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.

Stephen is one of this country’s most experienced music broadcasters with more than 40 years’ worth of programmes for the BBC and commercial radio under his belt. Affectionately known as Foz, he was born and bred in Suffolk and has Radio Caroline to thank for his eclectic taste in music having been an avid listener to the likes of Andy Archer, Tony Allan, Johnny Jason and Simon Barrett during the 1970s. Foz is delighted to be broadcasting on the station that ignited his passion for albums. He has a huge CD and vinyl collection covering the history of popular music and is widely regarded as an expert on the subject.

When you're young, something very often fires the imagination which stays with you for life. In Barry's case it was music and radio and in particular free radio. From the age of seven whilst on holiday on the Isle of Man; he was fascinated by the Radio Caroline North ship which could be seen out in the bay, thus a lifelong interest in radio was kindled. Whilst Barry’s career in its early days embraced the entertainment and music business, other opportunities presented themselves and whilst away from the entertainment business they allowed the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of building and managing teams, travelling extensively and bag a whole bunch of experiences. Throughout his business life he always kept a keen ear on radio and more than just a listener's interest. Barry says 'Over the years many radio stations have become corporate enterprises and formula driven, but the internet opened possibilities for radio to reach much wider audiences and to be a passion again, with so much choice available it had to be a very special station if I was to become involved as more than listener. In fact, it was my irritation with the lack of good music radio in the UK back in 2005 that steered me to look at Radio Caroline once again. This time from the inside of the Maidstone studios. For me, presenting a show on Caroline is like inviting some mates round and playing them a pile of records that you have pre-selected. Some they will like, another only one will like, and some will bounce you off in a different musical direction in search of a newly discovered artist or a forgotten album'. You can join Barry every Tuesday afternoon between 2 & 5pm. Amongst the pile of carefully selected music, which always takes some twists and turns along the way, you will hear tracks from new artists and albums, and classic and long forgotten albums.

Our youngest presenter, Josh has been presenting on Caroline Community Radio and prides himself in having a music taste different to most of his friends. Josh loves older music – in particular Queen who are his all-time favourites – and other classics from the 60's to the 90's. Whilst he prefers music that's older than him, Josh likes to discover new music that he likes too. He also enjoys spending time watching films and stand-up comedy, or anything that can make him laugh. He believes that if his show can make one person's day better then he has achieved his goal and if he can make even more people happy then that's an added bonus.

Alec grew up in Essex, brought up on a radio diet of Caroline, early Radio One, Radio North Sea International and Veronica. A self confessed Vinyl Junkie, he started buying music way back in '66 with Manfred Mann's 'Pretty Flamingo' being the first one and soon progressed from there. Even today he can often be found scouring the charity shops for hidden gems. He set out doing on Mobile Disco's in '74 with the usual rounds of pubs, weddings and club presentation events, plus background music before such bands as Geordie, Hustler, GT Moore and the Reggea Guitars and The Kursaal Flyers. This continued until 2009. The year before Alec started doing a couple of hours for a local community station Saint FM in the Maldon area of Essex, presenting a 70's show and more eclectic late night show. He loved radio so much he finally stopped doing the disco circuit. "The chance to do a slot on Caroline was too good to miss" – says Alec "So here I am".

Mark Dezzani started his radio life as a landbased pirate in Sussex and then London where he was a founder member of the community radio lobby group 'Free The Airwaves'. In 1982 he moved to Seborga in Italy to work for Radio Nova International. In the late 80s Mark was a founding member of Sunshine Radio Antibes before joining Riviera Radio in Monaco as a freelance. Mark formed the TV & video production company Europa Productions in 1998 producing documentaries, TV news reports & corporate video. In 2000 he joined Radio Caroline and in 2009 he launched RivieraLife.tv, a news websites with video reports for the Anglophone community on the French Riviera. "I am thrilled to be back on Radio Caroline, a real oasis for quality music radio in the desert of fast rotating small playlists and sloganeering liner cards."