Robbie
Member
*Funky!*
Posts: 24,819
|
Post by Robbie on Mar 28, 2019 21:35:12 GMT 1
I thought this was best posted in the Retro Lounge.
Many people may say "Bob who"? But for those of us who grew up in the 1970s Bob was a well known presenter on what was more or less the only station to play chart music on a nightime - Radio Luxembourg. As well as having his own programme he also used to present the Radio Luxembourg chart on a Tuesday night and which was repeated on a Sunday night. I'm sure we all knew that the chart was made up - programme director Tony Prince used to compile the chart as a "next week" chart, trying to second guess what the official BBC / BMRB chart would look like the following Tuesday.
Bob had a very distinctive American accent but he was an Anglophile who loved everything British. Prior to working for Radio Luxembourg he was a DJ on Radio Caroline North. Bob had been in poor health for many years, having survived cancer and other serious health problems. He died today, just after 9am Texas time in the US.
Thanks for the great memories. I can still remember listening to his Tuesday night chart shows shows in the mid 1970s. R.I.P.
|
|
|
|
Post by suedehead on Mar 28, 2019 22:10:01 GMT 1
Another listener to the Radio Luxembourg chart show in the1970s here, so I remember him well. RIP Bob.
|
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Mar 28, 2019 22:22:32 GMT 1
I used to listen to the chart run downs throughout the 70's, RIP.
|
|
Robbie
Member
*Funky!*
Posts: 24,819
|
Post by Robbie on Mar 28, 2019 22:41:00 GMT 1
I used to listen to the chart run downs throughout the 70's, RIP. I first listened to the chart countdown around March 1974 when I was just 10. In 1976 and 1977 I used to write down the top 30s every week in an exercise book I stole from school! I lost that book many years ago but thanks to the internet I now have all those charts again. And Bob is the one I remember as being the presenter of the chart. I'm not sure when he stepped down from presenting the chart but I don't think he was host by the end of the 70s. At some point in 1978 or 1979 I think Barry Alldis (or perhaps Benny Brown) took over from him.
The fun of listening to Radio Luxembourg was hoping that the signal wouldn't fade away when my favourite songs were playing on the chart countdown. In the summer months the extended daylight often meant the signal was far weaker than when it got dark so if I recall the chart show was broadcast an hour later so that at least by the time they got to the top 10 the signal was at maximum strength. Of course this worked both ways - until the wavelength changes in November 1978 Radio 1 was sometimes drowned out by Radio Tirana in Albania (which also broadcast on 247m), especially in autumn and winter. Its distinctive trumpet call sign spoiled many a good John Peel show on Radio 1. On one occasion John had so many listeners complaining that Radio Tirana was overpowering the Radio 1 signal that he quipped "welcome if you've just joined us, this is the John Peel show sponsored by Radio Tirana"!
|
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Mar 28, 2019 23:19:40 GMT 1
I used to listen to the chart run downs throughout the 70's, RIP. I first listened to the chart countdown around March 1974 when I was just 10. In 1976 and 1977 I used to write down the top 30s every week in an exercise book I stole from school! I lost that book many years ago but thanks to the internet I now have all those charts again. And Bob is the one I remember as being the presenter of the chart. I'm not sure when he stepped down from presenting the chart but I don't think he was host by the end of the 70s. At some point in 1978 or 1979 I think Barry Alldis (or perhaps Benny Brown) took over from him.
The fun of listening to Radio Luxembourg was hoping that the signal wouldn't fade away when my favourite songs were playing on the chart countdown. In the summer months the extended daylight often meant the signal was far weaker than when it got dark so if I recall the chart show was broadcast an hour later so that at least by the time they got to the top 10 the signal was at maximum strength. Of course this worked both ways - until the wavelength changes in November 1978 Radio 1 was sometimes drowned out by Radio Tirana in Albania (which also broadcast on 247m), especially in autumn and winter. Its distinctive trumpet call sign spoiled many a good John Peel show on Radio 1. On one occasion John had so many listeners complaining that Radio Tirana was overpowering the Radio 1 signal that he quipped "welcome if you've just joined us, this is the John Peel show sponsored by Radio Tirana"!
I hope you found this thread interesting,  fatherandy2.proboards.com/thread/93620/radio-luxembourg-top-charts-1970s |
|
Robbie
Member
*Funky!*
Posts: 24,819
|
Post by Robbie on Mar 28, 2019 23:38:22 GMT 1
I first listened to the chart countdown around March 1974 when I was just 10. In 1976 and 1977 I used to write down the top 30s every week in an exercise book I stole from school! I lost that book many years ago but thanks to the internet I now have all those charts again. And Bob is the one I remember as being the presenter of the chart. I'm not sure when he stepped down from presenting the chart but I don't think he was host by the end of the 70s. At some point in 1978 or 1979 I think Barry Alldis (or perhaps Benny Brown) took over from him.
The fun of listening to Radio Luxembourg was hoping that the signal wouldn't fade away when my favourite songs were playing on the chart countdown. In the summer months the extended daylight often meant the signal was far weaker than when it got dark so if I recall the chart show was broadcast an hour later so that at least by the time they got to the top 10 the signal was at maximum strength. Of course this worked both ways - until the wavelength changes in November 1978 Radio 1 was sometimes drowned out by Radio Tirana in Albania (which also broadcast on 247m), especially in autumn and winter. Its distinctive trumpet call sign spoiled many a good John Peel show on Radio 1. On one occasion John had so many listeners complaining that Radio Tirana was overpowering the Radio 1 signal that he quipped "welcome if you've just joined us, this is the John Peel show sponsored by Radio Tirana"!
I hope you found this thread interesting,  fatherandy2.proboards.com/thread/93620/radio-luxembourg-top-charts-1970sI did! Though I already had the charts from 1973 - 1979 from a website that used to have them archived. I like the fact that in your thread the charts are easier to navigate.
I notice you posted the ones you have from 1979 are virtually the same as the official chart. But the ones I have do differ so if you want them I've made available a copy of the PDF I created from the website:
|
|
|
|
Post by Shireblogger on Mar 29, 2019 10:41:03 GMT 1
I'm another who used to listen to next week's chart on a Tuesday night, whilst in bed, in the late 70s and early 80s. Bob Stewart was one of several people who helped me seem so much better informed than my mates when it came to new releases, and exciting new pop music. Eurythmics, Thompson Twins and Yello were three that I distinctly remember hearing on Luxemburg months before anywhere else.
RIP
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2019 11:05:04 GMT 1
|
|
Robbie
Member
*Funky!*
Posts: 24,819
|
Post by Robbie on Apr 2, 2019 21:46:41 GMT 1
Just to add: it's sometimes amazing what you can find out about someone after they have died. I wrote in my first post that "Bob had a very distinctive American accent but he was an Anglophile who loved everything British.". It appears he was from Liverpool and upon joing Radio Caroline in 1965 was told that his Scouse accent might alienate listeners and so he developed an American accent! ontheradio.co.uk/2019/03/former-radio-luxembourg-dj-bob-stewart-has-died/I would have thought that a Scouse accent in 1965 would have been a bonus given the success of The Beatles. |
|
