County Radio

[armadillo]

Hi everyone, i'm just listening to the recordings of County Radio from March 1986. I remember hearing County that week, the signal was very strong at my location and I have some better quality recordings that i made that day on cassette somewhere in my archives... i would dig them out and upload them but i've just been dumped by my girlfriend having been together for 4 years so it might be a while before I find the motivation to do it. I spoke to the free radio legend Stevie Merrick today, and he asked me to try to find out if there's anyone here on the forums that used to know him personally? He's curious to know the identity of Poptart!

[Gary Edwards]

Hi Armadillo and welcome to the archive!

I have private messaged you with answer to your questions.

[Martin Davies]

Hi

I met Steve back in 1980 / 1981 when he was running Radio Free Birmingham on medium wave.

We met up for a beer or two on a couple of occations - I remember he had an old motorbike at the time that was held together with bits of wire and tape! He always had to go home with a bottle of barley wine for 'er indoors or he would be in trouble!

[JON TAYLER]

God, only two beers. I remember going for a "few" beers with Steve. The most annoying thing was at 10.50pm when the last orders were called he would buy 4 pints, then i'd have to sit there and wait for him to drink the things being bombarded with landlord abuse as we were always the last out. He could sink them........

[Gary Edwards]

Hi Jon,

Welcome to the archive!
Would you be the same Jon Tayler who used to do shows on County ?

We should be getting some more County and Radio Free Birmingham on the site soon. Who knows...maybe even some of you...

[JON TAYLER]

Hi there
thanks for the welcome. Yes its me, not been on the radio for years. lol

I think this site is brilliant. the recordings are wonderful too. i have somewhere some recordings of RFB and County. But I don't have any of my time with Albatross.

I did a few shows for Empire too, wonder where thay are?


thanks again.

[Gary Edwards]

Glad you like the site.

What was Albatross?

The Empire crew are all "viewers" of the site and we have exchanged emails. They have not joined the forum yet

[JON TAYLER]

Radio albatross was a station from Rubery/ Northfield are which went out most Sundays and bank Holidays around 69..It closed when the heat was on with Jolly Roger and Dolphin. I think even the late Mr Whithers (god rest his soul) was not going to fight the GPO when they were determined to close Jacko and his crew. I remember Jolly Roger lasting no more than 45 mins when it got really bad.

Radio Free Birmingham came many years later. I think Jacko went on to help Radio Telstar which in time became PCRL.

[Martin Davies]

Do you mean Ray Withers - KraZy H ????

[JON TAYLER]

Ray Whithers (I understand) ran Radio Dolphin from Halesowen alais was Chris Stevens. In those days he worked at the Sony Office by Junction 2 M5 Oldbury. he was the service manager. Later he set up RAYCOM a communications company on the Wolverhampton Road just opposite what is now ASDA, He sold that to Motorola and moved down to Alcester setting up Raycom 2. he was involved with Radio mic hire to broadcasters, Ray modified the Sony Broadcast (Japan) radio Mic system 800 series with a compression modification which he sold to most of the UKs broadcasters and corporate show companies. His later work involved McDonalds two way radio at their drive through resturants and the first Rugby Union Referee link for TV transmission which is now normal practice..