In the beginning there was nothing … the radio revolution grows up

18 years ago today it was August Bank Holiday Monday and after months and years of planning and a couple of weeks of test transmissions, a group of excited jocks and execs were huddled around in a small studio in a cubby hole in the local shopping centre to commence the “radio revolution”.

Revolution 96.2 – 18 years old today, and now legally allowed to drink! pic.twitter.com/jPBijlIIfg

— Jay McCreary (@JayMcCreary) August 30, 2017

So with this “coming of age” as Jay McCreary tweeted today it’s time to dust off the C90 cassette labelled ‘96.2 The Revolution Launch 30th August 1999″ with my off-air recording of the big event.

So let’s start a few moments before mid-day for the launch sequence into the first song played, The Beatles – Revolution. I’m guessing that Liam Forristal did the opening announcement live:

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Next up here’s the next around 50 minutes telescoped and as always seemed to be the case the tape needed turning over mid-link.

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This segment features many of the original JAM jingle package and the show is hosted by Wayne Dutton and Caroline Martin. In this segment we also hear a chat with original Revolution breakfast show presenter Andy Hoyle. I also note that the sales team must have been busy selling lots of sung advertisement jingles, though I’m guessing the Spindles shopping centre advert would have been some kind of contra-deal for the studio space and Skykes School of Motoring a regular client from the several short term Oldham FM ‘RSL’s’ run prior to the licence application also had a slot in the first advert break.

The last part of my recording skips to 4:50pm on the launch day with a segment of the drive-time programme hosted by Andy Hoyle:

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This includes a news report read by Alison Briggs and an uncredited traffic and travel report, possibly read by Jay McCreary (apologies for any offence if it isn’t and my ‘id the voice’ attempt has failed miserably.)

So circling back to the tweet about the revolution being able to drink, given that the best part of the last 18 years have been spent in an ex-pub restaurant complete with a bar still in-situ there’s probably been some underage drinking going go before now.

Feel free to leave comments or additional information.