The Big L Tapes

Background notes

The Tony Blackburn Show
Sat 15 July 1967 0530-0904
Tony's last Big L show

The Keith Skues Show
Sun 23 July 1967 0900-1203
includes the history of Big L

The Penultimate Fab Forty
Sun 30 July 1967 1200-1506
presented by Ed Stewart

The Final Fab Forty
Sun 6 August 1967 1201-1532
presented by Tommy Vance

The Mark Roman Show
Sat 12 August 1967 1500-1809
Mark's penultimate Big L show

The Ed Stewart Show
Sun 13 August 1967 1210-1518
Ed's penultimate 'Stewpot' show

The Chuck Blair Show
Sun 13 August 1967 1758-2040
Chuck's penultimate show for Big L

The Perfumed Garden
Mon 14 August 1967 0225-0537
John Peel's night-time show

The Chuck Blair Breakfast Show
Mon 14 August 1967 0539-0848
the last Big L breakfast show

The Pete Drummond Show
Mon 14 August 1967 0856-1206
farewell messages

The Last Three Hours
Mon 14 August 1967 1208-1502
the final Stewpot Show, the Juicy Fruit Show, Their Final Hour and Big L's closedown at 1500

Big L extras
Mon 14 August 1967
two TV news bulletins on the day Big L closed

Radio Caroline
February 1968
the end of a Stevie Merrick Show and the US Hot 100

The Last Three Hours

Mon 14 August 1967 1208-1502

the countdown to Big L's closure

Listen

audio file: type mp4 bit rate 128kbps size 170.3mb length 2.52.37

Notes on the recording

For those (like me) who were listening at the time, this recording is a reminder of just how angry and sad we felt at the time.

The last record played by the station was the Beatles' A day in the life from the Sgt Pepper album. It was an appropriate choice, partly because there had always been a close association between the Beatles and Big L and partly because of the song's closing words 'I'd love to turn you on'.

Hearing again Paul Kaye's announcement that 'Big L time is 3 o'clock and Radio London is now closing down' (at 2.50.53 in the audio file) is almost unbearably sad.

Unlike the other recordings, this programme was recorded at 3¾ ips which gave a slightly better recording quality but meant that the tape had to be turned over in the middle - the break is at 1.36.06 in the audio file.

The tape was broken at 0.02.44 but as far I can tell only a few seconds are missing at that point.

Analysis of the programme

1200-1330 THE FINAL STEWPOT SHOW

0.00.00 (at 1208) Marvin Gaye: That's the way love is (start missing), Consulate ad, farewell message from Paul Ryan
0.02.03 Paul and Barry Ryan: Tonight's the night (with message from Barry Ryan in the middle), Big L disc ad
0.05.12 Glenn Weston: Pattern people (climber), Vitalis ad, farewell message from Dennis Peyton of Dave Clark Five
0.08.32 Dave Clark Five: Catch us if you can, farewell message from Dave Clark, promo for Juicy Fruit Show by Engelbert Humperdinck
0.11.11 Greta Anne: Sadness hides the sun (revived 45), Consulate ad, farewell message from Brenda of the Big L London office
0.15.06 Cliff Richard: The day I met Marie, farewell message from Stevie Winwood of Traffic
0.18.44 Traffic: A hole in my shoe, Smiths crips ad, Juicy Fruit ad
0.22.40 News at 1230 with Paul Kaye
0.24.10 Alan Price Set: The house that Jack built, Du Maurier ad
0.28.10 The Wonder Who: Lonesome road, Vitalis ad, farewell message from the Chantelles
0.31.58 Chantelles: There's something about you, Book of Knowledge ad,
0.34.50 Georgie Fame: Sunny, Avis ad, Ed remembers the start of the School Spot, farewell message from Bruce Welsh of the Shadows
0.39.03 School Spot theme (played by the Shadows), with farewell message from Hank Marvin of the Shadows in the middle
0.41.08 School Spot jingle by Ed and Kenny
0.42.38 Strawberry Children: Love years coming, Cigarillos ad, Ed talks to Alan Keen about rewinding a tape, Look cooking film ad
0.46.48 Herman's Hermits: Don't go out into the rain with farewell message from David Garrick in the middle
0.49.24 Geno Washington: Tell it like it is
0.51.58 Weather at 1300
0.52.30 Small Faces: Itchycoo Park, Jowissa watch ad
0.56.07 Monkees: Pleasant Valley Sunday, Du Maurier ad, message to listener from Mitch (steward)
1.00.05 Frank Sinatra: The world we knew (climber), message to Joanna Willett
1.03.21 Graham Bonny: Thank you baby, Vitalis ad, farewell message from Willy Walker
1.06.25 Rolling Stones: We love you (Big L exclusive), Cigarillos ad
1.10.51 Trudi Smith: I want to go back there again, Quick Tan ad, farewell message from Ian Damon, Big L film ad
1.15.24 Stevie Wonder: I was made to love her, farewell message from Ray Davis of The Kinks
1.18.00 The Kinks: Til the end of the day, Du Maurier ad
1.20.16 Ed Stewart says farewell (over Johnny Rivers: The poor side of town), Stewpot theme (Bunny Merrill: Lover)
1.22.19 News at 1330 with Paul Kaye

1330-1400 THE JUICY FRUIT SHOW

1.24.00 presented by Lee Peters and Tommy Vance (the records were not played in full - they were interrupted by advertising)
1.25.02 Beatles: Day tripper
1.26.58 Tony Hatch introduces Petula Clark: Downtown. Juicy Fruit ad
1.30.09 Eric Burdon introduces The Animals: House of the Rising Sun, chat about Juicy Fruit
1.32.46 Monkees: I'm a believer
1.34.30 Ken Dodd: Tears (part of - tape turned over at 1.36.06)
1.36.06 Ken Dodd speaking
1.38.04 Rolling Stones: Satisfaction
1.40.23. Englebert Humperdinck talks about his new disc and plays his previous hit Please release me, Juicy Fruit ad
1.43.39 Frank Sinatra Strangers in the night
1.46.02 Gary Brooker of Procul Harum introduces A whiter shade of pale, Juicy Fruit ad
1.49.27 Elvis Presley Wooden heart, show ends
1.51.36 Weather at 1400 with Ed Stewart

1400-1500 THEIR FINAL HOUR

1.52.20 introduced by Ed Stewart and Paul Kaye
1.52.31 farewell message from Cliff Richard: It's all over, Cigarillos ad, Sight and Sound ad
1.55.33 farewell message from Lulu
1.55.51 Lulu: Let's pretend
1.58.34 farewell messages from DJ Mark Roman and former DJ Tony Windsor, Look cooking film ad
2.00.30 farewell message from John Walker
2.00.43 Walker Brothers: Make it easy on yourself, Vitalis ad
2.04.13 farewell message from Mick Jagger
2.04.27 Rolling Stones: The last time
2.05.57 farewell message from DJ John Peel, Big L disc ad
2.06.45 farewell message from Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys
2.07.20 Beach Boys: Heroes and villains, Consulate ad
2.09.17 farewell message from Duncan Johnson, one of the first pirate DJs, Avis ad
2.10.16 farewell message from Cat Stephens
2.10.32 Cat Stephens: I love my dog
2.12.40 farewell message from Kenny Everett, one of the first Big L Djs
2.14.50 farewell message from DJ Pete Drummond
2.15.14 Paul Kaye - the only original member of the team still on the station - talks about the early days
2.16.33 Drifters: Come on over to my place
2.18.40 farewell message from DJ Tony Blackburn
2.19.42 Young Rascals: A girl like you
2.22.34 News at 1430 with Paul Kaye, Look cooking film ad
2.25.27 farewell message from Madeline Bell
2.25.45 Madeline Bell: Climb every mountain
2.27.30 farewell message from DJ Chuck Blair, Sight and Sound ad, Quick Tan ad
2.29.41 farewell message from former DJ Chris Denning, Du Maurier ad
2.30.34 farewell message from former DJ Dave Cash, Avis ad
2.31.44 farewell message from Jonathan King
2.32.22 Jonathan King: Everyone's gone to the moon, Vitalis ad
2.35.10 farewell message from DJ Keith Skues
2.37.23 farewell message from DJ Tommy Vance, Consulate ad (last ad on Big L)
2.38.52 farewell message from Dusty Springfield
2.39.25 Dusty Springfield: You don't have to say you love me
2.40.36 Ed Stewart says farewell
2.41.02 Tom Jones: I'll never fall in love again
2.43.24 farewell message from Ringo Starr
2.43.56 Paul Kaye introduces Big L Managing Director Philip Birch
2.46.34 Beatles: A day in the life
2.50.53 Paul Kaye: 'Big L time is 3 o'clock and Radio London is now closing down'
2.50.58 Sono Waltz (popularly known as 'Big Lil')
2.52.30 silence
2.52.34 transmitter is switched off
2.52.37 tape ends