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30th September 1967 - in answer to the popularity but predominant silencing of the pirates, the BBC did away with the Light Programme and Tony Blackburn launched Radio 1 with 'The Move' and 'Flowers In The Rain'.  To commemorate the 35th birthday of 'Wonderful Radio 1', we feature archive presenter photographs of people like DLT, Simon Bates, Steve Wright, Jackie Brambles and more ... and we feature items of text and scanned images from Radio 1's very first magazine, this magazine from around 1975/1976.

Noel Edmonds on the cover of Issue No.1

Page 1 Editorial: 'Wherever you go Radio 1 goes with you and not just on the Air.  This Easter and Summer, the now familiar blue and white striped caravans of the Radio 1 Road Show will be on the road again visiting many parts of the UK.....'     '....The DJs love this chance to meet their audience and talk to them in person and those of you who have been lucky enough to visit the Road Show will know that there are chances to take part in contests on stage before the show goes live, as well as to collect autographs from the Goodie Mobile after the broadcast.  The ring master for this travelling circus is the ever amiable Tony "Smiley" Miles, he comes from Bristol and is our driver, friend and general Mr. Fix-It.  So if you happen to see him on the road, leading his convoy, give him a hoot and wave to cheer him on his way.  In his Goodie Mobile, he stocks lots of Radio 1 souvenirs including stickers, tee-shirts, hats and posters.  So when you visit the show, call on him before you leave and take home a permanent reminder of Radio 1.  Remember the Radio 1 Road Show broadcasts take place every day from 11:00-12:30. And even if you can't tune in, look at the following schedule and try to pay us a visit or two.'

Easter Tour

April 20th    Ipswich                David Hamilton    

April 21st    Leicester              Rosko

April 22nd  Birmingham         Paul Burnett

April 23rd   Nottingham          Dave Lee Travis

April 26th   Sheffield              Noel Edmonds

April 27th   Bradford               David Hamilton

April 28th   Manchester          Rosko

April 29th   Liverpool             Paul Burnett

April 30th   Wolverhampton   Dave Lee Travis

The 'Tour Dates For Your Diary' lead page also went on to show Motor Racing visits to Mallory Park (May 2nd) Ingliston (June 25th) and Brands Hatch (September 12th) as well as a Summer Tour from July to September with all of the above and additionally Ed Stewart.

Onto page and four and a double page spread ... with a photo of Tony Blackburn across the middle of the pages.

The National No.1 - Radio 1 'That's the slogan often heard on the Radio, and a statement of fact, that our team of top D.J's do their best of live up to by bringing you the music you want to hear, wherever you are, whatever you are doing.  But how does it all fit together?  Let's take a look back stage on a typical day.

Six o'clock in the morning and a white Range Rover pulls up at the BBC car park and out jumps a wide awake Noel Edmonds.  He's wide awake because he had his early call some time ago and before you have even thought about waking he has completed his press-ups, drunk his orange juice and is raring to go.  He collects his morning papers from the Commissionaire, records, mail, and research material form the Control Room and leaps into the tiny glass walled studio where he meets his T.O. (Technical Operator to you)  They spend a happy hour adjusting the relative volumes of sound, trying out new ideas and making up promotional gimmicks.  The studios and engineers rooms are all connected by double-glass windows so that the people inside can see each other.  Time flashes by, a few brief exchanges with Terry Wogan about the merits of Radio 2 and it's 7 o'clock, and all systems go until 9:00, punctuated only by cups of coffee and rolls.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent studio at 8 o'clock, we are dazzled by the teeth and tonsils of one of Britain's best known D.Js. Tony Blackburn. This time of day is no trouble to Tony because he was Radio 1's first breakfast man when the network started in 1967.  Tony sorts out his requests, plays through his tape cartridges and cracks a few jokes with Noel between discs, (they have a separate microphone system for this so that you are unable to hear.)

Following the handover at 9 o'clock, Tony proceeds to juggle three hours of jokes, Christmas puddings, Valentine cards, Easter bunnies (depending on the season) and tiny tots with all the expertise of the veteran he is.

At mid-day Johnnie Walker is coming up strong.  He took over the studio, or Continuity as we call it, that Noel had vacated earlier and during the earlier part of the programme, his producer Ron Belcher makes an appearance to call up the contestants in Johnnie's 'Pop the Question' quiz. Some sound a little nervous but Johnnie's friendly approach soon puts them at their ease.  With Johnny the music is the message so he keeps the superfluous chatter to a minimum and lets the music speak for him.  There is a bonus too because the British Market Research Bureau computer prints out our brand new chart of best selling singles at 11 o'clock on a Tuesday morning and Johnnie presents it on the air within the hour at 12.00.

The housewives heart-throb David Hamilton, appears for his rehearsal just after 1 o'clock, as he only lives just around the corner, he never has any problems with the traffic.  On the air at two, but not too much coffee as three hours is another long show and the only time he can leave the studio is during the tea-break spot.  During David's show who should look in but Jill from the Motoring Unit with a traffic flash, hot of the teleprinter, "There is a big traffi hold-up near St.Ives in Cornwall, in the region of the Radio 1 Road Show, all drivers please divert".  Oh well, another problem for your friendly station.  David copes as always, and appears to chat very personally to all his lady listeners until 4.30....

But what is this?  It's horrible, it's hairy, it's a monster, it's Dave Lee Travis!  He's not a monster at all really, more of a gentle giant, in fact a bit like a cuddly black teddy-bear.  He is also a very smooth operator, mixing in all his ingredients from tape and discs.  He includes a wide variety of music, chosen by producer Tim Blackmore, to appear to all age groups, from those just out of school and college, to others who may be driving home from the office.  Dave has lots of information about Youth Clubs, Boys Clubs, Gigs being performed by groups, as well as an interview to find out how some public personality started his career.  Dave wraps it all up at 5.45 with a handover to the Newsbeat Team who have been collecting stories all day.

The station re-opens at 11.00 with John Peel, but he has written more about this at the back of the book. (follow this link to read John's self-penned editorial which features at the back of the magazine)

What happens at the weekends?  Well the operational procedures are much the same.  "The Weekend rules" proclaims Rosko on Friday evenings when he and a couple of guests review the new singles at the Roundtable, this studio slightly different because the guests actually sit around a circular table and unlike the other shows an engineer spins the discs.  Rosko doesn't get away from the Beeb for long though, because he is back on Saturday mornings after Ed Stewart's Junior Choice.

In the afternoons, it's Big Al, Alan Freeman's special brand of music designed for those who are really into today's music scene.  At 5.00 American Paul Gambaccini reviews the best sounds in the U.S charts and we round off the day with our showcase for live music In Concert...

Sundays, after Ed Stewart, Paul Burnett brings you 'All there is To Hear' when he isn't inadvertantly playing the wrong side of the record!  Just to keep you awake!  Jimmy Saville has two hours, meeting a variety of people and playing some great oldies, followed by Annie Nightingale with the music chosen by YOU.  She would love to hear from you, by the way, you can write to her at: BBC Radio 1, London W1A 4WW.

The chocolate voice of Tom Browne brings you the complete Top 20 to finish off your week, that's at 6 o'clock and all these goodies are on 247 Radio 1, the Station that brings you all that's best in today's music.

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