Th
ere are many institutions that are synonymous with Britain: The BBC, The Royal Family, The Houses of Parliament, red telephone and pillar boxes, and the “Bobby on the Beat”. On radio there are equally enduring institutions – BBC Radio 4’s “Holy Trinity” of the Today Programme, Desert Island Discs and The Archers, which recently celebrated it’s 60th Anniversary, immediately spring to mind. The turn of the year has seen the resurrection of two old and cherished iconic institutions from 1980s Radio One – “Our Tune” and “The Golden Hour” returned to our airwaves, as Simon Bates took the helm of the Smooth Radio Breakfast Show on Tuesday 4th January.
Simon Bates’ return to a conventional national pop music radio station ( having spent many years on Classic FM ), along with Tony Blackburn 
taking custody of another radio institution “Pick of the Pops” on Radio Two back in November, proves that there is a desire and appetite amongst the public for nostalgia. In no small way, this is a byproduct of the times we are living in. In times of great uncertainty, austerity and economic hardship, we tend to regress to an earlier era in our lives, that evokes comforting, warm and cosy recollections and memories. In the case of music, this was the era of vinyl records!!
You can capture these memories, and re-live the good times, by ordering your favourite vinyl record or CD, framed and mounted, by clicking on…….. http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/ …….. and this way “YourTune” can be immortalised on your living room wall in 2011!! Alternatively this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration ie a 40th or 50th Birthday, A Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, an Engagement or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!
For all the latest news from Smooth Radio……….. www.smoothradio.co.uk
I loved Simon Bates’ Our Tune in the 80s and it brings back so many memories.Simon Bates and Adrian Juste were my favourite Radio1 djs.I tried to see if I could get Simon Bates’ Our Tune stories on cd/dvd but to no avail. Its a shame because if Our Tune stories came out on cd, I am almost certain it would do really well. So many people used to talk about Our Tune, it would take so many people back all those years ago and people love that. I go on YouTube and listen to the couple of Our Tunes that are on there, and I must say it makes me feel great,so I would like to say a very big thank you to the legend that is Simon Bates.