Pirate Radio Hauraki Rules the Waves   


"In 1966 Radio Hauraki began to broadcast from a ship outside New Zealand waters, so as to circumvent the restrictions on commercial radio. With its focus on popular music, the station quickly attracted a youthful audience – as can be seen in this photo of supporters outside the Auckland Town Hall in October 1966. Radio Hauraki also became known for its highly professional and slick radio advertising. Listen to one of the first test transmissions on 1480 ‘top of the dial’ and broadcast from Radio Hauraki’s ship, Tiri, anchored in international waters in the Hauraki Gulf." -  Te Ara Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, New Zealand Government.
 













Photo of Ross Goodwin taken by Murray Cammick

 

FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF RADIO HAURAKI AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO

"Radio Hauraki loved to play songs that were banned by the state broadcaster," writes Murray Cammick.  "Radio Hauraki did not bleep “Christ” from the Beatles’ hit ‘Ballad of John & Yoko’, they thrashed the Rolling Stones’ risqué ‘Let’s Spend The Night Together’ and they even played banned novelty crap like ‘They're Coming to Take Me Away’ by Napoleon XIV."

"I was sold [on Radio Hauraki] when young host Ross Goodwin played Otis Redding from his Live in Europe album, late at night." Murray Cammick went on to say that: "I was allowed to take a photo of Ross in the studio with my Kodak Instamatic and returned a week later to ask him to autograph it."

"I recall a 1967 school holiday (or two) spent listening to Radio Hauraki emanating from the radiogram." Murray Cammick writes: "It was a great year for music – the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Radio Hauraki did not need to worry about the meaning of ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ or what The Small Faces were doing in ‘Itchycoo Park’. Larry's Rebels were on the air with local composition 'Let's Think Of Something' written by Roger Skinner. Over time some songs of 1967 faded – I have not heard ‘Come On Down To My Boat Baby’ by Every Mother's Son or ‘Little Bit O’ Soul’ by The Music Explosion, but The Doors’ ‘Light My Fire’ I have heard too often."
"Rock the Boat: The Story of Radio Hauraki 1965-1970."

The video is done in six segments, each one having a 8 second delay before the next one automatically starts up so please be patient. It's well worth the wait. Enjoy!
 

"Pirate radio hit Kiwi airwaves on 4 December 1966 when Radio Hauraki broadcast from the Colville Channel aboard the vessel Tiri. Made by Sally Aitken, this film reunited the original pirates for the first time in 30 years to recall their battle to bring rock’n’roll to the youth of NZ. Featuring rare archive footage, the tale of radio rebels, conservative stooges, stoners, ship-wrecks and lost-at-sea DJs was originally made as a student film. It was bought by TVNZ and screened in primetime to praise: “Top of the dial, top of the class” (Greg Dixon in The NZ Herald)." -  NZ On Screen, 2021

 


There are allegedly anywhere from a couple of dozen to 100 copies of the vinyl edited version that were sent to various DJ's in New Zealand to be used for airplay. 		BY SEPTEMBER 29, 1973, NZBC RADIO FINALLY LIFTS THE BAN ON
THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO



A radio DJ and engineer broadcast aboard ship from the pirate radio station Radio Hauraki. Spectators look through the window into the control booth.

Cartoon was sourced from: Gibbard, Leslie, 1945-2010: Impression of Radio Hauraki visited en route to London, 1967. Gibbard, Leslie 1945- :[Various sketches by Gibbard - undated and dated 1963-1970]. Ref: B-142-037. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/38034722

 

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