Travels with Paddles

a sea kayaking journal

Axel Schoevers (Photo: A. de Krook) Name:
Axel Schoevers
Location:
Rijswijk, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Welcome back my friends...

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This week I was re-united with a long (thought forever) lost friend. I found the good old Lady back on the internet. Stronger than ever, world-wide via internet radio stream and satellite.

My first memories of listening to music radio stations go back to 1973. I was eleven years old. Then it was Radio Veronica and Radio North Sea International. When they died in 1974, because of anti "Pirate Radio" laws, Radio Caroline continued... And how! Against almost insurmountable odds. Until the Ross Revenge ran a-ground in a November 1991 gale. All through my school years and beyond, this is what I listened to. Great Rock (album) music.

Of all the radio stations I listened to after that, none could hold my interest for longer than a few months, because of the 'regurgitating play list formats'. Just this year I started to transfer all my music to MP3 format, because of that. And now I have all my music in MP3 ?

Radio Caroline plays again through the speakers. Songs (and sounds) that in a split-second time-warp me back 20+ years. Songs that I have not heard on any other station again all that time. And great new music too!

Maybe finally a reason to activate G3-internet on my mobile phone...

My first kayak, in 1994, was a Kirton Meridian. It was faded-red, my Ross Revenge. And true to the Lady, she is also very much alive!
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Running, Laughing, Skipping through the streaming fields of time
On my way back home
Sky is shining time is flying bird is on the wing
On my way back home
Flying to the sun sweet Caroline

(New Riders of the Purple Sage)

2 comments:

Douglas Wilcox said...

Greetings Axel, you have opened the doors of the time warp!

Radio North Sea International, just the mention of that station has brought memories flooding back.

Although Focus and Golden Earing were played on UK radio, other great groups such as Earth and Fire, Trace, Ekseption, Supersister and Finch did not.

Ah, I can hear Jerney Kaagman's voice soaring over the Mellotron as we speak, I must digout the vinyl.

The current Crossing the Rubicon bythe Sounds owes something to E&F I think.

Douglas :o)

Axel said...

Hi Douglas! It is amazing... Golden Earring I have heard in the US. Shocking Blue Venus also. But some of the lesser known bands and songs (and indeed Earth & Fire) came by already. And it not only 'oldies'. I spend quite a bit of time behind my computer and this week find myself searching for some of the bands/songs played to find out that many of them are recent. So not only the 'old times' are good. Caroline Rocks!
Axel