The Radio Scotland 242 Story
A Video I made for YouTube
The Hi-Fi Combo’s first record It’s Gonna Be Morning / I Wanna Hear You Say Yeh was released in August 1966 on ALP / Polydor records No. 595010 [Sherwin Music] As a result of an agreement with the pirate radio station, the record would be played six times a day by Radio Scotland 242 over the month following the release date.
Amazingly, our record literally shot from nowhere, straight to 'er - nowhere, although I do remember that according to Radio Scotland 242 that 'The HI Fi’s have shot straight into the “Tartan Twenty” at number 17" which although very debatable was still nice to hear, and anyway the fans [bragging rights] wanted to believe it even if we did not.
It must be said however that the station's Soul output was minimal as they tried to cater for everyone and his/her granny with every musical taste from Scottish Country Dance, Hymns, Jazz and pop hits of the 40's, 50's and 60's being covered. A similar radio agreement meant that our record was also played on Radio Luxembourg 208 during Polydors' late night spot. In the light of my affection for 208 as a 12 year old listening to the radio under the bedclothes, it is probably fair to say that that I was more than a little bit chuffed at this.
RADIO SCOTLAND 242 - EXTRA
Radio Scotland 242 was a pirate radio station operating off the Ayrshire coast on an old Irish lightship 'The Comet'. The main offices were situated in Cranworth Street, Glasgow. Tommy [T.V.] Shields the owner - and a partner in ALP our record label - had picked up the 500 tonne Comet in Ireland for a small fee confident that the Government would not ban the pirate ships operating on the British high seas due to public anger if they did. Confidence misplaced - they did.
Radio Scotland 242 began their broadcasts on the 1st January 1966 initially on the Firth of Forth, one of their team being Paul Young a well known Scottish actor. It’s two most popular and thus most famous DJ’s however were a lovely wee quiet spoken guy by the name of Stuart Henry, and the gregarious Jack McLaughlan.
Mclaughlan's Ceilidh [pronounced Kayley] was the show in which he took great delight in sending up Scots in his 'pan loaf' [posh] Scottish accent . . which was rather odd in that his mother was Irish. He played non-stop corny Scottish Country Dance music played by accordions or bagpipes which he called “hoochter choochter” music, between his many corny jokes. The Radio Scotland 242 jingle which was played at the top of this page is an example of where the stations real musical allegiance truly lay.
NB. Stuart Henry [pictured above] later moved to Radio One before finally moving to Radio Luxembourg. Sadly, Stuart former DJ at Radio Scotland 242 died at his Luxembourg home in 1995 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis.
Out of Time : Chris Farlowe
* Radio Scotland 242 music: Source: Thanks to Chris1948 for his Youtube link
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The Hi-Fi Combo The Hi-Fi Combo The Hi-Fi Combo The Hi-Fi Combo
The Hi-Fi Combo The Hi-Fi Combo The Hi-Fi Combo The Hi-Fi Combo