Radio City operated on Sundays from 12 – 4pm between 1978 and 1985, and was the UK’s only 1950’s Rock and Roll Radio Station.

There were a few radio stations in London at the time, but Radio City was very different. It was rockin’, playing only the best of 1950’s Rock and Roll, Rockabilly, Blues and Neo.

The station was started by Chop and Jock in ’78 and transmitted from a field in NW London with the long wire antenna going up to the top of a large tree, then across the field to another tree (inverted L). Early broadcasts were on 1260 AM, later moving to 1278. They were also heard via European Music Radio on Sorth Wave in the late 70s.

Programmes were pre recorded onto a 1 hour cassette tape then played back on Sunday, with the tapes being changed every hour. The DJ’s included Rocking Chop, Jock, Luke the Duke, Wild Willy West, Superman and Tokin’ Ray.

The station had a massive following, with many writing into the mailing address weekly. Surprisingly, in the 7 years of weekly transmissions the station was only raided once and the transmitter confiscated.

One can only assume that the authorities liked the music!

Some of the DJs later appeared on Radio Memphis.

More on Radio City can be found on this site:

DX Archive

Downloads

To save any item from this list then Right Click and ‘Save Target As…’

Artwork/Photos

Cuttings

Cutting 1

Audio

Radio City – 1260 – Rocking Chop – Wild Willy West – 12/8/79 17 mins
Radio City – 1260 – Wild Willy West – Rocking Chop – 1/1/80 61 mins
Radio City – 1260 – Luke The Duke – 1981 62 mins
Radio City – 1260 – Luke The Duke – 15/11/81 62 mins
Radio City – 1278 – Luke The Duke 57 mins
Radio City – 1278 – Luke The Duke – Easter Sunday 11/4/82 62 mins
Radio City – 1278 – Luke The Duke – 25/4/82 61 mins
Radio City – 1278 – Luke The Duke – 2/5/82 62 mins
Radio City – 1278 – Luke The Duke – May 82 60 mins
Radio City – 1278 – Luke The Duke – 1984 61 mins
Radio City – 1278 – Wild Willy West – Final Broadcast 20 mins