I was born in Sydney Australia in 1935.
As I was injected with a gramophone needle at a very early age (!) I decided I would like to be a Radio Announcer at the age of 10, having listened to and grown up with radio during World War 2.
We had a great choice, as there were 6 commercial and two ABC stations to listen to in Sydney.
I am sure I used to drive my Mother crazy as I would make up make believe stations from my bedroom “studio” wired into the lounge room radio and ensured that she listened to me whilst preparing the dinner. I “entertained her” using two 78 RPM turntables and a switchable handheld mic I managed to bodge together into a simple public address audio mixer I was given for a friend of my Father.
My first job after leaving Knox Grammar School (where I was in the same class as one of Australia’s top broadcasters John Laws), was in the Sheet Music Department of WH Paling Music Dept Store in the city centre.
Through contacts here I met Alan Crawford who was the MD of Southern Music – he offered me a position assisting him with plugging Southern Music records to the radio stations in the city. Alan went on to form offshore pirate Radio Atlanta (that then became Radio Caroline South) in the UK – more on that later!
I used to take the records, new releases etc., to the various Sydney radio stations and this is where I first met Tony Withers at 2SM (known as Tony Windsor on Big L Radio London – ‘Hello’).
Tony Withers (Windsor) at 2SMOne day, I remember calling him up telling him off for playing a record that wasn’t yet cleared for playing, as it hadn’t been released as yet. He name-checked me on air about what he’d just played, which I wasn’t expecting, then kept doing it for the rest of his show hoping I was OK with what he was playing. A few friends heard this and told me they were very impressed – ha!
Anyway, my mind was so very much set on being radio announcer. So much so, that my Father eventually arranged for me to have training with Bryson Taylor at the School of Radio Announcing, probably the top radio tutor in Sydney at the time. Bryson was Sydney’s original Voice/Radio Coach who tutored many famous Australian broadcasters and himself was a broadcaster of note, famous for his commentaries for important occasions like the Anzac Day March and my Dad knew him as they played lawn bowls together.
Years later, I was delighted he visited me one day on his visit to the UK when I was an announcer at Capital Radio in London.
When I was 19, Bryson helped me obtain my first position and I finally got the call to join Radio Station 2RG Griffith NSW
Travelling to the city from Sydney via a 350+ mile train journey, I arrived at the radio station studios the evening before I was due to start and to find out where my lodgings were supposed to be. At that time 2RG were above the Area News building in Ulong Street. I was assuming and expecting that I would have at least a day or so to settle in and practice before being put on air, but as the station boss Ray Gamble had had a personal recommendation from my tutor Bryson, Ray informed me I was going to be on the air straight away the very next day at lunchtime! He hadn’t even heard my voice or given me an audition.
So, I watched the morning announcers broadcast, was shown how the AWA panel worked and then was put straight in at the deep end. On the 28th July 1954, I finally commenced my broadcasting career at 2RG Griffith, NSW Australia at 12 midday Eastern Standard Time.
Honestly, after all these years I can’t remember the first record I played and the three hour show went very quickly. The studio just comprised of 3 turntables running either at 78 for music and commercials or 33 1/3 for 16” transcriptions, plus there was an Australian made Rola/Byer prototype reel to reel machine, but definitely no 45s, which was a bit frustrating for such a young music fan.
After a few weeks I ended up having to bring my own 45 record player in to play Rock Around The Clock when it was released (it wasn’t issued on 78 in Australia) and dub it onto tape at night time to be able to play it and other popular 45 singles on the air.
During late 1956 I also did my National Service in the army, was actually one of the last to make it in before they terminated regular call-ups in NSW.
Ray obviously liked what he heard, so I stayed at 2RG for 3 happy years before moving onto 2LF in Young for another 4 years.
on to next steps