Rick Dees in 1986 at KIIS-FM. By Larry Bessel, Los Angeles Times – https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/zz0002w1c0, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=130241684
The American DJ Rick Dees was a familiar voice to Irish radio listeners in the 1980s thanks to the syndication of his Weekly Top 40 show on Radio Nova in Dublin. Dees worked at KIIS-FM in Los Angeles, a station that strongly influenced the original format of Radio Nova, and the Weekly Top 40 was launched in 1983 with an initial syndication on 18 stations. It continues to be produced and has since aired on over 200 stations around the world.
This recording of the Weekly Top 40 is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection. It was made on Saturday 1st December 1984 from Radio Nova on 102.7 FM between 1157-1235 and 1240-1328. The familiar high-level agency adverts generated by Nova are heard in commercial breaks. News is read on the hour by David Johnson (Andrew Hanlon), who went on to a career in licensed independent media in Ireland.
An early photo of Tony, probably from his Big D days (courtesy Marisa Dixon).
As well as presenting a daily show on Sunshine Radio every afternoon, Tony Dixon (RIP) also fronted a popular soul programme every Saturday evening. Soul Special aired from 1800-2100 and had a dedicated band of listeners. In this recording from 1982, to celebrate two years with Sunshine, Tony is giving away an album and a station car visor. There are dedications from near and far, including from Limerick and even Amsterdam.
The recording was made on 21st August 1982 between 2025-2100 from 100.5 FM and is courtesy of Shay Geoghegan. Tony had a long career in pirate and licensed radio but died prematurely in 2010.
A sticker for the WABC Gold service (courtesy DX Archive)
Continuing our series on Donegal border pirate WABC, we take up the story in mid-1990 by which time the station had expanded into two separate services. The following text is courtesy of Ian Biggar.
WABC continued pretty much unhindered for the remainder of 1989, but by my next visit in May 1990 significant change had happened. Two stations were now operating from the attic of Paul’s family home in Greencastle and both were running live programmes. The original 101.7 transmitter was operating as WABC Hot Hits with the second station being WABC Gold on 101.2 MHz. The transmitters were located fairly close to each other at Stroove. Both were aimed at Coleraine and beyond and were gaining a loyal following and a fairly healthy advertising log. However by August both transmitters were carrying the programmes of WABC Gold. In November 1990 Free Radio News from Ireland reported that WABC Gold had installed a new aerial system for the 101.2 MHz transmissions resulting in increased signal strength in the area of Coleraine. It also reported the resumption of transmissions from WABC Hot Hits on 101.7 MHz. Staff shortages was given as the reason for the delay in getting the Hot Hits station back on air.
This recording is of WABC Gold with a lunchtime show presented competently by Krissi Bentley (Carpenter), who was married to station founder Paul Bentley (Paul Barnett, RIP). There are plenty of adverts for businesses in Counties Derry and Antrim and the programme itself is sponsored by a carpet shop in Coleraine. Krissi reads news headlines at the top of the hour and the show also includes a laid-back Coffee Time slot and a Beg, Steal or Borrow section. There is also a listeners’ competition and promos for the two WABC stations. The recording was made between 1125-1300 from 101.2 FM on 6th June 1990 and is courtesy of Ian Biggar.
Tony Dixon in the Sunshine days (courtesy Marisa Dixon).
Tony Dixon (RIP) was one of the best-known DJs on Dublin’s Sunshine Radio in the 1980s, presenting a daily show every afternoon and also a popular weekend soul programme. This recording from 1982 is of part of Tony’s lunchtime show with the usual mix of music, chat and dedications. The soundtrack of the afternoon features music from James Bond movies and there is a promo for a competition to win a house worth £45,000, an example of the eye-watering giveaways on larger pirate stations like Sunshine and Radio Nova during this period.
Tony also mentions the Sunshine Radio election special that was broadcast every evening. The involvement of pirate radio in elections in the 1980s was controversial because of several failed efforts to bring forward legislation to licence local radio. Sunshine Radio took the unprecedented step of publishing a newspaper advertisment in support of Fianna Fáil in the February 1982 election because that party had committed to introducing local commercial radio.
After a long career in pirate and licensed radio, Tony died prematurely on 25th November 2010. This recording was made on Tuesday 9th February 1982 between 1210-1255 from 91.6 FM and is courtesy of Shay Geoghegan.
Sunshine car sticker from the later years (Anoraks Ireland Collection).
Following its rebranding in 1986, Sunshine Radio became the biggest station in Dublin, a position that it held until its closedown at the end of 1988. Renamed Sunshine 101, the changes ushered in by US radio consultant Bill Cunningham included the end of many specialist shows and a shift from a community feel to a successful commercial operation.
This recording is of a live overnight show from spring 1987 hosted by Phil Hilton. There are few adverts as would be expected for the time of night but a promo for the BIg Kahuna competition is aired. The Big Kahuna allowed someone to become a DJ for the day and launched a few radio careers. News at 0206 is read by Joyce Jackson – one of the aspects of the rebranding was to move news bulletins away from the top of the hour slot.
The tape is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 100.5 FM on Tuesday 28th April 1987 between 0131-0217. Audio is generally good but there is some wobble at the start due to cassette degradation.
