I thought this was pretty interesting, even if it's more for historical reasons than for the music, which are mostly well-known hits. US Army pirate radio in Vietnam:
Radio First Termer – January 1971 [pt.1 of 4]
The time is January 1971. The place is Saigon, The Republic of Vietnam. A 22-year-old US Air Force sergeant, tired of the bland programming served up to the troops by the official US military broadcasting service, takes to the airwaves to bring his comrades a more entertaining alternative.
Radio First Termer is on the air!
Broadcasting at 69 MHz from a makeshift pirate radio studio in a back room above a downtown Saigon brothel, using equipment procured via “midnight supply,” disc-jockey “Dave Rabbit” and his studio engineer “Pete Sadler” carried out their mission to “bring vital news, information, and hard acid-rock music to first-termers and non-reenlistees in The Republic of Vietnam”---to give their fellow troops a laugh and a break from the absurdity of a war they could not win.
“Dave” and “Pete”, assisted by the lovely “Nguyen,” launched
Radio First Termer on New Year’s Day 1971 and continued to broadcast three hours a night for most of that month of January. Figuring that if they continued to broadcast any longer they would eventually be busted, they decided to lay
Radio First Termer to rest after a successful run of 21 days.
For those of you not fluent in military slang, a “first-termer” is an enlisted military member serving his first hitch (enlistment) in the service---as opposed to a “lifer,” who is a career service member. Lifers are planning on staying in the military “for the duration.” “Non-reenlistees” are guys who have chosen not to continue military service when their current hitch is complete.
Presented here (in four parts) is the only known existing recording of a
Radio First Termer broadcast.
WARNING: If you are offended by vulgarity, profanity, and crass sexual references, it is recommended that you do not listen to
Radio First Termer. As “Dave” puts it, “...We’re an underground radio station here, and we say what we feel like saying...”
“Good Night Vietnam and Good Luck!”
--
Playlist--
BLOODROCK -
Double Cross
SANTANA -
Evil Ways
THE WHO -
Pinball Wizard
CREAM -
White Room
SUGARLOAF -
Green-Eyed Lady
CACTUS -
You Can't Judge a Book By Looking at the Cover
IRON BUTTERFLY -
Soul Experience
THE JAMES GANG -
Funk #49
THREE DOG NIGHT -
Mama Told Me Not To Come
Download here or listen to streaming audio below:
This segment features Dave’s helpful movie guide to films showing in the Phan Rang, Saigon, Nha Trang and Cam Ranh Bay areas... And, of course, more words of wisdom from the latrine walls!
WARNING: If you are offended by vulgarity, profanity, and crass sexual references, it is recommended that you do not listen to
Radio First Termer...
--
Playlist--
STEPPENWOLF -
The Pusher
THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE -
Fire
JIMI HENDRIX & THE BAND OF GYPSIES -
Changes
LED ZEPPELIN -
Good Times, Bad Times
THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP -
I’m a Man
THE BYRDS -
Eight Miles High
THE BEATLES -
Tax Man
BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD -
For What It’s Worth
VANILLA FUDGE -
You Keep Me Hanging On
ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS -
Monterey
LOVE -
My Flash On You
THE WHO -
Overture / It’s a Boy
THREE DOG NIGHT -
Rock ’n’ Roll Widow
Download here or listen to streaming audio below:
http://sonicdaydream.blogspot.com/20...-1971-pt2.html
By popular demand, we proudly present another installment of
Radio First Termer! This segment features an informative announcement regarding exciting new items available at the base exchange... plus a delightful vignette describing a young GI’s first “short time” in Vietnam.
WARNING: If you are offended by vulgarity, profanity, and crass sexual references, it is recommended that you do not listen to
Radio First Termer...
--
Playlist--
BLOODROCK -
D.O.A.
THE JAMES GANG -
Stop
CACTUS -
Feels So Good
THE WHO -
See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Heal Me
THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE -
Purple Haze
STEPPENWOLF -
Don’t Step on the Grass Sam
THREE DOG NIGHT -
Chest Fever
Download here or listen to streaming audio below:
http://sonicdaydream.blogspot.com/20...71-pt3-of.html
In this, the final installment of
Radio First Termer, we’re treated to
Tonight’s News as read by Dave and Nyguen, an episode of
Your Air Force in Action, and Dave’s
Swap Shop of The Air!
For more information regarding
RFT and Dave Rabbit, visit this
website.
WARNING: If you are offended by vulgarity, profanity, and crass sexual references, it is recommended that you do not listen to
Radio First Termer...
--
Playlist--
SUGARLOAF -
West of Tomorrow
BLOODROCK -
Gotta Find a Way
SANTANA -
Soul Sacrifice
LED ZEPPELIN -
Heartbreaker
DONOVAN -
Hurdy Gurdy Man
THREE DOG NIGHT -
Cowboy
BLOODROCK -
Fancy Space Odyssey
STEPPENWOLF -
Born To Be Wild
Download here or listen to streaming audio below:
http://sonicdaydream.blogspot.com/20...71-pt4-of.html