me proper wronguns everywhere. Never meet your heroes they say. I can think of loads more names but bro I think all in all its best to remember the time and what it was...our way of accessing music when there was little other way....these guys weren't the pirates of the 60s or 70s or 80s...they had all moved on...what was left were criminals with nothing to lose bar a very very select few and the djs with a passion for music and radio. I liked hearing killas honesty and stories,glad he can tell it like it is. Peace bros

[@sparkidee]

@@the.internet I unfortunately didn't live in London so we was limited down here in Kent we'd pick up the scraps from Essex if Charge, Premier, Renegade, Lush if they had a huge signal. All we had in Kent was Essence and that was integral to me opening up a new world for myself, it was also on at a time when I was least happy in life and gave me something to focus on. I always wanted to be a DJ/producer but didn't know how to go about it. That station kinda took me along for the ride and I got a lot out of it. Most of the recordings online are ones I taped on a TDK (some like to pass it off as there's unfortunately!!) it really got me interested. I met the DJs from the station years later and still friends with some of them today (the owner mostly) I just loved how it'd let you text in and big up your mates or request a record. I even won a hardcore tune on vinyl from a competition on there, there's loads I could say about pirate radio it was and still is an integral part of the scene. My gripe initially was just how K would strip stations of everything and demand money to get the transmitters back, its a good story telling thing I guess but again I just never got it and saw him as the enemy. I've dabbled with pirate I've played on some stations on and off in the 00s (even ran my own online station for a bit and got it relayed onto FM) but I never got into the beef side of it and just hated the "I'm gunna nick your rig" petty bullshit that went with it, it was tiresome, boring and like something from the playground. I guess that's just how I saw it I can't help it 🤷‍♂️ Oh well K seems rather harmless now smoking blunts and telling people about what he used to do. Like I say fair one for him to own up to it all and own it and it does tell a good story but let's hope we don't get another one running up and down roofs taking off aerials. I love pirate radio... The listening and playing side of it! Fuck running one 😂😂

[@richardlongmore9301]

He did a 2 stretch 😂

[@CrawfordGrimaldi]

😅😅

[@MrGlenfraser]

I used to run/be involved with some Radio Stations around Southend/Canvey/Basildon in the mid 80's. I did hear a few of these stations in the 90's..... These interviews where a good watch.

[@keithhooper5965]

I remember lee John very well. Helped us out loads many years ago !

[@jennahowe7087]

My dad built the best transmitters roger Howe broadcast warehouse rip x

[@TonyLing]

Who is worse? Killa or the feds? Still, it kept the rig builders in work.

[@JS-ks7hh]

Good to get an insight into the Underground scene- love this

[@wisteela]

A brilliant series of videos. What a nice guy.

[@philiboy76]

I used to take the aerial out the back of car radio as well to find pirate stations not to take their Riggs though just wanted to track them down where they were located it was a bit like track the wolf on CB radios 👍👍

[@Mike-H_UK]

Great video - very informative. Many thanks Lewis and Uncle K. I was wondering if Killer may have taken the transmitter that Aquarius lost on the hill, but suspect that this would have been way before his time.

[@Mike-H_UK]

@Uncle K the Reverend Cheers, I wouldn't make a good detective!

[@mrphones8622]

spoke to this dude on the phone...proper melt.. shouting his head off...how he never got his head licked off...omg

[@ramjet4025]

Can't understand why a prolific offensive thief got so much attention.

[@CrawfordGrimaldi]

Like it or not he's part of pirate history

[@DJunclepaul2nd]

Watched these 3 interview videos. I spent time in Birmingham and London in the early 2000's and enjoyed the pirate stations. Have a recording of a Birmingham one on MD somewhere. Ive been listening to Point Blank fm now for 20 years, from early 2000's. I was living in London then but have been listening back home in Manchester online for years. Hands down the best and only station I listen to. Interesting that it is still running, and going strong, when everything else dropped away. Would be good to know more about that. Their KZbin channel deconstructs popular/classic house tracks and is very much worth checking out!

[@the.internet]

Point Blank has always been a cut above and always stood out from the crowd. I listened to it in London in the 90s again in the 2000s there was even a relay in deepest Surrey on 103.6 I listened to. Their output quality was second to none clearly had sound engineers involved in the station, I heard one of the guys released their compression as a module for a software audio compression program some years ago. I'm not in the uk now but still listen to pb. They switched off their fm a year or two back I think and now are online and dab. They've always pushed music and their big sound made them a household name...if anyone asks me what to listen to for house, soul, anything in between I always say pb

[@jonnyRyan88]

Living up north bet this Womble took our transmitter 🤣🤣 uncle K give it back bruv hahah

[@dennis8196]

Pirate radio is about the only way you get music without labels dictating what is played an how often. Pirate radio is the only place to find actual personality on the air.

[@Phil-M0KPH]

A perfect conclusion to a fascinating series.

[@FNUKSTER1366]

Loved the video at the airport with Andy, hopefully you enjoyed going up in the air, great video

[@gordslater]

wait - is that a cell he's in?

[@arendelle_ok]

this is why. i place my transmitter close to my other equipment at same room. LOL and place my antenna on outside LOL

[@arendelle_ok]

@Uncle K the Reverend no. U cant. My transmitter module inside my house. And my house place in middle of large vilage 🤣😂👍

[@KlodFather]

@Uncle K the Reverend - Did you every end up in some room with a scary woman in her bloomers? HA HA HA Who wanted you to be her consort? Some things are worse than dying LOL

[@johnabbamont6349]

Very interesting interview Louis!

[@ExposureTv444]

Uncle k legend ❤💯👍

[@crimewatchuk3653]

He's a wolly him lad 🤣🤣🤣

[@clangerbasher]

I am agog at all these tales. Amazing. 🙃

[@trone32]

Yeah fascinating

[@clangerbasher]

I am confused about all this stealing transmitters. Why?

[@clangerbasher]

@Uncle K the Reverend 😃 From what I have seen of these transmitters in these videos they seem to be right manky bits of kit thrown together. And there was supposedly enough of them out there for that chap to have stolen 1000s of them? It is beginning to sound like a fairy tale. It's a bit of fun though.......😁

[@clangerbasher]

@Uncle K the Reverend I am only joking. Hence all the 😀's. It's a whole new world to me. Not saying your are liar. But before that perhaps before you get on your high horse we are talking about you stealing. So back off a bit eh?

[@boilerroombob]

6 kids killer! Your P.A stage is clearly still working then! Ps all the best with latest family addition x

[@richardlongmore9301]

Don’t agree with the stealing other peoples transmitters. What’s was the point in that ?

[@joeblow8593]

Thanks

[@Chris558576]

Not something to be proud of is it? Still not as bad as some of the stuff that went on i guess. Drug selling & inciting fights. Not a common thing but it didn't help the case for better radio. A fair few wanted to be as clean as with the tx & not upsetting anyone. Those were good times but i liked offshore radio better.

[@tomjohnson5863]

6 Kids 😢

[@bassangler73]

Cool series!

[@ianharling9569]

Brilliant video Lewis. Thanks for all your efforts and all of your KZbin uploads are very enjoyable.

[@RingwayManchester]

Thanks so much Ian

[@crimewatchuk3653]

Just found your channel mate i don't have a clue about radios but good content why was pirate radio illegal ?

[@Beanie1984]

because they don't pay Ofcom for a licence to broadcast music

[@crimewatchuk3653]

@@Beanie1984 I knew it would be something About money

[@zukispur5493]

He never took ours (broardwater farm estate tower block. tottenham London.

[@zukispur5493]

@Uncle K the Reverend station FM? Ragga FM? RJR?

[@zukispur5493]

@Uncle K the Reverend E gotts was the man to worry about. Tings were up at twyford house N.15. Stella house N17. Chettle court N8.

[@zukispur5493]

@Uncle K the Reverend "allowed to transmit? Stop tark nonsense! Uno woulda get u arse buss from u did a fk wid fi wi ting. About allowed to transmit. Behave unuself bwoi. Keatly kool yes

[@zukispur5493]

@Uncle K the Reverend big luv Roy&Robbie. Heavyweight sound system dons.

[@newtronix]

Was he doing this to sell the transmitters or just to piss off the stations. It seems like a lot of effort!

[@newtronix]

Who to? Back to the person you stole it from? A nice circular business model! 😄

[@newtronix]

Nice!

[@carlosbooovy1174]

He was a crack head.. He's still a good for nothing wanker though..

[@adamrowland830]

Pirate radio in the days of energy and don was about the music not ego ...

[@lewisg6987]

Has mad class though

[@matth7272]

Great to hear uncle k, loved the stories

[@andrewsmart2949]

well thats an interesting hobby

[@wam2610]

👍

[@g0fvt]

I had one off a customer site in NW London, from memory that was about 300w. The CCTV did spot them fitting it at about 3:00am. Brave buggers to climb that high in the dark. Some RFI from it but the giveaway was the power splitter made from 75 ohm cable thrown on the ground. Seeing that we knew something was up there. We had pictures of the tower taken a few weeks earlier, the shiny dipoles were not in that picture...

[@paulw8652]

Lewis how I get in contact with you ?

[@RingwayManchester]

Hi Paul, [e-mail]

[@RingwayManchester]

Hope you’ve receive this Paul

[@hymatwat9412]

Uncle K is tedious to listen too

[@ddegn]

I loved listening to Uncle K.

[@NicholasVincent-ol1zk]

Boat thief ante 10marx.

[@jetsetjourneysofficial]

would have been nice to see some footage rather than just two blokes telling stories

[@RingwayManchester]

Send your lovely HD footage of these events 20 years ago mate and I’ll re-edit for you. Not a problem. [e-mail] 🤦‍♂️

[@RingwayManchester]

I know mate

[@the.internet]

Ha ha footage indeed. Tower block dreams and the odd clip on KZbin is as good as it gets...these stations were to be listened to, not watched, hence the term RADIO!!

[@jack12494]

i love you vidos so much