By the 1960’s I had already established Al Bowlly Circle, British Bandleaders' Club, and the Thirties Club (with Music of that era) and it was during that period I wrote and published an article lambasting the Music Industry, and highlighting my dislike of Pop Music.
This is the article which I wrote in the 60's:
GIVING THEM THE WORKS
Today, as Britain, the former leader of the World stands humiliated in the face of its contemporaries - the most uncivilised of its once conquered Commonwealth must regard with bewildered amazement the ridiculous picture of its half-witted male youth, the future men-folk, with girls' hairstyles and clothing which would make farmers scarecrows hand their notice in, and the savage pulsating, hysteria instilling garbage, which they manufacture and also the morals of some pop and film stars, behaving worse than farm yard rabbits.
And whilst the deaf and dim, menagerie of the majority of magistrates continue to dish out their 20/- fines - and lectures - the adult population, which rarely bothers to raise its lazy backside off the bar or club counter stool, decaying Bingo seat or warped Tele chairs - is at long-last noticing the disgusting and revolting picture - and just as lazily and indignantly looking for someone else to pin the blame on to.
The excuse that "the war" (God only knows which one) caused it, is being replaced by 'the parents' (I personally doubt that some of the creatures had human parents.) Others blame the teachers - who let's be honest, are afraid to punish in case (a) the parents, or (b) the children themselves, will beat them up or kick their heads in.
Whilst the egg -heads ponder and the rest look for someone else to blame, the real culprits disguised as skilfully as a Chain Store Santa Claus in November, escape unnoticed.
Who then is to blame for the juvenile degradation? Who has reduced the noble British youth to a wriggling, trembling, shaking, twitching, convulsing conglomeration, of glassy eyed goons, whose very appearances, clothing and hairstyles, would scare the pants off any Dracula, Frankenstein Monster, or Horror Comic Zombie? The answer is simple - it is the chosen race of pop music purveyors - the greedy grasping gripes who first recorded the goulish gibberish of a few half-witted hairbrains, the absolute dregs of the bucket, possibly because they were too mean to pay musicians and who labelled their quack, cheap jack concoction - "Pop Music" - and plugged it and pushed it over and over again into the gullible minds of the wanting-to-be different teenager - until the disease became an epidemic. Add to this a Foreign Legion of "Disc Jockeys", and Producers, some of whom would ‘plug' their own grannies, for a back hander, then stir in one great big hypocrite which masquerades behind a blase front of olde Englishe propriety, but which underneath is in the swim up to its neck - dear old Auntie BBC. Dilute with the not to miss a buck" music publishers who would rock "Rock of Ages" and plug the "Lords Prayer" for a minute of "Air Time" then bring this hideous revolting mess of pottage slowly to the boil with an equally irresponsible ITV and the result - the youth of Today are whipped by this Jungle Fantasy into a frenzy of wild cavortings followed closely by "punch ups,' kick-ups, knifings- wanton damage - rapings - immorality - plunderings ad infinitum.
The Dance! Hall Hops of the 1930's with their Fox Trots, Waltzes, Quicksteps and melodious melodies never produced the butchery and drunken hooliganism of the sizzling 60's with its Rock, Twist, Shout, Shake, Tremble and Quiver.
Having worked in the Dance Business before, during and after the advent of Rock In Roll, the writer was a first hand witness of the degenerative decline.
Never mind flogging the Idiots who disrupt never mind cursing their irresponsible parents leave the dithering old magistrates bellowing down each other's ear – trumpets, get at the root cause, cobalt bomb the cancerous roots - unsparingly slit with the scalpel remove and burn the fat, rich un-British polluters - the hell-bound ship load of Pop Music Purveyors - the Agents, the Managers, the Publishers, the Recording Chiefs the BBC and ITV. These are the destroyers of a Nation, those who manufacture and market, the jungle sounds and rhythms and the lyrics which pre -war would have earned the composers a life- time in a padded cell.
The discreet "I kiss your little hand madame" of 1932 has been replaced with "Come here I'm gonna have you tonight babe" in 1968 - and with it a once moral God fearing leader of the world - the British Lion - has been reduced to an immoral tenth rate state – The once Roaring Lion is now a moth eaten rug, on which all the tenth rate countries scornfully wipe their naked feet.
THE EDITOR:
Richard Kelly a Senior Producer with the BBC sent for me. Kelly had read the article and told me -
"This is brilliant! These are my sentiments to a tee. I want you to record it for me this afternoon. I'll book a studio now and we'll rehearse it."
We did – but he stopped me mid-stream.
"No, no, lad," he said, "Put some venom into it - some scorn. I'd love to do this piece myself but I'd be sacked. You can do it - so you can become my mouthpiece!"
It was broadcast next day on Jack de Manio's 'Today' programme - on the National Light Programme.
Within the next two or three weeks, I got almost 400 letters, all agreeing with me. - and most of them wanting to join my "Organisation". The letters came from all over Britain, so I chose areas with the biggest response and opened up branches of my Thirties Club in Sheffield, Liverpool, Keighley and London. At one opening, famous north-east and internationally famous Billy Ternent and his Orchestra were booked to play.
Then I was appointed Group Credit Controller with an American Cosmetic Company and transferred to London to train staff.. It was whilst there I met a friend of Ted Albury, the boss of Pirate Radio 390 - the second most popular radio station in the London area. Its motto was simply "no Pop" - hence its success.
Within a very short while, I had written and produced and broadcast my first radio epic - "They called me Al" - the life story of Al Bowlly. It was a huge success. The year was 1965. It was still on sale as an album in 1996!
The Government passed a law banning pirate radio, with a fine of £100 for anyone broadcasting on it! I never got paid for the broadcast - nor the album!
It was a strange coincidence that the very man who outlawed Pirate Radio Stations in his time as Postmaster General, was the same man Ted Short the Labour M.P. for Newcastle Central (now Lord Glenamara) who was charged with the task of introducing his idea of BBC Local Radio throughout the length and breadth of the country. It was his vision to be able to drive through various Towns and Cities tuning in to local stations, to hear locally recorded output of relevance to the area, from presenters with local accents. The initial plan was that each station would be financially independent having its own Radio Council made up of local people and charged with the task of raising funds to keep the stations afloat. The reality of course was very different and the Councils became mere advisory panels rather than fund raisers.
Ted was a firm supporter of our Byker Mission and a great personal friend of mine. Throughout the years this well respected public figure has played an important role in various stages of my life.
The BBC announced that on 2nd January 1971 it was to open a broadcasting station in Newcastle – (however in November 1970, the Station’s birth was forced due to national power cuts. It warned which areas were to be ‘blacked out’ and when). Richard Kelly, the man who organised and broadcast my speech on Pop music, was the manager designate. He sent a Producer to see me – and the outcome was, I recorded twelve mini features on Thirties Music for transmission when the Station opened.
My mini features on the BBC were just beginning to generate interest from the listeners when Iain Wilson the Producer, went absent and didn’t tell anyone where he had secreted the programmes. Letters began to arrive from listeners asking – ‘What had happened to ‘Memory Corner?’ The result – Mr Kelly, by then Station Manager quickly offered me a 35 minute programme slot on a weekly basis and he insisted I called it ‘The Thirties Club’ after my Movement.
I continued to work as a Credit Controller mid-week.
Councillor Colin Gray, who was deputy chairman of the newly appointed BBC Radio Council, told me -
"I was at one of the early Radio Council meetings, when Richard Kelly told us -
"Listen, I've discovered this young lad, Frank Wappat. He gets more fan mail than all the rest of the Station put together - I'm going to get him to work full time."
In September 1972, Richard Kelly offered me a full time post -
Initially I started work as a member of the News Team. Out and about recording vox pops, and news items, whilst at the weekend I continued to do my popular Thirties Club.
Then I had an idea. I wanted to do a Gospel music programme on Sundays. We didn't go on air until 10.00 am in those early days, so I offered to do the programme - and open up. Richard Kelly refused. "You're doing enough, son," he said "and we don't want any more religion, we've got a vicar or a priest already hanging around the place!" He went off on two weeks leave.
However, Ted Gorton, the Programme Organiser, came to me and said,
"Frank, I think that's a brilliant idea of yours to do a Sunday Morning Show of Gospel music. Start this Sunday while Dick Kelly is away. I'll pay you £4 from 9.30 a.m. - 10.00 a.m.”
When Richard Kelly returned from holiday, he sent for me -
“Wappat, I told you I didn't want any religious stuff on this Station." “It's not religious stuff," I said, "It's Gospel music and song. Ted Gorton asked me to do it and said to call it 'Songs for Singing’."
“Then I want to hear the two you've done," he said. “How can you?" I said, "It went out live!"
“I don't care, I want to hear them!" he replied obstinately ... and I was ushered out.
Ted couldn't help me either - how could he?
Then I remembered my dad was going to record them off air. I dashed over to Hebburn to see if he had done that. He had, so I rushed back to Mr. Kelly's office with the reel to reel tapes. For the next hour, hardened newsmen and staff wore puzzled expressions as the sounds of hymns and gospel songs were heard coming from Kelly's office.... Richard Kelly - a suspected atheist and lapsed Catholic .... they said - "What's happened to him?
Finally, he sent for me again.
"Take this stuff away, lad," he told me.
"Can I continue the programme?" I asked nervously-
"Yes, but remember two things," and his finger wagged at me ...
"1. No preaching, and
2.No praying – d’you hear?"
I knew from listener reaction that we had a winner.
By 1977 I was presenting a daily 2 hour Tea Time Show, Frank Wappat at Large (out and about in Newcastle) The Thirties Club and Songs for Singing (a Gospel/Inspirational Programme) in addition to regular outside broadcasts.
When I had produced over 600 local musicians and vocalists, the "Sunday Sun" presented me with their "Jack-o-CIubs" Command Show Award in 1978 at the Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle - by which time I had done eighteen Shows at Newcastle's City Hall, each one a sell-out. I booked the artistes and produced and compered the Shows for broadcasting.) On one occasion I booked it for two Gospel Shows, afternoon and evening. At 11.30am on the day the tickets went on sale the BBC Manager, Geoff Talbot went down to see how they were going. The 5,000 tickets had all gone and a queue, still around the block, could have bought the same amount again. He came back, ashen faced.
"My God, there'll be a riot. Folk won't believe all the tickets have gone. The first in the queue was there at 5.30 a.m. and bought 120. She's running trip buses!"
It was the fastest selling Show ever held at the Newcastle City Hall. Paul McCartney and his group, Wings, were appearing there around that time and the Manager, Bob Brown told me that Paul pointed to a large notice in the foyer that read "Wappat Show Sold Out".
"What is a Wappat Show?" he asked.
By 1980 I was producing and presenting nine broadcasts a week. Early that year I got a telephone call from a Mary Malone. She was a Press reporter on her way to Scotland. She asked if she could call in and see me on her way up. Of course I said "By all means." Unknown to me, she had obtained audience figures from Commercial Radio and the BBC, of DJ's who had top ratings. She was out not only to spy but also to rate them according to her fancy, for "Star Quality", "Good Fun", "Sex Appeal" and "Common Sense". She telephoned me on Tuesday 19th February 1980 and said -
"Hello, this is Mary Malone. Don't forget to buy the "Daily Mirror" on Thursday."
I did - I was top of the whole country, for each quality. Michael Aspel, at seventh place, got one star for good fun and two for common sense. Mary gave him three for star quality. Second was Billy Butler of Radio Merseyside and third was Roger Moffat, ex BBC Radio 2. Placed firmly in last place was Dale Winton.
|
Daily Mirror |
Good Fun | Common Sense | Sex Appeal | Star Quality |
| Frank Wappat Radio Newcastle | **** | **** | **** | **** |
| Billy Butler - Radio City Liverpool | **** | **** | *** | **** |
| Roger Mofat Radio Hallam, Sheffield | ***** | **** | ** | *** |
| David Bassett - Plymouth Sound | **** | *** | *** | *** |
| Dennis McCarthy - Radio Nottingham | *** | *** | *** | *** |
| Phil Wood - Radio Piccadilly, Manchester | *** | ** | **** | ** |
| Michael Aspel - Capital Radio London | * | ** | **** | *** |
| Anton Derby Radio Victory, Portsmouth | *** | ** | ** | ** |
| Dave Freeman - Radio Oxford | * | ** | **** | ** |
| Morgan Cross - Radio Leicster | * | *** | *** | * |
| Alan Jackson - Radio Merseyside | ** | ** | *** | * |
| Bill Torrance - Radio Forth | * | ** | **** | * |
| Dale Winton - Radio Trent | * | * | *** | *** |
By the early 1980’s midweek I had a bigger audience than Radio I in the region and on Sunday morning my figures beat any other radio station commercial or national
My Sunday Morning Gospel Show and nostalgia programme, The Thirties Club Programme were by this time the longest running programme on the Station. One day the new programme organiser said to me,
"I don't want you to play more than 3 x 78s in your nostalgia programme." I said to him, "Are you out of your head? 78s are nostalgia!"
How could I have a Thirties (as in 1930’s Music) Nostalgia Programme with no 78’s. I invested in some digital equipment, and from then on, every record I played was a 78, digitally enhanced. A month or so later, he came to me and said,
"You see how much better your programme sounds since you stopped playing those 78s"!!!
I didn’t enlighten him!
The new Manager then took the Thirties Club programme off the air, and then my award winning Tea Time Show. I took the 9.00 a.m. breakfast Show, but shortly after I resigned from mid week broadcasting retaining my Sunday Morning Gospel/Inspirational Show, and a new Sunday Afternoon Show concentrating on Local Talent from the Region.
My Gospel/Inspirational Show has never been viewed by successive Managers as Religious it is a Specialist Music Programme and as such attracts listeners from all walks of life and many differing approaches to Religion, – indeed some with no beliefs at all.
By 1986 the Station had another New Manager (the 5th since I joined them in 1970) I felt like leaping in the air and shouting 'Hallelujah'. The 'Saviour' had arrived! I was proud, always, to be a part of the greatest broadcasting Organisation in the world - and especially the North-East's own B.B.C. Radio Newcastle. It was said of me snap Frank Wappat in two and you’ll see the words BBC running through him, and its true.
Three times in my broadcasting career I had tempting offers from other Radio Stations - one offering four times more than the B.B.C. paid per programme. I refused them all, politely. It was never about money but my love of broadcasting.
Not long after he arrived, Tony approached me and asked if I was interested in a 1½ hour slot on the newly formed Night Network (an idea to band together stations throughout the north-east region for evening and weekend broadcasting). I was delighted.
The opportunity to do more programmes had great appeal – and would certainly help financially. Whilst he couldn’t promise me the programme, true to his word, he put my name forward, fought my cause, and I got the programme (later increased to three hours and broadcasting via ten stations).
It was Thursday 23rd May 1991. The programme was recorded in advance and networked from Liverpool. I was out driving in the car as the signature tune came on for the first time. I had to pull up as I was in tears. I had returned to the airwaves doing the same nostalgia type show I had performed back in 1971 – God is good – but so was Tony Fish!
It was May 1998 I was in London, about to collect my first SONY Award, (the Radio’s Oscar) for my Master Joe Peterson Programme.
Then in 1999 I suffered a massive stroke which nearly took my life. My listeners sent in over 1000 cards and letters - and prayers went up from all parts of the country as listeners to the ten Stations on which I broadcast on Monday nights petitioned the Almighty. I was touched deeply by an Indian gentleman who wrote to a member of the family.
"Even though I am an agnostic, I have prayed and continue to pray for Frank every day . . . By the eighth day I was home - little the worse - Praise God!
I had rarely lost any time at all from work in 28 years.
One day I was walking through a village nine miles from Eastgate. “Hello Frank” – as I turned I saw one of my ex colleagues, Dick Godfrey, then Features Editor with The Newcastle Chronicle, coming out of a caravan. “Thanks for the write up when I had a stroke” I said” – “Oh, it was no trouble, it was really your Obituary, I had to change it from past tense to present tense!!”
The following year 2000 I won my second SONY award for Investigative Journalism and the story I put together unearthing the truth about the death of 1940’s Singer Chick Henderson.
At the time of writing February 2009 I have worked for the BBC for 38 years. In that time I have won many awards from the Industry. My Gospel/Inspirational Show of 37 years is still pulling in the audience (It is the most popular programme on the BBC’s “Listen Again” facility), and whilst my Network Show is now only heard on BBC’s Newcastle and York, it still has a huge listening base after 18 years. I owe my broadcasting opportunity and career to Richard Kelly, but I am so grateful to Tony Fish for his unstinting support and trust – and was proud to reward that support with two of the Radio Industries highest accolades – SONY Awards.
Sadly, Richard Kelly died in 2008 in his early 90’s whilst Tony Fish died a couple of years ago whilst still in his mid 50’s both are a loss to the Industry and Tony still had so much to give. Heartfelt thanks to you both.
Frank Wappat 2009
