The online History Archive of Laser558 - All Europe Radio - Laser 558

He was followed at 1000 by David Lee Stone, 1500 Jessie Brandon and at 2000 Steve Masters until the close at 0100. "All the Hits, all the Time" on Laser 558, All Europe Radio, the 1st official day on the air and the sound of champagne corks popping was a familiar sound as was the Laser Blast jingle, the audio logo of the station. In maritime signal language it means "I want to communicate with you" and the dash-dot-dash became a familiar sound on the station.

Day two was hangover day, as a slightly more subdued crew presented their programmes. The London evening "Standard" carried a report about Laser in their "Ad Lib column and suggested that neighbouring Radio Caroline were experiencing financial difficulties.

NOT ILLEGAL

In a press release from Music Media International, Roy Lindau, President of MMI, the worldwide sales representatives for the station disputed the "pirate" tag that the Laser had been given by the press saying that "unlike the pirate stations of the past Laser 558 is a legal radio station, since the ship is registered out side of Europe, transmits from International waters, is owned and operated by a Panamanian company and staffed and supplied by citizens of the United States, the station is in the opinion of counsel, entirely legal".

On Sunday 27th May, a new deejay joined the line-up, Paul Dean, who'd last been heard on offshore radio under the name Paul May on RNI, some ten years or so earlier. Shows reduced to four hours each.

Laser posters, teeshirts and a video were all advertised on Laser from the end of May, these were obtainable from the stations address of Music Media International, 341 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10017 USA. With any goods ordered you automatically became a member of the Communicator club and received a membership card.

TRANSMITTER BREAKDOWN

On 16th June, transmitter problems occured as the modulator transformer broke down, and Laser 558 went off the air. The station returned to the air on 22nd June.

Laser 558 claimed an audience of some 8,000,000 listeners and was seriously threatening the duopoly of the BBC and the IBA.

The British Government's Department of Trade and Industry started to take action against the station, firstly by advertising in specialist magazines to warn boat owners of the penalties of supplying "pirate" broadcasting ships. Notices began appearing around the British coastline warning not to supply the radio ships.

LASER 558 PRESENTER ON THE BBC!

BBC Radio London deejay Tony Blackburn asked Jessie Brandon to take over his show during July, while he was away. He said that "Lasers a brilliant station, much more fun that another pop station I don't care to mention by name. I hope its presence will give the legal pop stations the kick up the bottom they deserve".

In Ireland, RTE radio were claiming that their reception on 576khz in London, was suffering interference from Laser on 558. The British Department of Trade were sympathetic, but said that as Laser 558 was a Panamanian ship in international waters there was little they could do.

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