LAMBIE'S DIARY
A BEHIND THE SCENES ACCOUNT!
By Colin Lamb. This is a personnel account of the 2001 RSL, (June 3-28) which I will try and keep brief (certain days events may subsequently be updated - as/when I remember things! It's all a blur at the moment!).
Saturday June 2
Clive Boutell & I spent from about 1100 to 1630 sorting out the records for 'the off'. Phil Mitchell & Graham Vine were putting the studio together from around 1000 to 'late in the day'! Bart arrives on board.
Sunday June 3
The big start. Testing started at 0001 (I however, was 'tucked up in bed' ready for a 0445 alarm call!). I kicked the whole thing off at 0600 with 'Man of Action' - what else. The three hours shot by - memory of it is just a blur. I was back on air at Noon to present chart show (badly). All those 'cloggy' records. Bart meanwhile has set up a minidisk recorder (which takes 4 hour minidisks) and seems to be taping the whole output! At 2200, Pete & I present (pre-recorded) rock'n'roll show. I am listening at home, when 18 year old No.1 son walks into kitchen and hearing the rock'n'roll on the radio, asks 'what's this old sh***'?' Some respect for his pop!
June 4 - 9
Up at 0445 to present the breakfast show & back on air at Noon-1500. Then off to work 1700-2300. (these hours repeated through until and including Friday). By Friday I had mastered the art of sleeping from 0915 to 1145, in the mess room. However, Friday I was woken up at 1100 by the arrival of Norman Barrington.
Tuesday June 5
Problems with compressor resulted in RNI going off air for about 1.5 hours in the evening.
Wednesday June 6
I just manage to listen to first 10 mins of Dave Hunter's debut on radio, before crashing out.
Thursday June 7
Jan Davies (Marketing Director of Clacton Shopping Factory Village) arrives on board at noon and after a tour of LV18 interviewed on air (1230-1315).
Friday June 8
After his first show 1800-2100, Norman Barrington receives a telephone call from his wife reporting he has received 125 e-mails during his show!
Saturday June 9
Norman Barrington has problems coming to terms with the fact that the sponsorship tag for the 0900-1200 which he is presenting makes no reference to the time of the show, only that Original Landscape Design sponsor Phil Mitchell. It makes compulsive listening! During the Noon-1500 show I interviewed first person to join the RNI Fan Club Bob Pryor and his brother. Tony Currie arrives on board. His 'Battle of the Bands' is Archies v Middle of the Road and he has left me to find the material for him! Luckily I have 4 Archies singles, so Tony plays both sides of each. Tony explains he is a good friend of Middle of the Road's vocalist Sally Carr, hence choosing them, but fails to explain why he chose the Archies! Victor Hartman and Ada (Bart's girlfriend) also arrive.
Sunday June 10
At noon, we move to 1972, when I present the chart show (again not as well as I had hoped). I start nights at work from 2330, so my involvement for the next 4 days somewhat limited. (Pre-recorded) rock'n'roll show with Pete Salberg broadcast 2200-2400.
Monday June 11
My first day off! Norman departs. At 1700 Phil gives way to a guest presenter - Tony Allen, who broadcasts for one hour. Thanks to Tony Currie, who set this up.
June 12-14.
Present 1800-2100 show.
Wednesday June 13
My turn to cook dinner. Pizza, chips, baked beans & tinned spaghetti (Tesco's own label naturally).
Friday June 15.
Present 1500-1800 show.
Saturday June 16
Present 1200-1500 show. Earlier, Tony Currie had broadcast the first episode of 'The Barnacles' a story of crustacious folk. This evolved from a link the previous day during Tony Currie's show involving Tony, Sharon Smith & Victor Hartman. A passing soffit salesman from Maidstone (or was it Paul McLaren) briefly visited the LV18. Later in the day, Tony makes a gallon of Chicken soup! Ben Meijering arrives and is busy videoing everything (as the 'Cloggies' do). Bit annoyed as I find the £3.80 credit on the mobile 'phone I had lent the station to receive incoming calls has all been used up - and of course everybody denies ever having used the 'phone for outgoing purposes!.
Sunday June 17
Tony broadcasts episode 2 of 'The Barnacles' - introducing Ron & Reggie Crayfish - who have dodgy underwater connections! Tony later departs, to a spontaneous round of on air applause. However, he leaves his reading glasses behind! At noon we move to 1973, complete with a new set of jingles (RNI's 1973 & 1974 set - not nearly as good as first set, but then we are aiming for realism). After the chart show (again poorly presented), I drive back to Clacton to record the rock'n'roll show, then drive back to Harwich to deliver show for 2200-2400 broadcast! Meanwhile, Ben presents his first ever show on any radio station and is remarkably proficient. A magnificent performance under the circumstances. Returning home, I download 'btodbits' at 2300 and record Tony Currie's 'Barnacles' and write next episode. This 'btodbits' is amazing! Not only can you listen to the current output, but any show that we have broadcast. I'd certainly recommend it to anyone!
Monday June 18
Back to a double shift of the breakfast show (which means getting up at 0445) & 1200-1500 (Phil Mitchell being on holiday). However, this time I have the week off from work. Broadcast my first effort of 'The Barnacles'. Ben presents 0900-1200 show, using a lot of recorded material and woffles in Dutch now and then (he will repeat this for the rest of the week), but again, given his lack of previous broadcast experience, he really does do well. Andy Durrant, owner of advertisers 'Bookworm' visits LV18 and is interviewed during 1215-1245. Victor incurs my displeasure by playing Donovan's 'Inter Galatic Laxative' at 1550! During the evening, update of the website starts in earnest.
Tuesday June 19
Episode 2 of my efforts on 'The Barnacles' goes out. Jan Davies (Marketing Director of Clacton Shopping Factory Village) is back on board for a second interview (1230-1300). After the 1200-1500 show, I finally manage to send out issue No.4 of the Fan Club magazine. Later, photo gallery added to website, along with 'Advertisers' list. Ben has provided a lot of the photos for the gallery, taken on his digital camera and then downloaded onto a floppy on his laptop which he has on board (he certainly came prepared!). However, fail to write 'The Barnacles' and decide to drop the feature.
Wednesday June 20
John Sales (well known anorak) visits LV18.
Thursday June 21
Bob Leroi arrives on board. I interview Doug of Breakfast Show sponsors Plastic Mountain albeit briefly during Noon-1500 show. Clive Boutell does Beatles v Stones on 'Battle of Bands' and invites listeners to 'phone or text favourite songs. Response staggering and text facility on 'phone quickly 'gets full'!
Friday, June 22
Quiet day. Just present breakfast show and then buy provisions from Safeway! First new member for the Fan Club (Richard Teversham) joins, in response to the Fan Club ad. Reflect this has been quite a 'smoke free week'. Tony O'Neill (joined occasionally by cronies) being the only 'puffer'.
Saturday June 23, 2001
Another quiet day, despite Paul McLaren presenting his first show for this RSL (0900-1200).. Ben departs. I don't actually go on board until about 1615. Then present the 1800-2100 show. First hour is 60 mins of live tracks, followed by one hour of country (concluded with 'Smoke, Smoke Smoke That Cigarette' which a dig at all the smokers on the LV18). Then final hour sees 'Battle of the Bands' Elvis v Billy Fury. Dick Palmer arrives on board. Charles van Doornewaard who won a competition in 1973 to visit the Mebo II visits us, arriving about 2045. Interviewed on Bart's show.
Sunday June 24, 2001
Bob takes over breakfast show from Bart at about 0715 and carries on through to 1200. (Bart & Ada will spend the rest of the day in London) Present chart show 1200-1500, which is the trigger for us moving to 1974. Bob has trip around Harwich on the 'water taxi' and interviews people on board. Return home after show. Power 'trip out' results in RNI being off air 1844-1859. Bob & Mike quickly resolve problem. Kevin Turner (who will present the breakfast show Monday-Friday) arrives. Return to LV18 to present rock'n'roll show with Pete Salberg live. Bart & Ada spend day in London.
Monday June 25, 2001
Phil Mitchell returns after his holiday. Bob airs his interviews from yesterday 1200-1300. I presented 1500-1800 show. Bob, Dick & Kevin went off swimming in Dovercourt - mentioned on air that Bob is the one in a thong!. Phil asks where is the jingles minidisk that was used in weeks one & two. I had taken it off as I thought only the new jingles were to be used. Phil (with a loud huff), tells me both were to be used! Later Dick reports that both emersion heaters have been repaired and are now working. Bob & Kevin repair the leaky hose used to pipe fresh water on board.
Tuesday June 26, 2001
Little to report. I present 1500-1800 show, while Bob & Kevin re-repair leaky hose. Dick is 'ferried' to Felixstowe. Capt Haggis meanwhile has painted the front section of the main deck a splendid shade of deep green. Bob & Kevin eat out in Harwich and again Bob brings back loads of names, requests etc to broadcast on Wednesday. With Ged's help, manage to organise a disco for 'The Big Night Out' at Tracks on Friday. Big thank you to 'Pete The Disco' for helping out.
Wednesday June 27, 2001
Driving on work at about 0715, I hear Kevin Turner do a brilliant link. He says 'When I arrived on board on Sunday, they asked me what do you bring to the party. I replied - sparkling wit, great conversation, culinary ability and occasional flatulence. We asked Manfred Mann the same question' and without the hint of a join, the record 'Joybringer' started 'I bring joy'. Well I thought it was great. Presented the 1500-1800 show. Bob insisted I stay for dinner - roast chicken with all the trimmings & a huge selection of veg. Wonderful conversation over the meal with Dick & Bob harpering back to their days on the forts and Kevin and Mike Barrington remembering Caroline & Laser Hot Hits. Highlight of the evening was Dick cracking a joke to Ada about the thickness of his forearm. You had to be there - believe me!
Thursday June 28, 2001
Dick Palmer, who had done the 'odd bit of broadcasting' after Dave Kent's slots, left the broadcast. Presented the 1500-1800 show.
Friday, June 29, 2001
Kevin & Bob left the broadcast after their respective shows. After work, I present the 1500-1800 show. On completion, it is mad dash home to collect the wife and drive to Tracks for the R.N.I. 'Night Out'. Bit of a flop, but we did expect this. More DJs than 'fans' turned up. Still we did meet some great people and we spent a good evening discussing the RSL and planning for the next one, over a few beers!
Saturday June 30, 2001
Arrived on LV18 at 1540, about 20 minutes before the 1600-1700 show. 1700-1800 saw a re-run of Tony Allen's show, followed by 1800-1900 the Tony Currie show, which included the final episode of 'The Barnacles' and an interview with Sally Carr of 'Middle of the Road'. While these two shows were on, most of the singles were 'lugged' off the vesel into various cars. I followed Tony's show, with an hour special of RNI classics and a 20 minute tribute to RNI's final close down. Between 2100-2200, when Bart was on, most of the albums carried off the vessel. 2200-2400 saw the final show, 'compared' by Phil & myself. A wonderful party atmosphere, with several guests (including John Sales) in the studio. The 'phone never stopped ringing, with messages, requests & dedications - kept Ged busy anyway! 2400, 'Man of Action' played marking the end of the RSL. Chris 'the ferryman' officially closed the station, with Bart telling everyone to 'switch off your radio - don't waste your batteries'. Was hard to reflect that it was 28 days earlier I had started the RSL with 'Man of Action'.
Sunday July 1, 2001
After going round a 'car boot sale' Ged & I arrived back on the LV18. Bart & Ada were taking all their luggage down the pier. We helped Mike Barrington clean the galley, then dismantle all the studio gear and load it into his car and finally load as many bags of rubbish/waste in to my car as we could get in it & dump same at Harwich tip. Somehow that seemed very symbolic to end the RSL..
