My memories of Radio 1 go back to November of 1967 when I was booked to do six "Midday Spin" programmes. In common with most of the other D.J's I was fresh from the "Watery Wireless" (Radio London) and found the BBC a very daunting place to work.

For a start, having previously had total control of our shows I found myself with a producer (armed with a stopwatch) in the studio saying things like "This record ends in 10 seconds - can you keep your next link to seven seconds and then go into the next record immediately after that."

Needless to say those kind of strictures didn't lend themselves to anything approaching spontaneity and mercifully after a comparatively short time we were allowed to revert to our old ways and I'm certain that it made for far better radio.

I think I probably made the quickest transition from one network to another having finished on Radio 1 on the Friday and begun my new Radio 2 series the following Monday.

During my time with the Beeb - nearly 15 years - I made a lot of friends and enjoyed it tremendously but I have to say that my brief spell on Big L was, without doubt, the most memorable of my broadcasting career. 

Kind Regards

Tony Brandon

May 2004

Audio BBC