Spectrum Radio 558 Remembered
This page contains a collection of memories of the early days of Spectrum Radio, London’s International Radio station.
Spectrum Radio appeared on London’s airwaves on the 25th of June 1990, broadcasting from studios in Endeavour House, close to the Brent Cross Shopping Centre in North West London. The early days at Spectrum were troubled ones – the station was due to launch on the frequency 558AM, but at launch, that frequency was occupied by the pirate radio station, Radio Caroline, meaning that Spectrum International had to launch on a temporary frequency of 990AM.
The station’s aim was to provide radio for London’s multicultural communities – Asian, Afro-Caribbean, Chinese, Jewish, Arabic, Greek, Italian and Hispanic… This was an ambitious project. As the station progressed, it later adopted some other communities too, including Persian, Irish and the gay community, as well as an early morning show for London’s Dawn Traders
This page was put together by Pete Sipple, who spent four years with the station from the early days in 1990, as the Commercial Producer, and then as the station’s engineer. This page contains a few nostalgic memories from those early days, including a few pictures and sound-bites.
Special greetings to: partner in crime Brian Lee, Jon-Tek Hart , Keith Belcher, Tim “Who is here” Lloyd, Jon Kaye (on Spectrum each day…), Julie, Kirsty, Liesl, Laura, Louisa, Bloomsbury Jake, Angela, Alice & Joseph, Susie Mac, Pedro, Mike Mendoza, Ian Sweiger, Beverley Bond, Wolfgang Bucci, Hank (“hello baby”), Dennis Onion, Andy ‘Rockin’ Sheldon, Angie Greaves, John Kyriakides, Patric ‘next on four’ Walker, the man with no name, Tony Patti… and Mr Katchatorian-Os.
You were a great bunch to work with, and it was a lot of fun… Pete Sipple – October 2003
Spectrum Radio photos
A collection of photos from 1990 to 1993…
 Mike Mendoza at the front door |
 Tim, Asif, Laura, Sue & Keith |
Spectrum Studio 3 |
 Jon Hart on the bus |
 Julie and Kirsty on reception |
 The Team – Pete’s leaving Do |
 Louisa and Brian, in Traffic |
 The June 2000 re-union |
 Endeavour House, NW2 1JT |
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Spectrum Radio Sound Bites
| Category | Cut | Format / Duration |
| Jingles | Full station theme | 361kb MP3 |
| Afro-Caribbean ident | 64kb MP3 | |
| Asian ident | 65kb MP3 | |
| Chinese ident | 59kb MP3 | |
| Hispanic | 41kb MP3 | |
| Italian | 42kb MP3 | |
| Off-air clips | Mr Katchatorian-Os, on Rocky’s Phone-in | 326kb MP3 |
| Test Transmissions 1990 | 635kb MP3 | |
| Promos | Image Promo 1990 | 525kb MP3 |
| Gulf War | 509kb MP3 |
If you remember working with me there, please drop me an email to say hi… and if there’s a memory you’d like me to upload to this page, let me know. Pete
You’ll find details of today’s Spectrum Radio at www.spectrumradio.net
I remember listening to Spectrum Radio’s Italian show every day as a child (around 12 years old) and taping songs I’d like, hoping the DJ’s would play them all the way to the end without interruption. Me and my brother would make compilation cassettes of all our fave tracks and hope we could get the actual albums one day (we managed to get a few lol). I used to request Lucio Dalla and Gianni Morandi’s Dimmi Dimmi – the long version specifically – almost everyday haha. So many memories attached to this programme, hearing the voices of Massimo Bini, Bucci, Angela Boniana et al. It gives me a happy feeling to remember this station. Much love.
I had worked in Spectrum Radio HIspanic program, started with Dr.Bruno Giorgi and Angela Boniana. It was a great learning experience and today I was rember Dr. Bruno Giorgi as by chance I came across some information about his death in 1998. i was affected then and I am affected now as he was a great community leader and great journalist.
Anabel Claro
great to see a pic of dad – Big K . Just trawling the net as his funeral is today
Hi Dayle, So sorry for your loss, your dad was a lovely man to work with , Liesl x
I worked with Bruno for many years I remember him for Centro Gallego and our award ceremony. He will always be missed
I grew up with the Italian programme! My dad knew Wolfgang Bucci well as did my Brother and a band he was in at the time called Pietro & the Italian Trio. They performed live on the show one afternoon. Wolfgang also arranged tickets to European football matches, when an Italian team came over to play an English team, he was always selling tickets to the game! I wonder if Wolfgang is still with us, he must be in his 80’s now. Also wonder what Angela is up to these days!