Dave Mason

I first got interested in this thing called radio when I was quite small. We couldn't afford luxuries like Pot noodles, electricity or matching shoes in them days. Times were 'ard.

We did, however, have a radio, thing is there wasn't much to listen to in the early 1970's. There was no Commercial radio and only one pop station, BBC radio one. It only played current hits for part of the day as it shared its frequency with BBC radio 2. 50 odd years ago radio 2 played Mrs Mills (look it up), Gracie Fields, Al Jolson and the Northern Dance orchestra covering the chart hits of the day. I'm not making this bit up, its actually true!

So you spent a lot of time tuning around hoping to hear something good from a foriegn station - Rock n Roll from AFN in Germany, or the top 30 from Radio Luxembourg.

I still remember tuning around and finding 2 new stations. One was was Radio Caroline playing Album rock, even whole albums in one go - stuff you would never hear anywhere else. Weird, Heavy, Magical. The other station was RNI playing top 50, Rock n roll and 60's oldies. It sounded great and quite unlike anything I'd ever heard. The DJs were friendly and they talked to you not at you. When I found out this great radio was coming from ships anchored off the coast of Holland I knew what I wanted to do with my life! Sit on a boat playing rock and Roll to Europe and spending my shore leave in Amsterdam.

It never happened, I was only in my early teens and by the time I was old enough those stations were gone. It left me with a love of radio though and I try to capture some of that excitement and energy in my show "its Radio But Not As We Know It" playing Rock N Roll, Reggae, Motown, Soul, Classic Rock great pop songs and even some new stuff too. I hope you can join me Saturday at 1PM

Whats on shuffle on my MP3 player this Week?

RUMER - Am I Forgiven, DEEP PURPLE-Fireball, T.REX-Electric Warrior LP, MOTT THE HOOPLE-Sweet Jane, AIRBOURNE-Stand Up For Rock n Roll, JAMES WALBOURNE-The Hill, HEPTONES-Cool Rasta, SECRET SHINE-Trying To Catch The End, MrsMills -LIVE AT BUDOKAN TRIPLE LP (One of those is made up), PINKY & PERKY The Industrial Goth Years. (Alright 2 are made up )

Email me direct at mailbox@heartlandfm.co.uk