40 years of Radios 1-4

Mike Brown lists his personal BBC Radio moments of the last 40 years

Radio 1:

Wondering what on earth (or off it) Emperor Rosko was about.
Kenny Everett, Crisp, Granny and handovers to ‘Mike Collapsible’ [not to mention 'Michael Aspirin' – Ed.] on Family Favourites.
Trevor Dann’s classic Sunday evening documentaries, especially 25 Years of Rock and The Record Producers
Adrian Juste
Adrian Juste’s spoof ‘26 Years of Rock’
Listening to Live Aid from R1 in stereo via BBC GLR.
Radio 1 starting on 104.8 in London. No big launch, no on air mention, just the first record of the day being Steely Dan’s ‘FM’

Breakfast Special with Ray Moore and John Dunn
The very first ‘The Organist Entertains’ presented by Robin Richmond. It was only going to be a short series of about 13. It’s still going.
Pre-recorded Kenny Everett on Midday Spin
The stereo light coming on from Wrotham and hearing some programmes in stereo weeks before the official launch of the stereo service (sad, I know)
Ray Moore’s interview with Karen Carpenter
Ray Moore’s death
Roger Scott moving to R2 after years at Capital
Roger Scott’s death and the memorial programme they broadcast in his honour
John Dunn’s final programme – signalling the end of an era
JY being unceremoniously booted and ultimately replaced by Jeremy F**king Vine.

Waking to Morning Concert
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop’s ‘The Space Between’ and ‘Wee Have Also Soundhouses’
The Foundation Trilogy
Being introduced to Peter Schickele (aka PDQ Bach) when R3 played ‘Eine Kleine Nichtmusic’ one April 1st morning
Listening to their live concert relays, especially The Proms and classical music without the clicks and thumps of vinyl.
Robert Farnon’s Jubilee Concert from the Cheltenham Festival in 1977. (It’s since been released on CD)
A comedy on Radio 3 – ‘The Half-Open University’ (pilot programmes which gave birth to The Burkiss Way)
An 8-part sitcom on Radio 3 – Malcolm Bradbury’s ‘Patterson’ set in a fictitious redbrick university.
‘The Revenge’ - Andrew Sachs’ binaural play without words.

The Archers before they moved it to 10.15
Desert Island Discs
Many a Slip
Round the Horne
Repeats of The Goons
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols each Christmas Eve
Just a Minute
Week Ending
The News Quiz
Industrial action which resulted in a combined service which replaced Radios 1, 2 3 & 4 (was it really called ‘Radio 10’ or did I imagine that?)
The Burkiss Way
I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue
Radio Active
On The Hour
The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when it wasn’t a repeat (unbelievably from 8/3/78)
Earthsearch
Earthsearch 2
The Lord of the Rings
1994 (‘The Environment is very big’!)
Plays which lasted longer than an hour
Series which ran for more than 6 weeks
The Falklands War and Rolling News
Test Match Special
Repeats of much-loved shows only being on f**king Long Wave
Home Truths (John Peel)
The Blackburn Files
Old Harry’s Game
Ballylennon
Bristow
The Masterson Inheritance
In the Red / In the Chair / In the End
Dan and Nick's Wildebeeste Years
The Sunday Supplement
Giles Wemmbly-Hogg
Marcus Brigstocke's rants on The Now Show
Absolute Power