Tony Prince will launch a brand new digital radio station on 1st March 2018 aimed at the more mature listener with discerning and broad church music tastes, of 40-years-old and over.
But of course, anyone of any age can tune in and drop out for an hour, few hours, day, week, month or longer…..if they wish! No writs for age discrimination here folks!
The station, “United DJs” will see veteran radio stars such as Mike Read, Dave Lee Travis – marking his return to the airwaves – and Emperor Rosko broadcasting from LA, join founder Tony Prince on-air, plus the likes of music star Eddy Grant from his home in Barbados.
United DJs celebrates the true spirit of rock and roll…An ethos akin to that of Radio Luxembourg back in the day, where Tony and most of the DJ’s on the new station worked, or at Radio at some point in their careers.
Many turned up on air at the regional BBC stations around the UK, apart from Mike and Dave Lee Travis, who were huge stars and household names on BBC Radio 1.
Mike Read will host the breakfast show and DLT will present a weekend show. Other “radio names” include established broadcasters such as Tony Adams and Peter Anthony, the latter is a long-time Radio Caroline personality.
The new station, which will have its HQ in Maidenhead, Berkshire, is the brainchild of Tony Prince, who launched the major news-stand publication, Mixmag and owns the DMC Publishing empire.
Tony was programme controller at Radio Luxembourg, and a DJ on the legendary station throughout the 70’s. Nicknamed “The Royal Ruler”, Tony aims to re-create the spirit of the Luxembourg station but in the digital age, therefore with a truly global reach.
Tony and his fellow DJs all share the same philosophy: “Good Music is Good Music” – and that ALWAYS transcends time and age! Amen to that. While most of the shows are either specialist shows – such as Eddy Grant’s slot – or will favour music from the 50s’/ 60’s/ 70’s and 80’s, Mike Read makes the point that his show will be a mix of modern contemporary music and old favourites.
Mike doesn’t believe that you stop discovering quality new music past a certain age, and will be equally comfortable playing brand new releases alongside old classics. So if anyone thinks this is a ‘Golden Oldies’ station taking a gentle stroll down musical memory lane; think again!
But neither is www.uniteddj.com trying to be an internet version of Radio 2, they stress. As an example of the mix of retro and relevant; Cutmaster Swift is a DMC mixing champion who will have one of the late night specialist shows.
The new kid on the block station has a unique subliminal ‘mission statement’: The spirit of enterprise and rock n roll, which still burns bright inside all of these guys from their years of breaking musical ground at Radio Luxembourg.
Primarily based in the UK, the station is aimed at an International audience, with many of the overnight shows coming live from the US (Emperor Rosko’s show included). Each DJ has complete creative freedom to play their own selection of music. There’s no playlist or music policy. Refreshing thing to read, eh?
Every DJ associated with the station has been selected for their radio expertise and musical tastes, so boss man Tony felt it imperative that they are given a free rein to play what they please. “Musical liberation and freedom” are a given at the new station.
But there is also a shared database of music they can all utilise and input into, which will also contain hundreds of brand new releases – absolutely no limit on the number of plays for any track.
An excited and raring-to-go Tony Prince says: “We will be maintaining a ‘Dropbox’ where we will make available new tracks which we feel are suitable. Our DJs can each recommend tunes. Just like the Pirate era, the people who became DJs out of their love for music will shape United DJ’s Radio. I also have certain non-DJs with fabulous A&R skills recommending new music.
“The DJs on UDJ can play just what they like within a format of a seven-decade mix, but they must play an element of new music releases. The DJs are in effect their own programme director.
“We are a radio team who are right behind the music industry, and hope that our global attitude to streaming radio, will have a positive impact for everyone.
“At this time, we have no interest in FM or DAB, and are convinced that the moment the internet streamed into the car radio, radio once again faces an enormous game changer.”
After 2am GMT, the United DJs on-air will be Americans, Canadians, Australians & New Zealanders. Programmes will be available live and on catch up from 1st March – kicking off with Mike Read’s breakfast show at 7am – and fully live with a full 24 hour schedule up and running by the end of April 2018.
