Terry Wogan's Secret Pirate Radio Show
April 12, 2012 12:00 AM Subscribe
Comedian Peter Serafinowicz re-imagines Terry Wogan as an Underground UK Pirate Radio DJ. Editorialising is bad but this is the best thing you will hear today.
1-4, 5, 6.
All 6 as an mp3.
HOLD TIGHT FLIP FLOP.
HOLD TIGHT HTML.
(omg tears of laughter)
posted by basicchannel at 12:21 AM on April 12, 2012
HOLD TIGHT HTML.
(omg tears of laughter)
posted by basicchannel at 12:21 AM on April 12, 2012
This shares a certain beauty with the shipping forecast and Scottish football scores.
posted by nowonmai at 12:29 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by nowonmai at 12:29 AM on April 12, 2012
Amazing username basicchannel.
That is the same reaction me my my friends had - rabid typing out of quotes across various chat programs during team listening sessions.
It's just absolutely incredible isn't it?
posted by debord at 12:32 AM on April 12, 2012
That is the same reaction me my my friends had - rabid typing out of quotes across various chat programs during team listening sessions.
It's just absolutely incredible isn't it?
posted by debord at 12:32 AM on April 12, 2012
Thanks for the clarification examples too - I'm UK so it all make sense to me naturally. Or maybe that's the problem!
posted by debord at 12:33 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by debord at 12:33 AM on April 12, 2012
This whole thing reminds me of this old Westwood promo CD I used to have about 10 years ago where he gave a shout out to his local Hi-Fi shop. I would love that CD again. It's the same as this but actually real, if that makes sense. But then Westwood is actually real too.
posted by debord at 12:42 AM on April 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by debord at 12:42 AM on April 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
I'm not going to lie to you, I'm annihilated.
posted by Abiezer at 12:49 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Abiezer at 12:49 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
I instinctively favorite any post which begins with the phrase "comedian Peter Serafinowicz"
I don't know what all this means, but I like it.
posted by ShutterBun at 1:43 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
I don't know what all this means, but I like it.
posted by ShutterBun at 1:43 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
The MC'ing at the end of some of the sets is incredible, how he can do that in the Wogan accent, which is pretty distinctive, is truly impressive.
Rich and smooth like a nice Bordeaux.
Easy.
posted by v.barboni at 2:15 AM on April 12, 2012
Rich and smooth like a nice Bordeaux.
Easy.
posted by v.barboni at 2:15 AM on April 12, 2012
This is so amazing. I spent way too much time listening to Rinse FM a few years back. This so good.
posted by jonbro at 2:24 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by jonbro at 2:24 AM on April 12, 2012
Thanks for posting those links debord. Thord.
I only managed to catch the last of these live. They're awesome. Anyone new to Peter Serafinowicz should check out Look Around You a lovely parody of UK 70s/80s educational science TV shows.
posted by jiroczech at 2:49 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
I only managed to catch the last of these live. They're awesome. Anyone new to Peter Serafinowicz should check out Look Around You a lovely parody of UK 70s/80s educational science TV shows.
posted by jiroczech at 2:49 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
Life wouldn't be complete without his classic cartoon Wo-Gan
posted by Yowser at 3:22 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by Yowser at 3:22 AM on April 12, 2012
His Dalek Relaxation Tape, also broadcast as part of his 6Music Show, is very good too.
posted by ninebelow at 4:19 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by ninebelow at 4:19 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
very very nice. thank you!
But: question. Although I'm old I am British and I used to listen to a lot of pirate radio stations 'back in the day' (that's just how street I am), what is this three digit numbers stuff? Like 'shouts to the 256', 'hold tight the 764', 'hold tight the 340'? Shouts and hold tight, I get all that - but what do the numbers mean? Are they the last digits of people's phone numbers? Or something else?
man I actually used to phone up pirate stations in London more than 20 years ago, and me and my mates used to love hearing us getting daft shouts at 4am or whatever ludicrous time it was
Selector locked in!
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 4:48 AM on April 12, 2012
But: question. Although I'm old I am British and I used to listen to a lot of pirate radio stations 'back in the day' (that's just how street I am), what is this three digit numbers stuff? Like 'shouts to the 256', 'hold tight the 764', 'hold tight the 340'? Shouts and hold tight, I get all that - but what do the numbers mean? Are they the last digits of people's phone numbers? Or something else?
man I actually used to phone up pirate stations in London more than 20 years ago, and me and my mates used to love hearing us getting daft shouts at 4am or whatever ludicrous time it was
Selector locked in!
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 4:48 AM on April 12, 2012
Also, do you reckon he just recorded a real pirate station and then copied what the DJ was saying T-Wog style?
Executioner!
God I love British pirates. I know this is such an incredibly middle aged and middle class thing to say, but I love the vitality... I love the form. Crazy high NRG tunes with constant social chatter and internal language... such a positive, exciting, independent thing.
Do you USians get much pirate radio over there? Does it sound as fantastic as this does?
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 4:52 AM on April 12, 2012 [5 favorites]
Executioner!
God I love British pirates. I know this is such an incredibly middle aged and middle class thing to say, but I love the vitality... I love the form. Crazy high NRG tunes with constant social chatter and internal language... such a positive, exciting, independent thing.
Do you USians get much pirate radio over there? Does it sound as fantastic as this does?
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 4:52 AM on April 12, 2012 [5 favorites]
Unfortunately, no.
The FCC is much more stringent about enforcement in the US, and there isn't the dance 12" / dubplate culture to drive it.
While I was in pittsburgh, we had several pirate stations that would pop up for 6 months at a time, and then get shut down. They mostly played punk / hardcore / strange jazz / rebroadcasts of local bands shows. It was nice.
I think the closest that you get is college radio but that is an entirely different thing. Late night hiphop shows giving shouts to peoples friends are pretty similar too, although that is getting co-opted as well. This radio show of funkmaster flex premiering the new jayz / kanye track is a pretty good example. He rewinds the same track for like 30 minutes, all the while proclaiming how it is the future of music.
posted by jonbro at 5:06 AM on April 12, 2012
The FCC is much more stringent about enforcement in the US, and there isn't the dance 12" / dubplate culture to drive it.
While I was in pittsburgh, we had several pirate stations that would pop up for 6 months at a time, and then get shut down. They mostly played punk / hardcore / strange jazz / rebroadcasts of local bands shows. It was nice.
I think the closest that you get is college radio but that is an entirely different thing. Late night hiphop shows giving shouts to peoples friends are pretty similar too, although that is getting co-opted as well. This radio show of funkmaster flex premiering the new jayz / kanye track is a pretty good example. He rewinds the same track for like 30 minutes, all the while proclaiming how it is the future of music.
posted by jonbro at 5:06 AM on April 12, 2012
Ah, yes, then you're definitely missing out!
There's still a huge scene here. I live just outside London and occasionally drive in; when I do I'll turn on the car radio and am still amazed by the huge number of completely illegal 24/7 FM stations.
Mind you, nowadays most of them stream online, too - a quick Google brings up http://www.transmissionzero.co.uk/radio/london-pirate-radio/, which appears to list dozens of currently active FM pirates in London. There you go, jonbro!
This is what I was listening to in 1993: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVoSJTSalLM. Where have those 20 years gone...
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 5:22 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
There's still a huge scene here. I live just outside London and occasionally drive in; when I do I'll turn on the car radio and am still amazed by the huge number of completely illegal 24/7 FM stations.
Mind you, nowadays most of them stream online, too - a quick Google brings up http://www.transmissionzero.co.uk/radio/london-pirate-radio/, which appears to list dozens of currently active FM pirates in London. There you go, jonbro!
This is what I was listening to in 1993: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVoSJTSalLM. Where have those 20 years gone...
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 5:22 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
I have actually moved to the UK (I live in Dundee), but have yet to buy a radio. I don't think we would have any pirate stations up here anyways.
When I was in the US I listened to a ton of it online.
posted by jonbro at 5:33 AM on April 12, 2012
When I was in the US I listened to a ton of it online.
posted by jonbro at 5:33 AM on April 12, 2012
Funkmaster Flex sounds almost as ridiculous as Tim Westwood there.
posted by pmcp at 5:40 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by pmcp at 5:40 AM on April 12, 2012
This line of inquiry has led to radio scotland an offshore pirate radio station that started operating in the 1960s.
Can't dig up any with online presence, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I can find web references of some operating in glasgow in 2005-2006, and some community stations around, but no pirate things. I think I am going to actually have to purchase a radio if I care to enquire further.
posted by jonbro at 5:45 AM on April 12, 2012
Can't dig up any with online presence, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I can find web references of some operating in glasgow in 2005-2006, and some community stations around, but no pirate things. I think I am going to actually have to purchase a radio if I care to enquire further.
posted by jonbro at 5:45 AM on April 12, 2012
Godammit, I just listened to part 6. That is hilarious
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 6:05 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 6:05 AM on April 12, 2012
Anyone new to Peter Serafinowicz should check out Look Around You a lovely parody of UK 70s/80s educational science TV shows.
Also, Brian Butterfield.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:07 AM on April 12, 2012
Also, Brian Butterfield.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:07 AM on April 12, 2012
The decision to cancel the Peter Serafinowicz Show on BBC TV was a weird, weird decision, which they need to start reconsidering
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:23 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:23 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
Can't agree, EMRJKC. A half-hour show yielded about 5 good mins. The 5 good mins were transcendentally good, tho'. Unique. Hand about, I'm arguing against myself here.
Only came on here to say "He's the voice of Darth Maul !"
posted by devious truculent and unreliable at 6:46 AM on April 12, 2012
Only came on here to say "He's the voice of Darth Maul !"
posted by devious truculent and unreliable at 6:46 AM on April 12, 2012
All of the Joy of 6 podcasts here.
Also, the cancellation of the show was criminal.
posted by phax at 7:12 AM on April 12, 2012
Also, the cancellation of the show was criminal.
posted by phax at 7:12 AM on April 12, 2012
Serafinowicz is an amazing genius.
Hold tight tarte tatin!
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:14 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Hold tight tarte tatin!
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:14 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is (for me, anyway) a great illustration of humor depending on ambient cultural knowledge. I don't get it but I trust this is funny based on his other work.
Anyone care to name an American near-equivalent for Terry Wogan? Based on the clips, I'm guessing some sort of small market TV legend whose hoary and predictable "humor" remains popular with the Readers' Digest crowd.
posted by whuppy at 7:43 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
Anyone care to name an American near-equivalent for Terry Wogan? Based on the clips, I'm guessing some sort of small market TV legend whose hoary and predictable "humor" remains popular with the Readers' Digest crowd.
posted by whuppy at 7:43 AM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'd nominate Bill Kurtis, although these days (now that he's back on Chicago news after a long hiatus to do other work like documentary voiceovers) he's more free and easy with his sense of humor. But you have to love that voice.
posted by davejay at 8:36 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by davejay at 8:36 AM on April 12, 2012
The thing about El Tel is he's so sqaure he kind of comes of out the other side into something really quite strange... I blame all those years presenting The Eurovision Song Contest.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:53 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:53 AM on April 12, 2012
I was shocked when I saw that Brian Butterfield ran Best Buy since 2009. Well, that explains it!
posted by eschatfische at 9:51 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by eschatfische at 9:51 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Hold tight Sir Pimpleton!"
"It's comin', ready thyselves!"
posted by zippy at 10:09 AM on April 12, 2012
"It's comin', ready thyselves!"
posted by zippy at 10:09 AM on April 12, 2012
That bassline is disgraceful.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 10:48 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 10:48 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
I found this alarmingly relaxing.
posted by the painkiller at 11:12 AM on April 12, 2012
posted by the painkiller at 11:12 AM on April 12, 2012
Anyone care to name an American near-equivalent for Terry Wogan? Based on the clips, I'm guessing some sort of small market TV legend whose hoary and predictable "humor" remains popular with the Readers' Digest crowd.
He's by no means a Ron Burgendy-esque local hero, indeed his daily radio show was (apparently) the most popular in all of Europe when he retired. His is gentle humour that everyone likes but which he does in a knowing but not ironic way so as to elevate him from the realms of day time wallpaper radio to the god like genius that he is. On one level he's an excellent broadcaster, at a deeper he's sort of subversive, deeper still he can't be as he's on daytime radio. He is the Inception of light entertainment.
posted by Damienmce at 11:13 AM on April 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
He's by no means a Ron Burgendy-esque local hero, indeed his daily radio show was (apparently) the most popular in all of Europe when he retired. His is gentle humour that everyone likes but which he does in a knowing but not ironic way so as to elevate him from the realms of day time wallpaper radio to the god like genius that he is. On one level he's an excellent broadcaster, at a deeper he's sort of subversive, deeper still he can't be as he's on daytime radio. He is the Inception of light entertainment.
posted by Damienmce at 11:13 AM on April 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
I absolutely adore Peter's 50 impressions of non-existent people. Such a brilliant bit.
posted by joechip at 11:59 AM on April 12, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by joechip at 11:59 AM on April 12, 2012 [4 favorites]
I'm an american who's big into british humor, and sadly this does not carry over. I say this not dismissively, but with a sense of envy.
posted by benito.strauss at 12:37 PM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by benito.strauss at 12:37 PM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately, no.
The FCC is much more stringent about enforcement in the US, and there isn't the dance 12" / dubplate culture to drive it.
Boston, actually, has an emergent low-wattage pirate radio scene or culture or whatever you want to call it, which is constantly going up against the FCC. The stations on the low end of the FM band in certain spots of this area are diverse, localized by neighborhood, and in some case of some stations, an important voice of their communities. Someone recently remixed a thirty-minute audio collage of the various stations he could pick up in his car. It's fascinating and wonderful.
posted by Spatch at 1:26 PM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
The FCC is much more stringent about enforcement in the US, and there isn't the dance 12" / dubplate culture to drive it.
Boston, actually, has an emergent low-wattage pirate radio scene or culture or whatever you want to call it, which is constantly going up against the FCC. The stations on the low end of the FM band in certain spots of this area are diverse, localized by neighborhood, and in some case of some stations, an important voice of their communities. Someone recently remixed a thirty-minute audio collage of the various stations he could pick up in his car. It's fascinating and wonderful.
posted by Spatch at 1:26 PM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
I hadn't thought before about how difficult it is to describe Wogan, he's quite complex. Damiencme puts it really well though.
I think he's like Alan Partridge but if he were successful, self effacing and charismatic - so not like Alan Partridge at all... (but that's another British reference.)
posted by pmcp at 1:32 PM on April 12, 2012
I think he's like Alan Partridge but if he were successful, self effacing and charismatic - so not like Alan Partridge at all... (but that's another British reference.)
posted by pmcp at 1:32 PM on April 12, 2012
Not having the correct cultural reference for Terry Wogan, I've been substituting a mix of Walter Cronkite and Peter Gzowski instead. I kinda hope someone does a Harry Caray (or, more precisely, Will Ferrell as Harry Caray) version of this.
posted by mhum at 1:58 PM on April 12, 2012
posted by mhum at 1:58 PM on April 12, 2012
Peter Serafinowicz is a genius - master of impersonation but a great comedian too.
His show - imaginatively titled "The Peter Serafinowicz Show" only lasted about 7 episodes but contained some of the most bizarrely funny stuff I've seen.
Most famously was a parody of Who Wants to be a Millionaire with UK host Chris Tarrant'smannerisms just perfect. Thing is, the show was called Heads or Tails and is one of the funniest absurd things you'll ever see.
The kicker is - a TV network in the UK then actually produced a real show called Heads or Tails based on Serafinowicz's absurd parody.
Bizarre.
His Terry Wogan impersonation is one of the best going around - and he has used it before as well.
posted by chris88 at 3:52 PM on April 12, 2012
His show - imaginatively titled "The Peter Serafinowicz Show" only lasted about 7 episodes but contained some of the most bizarrely funny stuff I've seen.
Most famously was a parody of Who Wants to be a Millionaire with UK host Chris Tarrant'smannerisms just perfect. Thing is, the show was called Heads or Tails and is one of the funniest absurd things you'll ever see.
The kicker is - a TV network in the UK then actually produced a real show called Heads or Tails based on Serafinowicz's absurd parody.
Bizarre.
His Terry Wogan impersonation is one of the best going around - and he has used it before as well.
posted by chris88 at 3:52 PM on April 12, 2012
That is cool to hear that boston is a pirate radio hotspot, also interesting that it is Caribbean music and culture that is driving it.
posted by jonbro at 1:14 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by jonbro at 1:14 AM on April 13, 2012
Watching various things linked from here I spotted a "Peter Serafinowicz does 50 impressions in 2 minutes" link on YouTube which sounded good. It's better than I'd thought: 50 impressions in 2 minutes.
posted by jiroczech at 3:31 AM on April 13, 2012
posted by jiroczech at 3:31 AM on April 13, 2012
but what do the numbers mean?
I think they might be town telephone codes, minus the '01' that they all share. So e.g. Eastbourne would be 'The 323', High Wycombe would be 'The 494', etc
posted by Flashman at 9:41 AM on April 13, 2012
I think they might be town telephone codes, minus the '01' that they all share. So e.g. Eastbourne would be 'The 323', High Wycombe would be 'The 494', etc
posted by Flashman at 9:41 AM on April 13, 2012
but how would a pirate DJ know those Flashman - people would be having to text their area codes? Possible I guess, but... seems unlikely! Citation pls, as they say on Wikipedia...
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 5:44 AM on April 14, 2012
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 5:44 AM on April 14, 2012
Peter Serafinowicz also directs the occasional Hot Chip music video. And just signed on to do their next one. Excited.
posted by inigo2 at 7:23 AM on April 15, 2012
posted by inigo2 at 7:23 AM on April 15, 2012
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Terry Wogan example.
It helped me. :-/
posted by basicchannel at 12:18 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]