Alan Freeman

David Jacobs

David Jacobs was the presenter of the BBC Light programme's Top Twenty show in the early sixties. David was succeeded by Alan Freeman. What is not generally know is that at this time Alan Freeman was working freelance and that he actually spent more time working for Luxembourg than he did for the BBC. .........

Radio Luxembourg "Your station of the stars". Do you remember how the signal would fade just as your favourite record was about to be played? The two presenters featured here Teddy Johnson ( who was also famous for being one half of the singing duo Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson), and Barry Alldis were the main stay of Luxembourg's Top Twenty show. ...............

Teddy Johnson

Barry Alldis

	Keith Hampshire (Keefers) of Radio Caroline South. Keith hosted at different times the early morning show and the afternoon show. He left Radio Caroline when the Marine Broadcasting Offences bill became law, although as a Canadian citizen he had no legal obligation to do so. The audio track is the outro to his very last show..
Keith Hampshire

 

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	1960s Luxembourg radio schedule

 

The 1960s Music press

There were six national popular music publications in the 1960's. Five of which (from the left to right) were weekly publications. Hit Parade was a monthly magazine. The NME charts were generally acknowledged as being the most accurate reflection of record sales, while Melody Maker was the magazine of choice for most musicians if for no other reason than it contained many advertisements for job opportunities within the music industry. Melody Maker was also the place to find out what group was playing at what venue in any given week. Disc was probably the third most widely read music paper, followed by the Record Mirror, and Record Mail. Hit Parade was unique in that it being a monthly magazine it did not publish a best selling record chart. Hit Parade specialized in publishing in depth interviews and features about the leading acts of the day. Only the New Musical Express has survived to this day

Millers Record Shop

Millers record shop: Now long since gone of course. The shop used to be located in Market Hill. The St Ives shop was a branch shop the main shop was in Cambridge and is still trading today. As was quite common in those days, Millers was actually a music shop. Not only did they sell records, they sold musical instruments too. In fact it is probably true to say that musical instruments was the main business, and that the sale of records was a secondary line of business. In the sixties Millers had a couple of listening booths, a customer service facility that was quite common in record shops at that time. It was not the custom in those days for records to be in racks where customers could sift through the stock and browse before deciding what to buy. The records were all kept in shelves on the other side of the counter and had to be asked for. In those days new releases would often not be in stock and would have to be ordered.

Pictured on the left record shop listening booths just like the ones in Millers St Ives shop. In the sixties this was a common feature in most record shops. On the right Millers logo on a record shop paper bag from the 1960s showing the locations of the different branches. The Main branch at Sidney Street Cambridge, being the most prominent followed by Fitzroy street Cambridge and then the other two at branches at St Ives and Ely.

Some of the records I bought at Millers in the 1960s
I was always a big Buddy Holly fan and these are some of the records that I bought from Millers. I bought a lot of singles to, and it was on Radio Luxembourg that I heard them for the first time. After leavinng school, I spent a year working at the St Ives Sand and Gravel Company before I went to college. I earned just two shillings and fourpence an hour! So I was not buying records every week. Two singles that I remember buying back then were QUARTER TO THREE by Gary U S Bonds, and C'MON LETS GO by Ritchie Valens.

And some that I bought as student in my college days
When I went to college in London I quickly became aware of the burgeoning (new to me) R&B scene. Blues Incorperated for example, and especially Cyril Davies and the All Stars. I used to see Cyril Davies at The Refectory in Golders Green. On several occasions I met Ian Deness (who I new from the RAF Wyton youth club days) at The Golders Green Refectory. Ian was at that time a marine engineering apprentice with BP Tankers at Hendon College of Technology.

In 1960 a single 45 rpm record would have cost you 6/3d, and a 45 rpm EP (extended play) cost 10/11d. A 12 " LP was £1 - 14 - 3d. By 1969 a 45rpm single had risen to 8/6d an EP to 13/3d and a 12 " LP retailed at £1 - 17 - 6d

 

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