CAU FM - Late 80s from Foxrock.

[Radio Mad]

Does anyone remember CAU FM, which broadcast on 104.4 (I think) from the shed at the end of Lock Butler's garden in Foxrock during the late 80s?

DJ's included Fintan O'Hare, Darragh (can't recall surname), Declan Moloney, Mike Young among others.

If you have any memories of the station or know what the aformentioned presenters are now doing, please don't keep it to yourself.

[DeargDoom]

DISCLAIMER : I NEVER WORKED ON CAU-FM, IT WAS 15 YEARS AGO, AND I WAS VERY VERY YOUNG, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ANY MISTAKES!!!


CAU-FM, what a great station...there is another thread about them elsewhere in this forum. They started off as Phoenix FM in about 1986 - they were up on about 107FM if memory serves me correctly. They then moved to further down the band (94 FM possibly?) I can't remember when or why they closed (I was but a baby dearg then).

I do recall CAU-FM opening in 1987 - they came on about the same time as Nova the Hot 100 I think. They had some good production pieces done for the tests (no surprises there - considering Lockies later occupation!). They were initally on 103.something - but then moved up to 104.3 in early 1988. I thought they were a good station - a very "southside" sound to them (yah) - the music format was more mainstream than Capital Nitesky, but nowhere near as boppy as the larger Super-pirates. I seem to recall heavy airplay for LLoyd Cole and the Commotions as well as Voice of the Beehive.

CAU- FM closed down at some stage in 1988, then Hope 104.4 (with Gerry Moore v/os) came on in the dying stages of the 80s pirate era. From what little I know Lockie was running Hope for some religious crowd, they avoided the fire and brimstone approach, but instead would broadcast "inspirational" messages and PSAs quite a lot - like CAU-FM it was a tight little station. Music format was quite A/C...stuff like Pete Cetera and Deacon Blue.

Other jocks from CAU/HOPE FM were Tom Brown (now on CKR), Alan Grahem (now with Phantom FM) and Daragh O Dea (with Q101 until a few days ago). Last time I Fintan "is your man" O Hare was on some dubious sounding Alan Hunter pirate station, and that was about 5 years ago at least.

[Del Hansen]

I remember this very well we had a great time and a lot of laughs. we played very good music, production was super on we were tight, the only area for concern was the audioQ as budget did not permit sexy orbans
thanks for the memories
any other old cau px fm jocks out ther in the ether

al the best
Derek H

[Radio Mad]

Thanks for the memories. I remember CAU very well. Indeed, Locky's poor mother was a great one for the cups of tea and coffee (so I've been told). Its succesor, Hope FM, was an interesting concept. Don't bombard them with religion because you know they won't listen. Give them a "thoughful message" on the hour and a current affairs programme for an hour every night between 7 and 8. At all other times, run it as a normal music-led radio station.

Has anyone got more memories or insights they'd like to share?

[Slicklink]

CAU FM is one of those stations that influenced a lot of people to get into radio, including myself ! So here are my memories of that era.........

Dearg, I think they where around 94.4 in the mid eighties when operating as Phoenix by Locky and another Steven Davitt (not to be confused with Dara O Sullivan) who ran the station witha link to each others house via fm... anyway I think they where the early expermental years.

I have some great audio from the CAU 104.2 days of Locky (Greg Edwards) Roly (Tom Brown) Fintan, Liam (Mike Hanlon - with the wind up TA v/o) oh and a very pissed "cue" Derek Hansen on air (ha!).... must convert it to MP3

It must be said that the guys had unbelievable taste in music (I think the Lyodd Cole Connection is because Locky was a huge fan - as he was of Til Tuesday and David and David). Infact CAU (or COW fm) introduced me to a great aussie band called The Church who some might remember had a minor hit with "Under the Milkyway".

The station was a pro sounding station and innovative for its time (I didnt know what an Orban was then and to tell you the truth didnt notice any difference). I actually loved the echo sound that was fucked around with by the jocks..........

Oh here's the tunes that stand out in my mind from those days (funny how you associate a tune with a station or is that just a sad anorak trait ?)

The Bible - Graceland
Lyodd Cole & the Commotions - Rattlesnakes (or any other)
Til Tuesday - What about Love/Coming up Close
The Big Dish - Slide
Erasure - Victim of Love
Squeeze - Hour Glass
Wax - Bridge to you heart


oh and the infamous tune by The Firm - Star Trekkin which roly Locky thought was hilarious to play back to back for a whole hour one evening back in the late eighties.

I'll get the finger out and upload the audio to here or to Ger Roe !

[DeargDoom]

my god!! David and David "Welcome to the Boomtown"! I finally got a copy of it last year from napst.....from a legit source.


I also remember the band Love and Money, I think "joceyln square" was one of their big (radio!) hits...

[Slicklink]

I was going through a tape the other night and came accross a savage telephone v/o. Call us now on 858579. Who did the v/o's ?

[EEprom]

the 858579 was actually a fax number for lockie's dad (rip) and was strangely the very first number in the yellow-pages at the time :)

Origianlly the (phoenix) lineup was:

Greg edwards (lockie) on brekky
Davitt on mid-morning/early afternoon
mrFantastic (mrspring!!) on drive
Tom Brown (ex-CKR) on homework

and occational visits from John Power (the Q102 one) and Brian Graham (also Q102)..

most of the adds were made on the Sly in Q102 :)

The station lasted the summer as a hobby concern, experimenting with a MW frequency and mostly playing vinyl,but whan lockie finally got the rig up a mountain, the name changed, CDs arrived, as did Carts, and the young listeners flocked to Browne's Homework shift - the jewel in the crown.

There was never any money, and always alot of bitching in-house since everyone was working to finance lockie's equipment collection.. Luckily, everybody went on to much better things - except davitt, who had a partial sex-change, and is now a night-club singer in spain. Probably.

[Pulse 95-99]

Theres some stuff there I ddint know and other stuff that is a bit wrong. Its very true that at the end of their life CAU broadcast on 104.2. Yes it always came from the shed at the back of Lockys house in Foxrock. If you ever pass on the bus going up Kill Lane you can still see the shed. Probably because it would collapse if it was ever moved. I just went looking for and found my photos. It stopped broadcasting on Sat. 16th July 1988. Jocks included.Fintain 'Questions for the vox pops' O'Hare Paul Seaver, Daragh O'Dea (Bryan Clarke), Mike Hanlon, Declan Maloney, Fergal Coffey, Steven Davitt, Derek Ryan, Gary Matthews, Kevin bourke, Brian Graham, who was Mushroom?

Cau Fm was way ahead of its time. For one they had a cart machine which was unheard of in a pirate station so small. All the production was done by Locky in Q102. Locky was friends with Bobby O'Reilly, (they set up the farm together) i remember at one time that Tom Brownes show was sponsored by Tayto and they took over the schools out format after energy 103 closed. It was then sponsored by abrakebra and cau was playing in all the resturants. It was short lived though. The thing I liked about CAU, was that it was like a big family, everyone knew each other and got on well. As for people not getting paid and Locky lining his pockets with money and gear, thats crap. Locky put a lot of time and effort into that station. This you have to remember was in the days before gigs in the redbox etc. The one song that always remind me of CAU is Steve Winwood, Valerie which also happened to be that name of his girlfriend at the time.

On the jingles side of things, most were cut form an old jam package for a few dry liners and name tags that were done Martin Block and Gerry Moore. Ads consisted of Bewleys at TOTH, quiklink pagers, (one of Lockys sisters boyfriends), Prendgast Aeriels, Apple Annies, at Daleys of eden quay.

Maybe if anyone was a part of Phoenix Radio/CAU FM/HOPE FM, you might get in touch and we can organise the 15 year reunion.

[DeargDoom]

Always really liked CAU-FM ... they sounded much bigger than a station coming from a back garden. I was an Energy 103 listener, but when they closed I drifted over to CAU-FM (Sunshine 101 was great, but slightly relentless at times!) ... I was entering that teenage phase of liking the Cure and the Smiths and wearing black (I'm a southsider, what can I say!), and although CAU-FM was far from being an indie rock station, they did play some quality music.

DD