Tony’s 1066 Battle Studio
Euphoria would be an understatement when Tony Kirk received a phone call on 24th November 1987 to join Radio Caroline. He remembers that moment well as anyone would when an ambition was about to be realised but his excitement was very short lived when a few hours later the Ross Revenge’s 300 foot tall aerial mast collapsed into the very rough North Sea and so his journey was put on hold. A year later, another phone call and in November 1988 he was on board presenting programmes from the high seas on the 558 service. It was the start of an adventure that included threats of mutiny, the station’s 25th anniversary commemorations on Easter 1989, mast repairs in a dramatic ‘rock and roll’ force 10 storm and being on board when the Dutch police raided the station in an attempt to silence it in August 1989.
Back on dry land Tony was heavily involved behind the scenes with Radio Caroline in the 1990’s when the station moved ashore and was the licensee for Caroline's legal 28 day broadcasts from Dover Harbour and again from the Blackwater estuary.
During the 1990s he was also heard presenting on an assortment of UK short-term charity stations that included Radio Cracker from Cheam, Radio for New Infants (RNI) and for almost 15 years, when not elsewhere, supported his local hospital radio station, Radio St Helier in Carshalton, Surrey. Tony also presents two weekend shows on Cinque Ports Radio located on England’s south coast.
His music tastes are best described as eclectic being diverse from rock to pop, blues and classical, and also covering various genres between and beyond. Tony is a welcome addition to Albumheads and is also busy as a presenter elsewhere. Tony presents a solo Monday Live show on all 5th Mondays of a month.
Tony all at sea in the Caroline Studio on board the Ross Revenge