Capital Radio

“There's a tower in the heart of London. With a radio station right at the top. They don't make the city beat. They're making all the action stop ...” Along the Marylebone Road, opposite Warren Street tube, is the Euston Tower, home for many years to Capital Radio. While The Clash’s song about the independent London station may be too obvious for here, it’s mentioned because much as I loved the group the song seemed wrong. At the time Capital was our family’s station of choice. Coming home from school Roger Scott’s show would always be on, and on Fridays he would have his Cruising slot where he played old rock ‘n’ roll tracks which was great to listen to while you were having your tea. There would be other specialist shows too like Greg Edwards’ Soul Spectrum and later David Rodigan’s reggae show. Famously (now) in the summer of ’77 Capital broadcast A Punk And His Music where Johnny Rotten played a number of his favourite songs. The post-punk history books choose to forget these included The Creation’s Through My Eyes and Bobby Byrd’s Back From The Dead. “’Cos music’s for listening to. Not to store away in a bloody cupboard. Yeah, I love my music ...” Years later the Bluebells would sing the chorus of The Clash's Capital Radio as a jingle for the station.