“Shiprocked, Life On The Waves With Radio Caroline” [Review]

If you lived in England back in the sixties, before the British Invasion, and you loved hearing music on the radio, you were pretty much out of luck. Unlike radio here in America, British radio was controlled by the BBC, and they ruled with an iron fist.The BBC played the music they wanted, and ignored the popular music of the day. Many British bands who later  became famous world wide, were not allowed on the BBC. The kids could not hear their records. A good example.would be Jagger and Richards of the Stones. Both had to order music from America and have it shipped to them by boat,  because artists like Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, Elvis, and most Blues artists were not played on the BBC.It was insane. Enter the birth of "Pirate Radio", namely "Radio Caroline", the iconic pirate radio station.

The book takes you behind the scenes of Radio Caroline thanks to Steve Conway who worked on the station, and recalls many really fascinating stories of the day to day struggles encountered by the radio station, both by the BBC and the British government. In the end, they won, however the struggle was long and hard. Music lovers everywhere will appreciate what Radio Caroline did for the freedom to choose.

Look for it at your local bookstore, or, it may also be purchased online. This one belongs in your personal library.