The Boat that Rocked is a film celebrating the era of the off shore Pirate radio in the UK. Contemporary music was limited in the days of the BBC radio and TV during my childhood as commercial TV and Radio was something for the future. The closest to a contemporary music station was Radio Luxembourg which I learnt about from someone at school and used to listen to whenever I was allowed the opportunity. The days of the personal radio were also for the future. I had to wait until I went to work to have my own radio and record player in my room at the Malden Court/Bute Road Wallington Flat.
Commercial radio commenced with Radio Caroline 1964 broadcasting from offshore in international waters from a ships. The broadcasts were not illegal as such. The station developed Disc Jockeys each with the distinctive personalities and followings but the music was focussed on the top 40 single records of the day. By 1968 there were 21 stations from boats and sea based forts with an audience of between 10 and 15 million and then stations commenced to be broadcast from within the mainland. To combat this development BBC radio was restructured in 1967 creating four stations with Radio I set up to challenge the Pirates and recruiting some of their top DJ’s BBBC 2 also a music station but more middle ground and BBC 3 a mixture of classical music and arts programmes with 4 talk and later 5 Sport and news, and more recently 6 and 7. In 1967 the Government passed the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act which made the offshore stations illegal.
Undaunted, while the offshore stations closed, the service went underground mainland using small inexpensive transmitters and pre recorded programmes on cassette recorders. These stations continued even when commercial radio broadcasting was allowed in the UK concentrating on music not covered by the the rest such as reggae, hip hop, jazz, rhythm and blues and stations on behalf of ethnic minorities.
In 1989 there were some 600 stations in the UK with 60 in London. The government tried a two fold approach with harsher penalties but also an amnesty for those willing to apply for a licence. The problem is that in order to meet the licence fee the station requires regular advertising which in turn requires a stable audience and leads to moving mainstream.
Today there are said to be 150 stations mainly in parts of London with set up costs small and a transmitter £350, getting funds from nightclubs promoting events on from DJ’s wanting the exposure. One recent study in London found that nearly a quarter of the population 14 and older listened to local stations with the percentage for students 37% and 41% of the African Caribbean community. Information which I had not previously known is that Radio Free Scotland was established to promote the work of the SNP in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales and there was also an anti Labour station in the 1970’s. The penalties for broadcasting have been significantly increased with prison a prospect for repeated offending. Licence stations are also able to take action for loss of revenue and one station was sued for £50000 as a consequence.
The film, the Boat that Rocked is said not to be based on a particular pirate ship or DJ’s although one character played by Philip Seymour Hoffman is said to be close to the aspects of the famous Emperor Rosco.
The film lasts just under two hours and I agree with those who say that it is 20 minutes or more too long. The film sets out to demonstrate how popular the stations were and that were only put out of business because of a psychological anal puritanical Government Cabinet Minister who became obsessed with eliminating the stations to the extent that he refuses official help when the ship gets into serious difficulties after its ancient boilers blow and cause a below waterline hole in the side.
The DJ’s and crew are rescued by a flotilla of Dunkirk style fan boats. The film contains many shots of the fans listening to music individuals and in groups. The station is run but the excellent Bill Nighy who takes in Young Carl, his Godson after a plea from the boy’s mother Charlotte, played by Emma Thompson, a former swinging chick, because we later learn she knows that the boy’s father is the eccentric red eye DJ who keeps to himself in his cabin when he is not broadcasting to an extent some of the crew do not realise he is on aboard a year after the station has been broadcasting.
The boy who has been expelled from school because of drugs and drink is still a virgin and attempts by Nighy to pair him off with his niece fail as during a brief search for a condom she is bedded by the his fat middle aged friend. The DJ’s are expected to stay on board for long shifts during which they can have female visitors once a fortnight. There appears to be no shortage of sixties dressed young people willing to come for conjugal visits and at one point a minor army of young and willing beauties arrive following an open invitation. Young Carl and the niece find true love at the end of the film. The Government Minister is played by the brilliant Kenneth Branagh who is convincing in his role as is Jack Davenport as Twatt, the Minister’s subordinate who is tasked with finding the legal formula to shut down the stations.
The music is good with some 60 records of the day covered and a two record soundtrack with 32 of these tracks featuring music from the Rolling Stones to Dusty Springfield and the Beach Boys to the Who. I blinked to read that a track from Duffy is included. It is not a good film and apart from the music does not engage. It just about made a profit from the box office.
(7.30am When uploading the film review I find a comment has been added to my review of the Kings Speech the first since the summer break other than catching up on the Chinese contingent. I am always pleased to learn that my work has been experienced by someone and more so when it make some impact, good or bad. England are now 178 for 4 with Ian Bell just out for 34. Kevin Petersen is 33 not out. Various batsman have played themselves in but one now needs to makes a good innings to allow a good hit out towards the end. Disaster Morgan is out for 8 and England now 186.5 with the Australians bowling their way back into the match.7.50 Pietersen gets his 50 with a six 204 for 5. 15 overs to go so we should reach 300. Write an email. Petersen is going well and has reached 70 with the total 234 for 5 scoring 48 of 37 runs partnership. Will start new review of the Ship that rocked 8.15 after a diet coke with ice.)( Yardy out trying a big hit much to the disgust of Pietersen for breaking up their partnership and putting at risk the prospect of a big score. 236 for 6 with ten overs to go 8.20 am).(257 for 7 as Kevin Petersen is run out brilliantly for 78 as he was controlling the innings. now with only 6 overs left 300 is unlikely and 275 must be the target) I am wrong as 270 is reached with Bresnan hitting hard calling the use of the batting power play and four overs to go having done a little fast forwarding. Decide to give undivided attention to last four overs of the innings. Alas possible mistake as Bresnan playing so well hits out off Brett Lee. 270 for 9 England look as if they are going to be bowled out before the close fo the 50 overs. A couple of sixes in last over changed things again in the first balls of the last over. 294 all out a good total but it should have been better although still the highest score against Australia in one Internationals 8.50. Break off from the cricket and writing to watch Andrew Marr Show with two excellent presenters of the best of the morning press followed by an interview with the wonderful Dame Judy Dench who going play the mother of the head of the FBI in a new film about his life to be directed by Clint Eastwood 9.45)
Commercial radio commenced with Radio Caroline 1964 broadcasting from offshore in international waters from a ships. The broadcasts were not illegal as such. The station developed Disc Jockeys each with the distinctive personalities and followings but the music was focussed on the top 40 single records of the day. By 1968 there were 21 stations from boats and sea based forts with an audience of between 10 and 15 million and then stations commenced to be broadcast from within the mainland. To combat this development BBC radio was restructured in 1967 creating four stations with Radio I set up to challenge the Pirates and recruiting some of their top DJ’s BBBC 2 also a music station but more middle ground and BBC 3 a mixture of classical music and arts programmes with 4 talk and later 5 Sport and news, and more recently 6 and 7. In 1967 the Government passed the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act which made the offshore stations illegal.
Undaunted, while the offshore stations closed, the service went underground mainland using small inexpensive transmitters and pre recorded programmes on cassette recorders. These stations continued even when commercial radio broadcasting was allowed in the UK concentrating on music not covered by the the rest such as reggae, hip hop, jazz, rhythm and blues and stations on behalf of ethnic minorities.
In 1989 there were some 600 stations in the UK with 60 in London. The government tried a two fold approach with harsher penalties but also an amnesty for those willing to apply for a licence. The problem is that in order to meet the licence fee the station requires regular advertising which in turn requires a stable audience and leads to moving mainstream.
Today there are said to be 150 stations mainly in parts of London with set up costs small and a transmitter £350, getting funds from nightclubs promoting events on from DJ’s wanting the exposure. One recent study in London found that nearly a quarter of the population 14 and older listened to local stations with the percentage for students 37% and 41% of the African Caribbean community. Information which I had not previously known is that Radio Free Scotland was established to promote the work of the SNP in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales and there was also an anti Labour station in the 1970’s. The penalties for broadcasting have been significantly increased with prison a prospect for repeated offending. Licence stations are also able to take action for loss of revenue and one station was sued for £50000 as a consequence.
The film, the Boat that Rocked is said not to be based on a particular pirate ship or DJ’s although one character played by Philip Seymour Hoffman is said to be close to the aspects of the famous Emperor Rosco.
The film lasts just under two hours and I agree with those who say that it is 20 minutes or more too long. The film sets out to demonstrate how popular the stations were and that were only put out of business because of a psychological anal puritanical Government Cabinet Minister who became obsessed with eliminating the stations to the extent that he refuses official help when the ship gets into serious difficulties after its ancient boilers blow and cause a below waterline hole in the side.
The DJ’s and crew are rescued by a flotilla of Dunkirk style fan boats. The film contains many shots of the fans listening to music individuals and in groups. The station is run but the excellent Bill Nighy who takes in Young Carl, his Godson after a plea from the boy’s mother Charlotte, played by Emma Thompson, a former swinging chick, because we later learn she knows that the boy’s father is the eccentric red eye DJ who keeps to himself in his cabin when he is not broadcasting to an extent some of the crew do not realise he is on aboard a year after the station has been broadcasting.
The boy who has been expelled from school because of drugs and drink is still a virgin and attempts by Nighy to pair him off with his niece fail as during a brief search for a condom she is bedded by the his fat middle aged friend. The DJ’s are expected to stay on board for long shifts during which they can have female visitors once a fortnight. There appears to be no shortage of sixties dressed young people willing to come for conjugal visits and at one point a minor army of young and willing beauties arrive following an open invitation. Young Carl and the niece find true love at the end of the film. The Government Minister is played by the brilliant Kenneth Branagh who is convincing in his role as is Jack Davenport as Twatt, the Minister’s subordinate who is tasked with finding the legal formula to shut down the stations.
The music is good with some 60 records of the day covered and a two record soundtrack with 32 of these tracks featuring music from the Rolling Stones to Dusty Springfield and the Beach Boys to the Who. I blinked to read that a track from Duffy is included. It is not a good film and apart from the music does not engage. It just about made a profit from the box office.
(7.30am When uploading the film review I find a comment has been added to my review of the Kings Speech the first since the summer break other than catching up on the Chinese contingent. I am always pleased to learn that my work has been experienced by someone and more so when it make some impact, good or bad. England are now 178 for 4 with Ian Bell just out for 34. Kevin Petersen is 33 not out. Various batsman have played themselves in but one now needs to makes a good innings to allow a good hit out towards the end. Disaster Morgan is out for 8 and England now 186.5 with the Australians bowling their way back into the match.7.50 Pietersen gets his 50 with a six 204 for 5. 15 overs to go so we should reach 300. Write an email. Petersen is going well and has reached 70 with the total 234 for 5 scoring 48 of 37 runs partnership. Will start new review of the Ship that rocked 8.15 after a diet coke with ice.)( Yardy out trying a big hit much to the disgust of Pietersen for breaking up their partnership and putting at risk the prospect of a big score. 236 for 6 with ten overs to go 8.20 am).(257 for 7 as Kevin Petersen is run out brilliantly for 78 as he was controlling the innings. now with only 6 overs left 300 is unlikely and 275 must be the target) I am wrong as 270 is reached with Bresnan hitting hard calling the use of the batting power play and four overs to go having done a little fast forwarding. Decide to give undivided attention to last four overs of the innings. Alas possible mistake as Bresnan playing so well hits out off Brett Lee. 270 for 9 England look as if they are going to be bowled out before the close fo the 50 overs. A couple of sixes in last over changed things again in the first balls of the last over. 294 all out a good total but it should have been better although still the highest score against Australia in one Internationals 8.50. Break off from the cricket and writing to watch Andrew Marr Show with two excellent presenters of the best of the morning press followed by an interview with the wonderful Dame Judy Dench who going play the mother of the head of the FBI in a new film about his life to be directed by Clint Eastwood 9.45)
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