The Spin Merchants

Journalists or hacks trying to make a name for themselves, more like bubble and squeak merchants who blow a lot of hot air then run and hide up their mothers skirts. Here we will look at a comments that on September the 27th 2020 were still on a website that the owners where asked to clear up and print the truth instead of the bull$hit they printed. This was asked for in 2018. Shoddy journalism or just plain dreamers?

So lets look at what they wrote.

Things were going well for Horizon, but in 1984 they had two problems. Firstly, they suffered a revolt which led to 11 DJs leaving to set up a new station, Solar Radio.

Horizon Radio was raided by the DTI on the 11th of October 1984, at approximately 14.30pm, that is 2.30pm in the afternoon guys in you do not understand the 24 hour clock. The station had been broadcasting 24/7 since April of 1984, and used a loophole in the Broadcasting act to do so. No DJ’s had left the station during this time, although some like they did when on Invicta and JFM where stirring it.

The Evening of the 11th of October 1984 saw a meeting at the studio complex, with a few DJ’s and Crew.  At the end of that meeting when Tony Scales asked Chris If he was going to put Horizon back on, Chris said No he would not put Horizon Radio back on. This made some people unhappy, but Chris had seen enough, with the shenanigans during that meeting and the loss of that £20.000 studio that no one cared about loosing. Some even cared more about £75 bag of records the DTI where trying to take.

The next Morning Tony Monson along with other DJ’s telephoned to try and persuade Chris to put the station back on. Overnight Chris had thought even more about it and confirmed that Horizon Radio would stay closed as 3 years of hell was over providing for others who did not appreciate what they where given (DJ’s for you). The new laws also came into play.

4 people and they where Tony Monson, Tony Scales, Paul Buick and one other went off and on the 12/13/14th of October 1984 set up Solar Radio which started broadcasting on Horizons Frequancy around the 4th of November after Tony Scales had issued death threats to Chris Stewart. That case by the way is still live in 2020. The only revolt that occurred was Chris Stewart saying “He Would Not Put The Station Back On Air”

>thepiratearchive  What don’t you not understand about the word No said on the 11th of October 1984, how can anyone revolt as you claim when everyone was still there on the 11th October 1984, then lost their positions as the station had closed.

Next Statement

“When they finally returned, first at weekends and then non-stop, it was with a new set of DJs who appeared to retain little of the original stations impact”.

thepiratearchive can you now explain this? Horizon Radio closed down on the 15th of September 1985 to apply for a radio license. The station held a farewell party on the other side of London at the Harrow Leisure Centre, the biggest venue in the capital at that time. The event was also broadcast live as you know. Over 24 PA’s turned up with an estimate of between 12.000 and 20.000 people (Soul Family) by police and local council and Harrow themselves. Those who did not get in as rammed, stayed in the car parks and danced to the music from the outside broadcast via their car radio’s as they always did at Horizon Radio Events.

Fact 2

Solar Radio copied Horizon Radio and also closed down on the 29th of September 1985 with a few OB links from across London that were lets say amateurish. The farewell gig at Cinderellas Rockefeller’s Purley that evening was not live on the radio. Half the PA’s did not turn up and the total in’s and outs and in’s on the clicker did not hit 700. That venue that on a normal Friday and Saturday night was putting through over 1000 people.

Was it due to this and the support Horizon Radio had, that Solar Radio issued forged RAJAR radio listener figures claiming to be the most listened to radio station in London. This saw the IBA and RAJAR complain about their logo’s being forged to obtain a document that a London Newspaper had printed. Then within a week the newspaper had to print a full apology and admit the document supplied to them was false and contained untrue or false information. That forged document was one of the reasons the licenses for radio in 1986 where cancelled.

Something says someone did not do their homework or report the full facts then.

 

 

 

 

This is one website not worth reading if you want to hear the facts and the truth!

thepiratearchive.net/horizon/

Horizon Radio was part of a new wave of pirate radio stations that took to the airwaves of the capital in the early 1980s.

In the 70s, you would only hear pirates for a few hours on Sundays or bank holidays. Then, following a loop hole discovered in a Radio Jackie court case, a number of stations began broadcasting 7 days a week, and then 24 hours a day. These new stations were different in other ways too. They were specialist music and FM only; at a time when FM was not the most popular wave band.

Horizon Radio was first heard on the 11th October 1981 and played soul, jazz and funk music. They were part of the start of pirate radios involvement in club culture that continues to this day. The station would promote club nights and club DJs would pay to do shows on Horizon to raise their profile and publicise their own nights.

Things were going well for Horizon, but in 1984 they had two problems. Firstly, they suffered a revolt which led to 11 DJs leaving to set up a new station, Solar Radio. Also, following the 1984 Telecommunications Act, there was a crackdown on the big stations of the day and Horizon suffered a crippling studio raid in October which caused the station to take a 4 month break. When they finally returned, first at weekends and then non-stop, it was with a new set of DJs who appeared to retain little of the original stations impact.

The raids were getting heavier, and Horizon had hopes to get one the forthcoming community licences. So, they decided to call it a day on Sunday the 15th September 1985. The stations founder and owner, Chris Stewart, presented the final programme leading up the studio close at 4:30pm. A live broadcast from the Harrow Leisure centre presented by the DJs then finally closed the station.

Many of their DJs continued to be heard on other stations, both pirate and legal. The court case following the raid of October ’84 was heard in January ’86. All equipment had to be forfeited, which was the most successful prosecution of any pirate at the time.

There were rumours of a return broadcasting recorded shows 24/7 and also re-launching in Spain, but neither of these plans ever happened. This shouldn’t have worried the owner too much, as there were stories in the press at the time that Horizon had been very lucrative for him, and when he decided he had had enough, he was able to treat himself to a new Porsche!