Before being consumed by a couple of gigantic media groups, UK
independent local radio (ILR) stations often demonstrated variety, taste and
flair; they could fulfil their remit to educate and entertain. Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio, Birmingham’s
BRMB, Bedfordshire’s Chiltern Radio, Southend’s Essex Radio and Kent’s Invicta
all featured an inspiring selection of upfront rock, soul and pop that represented
an intelligent and appealing alternative to the somewhat predictable and stale daytime
playlists of The BBC’s Radio 1.
Evening times on ILR stations were often dedicated to niche music –
progressive rock, soul, jazz and country for example. One might argue that Nicky Horne’s Your
Mother Wouldn’t Like It was at least the equal of Radio 1’s night time
prog-fest, Sounds Of The Seventies.
London’s Capital Radio was for many years considered by some to be the
best popular music station in the country.
Maverick DJ Kenny Everett was given near-total freedom on the station to
take advantage of on his considerable (and eccentric) broadcasting skills. In 1977 Kenny launched a prime-time
show dedicated to featuring toe-curlingly awful records. The World's Worst
Wireless Show was a 1-hour programme devoted to music that Everett gleefully referred to
as Slush-Crud. The programme developed a cult audience in and around London; the
show was bolstered by listeners sending in in their own contributions of
shockingly bad records to feature on air.
In late 1978, 20 of the records featured regularly on the show were
assembled for a compilation LP on the K-Tel label. The World’s Worst Record Show
was pressed in a violent shade of turquoise vinyl; the rear sleeve contained the
warning: - “After listening to this record, you may well feel like destroying
it…” With the possible exception of The
Legendary Stardust Cowboy’s Paralysed and Jimmy Cross’s I Want My Baby Back,
all of the recordings were originally made in earnest – they were not intended
to be embarrassingly bad. Reportedly,
some artists refused to allow their music to be included on this compilation.
Some of the recordings were so obscure that the master tapes could not
be located - rips of original vinyl copies had to be used. The record was not heavily promoted, it did
not trouble the LP charts – those outside of Capital’s broadcast range were
unlikely to get the joke. The LP has
never been reissued – and a promised volume 2 did not appear. Several of the tracks have resurfaced on
other compilations and many have become cult records in their own right. Some of the featured artists (Mrs Miller, The
Trashmen, Jess Conrad) have had compilation albums of their work issued; maybe
as an indirect result of being included on The World’s Worst Record Show.
Now, get busy with the link and recall the genius of Kenny Everet and the spirit of 1970s UK Independent Radio. Dig on 20 tracks that are so very bad - they are actually rather good.
Track listing
1. Jimmy Cross - I Want My Baby Back
2. Zarah Leander - Wunderbar
3. The Legendary Stardust Cowboy - Paralysed
4. Pat Campbell - The Deal
5. Nervous Norvus - Transfusion
6. Jess Conrad - This Pullover
7. Mel and Dave - Spinning Wheel
8. Dickie Lee - Laurie
9. Mrs. Miller - A Lover's Concerto
10.
Ferlin Husky - The Drunken Driver
11.
Jess Conrad - Why Am I Living?
12.
The Trashmen - Surfin' Bird
13.
Steve Bent - I'm Going to Spain
14.
Duncan Johnson - The Big Architect
15.
Jess Conrad - Cherry Pie
16.
Eamonn Andrews - The Shifting Whispering Sands
17.
Tub Thumper - Kick Out the Jams
18.
Adolph Babel - My Feet Start Tapping
19.
Skip Jackson - The Greatest Star of All
20.
Raphael - Going Out of My Head
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