Piccadilly Radio was probably the best radio station on air in the UK through the 1970s and 80s. These were the early years of Independent Radio in this countryand many of the stations on air were experiencing difficulties, financial and otherwise.

Piccadilly, under the stewardship of Managing Director Philip Birch and Programme Controller Colin Walters, somehow managed to keep problems away from the station and when there were problems, they were managed in a way which always showed the station in an excellent light.

When the news broke that there was to be a commercial radio station in Manchester, I was absolutely delighted.

As an avid radio listener in those days and a disc jockey playing soul and dance music I was hopeful that I could get a job on the station. I wrote to Colin Walters and received an application form and an outline of their terms. They weren't brilliant, but I didn't care. I wanted to be on the radio.

Of course at this point I didn't get a job but I was confident that it was only a matter of time. My biggest disappointment came on the first week of broadcasting when I heard the soul programme 'Soul Train' presented by Andy Peebles. It was brilliant and right then I knew that I would never be working at Piccadilly as long as Andy Peebles was there.

The programme was everything that a soul show should be, a mixture of up-to-date and classic soul featuring all the great soul artists. Lamont Dozier was a particular favourite of Peebles, as he was known to everyone, as was Bobby Womack and Sam Dees. It was truly wonderful to hear tracks like, 'The show must go on by Sam Dees' and 'Fish ain't biting by Lamont Dozier' played on the radio. Since I had no particular interest in any other type of music, I could not see the possibility of working on Piccadilly radio.

If there was one slight criticism of the programme, it was the lack of dance music. Back in those days, the line between soul and dance music was not as pronounced as it is now, however Peebles still avoided the better quality dance music. Those of us who were looking for something to criticise were left with this very tiny area to focus on.

There was some excellent dance music, but if you wanted to hear it you still had to go to the clubs. While Peebles would play 'It's a man's world' by James Brown, he probably wouldn't play 'Sex machine'. While 'Zoom' or 'Just to be close to you' by the Commodores was acceptable, 'Brick house' definitely was not, and P Funk, one of the biggest musical forms at the time was avoided. So, no Bootsy Collins, Funkadelica or Parliament. Well not on any regular basis anyway.

At this time, while working at various clubs in the Manchester area and throughout the North West, I also held down a full-time job, working on a counter at the post office. On this faithful day, at the West Didsbury post office, I opened a copy of the Daily Mail to see the news that Andy Peebles was moving to Radio 1. The reason for this was the fact that Radio 1 and Radio 2 which had, to this point shared evening programming, would now each have their own programmes. I was in shock. Peebles was going! This was my chance to get into Piccadilly.

Within 1 hour, I had rearranged my lunch break and was in the reception of Piccadilly Radio demanding to see the Programme Controller, Colin Walters, only to be told by the receptionist, Pat, that he was not in the office today. Pat suggested that I spoke to his secretary Gail who came out to meet me. For the next 45 minutes I harangued the poor girl with every reason as to why I was the only person who could take over from Peebles.

In the end, I think more to get rid of me than anything, she suggested I sent in a tape to Mr. Walters. I said, "Look, I've sent in tapes to stations before, and they don't even listen to them". "Send the tape to me" she said, "and I'll make sure he listens to it." That was all I wanted.

I knew if Colin Walters heard my tape, I would get the job. I had had years of experience of disc jockeying and although radio was different from clubs, I had been grooming myself for radio work by presenting a full Saturday programme at a local shopping mall, Oasis. I played adult contemporary music, The Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Bread, Carpenters, etc, and included jingles and adverts. I had listened to enough radio to know what sounded good.

I was ready for Piccadilly but was Colin Walters ready to give me a job? Peebles was gone, for me, it would be now or never.

Part 2

Amazingly, I didn't have long to wait. Three days later the postman delivered the first of the replies. It was from Radio 1. I didn't so much read the letter as read the line that said please call my secretary and make an appointment. I could not believe it. The following day I received two letters, the first from Piccadilly said please call my secretary for an appointment. The second from Radio Merseyside said thank you but there were not interested. I put that to one side and for the next few hours was unable to put down the one from Radio 1 and the one from Piccadilly.

I had a letter in my hand from Colin Walters and one from Tony Hale. These were two of the most influential individuals in radio in Manchester and both wanted to see me. Who would I call first? Who would I see first?

To be honest I can't remember which I called first or how the appointments fell, but it was amazing as one day I would be at Radio 1 the next at Piccadilly. In my own mind I had decided that if both offered me a job I would definitely pick Radio 1 above Piccadilly. After all Radio 1 was a national station. Because of this I told Tony Hale about the interviews at Piccadilly but I didn't tell Colin Walters that I was also talking to Radio 1.

One of the most amazing days I remember was walking in to the reception at Piccadilly to be informed by the receptionist Pat [a legend in North West radio], that there was a message for me. She handed me the note and I did not recognise the name or the number. It said phone immediately. Pat said I could use the reception phone and I dialled. The voice at the other end said "This is the BBC". I then realised that the call was from Tony Hale's secretary Michelle. When I was put through she simply said "Tony just wants to make sure you weren't going to sign anything at Piccadilly" I replied that I would not.

I don't know if Pat noticed anything but that was probably the first time in my life that I ever screamed quietly. I went in to see Colin Walters and we had the usual conversation. "Can you come in and do another demo? There's nothing at the moment, but I think we may be able to use you in the future..." Little did he know what had just gone on in reception.

For the next few days I would be making demos at Piccadilly going to meetings at the BBC with Tony Hale and, to put it mildly, I was in heaven. The one thing was that I could not tell anyone. All of this was confidential.

After making a demo, infront of a live audience for Radio 1, Tony Hale called me in and said he was very happy with what I was doing and they wanted to use me to present the show. I could not believe it. Radio 1 was by far the biggest radio station in the country and I was going to be doing a show for them.

Amazingly, the show which was going out on a Saturday night, would follow the Andy Peebles show. This was the reason he had gone to Radio 1. All the time I had believed that Peebles leaving Piccadilly Radio would open up the door at Picc for me, instead we would both be working for Radio 1 at the same time.

I received a contract from the BBC accounts department for the first 4 shows. Now I truly was in heaven. Although this was still confidential, there would be a press launch when everything would be announced.

Colin Walters hadn't phoned me for a couple of weeks, but he was going to get the shock of his life when that news broke; but hey that's life.

Part 3

Well the news finally broke that I was going to be the presenter of the new dance music programme to be broadcast live from Manchester every Saturday night. This was great news for me but not such good news for Colin Walters and Piccadilly Radio. I loved Piccadilly and had really enjoyed going in there and doing regular demos, but Radio 1 was national and I was not about to pass up on that chance.

With a BBC contract in my hands it was truly all good.

In the week of the run-up to the show I was working at the Post Office in Wythenshawe.

On the Thursday before the first show on Saturday the phone rang and it was for me. It was producer Tony Hale and he said to me, "are you sitting down"? I said, "It's not going to happen is it"? The answer was no. I asked him if it was anything to do with me and he again said no.

He explained that there was a problem with the Trade Unions at the BBC who were not happy with the arrangements for splitting the frequencies and they were not going to allow it to happen. I was devastated as was Tony Hale but there was absolutely nothing we could do about it. The show was not going to happen and that was that.

He told me that the BBC would pay up my contract and he hoped that when things were resolved that I would be available to do the show.

Now I must explain that at this time BBC Radios 1 and 2 shared the same programming in the evenings and this was a major move to give both stations their own programming. Radio 2 was going to keep the programming as it was and Radio 1 would add new programmes to their schedule. The included Andy Peebles' new programme and the new dance music programme coming live from Manchester.

After the phone call from Tony Hale I went back to work and I have to admit I was in a bit of a haze.

Within about 20 minutes the phone rings again and I was told it was for me. This time it was Colin Walters from Piccadilly Radio who had, by now, heard about the BBC Radio 1 show and about the fact that it was not going ahead. We had only spoken for a few minutes when he said he wanted to see me at Piccadilly the day after. I agreed to meet him after work.

I arrived at Piccadilly at about 5:00pm on that Friday evening and Colin collected me at reception. He asked me if I wanted a drink and I asked for a hot chocolate from the machine. This was my favourite drink during those long nights making demos at Piccadilly Radio.

The next bit of the story is quite incredible. As we are walking into his office, Colin said, "When do you want to start, Sunday OK?" I was astounded and mumbled yes that should be OK.

We spoke for a few minutes, he told me what I was going to get paid and gave me some quick rules about the station.

Within half an hour I was on my way back home and trying hard to decide what songs I was going to play on my first show. On Saturday I was down at Spin Inn nice and early collecting the hot new imports on 12 inch and album. The rest of Saturday was spent calling people telling them to listen and going through my collection picking out the absolute classics.

I was at the station nice and early on that Sunday for my first proper radio show.

To be honest the only song I can remember playing was Instant Replay by Dan Hartman which was a monster tune of the moment and I decided to open the show with it. I played it really safe with short links and I never took any risks on that first show.

The show lasted 3 hours and I have to tell you that the time absolutely flew by. I had recorded the show at home and listened back it it. I was very pleased with it and there weren't many cock-ups. I have to say I was terrified going into the News bulletins but even that seemed to work OK.

On the following day I went in to see Colin who was very pleased with how it had gone and he suggested that I sould continue doing the show until further notice.

I continued doing the show for a number of weeks until I got a phone call from Gail, Colin's secretary asking me to come in and see him. I figured that that was it and he was going to let me go. How wrong I was. He suggested that he was very pleased with the show so far and wanted to give me a contract to present the show each week for 6 months. I agreed and signed on the dotted line. To put it mildly, I was over the moon.

A few days later and the phone rings and it is Tony Hale saying that the BBC had resolved their problems with the Trade Unions and the show would be starting withing a couple of weeks. I had to tell him that I was not available as I had just signed a contract with Piccadilly Radio.

That was that and a couple of weeks later the programme was broadcast live from Manchester with a different presenter. People often asked me if I was disappointed that I did not get the job on Radio 1.

To be honest I wasn't. I had always wanted a job on the radio and Radio 1 was the best thing around but in those days, Piccadilly was not that far behind. We had great presenters like Roger Day, Pete Reeves, Dave Ward, Phil Wood, Steve Merrick, Ray Terrett and Phil Sayer.

Later there would be Steve Penk, Timmy Mallett, Suzi Mathis and others.

We had great speech programmes with guys like Phil Griffin and Jim Hancock in the early days and later on it would be Tim Grundy and Brian Beech.

We truly had the best sports programmes with Matt Procter, Brian Clark and Tom Tyrrell. We even had a Classical Music programme presented by Tony Hawkins.

Every department at the station was the very best including Promotions with Tony Ingham and Bob Marshall and of course News and Sales.

There was a sensational atmosphere around the building and huge stars came through day after day to be interviewed. I had the great pleasure of meeting and interviewing Cliff Richard, The Jackson 5 including Michael Jackson, Barry White, Patti Austin, Earth Wind & Fire and scores more.

This was a wonderful time in Independent Radio and I will never forget the numerous friends I made from back then, some of whom I still see to this day.

A few weeks ago it was the 35th Anniversary get together for Piccadilly Radio and it was truly wonderful to see people like James H Reeve, Paul Locket, Gail Bloch, Tony Ingham, Mike Sweeney and the rest.

Piccadilly Radio was a fantastic station to work for and it was, at that time, the most listened to station in Greater Manchester.

Back at my time of joining Piccadilly we were all young and just getting started in broadcasting. On this anniversary most people were celebrating over 30 years on the radio.

It was a truly joy to be part of something so special.