Spill Magazine - Dec 2003

n-joi ment factor

It’s a wet Wednesday night around six 0’clock and I’ve arranged an interview with two of the members of what only can be described as a collective. A group of young artists and technicians who are trying to maintain and grow a scene. They are Mr Fame and Dj Strictland. The scene is hip-hop, drum and bass, jungle and other types of urban-based dance music. However I don’t strictly want to talk to them about music or their scene as they have a better story to tell

What you are about to read is a brief insight into what was an illegal pirate station that is now trying to become an independent radio station.

As an up and coming MC who was soon to be known throughout the UK scene, Mr Fame was overwhelmed by the immense atmosphere that was created over the airwaves. From here it was a forgone conclusion that the formidable duo were going to make one of the largest impressions on the UK radio scene since Radio Caroline. “The Feeling of organising and running a pirate station is immense, second only to the knowledge that all the listeners understand the fact that you are breaking the law in order to bring them the music they can’t obtain legally anywhere else on the FM band. Bringing the music to the people carries associated risks. Everyone involved broke countless laws on a daily basis just to fill the gap in the UK scene that commercials can’t provide. The wireless telegraphy act of 1949 is restrictive and is geared towards the corporative giants (which we are aiming to change) as such breaching this act carries unlimited fines and potential heavy jail sentences”.

N-Joi covered the entire spectrum of dance music and some nights had a listenership of 300,000 people. As far as we know this has not been achieved since the days of Radio Caroline (for all you anoraks out there, the premier founder of pirate radio in the UK). Over 70 Djs have performed on N-Joi including some of the cream of the UK underground scene, such as Jazz T, Cause 4 Concern, Diversion Tactics and Stevia A to name a few.

Pirate radio is far from glamorous. N-Joi were broadcasting from a shed not dissimilar to the one in your parents back garden. Thousands of pounds worth of equipment was kept in this shed which was vital to the running of the station as well as to the careers of all involved, but after much airplay and many attempts by the authorities to remove illegally installed equipment, the station was finally silenced by local police and DTI officials. Statements were taken, equipment was seized and the plug was pulled, it was then that the decision was made that the gap N-Joi filled had to be replaced by a legal station.

The new independent station will take shape under the name of KANE UK; the official name is Development Radio Ltd. KANE used to be the pirate radio of Guildford run by a guy called Nomis. Aptly named Kane in the dictionary stands for universal drumbeat.

When KANE FM becomes independent it will be a great forum for musicians of their ilk and it will establish themselves and take it all to another level. People that have primarily shown an interest in being involved in Kane’s development are Scratch Perverts, Diversion Tactics and Dj Pogo and Cause 4 Concern. To become an independent radio station you have to apply for a certain frequency in your area from the relevant governing bodies. It will not be quick and easy to set up but Mr Fame promises that it will be worth waiting for and if this becomes a success they will put more plans into action. KANE UK will not just be radio; club nights under the name of Phylum and a record label are also on the agenda. One third of the music buying population purchase underground music, Mr Fame feels that it could take up to half especially if Kane UK gets going.

Geraint Jones – Spill – December 2003

Surrey Advertiser - Feb 2003

Man fined for pirate radio station broadcasts

A MAN Involved in a pirate radio station in Guildford has been fined and also had his equipment seized by the Radiocommunications Agency.

The station, N-Joi, had been broadcasting from a shed in ………………., Guildford, via a transmitter on a mobile phone mast on the A31 Hog’s Back.

A Spokesman for the agency said the transmitter was being installed at weekends and ran the risk of interference to aircraft radio communications.

………………. pleaded guilty to the charges under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 at Guildford Magistrates Court on Thursday last week (February 6).

Equipment, including two radio transmitters, record decks and mixers, was confiscated from the shed in July last year by the agency.

……………………., was fined £150 and ordered to pay £250 court costs. Magistrates also ordered the forfeiture of the equipment.

Unknown - 2003

A Guildford man involved with a pirate radio station has been convicted at Guildford Magistrates Court.

........................................................................ pleaded guilty on 06 February 2003, to charges brought against him under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, relating to the operation of the pirate radio station N-Joi. He had costs of £250 awarded against him and was ordered to pay a fine of £150.

The prosecution followed an operation on 12 July 2002 where broadcasting equipment was seized from a garden shed in ....................., Guildford. The operation was a culmination of several months of investigation and monitoring of the station. The main transmitter was being installed on the Sunnydown cellphone mast at weekends and ran the risk of radio interference to aircraft radio communications.

The court also ordered forfeiture of all the seized equipment, including two radio transmitters, record decks and mixers.