大象传媒

Kenny Everett was arguably the most creative, most innovative, most technically gifted radio presenter the UK has produced.

He was a pioneer, first with the offshore pirates in 1964, then as part of the launch team for 大象传媒 Radio 1 in 1967 鈥� and later a key figure when licensed commercial radio began with Capital Radio in 1973.

Kenny spent hours in the studio stitching together truly original shows, filled with his exquisitely produced personal jingles, crazy sounds effects, and zany comedy moments delivered in a frenetic, inventive style that no-one could match. He was close friends with the Beatles, regularly playing their latest tracks before anyone else. Among his peers he was regarded as a 鈥済enius鈥�. And yet he was a shy Catholic boy from just outside Liverpool who had a habit of being fired.

The 大象传媒 banned him from talking to the press after repeatedly complaining about Radio 1鈥檚 output. Things came to a head in July 1970 after he responded to a news bulletin about the wife of Transport Minister John Peyton passing her advance driving test. Kenny joked that she 鈥減robably crammed a fiver into the examiner鈥檚 hand鈥�. As a result, his weekend show was cancelled, a fate he鈥檇 previously suffered at Radio Luxembourg, Radio London, and later at Radio 2.

He was just 25, and apart from a few stints on continental stations, there was nowhere else to go. The 大象传媒 still had a UK radio monopoly, and his top-flight radio career looked to be over.

A saviour arrived a year later at one of the 大象传媒鈥檚 fledgling local stations, when Radio Bristol鈥檚 manager David Waine needed holiday cover. Feeling Kenny had been badly treated, David phoned to offer four programmes at a rate of just 拢12.50 a week! Desperate, Everett agreed 鈥� sparking an internal row with Waine who was rebuked by 大象传媒 Radio鈥檚 MD Ian Trethowan for not consulting him, warning that he鈥檇 be in trouble if things went wrong.

To minimise any potential disaster, David wisely asked Kenny to pre-record his shows at home in Sussex. He then posted the tapes for checking by a producer before broadcast. On June 12,1971 the 鈥渨ireless wizard鈥� was back on-air. It was an occasion largely overlooked as few people heard it.

At the time 大象传媒 Local Radio only broadcast on VHF (now FM) when most listeners only had medium-wave sets. Much of the output was 鈥減arish pump鈥� material. Broadcast hours were limited, with few staff and tight music restrictions.

So Kenny's first show, heard here in full for the first time since broadcast, was probably the most dangerous show on 大象传媒 Local Radio.

He announces his return by saying 鈥滻t鈥檚 disgusting. I don鈥檛 know how they allow him to get away with it鈥�. He was clearly relieved to be back with a fast-paced kaleidoscope of his work. It鈥檚 littered with bespoke Radio Bristol jingles, a chat with Dusty Springfield, and an episode of the comedy serial 鈥淒ick Dale 鈥� Special Doctor鈥�, previously heard on Radio 1.

Listen out for an amusing sequence as he tunes across his radio dial with extracts from Radio Solent, Radio Brighton, Radio 4, Radio 3, and Radio 2, with a cutting swipe at the station who axed him: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 play Radio 1!鈥�

The show features tracks from The Move, Nilsson, Peter Noone, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, Stavely Makepeace, The Beatles, The Fantastics, Cat Stevens, White Plains, Twiggy, Mungo Jerry, Dusty Springfield, the Supremes and The Four Tops.

You may wonder why Kenny regularly mentions the record labels of songs played. At the time, 大象传媒 Local Radio could only play one hour of commercial music a day under strict 鈥渘eedle time鈥� restrictions negotiated with the Musicians鈥� Union. One way to get around them was to play 鈥渘ew releases鈥� giving the record label, and (in theory at least) its number.

Kenny鈥檚 Radio Bristol shows opened the door at other 大象传媒 Locals including Radios Merseyside, Solent, Nottingham, Brighton (now Radio Sussex) and Medway (now Radio Kent). He also appeared on 鈥漇tart The Week鈥� on Radio 4 over Christmas 1971 鈥� becoming a regular on a spin-off series 鈥淚f It鈥檚 Wednesday 鈥� It Must Be鈥� over the next 18 months. Ev was finally allowed back on Radio 1 in April 1973 but left six months later as Capital began.

He returned to TV in 1978, with 鈥淭he Kenny Everett Video Show鈥� from Thames, moving across to 大象传媒1 in 1981 with 鈥淭he Kenny Everett Television Show鈥� which ran for six years. But radio was his first love. He helped launch Capital Gold, the station鈥檚 AM service in 1988 where he worked until shortly before his death from AIDS in 1995. He was just 50. But he left a legacy of unique work influencing broadcasters like Noel Edmonds, Steve Wright and Chris Evans.

The first of three shows Kenny made for 大象传媒 Radio Bristol first broadcast in June 1971.

*** Part of 大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra's celebration of Kenny Everett who was born 80 years ago on Christmas Day, 1944.

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