Kool FM

Kool London
Broadcast area London
Slogan Kool with the K
Frequency 94.5 / 94.6 FM (as a Pirate)
First air date 28 November 1991
Format Jungle, Drum and Bass, Old Skool
Website koollondon.com

Kool FM, also known as Kool London, is a former London pirate radio station that now broadcasts as an internet radio station, playing Jungle, Drum and Bass, and Old Skool. Kool is generally regarded as being instrumental in the development of Jungle and Drum and Bass music, and is "the longest running jungle pirate station".[1]

History

Kool FM first broadcast on 28 November 1991 on the frequency of 94.5FM, from Hackney, East London. Kool has stated that it was "the very first pirate station ever to play Hardcore Jungle".[2] Simon Reynolds called it "London's ruling pirate station" in an account of the beginnings of jungle music in the early to mid 1990s.[3]

In July 1993, its then-neighbouring station Rush FM was subject to a high profile raid by the authorities, leading to media accusations of drug dealing at raves promoted by the two stations.[4]

In 1996, Kool was featured in a BBC First Sight documentary about pirate radio in London.[4] In the same year, it branched out by launching a sister station, Kool FM Midlands based in Birmingham, which continued until 2002.[5]

In 2005, a Kool FM transmitter broadcasting from Tower Hamlets, was seized in an Ofcom operation against London pirate stations.[6] It made the news again two years later in 2007 when it was featured in a BBC London News report about pirate radio station interference to the emergency services and their use of the airwaves.[7]

Internet Radio

In August 2010, Kool relaunched as Kool London and now operates as an internet radio station, providing a live audio stream on its website as well as archived shows.[8]

Legacy

Kool DJs and MCs past and present reads like a "who's who" of jungle and drum and bass, including DJ Brockie, Ron, SL,MC Co-Gee, MC Five-O, MC Moose, MC Navigator, The Ragga Twins, Skibadee, Mampi Swift, Devious Dee, MC Det, Bryan Gee, Trace, Nicky Blackmarket, Stevie Hyper D, Billy Bunter, and Crissy Criss.

In recent years, Kool has been involved in two live broadcasts in association with the artist Eddie Peake. The first in 2013 as part of his graduate final year project at the Royal Academy of Arts, and again in 2018 at the White Cube forming part of his Concrete Pitch show.[9]

The station celebrated its 25th birthday on-air in November 2016.

References

  1. ↑ Jamie Clifton (6 Aug 2015). "Jungle, Raves and Pirate Radio: The History and Future of Kool FM". Vice.
  2. ↑ "Kool London History". koollondon.com. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  3. ↑ Simon Reynolds: Energy Flash. Picador 2008, ISBN 978-0-330-45420-9, p.245.
  4. 1 2 "Rush FM raided, 1993 - The Radical History of Hackney". Hackney History. 21 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Kool FM Midlands 105.6". koolfm.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
  6. ↑ "Ofcom tackles illegal broadcasting". Ofcom. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  7. ↑ "Pirate radio 'risk to aircraft'". BBC News. 2 May 2007.
  8. ↑ "Welcome to Kool London". koollondon.com. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  9. ↑ "Features - Eddie Peake And Kool London At The White Cube". TheQuietus. 11 February 2018.
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