Tuning Into Pirate Waves

The British Youth and 1960s Music at Sea

Photo: Eran Menashri on Unsplash

After rewatching Richard Curtis’s quirky comedy Pirate Radio or The Boat That Rocked (2009) as a young adult, I became curious about the claim, “Inspired by true events,” that is advertised on the film’s poster. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, and Nick Frost, are among the many talented actors who portray the hip disc jockeys that transmitted rock and roll from international waters in the 1960s. Perhaps it was the foolish antics, stellar soundtrack, or colorful fashion that made me wonder about this lesser-known historical experience and why it happened. Regardless, I decided to find out more. How did British pirate radio in the 1960s normalize subversive music among the youth?

Off the coast of Great Britain, groovy new music set sail aboard pirate ships with the mission of improving radio broadcasting. In Rebel Radio: The full story of British pirate radio, John Hind and Stephen Mosco claim that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was a radio business founded by the government in the 1920s that distributed current events and intellectual information across vast distances, hence, improving and enhancing the public’s knowledge and values through upstanding broadcasters from the mainland (8-9). This original vision for radio transmitting set the precedent for what would soon be challenged in the 1960s by thousands of young British citizens, who would demand more entertaining content. In fact, the teenage craving for popular music, such as rock and roll, was little satisfied by the BBC on-air because “...it was also perceived to promote anti-social behaviour and encourage a lack of respect for authority among the young,” according to Martin Dibbs in “1956-1967: Sound into Vision; Popular into Pop” (249). It was precisely this kind of government censorship that resulted in growing dissatisfaction for the BBC. Academics may argue, pirate radio broadcasting during this period led to substantial modernization improvements within the BBC by inspiring the eventual integration of subversive music into the business’s programming for youth appeal; however, pirate radio, itself, was actually more satisfying for young citizens as the medium for achieving popular music standardization when it was active. Rebels were able to accomplish this goal through entertainment business access, artistic liberation, and social unification.

Pirate radio was essential for normalizing tunes that were legally considered disruptive by providing young adult musicians with entry into the entertainment sphere. For example, Death of a Pirate: British Radio and the Making of the Information Age by Adrian Johns mentions how pirate stations, like Radio Sutch, had the goal of increasing competitor access to music broadcasting by challenging the monopolistic behavior of the BBC, recording companies, and musicians' unions through playing songs by new local bands (158, 221). This evidence demonstrates how pirate transmission granted aspiring artists an accessible platform to promote their work. If such stations had not been present, musicians may have never had the chance to share their compositions broadly with the public and increase their music popularity, especially if they had a controversial sound. It is important to note how providing more recognition for upcoming performers on pirate radio served as a mutually beneficial way for bands to contribute to the conventionalization of subversive songs with audience introductions to long-awaited fresh tracks. Rebellious music from radio signals at sea became regularized by providing media advantages for more youth performers who were looking to be discovered. 

In terms of announcing, pirate radio standardized insurgent music by opening up new employment opportunities in entertainment for young and creative public speakers. Johns goes on to argue, “...all the DJs were men, and almost all of them were young—the same age as their projected listeners,” with some being student and professional actors; consequently, many became admired for their sense of humor and grand personalities (163, 240). Pirate radio provided more access to unique employment in the challenging show business industry and made radio more relatable for young listeners, due to the identifiability that emerged with those broadcasting. By having age in common with those who demanded fab content, these pirates were equipped with the taste necessary to bring a new sense of vibrancy on-air using training or work history that could appeal to the masses. Similar to the experimental musicians mentioned prior, the hiring of these young deejays provided the presenters with a space to share their talent and build credibility, as well. Likewise, Nancy Morris in “US Voices on UK Radio” asserts that pirate radio stations in Britain featured American announcers and their methods on-air as a way of appealing to young, local audiences because of their trendsetting culture and foreign citizenship, thus, exempting them from British law and literally keeping pirate businesses afloat (37, 39-40). Not only were young British deejays provided with the opportunity to play popular songs demanded by the public as their occupations, but foreign presenters also benefited from the movement by receiving work abroad. Foreign disc jockeys may not have been English citizens suffering from rebellious music depravity; however, they could conveniently utilize their identities as workers on broadcasting ships to reinforce the stations’ mission. In fact, foreign deejays were yet another strategy to embrace subversive music by validating the genre’s legitimacy and ensuring its protection with their involvement. Likewise, the employment of diverse disc jockeys could complement the transition towards the more unique music being transmitted. Pirate announcers, both citizen and non-citizen, were instrumental in distributing and maintaining the rise of popular songs. Pirate radio stations played a significant role in the regularization of agitational music by making the entertainment industry more accessible for young broadcasters in Britain. 

Secondly, pirates aboard broadcasting ships at sea contributed to the standardization of rebel music among young adults through artistic liberation concerning the content presented. For instance, Richard Rudin’s “Revisiting the Pirates” references the Pirate BBC Essex employee, Tim Gillett, when he cites, “‘On Radio Caroline and Radio London presenters were choosing their own records of the week…often making ‘radio hits’ out of those choices,’” adding that the pirates had the liberty of monitoring the equipment themselves and advertising live (241, 247). Pirate deejays were permitted to control the broadcasting process themselves and craft their own styles on air. Creative freedom on pirate stations became the new norm and entitled the youthful broadcaster to credit for the role they played in publicizing rebellious tunes. Other pirate stations, like Radio City, were concerned with the newest and most popular songs to keep things lively; therefore, they were restricted to playing only the hits, according to Johns (184). Playing favorite bands became a way for the pirates to demonstrate that they were taking the youth’s opinions into consideration. These rebels may have been limited in terms of track decisions, but transmitting what was at the top of the charts allowed them to continue competing with the BBC by broadcasting exactly what the public wanted to hear—fresh and imaginative music. However pirate stations chose to organize themselves, creative liberty was acted upon by resisting government control and disseminating groovy songs they were confident young people would love. Wasn’t this the entire point of the pirate radio approach? The deejays on board became a reliable source young people could count on to introduce new trends or promote what was already trending. Controversial music was able to become more typical during the 1960s because pirate radio stations found value in bringing more creative material to the youth onshore and off.

In order to normalize renegade music, artistic freedom was not only advantageous for pirates in deciding what songs to play on the radio. It was also beneficial for deciding how and when. Method acting, according to Robert Chapman in Selling the Sixties: The Pirates and Pop Music Radio, was growing more popular in London during this period for diverging greatly from classic ideology about character portrayal and  “...became a crucial metaphor, which Radio Caroline alone among the pirates was to make explicit in its spontaneous approach to pop radio” (61). The timing could not be better for pirate radio stations to play the songs they did in the style they favored, considering the 1960s were encouraging artistic experimentation in other facets of life. The emergence of creative liberation allowed pirate radio to contribute to the noise already being made by others outside of the broadcasting community to support their own rebellion. Plus, the deejays’ theatrical experience, mentioned earlier, most likely had great influence over this idea and its effective implementation for setting the pirates apart from the BBC. Likewise, Andrew Yoder in Pirate Radio Stations: Tuning in to Underground Broadcasts in the Air and Online asserts that Radio Caroline “...was one of the first broadcasters to play new sounds in rock music…And, unlike the BBC, it played such music continuously instead of restricting it to a single ‘pop music hour’ each day” (137). On-air, pirates had the artistic liberty to play subversive music as long as their station pleased; consequently, more young people had ample time to tune in and expand the movement. The creativity behind pirate transmitting was met with public interest and desire since rebel stations moved away from mundane broadcasting methods towards a more convenient structure that was optimized for youths. The freedom given to pirate broadcasters during this period is important because it was amplified by other social domains, like theatre, and was strategically used to share a greater amount of rebellious music. Appropriate external circumstances encouraged the pirates to use artistic liberty for exercising their eccentric presentation style and extended broadcasting duration. Radio transmitting from the seas in the 1960s normalized mutinous tunes by freeing the youth creatively from the confines of government stations with new techniques to use while broadcasting.

Lastly, the social connections formed between the young pirates played a role in homogenizing riotous music from ships. According to Rudin, “...for the original pirates, there is little doubt that the confinement and isolation from onshore distractions aided both in the ‘clubby’ atmosphere and creativity” (247). The relationships between the young pirates on board exhibit an intimate togetherness through sacrifice as they endured limited space and activities, miles from shore, for the livelihood of good music. It was this comfortability with one another that permitted presenters to embrace their originality and express themselves uniquely when compared to the BBC. For instance on Radio London, “Heavy drinking was the norm…but such behaviour was acceptable, all part of the boys’ dorm camaraderie promoted on Big L…” (Chapman 121). Disc jockey bonds were encouraged on the pirate ships and this social behavior could support a more inclusive environment. After all, living and working in close quarters could strengthen relationships just as easily as it could weaken them. If the deejays were having a pleasurable experience, that energy would be infectious for listeners, as well. As leaders of the movement, togetherness was essential for keeping pirate stations something enjoyable enough to come back to, lest they lose public support. Social unification among young announcers on pirate radio stations resulted in the normalization of subversive music. 

Pirate radio stations off the coast of Great Britain also took part in the conventionalization of radical music by unifying youths throughout the nation. For example, “...listeners were encouraged to park their cars on the shoreline and flash their headlights to communicate in a kind of semaphore…it re-enforced the appeal and regard of the pirate DJs in the minds of the listeners” (Rudin 246). This tranquil symbol of support demonstrates how the largely young adult public was able to participate indirectly as a mass group in the cause by visually expressing that the deejays were heard and appreciated. Acts of this kind serve as a very literal example of demonstrating how music brought people together. However subtle or transient headlights may seem, they connote hope and desire as a peaceful pledge to the British rebels. Similarly, Yoder asserts that the youth felt extremely connected to the deejays offshore because they followed their unscripted highs and lows aboard the ships in untamed waters, causing them to seem like celebrities and friends (147). In times of crisis and struggle, people rally around those who have invested themselves wholeheartedly in making a positive difference. The honest portrayals of the pirate deejays contributed to the personal bonds developed between them and the public by defying the obstacle of distance with radio technology. This behavior accentuated the intended harmlessness and innocence of the movement to prove that enjoyable music was nothing to be afraid of. The indirect relationships that were born collectivized and personalized the rebellion in a way that was nearly impossible to go unnoticed by the government. By banding the public together under the influence of the pirate broadcasters, popular music among the youth could be recognized as something important and would eventually inspire BBC radio reform. Pirate radio stations developed a nationwide intimacy with young people across land and sea, which augmented the regularization of subversive music from the origin of strong public backing. 

Some scholars may argue, pirate radio during the 1960s led to a positive transformation for the BBC. After the government’s inclusion of rebellious music appeared on their station, the content was considered standardized and reflected the demands of the public youth more closely. Academics, such as Hind and Mosco, claim that the Marine Offences Act in 1967 was approved for ending pirate radio in Britain while referencing Radio London as a way to maintain the BBC’s dominance in the market; however, the government began hiring former pirate disc jockeys to broadcast on their new stations, like Radio One, claiming “...a new popular music programme would be created…” (13). This notion demonstrates how the pirate radio movement undermined the law, but eventually made officials listen to the demands of young adults and modify rebel style into something completely government authorized. In fact, Johns includes commentary from the Postmaster-General, Eric Short, when he asserts, “...the government would create a public alternative to the pirates, and that it would be ‘better than anything the pirates are doing’” (224, 227). Made up of lawmakers and monopolists, the BBC’s new dedication to young citizens is apparent when the company finally plans to take action on improving services that would top what the public already favored. Parliament was thought to have the ability to grant the people what they wanted while preventing the rebels’ undercut of their authority. This evidence is significant because it allows one to see how the combination of citizen demand, insurgent broadcasters, and government policy were able to converge on a compromise worthwhile for all parties involved. The youth received the music they wanted to hear, the pirates were able to maintain their careers, and the law was able to protect its control over citizens and communication. The product of the movement was in the greatest interest of each group, hence, making subversive tunes regularized in the most ideal way possible. Pirate radio may have been stopped, but its music and legacy lived on within the BBC to satisfy young citizens beyond its existence.

Though these scholars propose a convincing argument, they fail to consider the limitations that remained after the elimination of pirate radio, which prevented the government from fully regularizing subversive music the way British youth desired. According to the engineer for Radio Aquarius, Tony Greaves, young adults remained frustrated with the BBC because the company failed to maintain the true spontaneity deejays expressed musically and verbally on the pirate stations after moving them to the new government frequencies (qtd. in Yoder 147-148). The BBC may have attempted to appease the youth with the presenters they loved, but it seems their tight control remained the same; therefore, the government failed to completely partake in the normalization of popular music that the pirates began. Under the control of the rebels, music broadcasting became an entertaining, interactive, and inclusive experience--the government lacked these qualities. “‘I don’t think Radio One ever had a pirate image….But as far as music goes it’s more fundamental than that because the processes of the establishment don’t let them get close enough to the street,’” claims deejay, David Symonds (qtd. in Chapman 235). Government stations failed to provide the musical spark that the pirates had contributed without hesitation. How could young British citizens ever fully claim their right to uncensored music if parliament refused to relinquish some control? It was only when the pirates transmitted from international waters that rebellious music was truly being disseminated the way the youth enjoyed. This information is noteworthy because, at face value, it demonstrates how the transition toward popular music was accepted immediately by the government after the elimination of the pirates. Although when looked at more critically, one can see how slowly this shift actually progressed—regardless of initial promises. The BBC may have been inspired by pirate radio to play popular music, but as it did so the business withdrew all the creative magic that went with it for young people. 

Overall, pirate radio was responsible for the regularization of rebellious music that was adored by young British citizens in the 1960s. This form of broadcasting is significant because it met the popular music demands of the youth and fought in defense of songs that inspired sound for decades to come. If the pirates never set sail to transmit, thousands of young citizens and artists, both bands and deejays, would have remained unsatisfied and unrecognized. Rebels transformed music and broadcasting into a colorful experience for participants all over Britain and abroad.

Despite the creative liberties that any dramatic depiction is likely to make, Pirate Radio or The Boat That Rocked popularizes this edgy movement from the past with wit and style. Despite only accruing $36,348,784 worldwide, according to IMDb, this cinematic experience is credited with igniting interest and directing attention to the historical relationship between politics and music—no matter how expansive its sea of viewership.

Antennas no longer need to be adjusted because tuning into the legacy of pirate radio is coming in with full clarity.