The ICA’s display will look back at the pioneering history of the UK’s 1980s pirate radio stations.
(TRAVPR.COM) UK - March 19th, 2015 - The hugely exciting pirate radio scene of the 1980s is being celebrated later this year in a new archival exhibition at the ICA. Shout Out! UK Pirate Radio in the 1980s will run from 26th May to 19th June, looking back at the early tower block pirate radio movement which emerged in the UK during the 1980s, prompting a new musical phenomenon that would change the face of British music. The exhibition will be held at the Fox Reading Room at the ICA, a multi-disciplinary alternative arts venue, which includes a gallery, cinema, performance space, bookshop and café. For more about events and exhibitions being held at the ICA, see LondonTown.com, where you can also find the latest information on London’s cheapest hotels, best restaurants and newest shops.
Pirate radio is often associated with the off-shore broadcasting station of the 1960s such as Radio Caroline, but in the early 1980s this illegal form of transmitting popular underground sounds enjoyed a powerful renaissance. This time stations were broadcasting music from the roofs of residential tower blocks rather than at sea, and were distinctive in the way in which they celebrated black culture. Dread Broadcasting Corporation (DBC), Radio Invicta, Kiss 94.5 FM, London Weekend Radio (LWR) and Horizon, were among the first UK pirate radio stations dedicated to soul, funk, jazz, reggae and hip hop. Although often overlooked, these stations were pioneers, championing music of black origin and paving the way for burgeoning rave scenes; jungle, garage and house.
During an era defined by Margaret Thatcher’s leadership as Prime Minister of Britain (1979 -1990), these stations offered an escape for those suffering racial discrimination and economic marginalisation. They aimed to empower musical communities reputedly ignored by the BBC and the licensed commercial stations. By the end of the 1980s an explosion of new pirate stations dominated the airwaves with over 600 stations nationwide, and 60 in the London area alone. It was The Broadcasting Act 1990 that saw the demise of pirate radio by prohibiting advertising and offering stations with sizeable audiences the opportunity to obtain a license and become legal. This display tracks the history and cultural significance of 1980s pirate radio in the UK, and its legacy for contemporary music and broadcasting.
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