Crossroad’s punk legacy

Years ago a good mate of ours (Ricky R.I.P.) always used to tell us that he watched an episode of Crossroads where a punk band (who were recording at the state of the art recording studios down in the motel’s basement at the time) were ticked off by Meg Mortimer and kicked out of the motel’s reception. Because of this interaction, the punk band were linked as one of the possible suspects for burning down said motel thus putting an end to the popular series.

We didn’t see the episode but we imagined some scruffy leather-jacketed, short-haired louts with black ripped T shirts with guitar cases pushing poor Amy Turtle out of the way, stubbing out their Player’s No. 6 out on the reception desk and spilling Breaker lager over the CM-initialled reception carpet.

Amazingly we have just found some footage from the said episode. The band look more like Sigue Sigue Sputnick than The Suburban Studs and we love that one of the members is carrying a transistor radio. What is funny though, we mentioned Sigue Sigue Sputnick and what do you know, we also found a picture of Tony James (and Billy Idol) in the motel’s reception. There can’t be a connection can there? Did Generation X actually record in the basement studio with Shughie McFee at the controls?

PS. If anyone knows what the punk band was called, what songs they were recording downstairs in the motel’s basement or if you were one the actors who played the band, please get in touch at one deck pete (at) gee male dot com

A bit of downbeat for the weekend

Here’s the fourth episode in the Downbeat on Shortwave series with Jesse Yuen and One Deck Pete that was broadcast this weekend on Imaginary Stations via Shortwave Gold.

Jesse and Pete bring you two 15-minute downtempo mixes each over the hour-long show. We’ve posted up two recordings, the above the clean studio version. The recorded off the radio, mono version complete with atmospheric sounds literally, is below. Enjoy the tunes!

Jesse Yuen Mix 1
Stress Assassin – Me We
Pugilist –  introspect Ft. Tamen
Drug Free America – Baby Doll and the Dolphin Burger (video edit)

One Deck Pete Mix 1
Deadbeats – Got it going on (Space Hopper original)
Stereo Total Vs Mad Professor – Das erste Mal dub trip 2
Transglobal Underground – Templehead – Burundi Beat mix
Madtone – It is AI but WE created it

Jesse Yuen Mix 2
Leslie Winer – King of sleep
99 Cents – Adrenalin Spaceboy (Dub Boy Extended mix)

One Deck Pete Mix 2
変化への恐れ – Shinogi シノギ
Mad Professor – Boombox version 2
Kuna – Decade Dub
Space To Crash – Holding Hands

More Downbeat on Shortwave this weekend!

This weekend Imaginary Stations bring you the fourth episode in the Downbeat on Shortwave series with Jesse Yuen (from Perth, Australia) and One Deck Pete (from Catford Village, Londres).

Jesse and Pete bring you two 15-minute downtempo mixes each over the hour-long show. Expect some ambient, dub, reggae and downtempo tunes for a chilled-out weekend.

The show is broadcast on Saturday 13th June at 1100 hrs UTC (12 noon in the UK) on 6160 kHz and then again on Sunday 14th June at 1300 hrs UTC (2pm in the UK) on 6160 kHz and 2000 hrs UTC (9pm in the UK) on 3975 kHz/6160 kHz. Thanks to the great Shortwave Gold for beaming those radio waves skywards.

Don’t worry if you haven’t a shortwave radio you can tune in via an online Software Defined Radio here (pre-tuned into 6160 kHz). Just plug in at the right time(s) and experience that shortwave mono sound with all the fading and cross channel interference live.

Here’s the older shows for your listening pleasure!

Programme 1

Programme 2

Programme 3

Who listens in mono anymore? We do!

A week tomorrow (thanks to Fred and the Imaginary Stations crew), we have the fourth episode of Downbeat on Shortwave via Shortwave Gold.

Big shout to our musical collaborator Jesse Yuen from North of The River Swan, Perth, Australia! One Deck Pete (Slightly south of The Napier public house) and Jesse bring you two 15-minute downtempo mixes each over the hour-long show. Expect some top ambient, dub, reggae and downtempo vibes to wind down to and enjoy.

The show is broadcast on Saturday 13th June at 1100 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then again on Sunday 14th June at 1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and 2000 hrs UTC on 3975 kHz/6160 kHz. If you haven’t got a shortwave radio you can tune in via an online Software Defined Radio here (pre-tuned into 6160 kHz). Check you are in the right time zone (UK is presently an hour ahead of UTC so if you wanted the 1100 UTC broadcast, tune in at 12 noon) and experience the mono sounds with all the fading live.

Skybird, Shortwave and Soul

Last night and the Monday night before, Skybird Soul on Shortwave was broadcast to Europe thanks to Shortwave Gold. It’s a bit of a nice spot for special Imaginary Stations projects on a Monday, and shortwave radio is ideal for getting rid of those Monday night blues.

The show has DJ Frederick and One Deck Pete going through their record boxes and playing some special soul tinged tunes. Tune in via Mixcloud and enjoy some great soul and soul related tunes.

Here’s the tracklist for the first half of the show from One Deck Pete.
Slowe – Too much to ask (Instrumental)
Tim Maia – Over again
Brown Spirits – Sunshine soul
Isaac Hayes – Ike’s mood
The Spinners – Message from a blackman
Freddie Scott – You got what I need
The Chosen Few – I’m so daggone mixed up
Lamont Dozier – I’m so glad (part 1)
Ty Karim – Lighten up baby
Jasmine & Madtone – All day all night

Destination: all over the map

This weekend there was a edition of Skybird Radio International featuring DJ Frederick and Justin Patrick Moore, who journeyed all over this globe of ours in an all genre style. You don’t need a passport, or carry over-packed suitcases to go on this international musical coach trip as itwas transmitted over those shortwaves and now on Mixcloud:

 

At 3.38 there’s a mix from One Deck Pete and here’s the tracks:
Madtone – Diamonds in the sky (excerpt – full track here)
Les Maîtres Fous – La Mort d’Icare
Aselefech Ashine & Getenesh Kebret – Wegenne
Narcy – Nehaya
Wilmoth Houdini – Blow Wind Blow
Unknown Track off “Cantos Oscuros” from Little Axe Records

And Justin Patrick Moore played this obscure one from Jodie Foster, released in that heady year of Punk, 1977.

Getting on the right track

Here’s the Imaginary Stations tribute to the humble locomotive, CTRN. All the crew were aboard this week including DJ Frederick, Justin Patrick Moore and Marc from Belgium with all sorts of interesting train stuff crammed into the one hour show which was broadcast thanks to Shortwave Gold.

After a great story from Marc from Belgium at 7.50 mins in is a mix from One Deck Pete called “This one’s for the trainspotters out there”. Here’s the tracks:
Saiko – Traintrack
Jah Wobble – Turner, Whistler and Blake
The Hardy Tree – Railway tracks
Vin Morgan meets Lone Ark – Train Dub
Otis Rush – So many roads, so many trains

Here’s a few more train related tunes.

Around the world on the 45th Parallel

Last weekend, Imaginary Stations beamed their Annual 45th Parallel Midwinter Broadcast via the ionosphere using the services of the great Shortwave Gold. From a secret shortwave laboratory in the mountains way up north, the broadcast had tracks featuring the circle of latitude, music from above, below and along the magic line, and also tunes to keep us warm during this mid-winter season thanks to DJ Frederick and Justin Patrick Moore.

And at 07.15 One Deck Pete brings us a mix called Above and Below the 45th Parallel.

Tracklistings:
Radio Lario – 30 Degrees North
Boca 45 – Forty Five
Haj i Ji – Above and below (RSD remix)
The 45 King – Armen
The Soulfulists – 4 degrees warmer

So get wrapped up, get a cup of hot cocoa in your hands and make sure you’re wearing those warm comfy slippers and enjoy this show of the highest (45 degrees) order,

Slow mo shortwave

Imaginary Stations will be bringing another Downbeat on Shortwave (show number 3) this weekend (cheers Fred!) on Saturday 14th February 2026 at 1200 UTC and on Sunday 15th February 2026 at 1000/1400 hrs/2100 UTC on 6160 kHz.

Our good dub gardening friend Jesse Yuen from North of The River Swan, Perth, Australia and One Deck Pete from SE23, will be bringing you two 15 minute mixes each in a back to back downtempo style.

Tune in your shortwave radio or if you haven’t got one, via an online Software Defined Radio here (tuned into 6160 kHz) at the right time this weekend in AM mode and listen in and chill out to their slow-mo selection.

Do you know where you lad’s going tonight?

Here’s a recording of last weekend’s Skybird School of the Air broadcast via Shortwave Gold featuring an education theme. There’s all sorts of school/university/teacher references in there including a mix called “Lesson1” at 2.57 in from One Deck Pete.

Here’s the tracklisting:
Timetable – Anti Chamber
Madtone Vs Biggabush – Where’s your bike
Teacher Jekyll – Otro Sonido
Do you know where your lad’s going tonight? 1970’s Public Information film
Eccentronic Research Council – Bun Fight in the Open University Staff Room
Madtone Vs The Upsetters vs Kenny Everett
L’Equipe du Son – Lesson 1

Enjoy the start of term vibes!