Flex FM

Flex FM
Broadcast area London
Frequency 101.4FM
First air date
  • Early 1990s (Pirate)
  • 1 July 2018 (Community Radio License)
Format House, Drum & Bass, Dubstep, UK Garage, Old Skool, Reggae, Soul
Webcast www.flexfm.co.uk/on-air/
Website www.flexfm.co.uk

Flex FM is a London-based community radio station, which originally started life as a pirate radio station.[1] Flex broadcasts House, Drum & Bass, Dubstep, UK Garage, Old Skool, Reggae and Soul to London and the surrounding area on 101.4FM.

Flex was first established in 1992 as a breakaway station from Don FM and began broadcasting from Merton, South West London, on the frequency of 103.6FM. During that time, it followed the path of a number of other pirates in the capital of playing Breakbeat Hardcore, through Jungle and Drum and Bass, onto UK Garage, until it left the airwaves in 2003. After a hiatus, Flex returned in 2009 on 99.7FM, playing Dubstep, UK Funky, House as well as across its staple music genres.

The station came to wider prominence in August 2015 when it appeared on a BBC Newsnight piece Inside the World of Pirate Radio.

In October 2016, Flex applied for one of the forthcoming community licenses being advertised in London [2], which proved successful in its bid in May 2017.[3] In late 2017, it commenced fundraising for the building of new studios,[4] and as of 1st July 2018, started broadcasting legally.

Well known DJs, MCs, and artists to play on Flex include DJ Deekline who managed the station in the late 90s until its first close (and who also scored a Number 11 UK chart hit in the summer of 2000 with 'I Don't Smoke'[5]), MC Hyperactive, the Genius Cru (who had a Top 20 UK chart hit with Boom Selection in 2001), Billy Whizz, MC Sparks,[6] rapper Lady Sovereign, Ed Rush, DJ Gunshot, Optical, Funky T, Donna Dee, Hands Free, Al-B, Paul Strobe, LS, dubstep producer Heny G who is also part of the Anti-Social Entertainment crew, Selecta Primetime, Smokey Bubblin B and its latter management DJ Outlaw and DJ Wise.

References

  1. ↑ "Plank walk - Illegal broadcasting". The Economist. 7 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "21 groups apply for London radio licences". Radio Today. 21 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Ofcom awards four new community radio licences". Ofcom. 12 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "New Morden radio station Flex FM seeks to raise £10K in eight weeks". Wimbledon Guardian. 20 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Hold tight the massive". The Guardian. 22 November 2002.
  6. ↑ "MC Sparks dies: Tulisa Contostavlos and rapper Kano lead tributes to garage star". The Independent. 22 June 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.