Radio London: "Top Ten" LP, 1966 - with Top Rank Bingo Offshore radio. Pirate.
£
24
$
32
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Description
Radio London Top Ten L.P.
Rainbow Records: TRC 1001; 1966
Joint advertising promotion with Top Rank Bingo, 1966
This is a most unusual old album. It is not to be celebrated for the music it contains, which is a collection of cover versions performed by session musicians but it is a rare and interesting artefact of the history of offshore radio (“pirate radio”) in the UK.
The album was issued in 1966 as part of a highly unlikely joint enterprise between “Wonderful Radio London” and the Top Rank organisation, which among other things, operated a national chain of bingo halls during this period. It’s impossible to know why these two very different outfits decided that there was enough of an overlap between their audiences that a shared advertising promotion was a worth a go!
The idea is so convoluted that it is difficult to explain. Top Rank approached ten of its biggest recent bingo prize winners from around the country and asked them each to nominate a track for inclusion on this album – thus the album title “Top Ten” refers both to the bingo prize-winners as well as being a reference to pop music radio. The bingo players are pictured on the rear of the album sleeve and – I don’t mean to be cynical here – but it’s hard to imagine any of them nominating “Mr Tambourine Man” or “The Last Time”, two of the tracks included.
The music is a mix of pop tracks and light entertainment standards – hence the album’s sub-title “Pop and Popular”. As I said earlier, all the tracks are cover versions performed by un-credited musicians. The album was issued on Rainbow Records of Edgware Road in London. It may well have been the only record ever issued on this label. The sleeve depicts the Radio London ship, MV Galaxy, and a bingo card!
I believe the L.P. was only sold in Top Rank bingo halls, which may explain its extreme rarity now. The L.P. contained a leaflet (not present in this copy) with details of a competition to win £500. Competitors had to “Write a Radio London ‘Bingle’ (bingo-jingle)”. The bingle would be used in Top Rank clubs! The whole thing was really quite bizarre.
This copy of the record is in decent condition. The sleeve is clean, bright and intact. The labels are good. The playing surface has lots of faint marks but these are mostly of the kind caused by taking it in an out of the sleeve. It plays very well – but really the content is not the most important factor. This is a novelty, a rarity and an oddity. It may particularly interest those who collect items associated with the anarchic heyday of offshore radio in the early to mid 1960s.
UK Postage and packing: £3.00.
International postage and packing: Postage charges to international destinations are given below.
All postage prices quoted (UK and international) are maximum charges. If postage and packing costs less than these estimates, I will refund the difference after posting (subject to the difference being £1.00 or more. Unless otherwise indicated, the postage prices I give in the listing are for a tracked and signed-for service, as required by eBay. If however, winning buyers would prefer cheaper options, I am always happy to help with that if I can. Please contact me for a quote.
I hope this description has given you enough to go on but should you require any further information, or more images, please do e-mail. Please also look carefully at the hi-res photos – they are part of the description. Thanks for your interest in this auction and good luck if you decide to bid.
Please note: I will not respond to requests to close the auction early regardless of the value of the offer made. Ending early is contrary to both the principle and spirit of an auction. It is also unfair to other eBayers who may be watching the auction intending to bid at a later time.
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