Thameside 11Apr82 The show before the Harrow picnic

Thameside Radio Revisited

We're told about a game called Obliterate which BT have released on Prestel. You command a submarine and torpedo Argentinian submarines including one called "Fray Bentos". (You may have to look Prestel up on Wikipedia, it was like the internet but 1980).

The phone lines are open for the Thameside listener charts. This week's chart is - 10:Layla/Derek and the Dominoes; 9:I Ran/Flock of Seagulls; 8:Nowhere Girl/B-Movie; 7:More Than This/Roxy Music 6:Fantastic Day/Haircut 100; 5:Is it a Dream/Classix Nouveaux; 4:Ghosts/Japan 3:The Damned Don't Cry/Visage; 2: Love Cascade/Leisure Process 1:Ever So Lonely/Monsoon.

The broadcast is briefly introduced by Bob Edwards, but Paul James takes over. Paul has just come back from a working holiday in Cornwall, Sarah is also in the studio as is Ian the Engineer. After an hour (and a transmitter change) we get The Intrepid Birdman Show. There was a problem in the first 10 minutes with the batteries running flat in the cassette player. You can hear the the show sounding a bit slow. It then goes back up to speed.

Dave tells us about the CB show at the Wembley conference centre which is relaying the broadcast. There is a pirate radio stand at the show.

The first part of the show was broadcast from the Brentford tower blocks on Green Dragon Lane. This was used in 2014's "People Just Do Nothing" which started on YouTube and moved to BBC3 as the location for the fictional pirate Kurupt FM. Now Kurupt FM are real and playing festivals! Life imitating art imitating life.

We learn that the site changes are done by "10-1 Teddy" and Ian the Engineer who has injured himself.

There are brief moments during quiet patches of the songs where the transmitter switches off - the transmitter were designed to switch off quickly when the audio finished because it was the end of the show or when there was a transmitter change but they could be a bit enthusiastic and switch off briefly during a show! We're told about an experiment in 3D TV. However demand for the special glasses is so high they have had to delay the test to make some more. It will be broadcast on May 4th in a programme called "the Real World". 3D TV, 1982, maybe technology isn't moving on as quickly as we think. You can watch it here.

After an hour with Paul and two with Dave this podcast finishes at 10pm or so. But keep an eye on your podcast feed or the siteas there is more to come on Thameside Radio Revisited from the same day and the next. We have Bob Edwards from later on this evening and the Thameside Radio picnic from Harrow on the Hill the next day (it was Easter Monday).

And finally: Did you know that the voice on the "Thameside Radio Plays Good Music" is one of Dave's children? Recorded in Hyde Park during an OB!

Dedications and letters from Robert, Mike of Chalfont, the Intrepid Birdman Appreciation Society, Andrew Pearce from Hindhead, Steve Scribbler, John H, Richard, Annette, Dave and Pete. Hugh Gunning, John of Edgware, Bill Popstar, Tom Grady, Lynne Steele, Wendy and Cathy from Frank Kennedy from Norwood Green who gets a kiss from Sarah. Paul Marshall (age 13) from Chalfont st. Giles. Chalfont Secondary School