Kenny Everett - Tribute

This short Boom will not even risk doing justice to the talents of Kenny Everett. Thankfully, the many, many hours of quarter inch tape do.

Edit some yellow leader tape in here.

Kenny was offered a BBC gig at the Light Programme; but chose to take up a job with the pirate Radio London. He was sacked from there after making disparaging remarks about a syndicated religious programme. The sacking was to be good experience for his later career. A Radio London return was followed by a spell at Radio Luxembourg and then to the Light Programme, just before it split to become Radios 1 and 2. He was sacked again in 1970, following remarks about the Transport Minister's wife, but possibly not because of them. Kenny re-surfaced at BBC Local Radio in pre-recorded shows, which were likely vetted carefully; even in those pre-Sachsgate days. 

Kenny’s tenure in commercial radio began in its early days at Capital in 1973. He then returned to the BBC, before departing again for Capital and Capital Gold, where he remained until 1994.

His style was based on the likes of Jack Jackson who enjoyed playing in comedy segments into his programmes, but the skills he went on to develop were utterly his own and as new as the technology he mastered. His analogue originality was clear and unparalleled. 

Much is muttered about whether the talents of someone like Kenny could surface in today’s radio environment. One hopes they could. What is clear from the very first bit of audio is that he was not good at everything . Kenny’s early newsreading was not a forte. But he was clearly a master of much. With today’s technology, it is highly unlikely there would not still be a home for Everett. I’m as sure about him getting hired as I am about his getting sacked. Great talent is always like that. Isn’t it reassuring, though, that his recognition curiously grows as the years pass. He was a true great.

Kenny died on 4th April 1995.

Edit some red leader tape on here.