Midsummer Radio all began with Radio Caroline. Yes, way back when, there were 3 lads - all staunch supporters of "Free Radio".

Being too young to join the original sixties station Mike(on air name Johnnie Lang)and Larry(on air name Roger Walker)decided to start a pirate station in the city of Cambridge, England. It was 1970, Caroline was off the air after being towed away in 1968. There appeared to be little hope of the station returning, so to keep the name, and dream, alive the guys began broadcasting under the name Radio Caroline. The station broadcast at weekends on medium wave, on a power of 250watts. This allowed listeners over most of East Anglia to hear the signal. The station had the blessing of the real Caroline founder Ronan O'Rahilly, who gave an exclusive interview to be aired at a later date.

Johnnie Lang

Radio Caroline's weekly broadcasts soon became enormously popular, achieving an ever expanding mailbag each week and it soon became clear that people needed a real local station, so news broadcasts were introduced and Kevin(on air name Ricky Peterson)joined the team as news reader. News reports were broadcast at the top of the hour featuring local content, at that time a rare occurrence in Cambridge.

The station broadcast it's mix of chart music, local info, and snappy news bulletin for two years before being silenced by the authorities.

Roger Walker

Radio Caroline was always very careful not to cause interference to legal broadcasts or emergency service transmissions and constantly monitored the signal and maintained transmission equipment to a professional standard. Because of this the station was largely left alone by the authorities. Income to maintain Radio Caroline came from local advertising and a mobile discotheque, spurned from the station and called The Caroline Disco - still operating today with d.j.'s Johnnie Lang & Roger Walker.

Ricky Peterson

However, the end finally arrived when the Radio Caroline studio's were raided one Sunday morning in July 1972. No one is too sure why the raid came when it did, there was speculation that the station was becoming too established and had to go.

When the day came for the court appearance the courtroom was full to bursting point with well-wishers. Many listeners sent money to help with the fine imposed, and if any of those kind people are reading this we still thank you very much for your support at that time.

Of course this was only the end of one chapter and the station was to emerge in a different form, but with the same spirit, some years later.......