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More of Tony Dixon’s Soul Special on Sunshine Radio

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More of Tony Dixon's Soul Special on Sunshine Radio
Tony in the Sunshine Review 1985 (Anoraks Ireland Collection).

One of Sunshine Radio’s most popular DJs Tony Dixon (RIP) was fondly remembered for his Saturday night Soul Special show in the station’s early years. This edition from 1982 contains the usual mix of the latest soul tracks as well as classics. There are no adverts but several of the familiar Sunshine jingles. Tony mentions three loyal fans who record the show every week and bring the tapes with them to Amsterdam so that friends there can listen to it.

Tony also presented Good Day Sunshine each afternoon, as highlighted by this image from the Sunshine Review, a glossy magazine published by Sunshine in 1985. After a long radio career, he died prematurely in 2010.

This FM recording was made on 11th September 1982 between 1910-1940. No frequency is noted, but Sunshine was on 101.5 FM at the time, as well as 531 kHz AM. Thanks to Shay Geoghegan for the donation.

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Stuart Scott on Eastside Radio

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Stuart Scott on Eastside Radio
Ian Biggar in the Ballycotton studio in 1982 (photo courtesy of Ian).

Cork’s most successful pirate station Radio ERI (1982-1988) began its life in early 1982 in the east Cork village of Ballycotton. It was known various as Cork Eastside Radio, Eastside Recording Ireland, Eastside Radio and then Eastside Radio Ireland, abbreviated to ERI. The station expanded its operations in 1983, moving to better studio facilities and installing a powerful 5kW AM transmitter on the edge of Cork city. It saw off competition from many other aspiring stations and remained dominant in the Cork market until its closure at the end of 1988.

This recording of Eastside Radio, as it was then known, was made a few months after the station began broadcasting, when it was still based in Ballycotton. Presenting the breakfast show is long-time supporter of Pirate.ie, Ian Biggar, known by his on-air name of Stuart Scott. Adverts are scarce for the time of day, perhaps reflecting the fact that the station was still establishing itself. News headlines are read by Ian on the half-hour, the new Top 40 is announced and he mentions that Eastside is to hold an outside broadcast later that day from the seaside town of Youghal.

The recording is from the Anoraks Ireland Collection and was made from 102.2 FM from 0653-0827 on Monday 23rd August 1982. Eastside/ERI also broadcast on 1305 kHz (announcing 225 metres) at this time and for most of its existence.

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Good Day Sunshine with Tony Dixon

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Good Day Sunshine with Tony Dixon
Tony Dixon (left) 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 Good Day Sunshine every afternoon and also a popular weekend soul programme. This recording from 1982 features part of Good Day Sunshine with the usual mix of music and chat. A commercial break includes a promo for the Sunshine Radio Roadshow in a Dublin nightclub that weekend and there’s also a weather check at half past the hour.

Tony began his radio career on early Dublin pirate Big D in the late 1970s, before moving on to Sunshine. In the licensed era, he broadcast on Dublin station FM104 but died prematurely on 25th November 2010. This recording is airchecked and was made after 3pm on 29th August 1982 from 100.5 FM. Thanks to Shay Geoghegan for the donation.

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Tony Dixon’s Soul Special on Sunshine Radio

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Tony Dixon's Soul Special on Sunshine Radio
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.

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Tony Dixon in the afternoon on Sunshine Radio

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Tony Dixon in the afternoon on Sunshine Radio
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.