I’ve just finished reading ‘Radio Caroline: the Pirate Years‘ but Ralph Humpries. Although the book is in many ways old school history with lots of dates and facts, it proved to be a rather engaging and interesting read about the history of Radio Caroline which sounds like an ever running series of dubious deals and running battles with the then GPO (responsible for broadcasting in the 60s) and the weather not to mention the odd conflict between other such stations which really justified their private name.

If you’re interested to know how Pirate radio took off, or background to the formation of Independent Radio stations (which are generally tragically poor siblings) and Radio 1. Then this is a worth while read.

This leads me nicely onto ‘The Boat That Rocked’ – the film by Richard Curtis based loosely on the radio Caroline story. A brilliant cast from Philip Seymour Hoffman to Bill Nighy and including Curtis regular Rhys Ifans, and rising names such as Rhys Darby (from Flight of The Conchords). Film feels more like a series of sketches linked together a very basic narrative, than a complete story in the Notting Hill or Love Actually is, although this isn’t the first time this approach has been applied – just look at four weddings. Although not Curtis’ best work, there a enough hilarious moments to warrant a viewing or to.