The Launch of Radio 1
September 30 1967 At 06:59 Robin Scott swallowed and launched ...“Ten seconds to go before Radio 1, stand by for switching, five, four, three, Radio 2, Radio 1 Go!”
The Pams Jingle sang out “The Voice of Radio 1” followed by “"The Tony Blackburn Show” segued to Tony’s signature tune “Beefeaters” by Johnny Dankworth. As that faded Tony spoke the words which by now I know off by heart, “ Welcome everybody to the exciting new sound of Radio 1, let’s away!” into “Flowers in the Rain” by The Move, we were on the air....

Kenny Everett’s Technique
He experimented with two tape machines and found he could build up a little choir by recording a basic melody on one machine, he then played that back into a second machine adding his second voice in harmony. By repeatedly bouncing, he made up a choir singing little ditties and jingles to enhance his DJ links.....

Dave Lee Travis
He was on the air on Palm Sunday, the week before Easter and read out a parody of the 23rd Psalm, The Lord is my Shepherd. In Dave’s version, “The Union is my shepherd and I shall not work” and continued in this vein which annoyed both the Christians and Trade Unionists in his audience and led to a forced eating of Easter humble pie. A change from all those chocolate eggs!

Mrs Thatcher's Visit to the BBC
As the General Election approached we agreed to do a Radio 1 phone in with Margaret Thatcher. Before her arrival the special branch, complete with sniffer dogs, came to check that the building was secure. It was somewhat disturbing then for the female staff when they went to use the ladies toilet to be told by a lady police officer, “You can’t go in there, it’s been sniffed!”

John Lennon & Yoko Ono at the last interview before he was killed (picture by Paul Williams)
In response to a question about memories of the early days on the BBCs’ Saturday Club John sang the old Odeon Saturday Cinema Club theme song, “We come along on Saturday Mornings greeting everybody with a smile. I remember sessions with Bernie Andrews, he was a good producer on Saturday Club, did some good sessions with him, we did a lot of tracks that were never issued on record, stuff from the days in the Cavern and Hamburg, “Three Cool Cats” was one we did. I heard some of the tracks recently, somebody must have pirated them in America you know Bernie”.