Falklands rocking to the fab Fifties sound (From Bournemouth Echo)

Falklands rocking to the fab Fifties sound

3:00pm Sunday 14th March 2010 in

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THE 3,000-plus permanent residents of the Falklands Islands will soon be rockin’ round the clock thanks to veteran Lymington DJs Paul Peters and Geoff Kemp.

The Fabulous 50s show – “It’s rock and roll to Nat King Cole” – which they make for Verwood’s very own Forest FM community radio station is to made its debut on the South Atlantic islands on Friday.

And with exploratory drilling for oil just beginning in the North Falkland Basin and a 2,000-strong contingent of troops there, Paul and Geoff’s music is going to reach an even bigger audience.

The Falklands have made the news recently because of the drilling and the resurgence of the Argentine desire to take over control of the islands.

But deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman MP has said that the Falkland Islands will be “fully defended” amid continuing tensions with Argentina.

Peter, who started his career as a pirate DJ with Radio Essex broadcasting from Knock John Fort in the middle of the Thames Estuary aged 16 in 1965, is only too happy that his music is to reach an even wider audience.

It is already broadcast on 11 stations in America including KFMT in Alaska; a station in Lake County, Chicago; Cranking Oldies, one of two stations in South Carolina; Deep Oldies in Phoenix and, from this week in the Antipodes, on Radio Kidnappers in Hawks Bay, New Zealand.

The Falkland Island Radio link was made when station controller Liz Elliott emailed Peter saying she was enjoying listening to Fabulous 50s on Forest FM’s web site.

Forest FM manager Steve Saville suggested to Peter that he try to persuade her to broadcast the programme.

“Literally a few days later she emailed back saying they would like to take the show,” said Peter who runs a furniture and furnishings business in St Thomas Street, Lymington with Geoff.

Geoff said news of the Falklands broadcasts was “absolutely wonderful”.

“It’s brilliant to see it going out there. It’s amazing, we’re really pleased.”

The pair make nothing from the additional broadcasts. Because it is a community radio station, everything penny is ploughed back into the business.

“We do it to keep 50s music alive,” said Geoff.