Radio Caroline - Radio Caroline Flashback

A repeat of the Top 15 Show first heard yesterday morning at 9am.

A selection of music from the past five decades

Terry started in broadcasting in 1979 at a talking newspaper for the visually impaired, then he spent a few years at Dudley and District Hospital Broadcasting. He did a few shows on Beacon 303 and BRMB, including joint shows with Gordon Astley, Mike Baker and Roger Day, and some gigs with KKJ, and at the age of 18 was being considered for a full time role in Independent Local Radio but his dad said "Son, go and get a proper job". So in 1983 Terry moved to Coventry and became an apprentice at GEC. To make extra money he became a nightclub DJ, and for fun he was involved with 2 land-based FM pirate stations in Coventry: Segway Sound and City FM. Terry had always been obsessed with pirate radio, and in those early Coventry days he listened to Radio Caroline and Laser 558 from afar, dreaming of a day when he could fulfil his dream of presenting on Radio Caroline. He recalls sending a demo tape to Radio Caroline in the early 80s, and it was sent back with a rejection letter. And that was that. Until COVID came along. Like everyone else Terry was locked down and had more time on his hands. He started putting shows together, he published them on Mixcloud to great reviews, he got picked up by a UK based internet radio station and did 6 months of "Terry's Real Gold" live radio every weekend. He also became the presenter of the syndicated Retro Charts weekly countdown. Then at last, some 42 years after starting out in radio, he felt confident enough to approach Radio Caroline, and he was offered the weekday early breakfast slot, from 6am to 7am UK time. Each morning Terry warms up for Tony Paul, another Beacon 303 graduate from the early 80s. Terry's first show was in March 2021, and since then he has built up a loyal set of early riser listeners, along with people all over the world.

Tony started out as a disc jockey on the London club circuit. His first job in commercial radio was at Beacon Radio in the Midlands, broadcasting from Wolverhampton to the West Midlands and Shropshire. His 'Prince of Darkness' overnights became cult listening! He moved to early evenings and then to Afternoon Drive. In the 1980's, Tony interviewed virtually every major music artist from both sides of the Atlantic. His love of US Top 40 radio led to stints across 'the Pond' on WTIC in Hartford, Connecticut, WSPK New York and Q106 in San Diego. After Beacon, he went to BRMB, followed by Buzz FM in Birmingham and MFM in Cheshire. He was then chosen to launch and run a new station - Sunshine 855 - based in Shropshire. Eventually, the lure of California sunshine took him back across the Atlantic to Los Angeles. After a stint on radio station KBBY, he ended up doing what everyone does when they come to LA – working in Hollywood! He founded his own entertainment news agency and since 1996, he's run a successful company supplying celebrity interviews and movie coverage to major TV, Radio and New Media outlets around the world. He can now add virtually every major Hollywood star to his list of interviewees! When the chance came to do a Breakfast Show from Los Angeles for Radio Caroline, Tony didn't hesitate and he looks forward to sharing his tales from the Hollywood Hills with Caroline listeners every weekday morning.

A Caroline listener's music selection - see 'Top Fifteens' page for details.

Barry first found music when he borrowed his sisters record collection when he was about eight and was hooked. When Caroline started it was a new begining, and listened to all the stations, but Caroline was his favourite by far. Later he became a singer in band, then started doing discos when he was 18. He joined Caroline in 1977, touring the country with the Caroline Roadshow for 10 years, having great fun. Barry helped with tender trips and worked on the Ross Revenge in '84 and '85. He has done many RSL's with the station, and is very proud to be part of THE LEGEND. Barry has worked at Hastings Rock, XLfm in Ely, and Tulip Radio in Spalding. Barry is married to a very understanding wife, Bud, has 3 children and 5 lovely grandchildren. He says he will work for Caroline for as long as they want him – or can put up with him! LA.

Nigel Harris (as Stuart Russell) was part of the late seventies team on the Mi Amigo working also on the Ross Revenge in the eighties and nineties. He stayed with Caroline for many years becoming the very last programme controller when the ship was still at sea. A trip to Israel and the Voice of Peace followed and then with offshore radio all but over, Nigel went to Invicta and now works at KMFM in Kent. He has been involved with Caroline since being in his teens and still continues to present Caroline programmes from Maidstone having been there since the start of satellite programmes. When not on the radio Nigel enjoys his other passion of playing the church organ and plays at his local church in Sittingbourne. He also played several times in Rochester Cathedral and once left the Ross Revenge when she was anchored on the Medway and went straight to Evensong in the Cathedral. Ambitions include a dive on Titanic and a ride in a hot air balloon but a fear of enclosed spaces and heights may just prevent them happening. Often asked which ship was his favourite, the answer is the Mi Amigo because of its history and homely feel but then the Ross Revenge is only a smidgen behind and he loves them both. Nigel can be heard on Caroline on Friday afternoons and other times when needed.

Martin Fisher has Radio in his blood. Hailing from the birthplace of radio, Chelmsford, he remembers his Grandfather explaining how one could receive the early Marconi broadcasts with no more than a poker in the ground, a piece of coal and a pair of headphones! The young Martin's own experiments with crystal sets proved very disappointing though as he could only receive the BBC Home and Light programmes. Despite this, he continued to develop an interest in music until one day at school, rumours started about a new Radio Station on board a ship Radio Caroline. He was hooked and wondered what it would be like to work on a radio ship. Little did he realise that he would find out first hand just a few years later when he was invited to a secret London location and offered the job of Transmitter Engineer and DJ! So it was that Martin Fisher found himself on board the famous Mi Amigo early in January 1977. During that first stint not only did Martin DJ for the first time, but also assisted with the move from 259 to 319 metres. He remained with Radio Caroline for nearly three years but has continued to work behind the scenes in the broadcasting world ever since. Martin jumped at the chance to return to the fold in the late 1990s for Caroline's new satellite service, and 2007 sees him celebrating 30 years since first joining Radio Caroline. You can hear Martin Fisher on late Wednesday afternoons, with his regular show.

Record label exec, music industry consultant and music aficionado Adrian Skirrow has spent most of his career working for and running multi-national music labels, as well as his own leading independent label and concert promotions business and counts himself as privileged to have have been able to work closely with some of the biggest names in the business. Originally from Yorkshire, Adrian spent his youth in South Africa and many year's as a club DJ playing building up a loyal following and playing sell out club nights at some of the iconic alternative rock venues in Johannesburg, which were also frequented by UK ex-pat's who brought in the latest new wave and goth sounds that found their way on to the dance floors. The music broken on the dance floor back then influences Adrian's radio show's to this day, and his passion for introducing new music outside of the mainstream. Adrian joined Radio Caroline in January 2020 to host a weekly late night show prior to his current weekly time slot on Friday's between 7-9pm.

Already in his early teens Rob van Dijk wanted to be a DJ or radio host. At the end of the seventies he decided to move to The Hague, to join several land-based pirates and learn 'on the job'. A few years later he worked for several local stations and in 1988 – the first year commercial radio was allowed in the Netherlands – he started as a news-reader – and editor at Radio 10. Later he became a radio presenter by Radio West and RTV Rijnmond, both in the province Zuid-Holland. Between 2001 and 2012 Rob was audible as reporter and news anchor at the Dutch World Service Radio Netherlands. Since June 2016 Rob presents and composes a daily show from his own studio in his living room for five Dutch internet stations, and from October 2022 he’s making his 'contributions' on Friday evenings from 9 - 12 on Radio Caroline as well. Since January 2023 he also presents Caroline's Countdown of Album Sounds, the album top 40 on Sunday evenings from 10 - 01.Rob is a big fan from 'Europe’s first album station'since it’s comeback from the Mi Amigo in 1972 and experiences his joining of the Radio Caroline-family as a great and honourable opportunity.