Lin and John from Cheltenham visited Radio Caroline in August 2001. This is an article they wrote for the newsletter.

Back in July we finally found a picture of ourselves that was suitable for publication in the newsletter, so we sent it off to Dell and Karen. Back came a thank-you note, with an invitation to come down to Radio Caroline one evening to take part in Good Rockin' Tonight They must have thought 'they look harmless, we'll ask them along'. Appearances are deceptive, hey Dell !! After thinking long and hard about it for almost 30 seconds, we said 'Yes Please'!

The day finally dawned, and we climbed into our battered old Lada and set off from Cheltenham for Maidstone. We're used to horse-drawn haywagons slowing the traffic here in Gloucestershire, so the M25 racetrack was a bit of a shock, but we arrived in Maidstone safely with plenty of time to spare. We'd arranged to meet up with Dell and Karen in a local pub (surprise surprise) and we soon found them, sat with another learned-looking gentleman holding a quill pen, who was busy writing a thesis on Greek Mythology on the back of the menu. This was Professor Roy Williams of the British Institute. Dell wasn't as large as we'd imagined. Karen says he's lost 2 stone, he was a shadow of his former self (not so much a shadow, more of an eclipse). Karen was a vision of beauty, still fresh from celebrating her 29th birthday the previous day (her 29th birthday was several years earlier, but she prefers to celebrate that one!).

Soon we were joined by Bobby Clarke-Woodman, former drummer and friend of Vince Taylor, Marty Wilde, Chuck Berry and Billy Fury. He was to be guest-of-honour on the show, and he entertained us over a meal with lurid stories from the early sixties. After a lovely meal of vegetarian sausage with bubble-and-squeak (for continental members, bubble-and-squeak is a mixture of chopped cabbage, swede, onion and potato) we set off for the Radio Caroline studios, which are buried deep in the Maidstone TV studio complex. When we arrived, a pre-recorded programme was just ending, and the first part of Dell's duties is to play the minidisk carrying the 'World Tomorrow' religious programme which precedes Good Rockin' Tonight. Dell struggled out of his wheelchair and into the DJ's seat, arranged his CD's and Minidisks, and familiarised himself with the 2 CD players and 3 Minidisk players, which once again had been changed since last week. No wonder there's the occasional hiccup! Then the 'World Tomorrow' drew to a close, Dell played the jingles, and GRT was on the air again.

Dell played a few tracks that we'd selected, we had a jive in the corner, and Karen took photos. Roy was running around with phone messages and faxes. It was hectic, but everyone was having a lot of fun. We didn't know, until we met Dell and Karen that day, that Dell had broken his wrist and had his arm in plaster, as well as being unable to walk, which of course made the DJ's job a lot harder. We think all the listeners owe him a big vote of thanks for keeping GRT on the air with only 1 arm and 1 leg, and also to Karen for getting him to the studio and attending to his every need (well almost every need!). I hope Karen gets a photo of Dell opening a CD-case with his teeth, a sight to behold! As Roy said, in a thousand years time an archaeologist will find a Minidisk with teeth-marks in it, who knows what they will be thinking about our civilisation!

At seven-o-clock, Dell started the interview with Bobby Clarke-Woodman. He was very interesting, lots of stories about the early days (not quite as colourful as those we heard in the pub!), and Dell played several Vince Taylor tracks. It was obvious that Vince and Bobby were great friends as well as colleagues. As usual, the middle hour flew by. Soon after 8-o-clock an air of tension fell over the station. A message was received that the Rear Admiral was in the building. Soon the door opened and the majestic figure of Bryan Chalker marched in, followed by Glenys, the girl behind the stomach of the man behind Hard Country. She was carrying his CD's, programme notes, supplies of Bread Pudding and Goulash, and the Rear-Admiral's Line-Dancing Boots. The girls knelt, the men saluted. Bryan paused while Dell licked his boots, the hushed silence broken only by the odd raspberry. Then, with the formalities over, it was 'on with the show'.

Dell played a few more tracks we'd selected, then he asked us to pick the competition winner. Lin picked her lucky number 13, who turned out to be Gerd Stassen. Well done Gerd! A few minutes later a fax arrived from Gerd, he was obviously delighted, because it was also his wedding anniversary.

All too soon it was all over. Three hours had flown by, and we had to say goodbye to some friends we've known for several years, but met for the first time today. We set off on the long drive home, but we had to stop in the motorway service station at Reading (the bubble-and-squeak was squeaking!). While we were there, a Brand New Cadillac pulled in alongside us. How about that! As Bobby said in his interview 'Vince is here with us now'.

Thanks Dell, Karen and Roy for a great day, we'd love to come again one day, if you'll have us. Keep Rockin'