Wear Fm dance music early 90s
Discussion
Just had a flash back (maaan) as I heard an old dance tune. In Hexham early 90s we all used to drive up to the race course every Friday night so we could get Wear Fm on our car radios.
It was literally the only decent dance music on at the time - pre Pete tong even!
Anyone else remember this station? Was it student run or something?
It was literally the only decent dance music on at the time - pre Pete tong even!
Anyone else remember this station? Was it student run or something?
Wear FM was based in the Sunderland University (Foster building) Chester Road. It was the first true community radio station in the UK, Later became Sun City FM (from memory) then became Sun FM.
I worker there twice, once when it was Wear FM and then again it became part of the Capital Radio Group in late 2000. Capital took it over when the bought Century Radio from Border TV.
Not sure who owns it now. One of my ex colleagues probably has a lot of older archive tapes.
Those late night dance shows were very unique in their time and the studios often stank of well smoeky substances..... Great memories.
I worker there twice, once when it was Wear FM and then again it became part of the Capital Radio Group in late 2000. Capital took it over when the bought Century Radio from Border TV.
Not sure who owns it now. One of my ex colleagues probably has a lot of older archive tapes.
Those late night dance shows were very unique in their time and the studios often stank of well smoeky substances..... Great memories.
Wear FM, bigger than the Lambton Worm apparently.
As my friend above says it was the first community station in the UK and it won Sony Station of the Year. It went on air in 1990 and ceased transmissions in July 1995.
Plagued by infighting and scandal as well as a lack of funding it was towards its end, an unhappy mix of genuine people who believed in community radio, eager students looking to learn, self important individuals looking to be in charge of something along with a collection of transients who drifted in and out of the picture.
It was a great "nursery" for talent and it did pioneer some interesting stuff like the dance music shows and a show specifically aimed at Gay men which didn't take its self too seriously. amongst the misfits and oddballs there were some very professional people there who went on to do some great things - not all of it on the radio.
Wear FM just wasn't a runner financially. It was hamstrung by its community radio constitutiion and though it could sell adverts on air -and did - It needed to be run as fully fledged commercial station. In July 1995 the 103.4 FM license relaunched as Sun City 103.4. owned now by Minster Sound, a York based radio group the station adopted the "Best Music Mix" format developed and used at the time by GWR stations.
In 1997 Minster sold the station to Border Television's growing radio arm. Plans for a new Sunderland based joint broadcast facility with Border's Century Radio were knocked back by regulators.
In 2000 Capital Radio Group bought Border TV for its Century Radio stations, selling Border to Granada and Sun FM off to I think GWR. The station which for years has been the number one listened to station in Sunderland has had several owners since and was recently bought by I think a Welsh based radio group.
As my friend above says it was the first community station in the UK and it won Sony Station of the Year. It went on air in 1990 and ceased transmissions in July 1995.
Plagued by infighting and scandal as well as a lack of funding it was towards its end, an unhappy mix of genuine people who believed in community radio, eager students looking to learn, self important individuals looking to be in charge of something along with a collection of transients who drifted in and out of the picture.
It was a great "nursery" for talent and it did pioneer some interesting stuff like the dance music shows and a show specifically aimed at Gay men which didn't take its self too seriously. amongst the misfits and oddballs there were some very professional people there who went on to do some great things - not all of it on the radio.
Wear FM just wasn't a runner financially. It was hamstrung by its community radio constitutiion and though it could sell adverts on air -and did - It needed to be run as fully fledged commercial station. In July 1995 the 103.4 FM license relaunched as Sun City 103.4. owned now by Minster Sound, a York based radio group the station adopted the "Best Music Mix" format developed and used at the time by GWR stations.
In 1997 Minster sold the station to Border Television's growing radio arm. Plans for a new Sunderland based joint broadcast facility with Border's Century Radio were knocked back by regulators.
In 2000 Capital Radio Group bought Border TV for its Century Radio stations, selling Border to Granada and Sun FM off to I think GWR. The station which for years has been the number one listened to station in Sunderland has had several owners since and was recently bought by I think a Welsh based radio group.
Dan BSCS said:
Yes, Wear FM was pre-Sun FM. I have friends who worked at both. The dance music on Wear FM was like nothing else on the radio at the time. Great memories! 
Dan
Off topic. Dan I think I may have met you. Did you work somewhere some Rowlands Gill with another Dan?Dan
Either way, having saved your website, we need to talk about servicing my MGF.
I'm another Dan -just to confuse matters.
k 2000 on it - at which I was present when it was being made (in a supportive role...)ha - just found another psi tune i was present during the creation of:
Total Control with Alien sample: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzxKiZ-Jrh8
Remember queueing that up !
might have to get into the attack and dig out the hundreds of tapes
even heard High On Hope which i have on some commercial mix tape somewhere ( bass beats and beeps ?) which was one of my faves.
i even have a tape that has a sampled shout out from Wear Fm mixed into it as part of the song !
Total Control with Alien sample: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzxKiZ-Jrh8
Remember queueing that up !
might have to get into the attack and dig out the hundreds of tapes
even heard High On Hope which i have on some commercial mix tape somewhere ( bass beats and beeps ?) which was one of my faves.
i even have a tape that has a sampled shout out from Wear Fm mixed into it as part of the song !
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