The Golden Age of ROCK ON THE RADIO

In the days before record companies took an interest in artists like The Beatles, Marc Bolan, Free and Queen, there was a small band of people at the BBC who championed their cause, broadcasting their music to millions often many months before these unknown performers landed their first recording contracts. This small band of BBC music producers and sound engineers never enjoyed the glamour and recognition accorded to their counterparts in the commercial recording business. But they played a key role in the development of UK rock music, despite their managers - many of whom were routinely apathetic, often obstructive and sometimes downright hostile. Recordings of their unique radio productions, live concerts and special studio sessions with these wonderful artists have given us a historic archive from the golden age of UK rock - from the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones through The Kinks, The Yardbirds, The Who, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Jeff Beck, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, T Rex, Deep Purple, Elton John, Yes, Free, Genesis, Rod Stewart and The Faces, David Bowie, Queen, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, U2 and beyond… Many of these historic recordings are now available on commercial release. But it is a miracle that this legacy exists at all. This book documents why these recordings were made in the first place, and how they somehow managed to survive, along with the stories of those who were there when history was being made - tales from the studios by those who put Rock On The Radio - a detailed testimony of the times which includes an extensive discography as well as hundreds of pictures, illustrations and photos of the period. This book also contains the definitive back-stage story of what really happened at Live Aid - the biggest ever event in the history of rock music.