Banffshire Journal

Banff's pirate DJ's in a right spin
Published:  03 October, 2007
 
PIRATE disc jockey for 40 years and radio station founder, Alastair Galloway – This Is Your Life.
 
Former DJ colleagues with the man who started radio broadcasting in Banff celebrated four decades behind the microphone with a night out recently, including a 'This is Your Life' tribute.

Mr Galloway set up RSN Gold in Banff in 1967, in the era of the infamous and illegal pirate radio stations.

In those days, the BBC had a monopoly of radio licences, and being caught broadcasting would mean confiscation of equipment, fines or even a spell in prison.

Being the scourge of the authorities on the airwaves of Banff eventually became too risky, and for many years now he has recorded his radio programmes in his attic studio.

He then sent them out to his band of loyal listeners all over Britain on cassette tape.

Nowadays, he has updated his technology and can also burn his shows onto CDs for his fans.

For his 40th celebrations, his former DJs took their old mentor, and his wife, Winnie, for a meal and a night at the ten-pin bowling in Macduff.

DJ Brian Barclay compiled a 'This Is Your Life' for him, and some excerpts from his old shows were played.

Former colleague, John Milne, read out a poem for him and he was presented with a clock made from a CD.

Proudly holding his specially made commemorative CD clock is Banff radio station founder and DJ Alastair Galloway, with former DJ colleagues (left to right) John Strachan, Kevin Ritchie, John Milne, Shaun Ritchie and Brian Barclay. Not in the photo, but also at the function to help Alastair celebrate his 40 years were local DJs Steven Alexander and Neil Gauld.

The face of the disc was decorated with pictures of Mr Galloway, and the RSN gold station logo.

They also presented him with two CDs of songs from the 40 years of his broadcast career.

Mr Galloway said: "I really had my feet taken from under me, finding that the boys thought so much of me.

"What they did was one of the finest paybacks you could ever get."

His new clock is now in pride of place in his radio studio in his home in Banff's Fountain Park. It is from that addresswhere he still records up to two shows a week, putting together programmes of ceilidh music, folk, country, and easy listening – all in his trademark relaxed style.

Some of his former DJs still come in to record programmes with him.

And he doesn't mind being called a 'pirate': "That's a tribute," he laughs: "We transmitted illegally for a couple of years, but you were always waiting for that knock on the door."

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