Clyde Tower, Aston

 

One of the many PCRL studio homes in 1990s, located on the Birchfield Road at the 6 Ways roundabout. Demolished in 2006. This image is from 1968. Tower images are rare as people thought they were ugly I suppose.

View from the Tower looking towards the city, image from 1966. Like all of our studio's they were located at high points on the landscape in order to get a good signal to an adjacent tower where a transmitter would be located on the roof. We only used 10 watts power, but at Bank Holidays may be as much as 100 watts as we had more advertisers working with us then.

Sadly like all of the towers we used have now been demolished. Clyde died in 2006. Thanks go out to all the renters who let us use their homes while away on holidays. I wonder if any of the DJ's have memories to share about this block?

Music Master life tribute song

 

Thanks to Leroy Shaihi Chimelo Hayles & Fitzroy Hanno

Funeral details & recorded footage

 Service recording here from 11-03-2026

Pulled by two black shire horses endowed with Jamaican colours/flag (image: Rhonda)

Cecil Morris podcast tribute

 PCRL Presenters remember Cecil's radio station

Ranking Festus's/Amlak Tafari guests:

(from left to right)

Brother Pilot

Chicking George

Little Richie

Calypso Queen

Orlando M

Goodbye Cecil

 Very sad day today with the loss of PCRL's founder, Cecil Abraham Morris, aged 79. He was such an inspiration to hundreds of radio DJ's that he helped over the years, we all thank him for his kind help and support. RIEP

CAM outside his shops

He was the founder of the Peoples Community Radio here Birmingham. Over the years he helped over 250 DJ's by providing them with a radio program. Through his agency he also booked/managed many local/national/international bands. He also introduced Black cinema to the Midlands and for a short time and ran a television station. (also known as Music Master and CAM Morris on Face Book

More information about Cecil Morris click here his dedicated page

Three white doves released during Cecil's burial

Windrush Award 75

Cecil Morris & Bini (acsho) Brown, Symphony Hall, Cecil Morris (PCRL founder) received a 'Windrush 75' award in July, 2023.

Cecil & Bini Brown

While the Symphony Hall hosted a concert, a separate Windrush 75 Awards Ceremony that recognised Windrush pioneers took place earlier in the year in June 2023 at the Birmingham Rep as part of a wider community event organised by the Blackstory Partnership. 

Additionally, other community groups and individuals in Birmingham received funding or were recognised through various initiatives to mark the 75th anniversary, including: 

The Blackstory Partnership for their commemorative event and awards ceremony.

Arts All Over The Place for their Windrush Stories project.

Birmingham Education Partnership for producing educational resources for schools.

Shades of Black for their "Meeting Windrush" project.

Bishop Dr Derek Anthony Webley MBE DL, Co-Chair of the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group, who was appointed an OBE in the New Year Honours list for services to the Windrush Generation. 

Triple Trouble Trio

 

Rankin' Festus Clarke, Pedro Irie & Captain Irie 2014 (photo: Pedro)

Cecil Morris (blue), Angel A (red), Dennis Brown (red hat), Lady D (glasses) a young Tyrone Melody (holding hands up), Ranking Festus (dreads) & Leroy Shaihi Chimelo Hayles (near clock),

DJ Tony Ray

 𝐏𝐂𝐑𝐋 𝐃𝐉, 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐲.  Hi, basically I'm a lover and collector of Soul & Funk Music .Anything from classic soul artists and groups such as Leroy Hutson, Phyllis Hyman, Maze, Willie Hutch , Jean Carne, Leon Ware , Marvin Gaye , Earth Wind & Fire etc., ( I could go on and on !! ) to the likes of brand new independent soul artists cutting it today. I have DJ'd and promoted at various nights , playing on a variety of radio stations both pirate and legal, (Premier Radio, PCRL Radio, Sweet FM, New Style Radio, Solar Radio & Starpoint Radio ), and holding down and promoting various soul nights (Raison D'etre, Marco Polo's, The Boundary, Maxwells, & Soul Intimacy) .

The Soul Intimacy radio shows are a series of radio shows hosted by myself and originally dating back to 2001 on New Style Radio where the concept was born. The ethos behind it, simply playing the very finest all era mid and down tempo soulful grooves i can find ! Cheers Tony Ray (Mixcloud bio 2018)

Tony Ray joined PCRL in the early 2000s and played Soul music on a Sunday Morning. Tony celebrates his birthday, December 31st with Odetta Holmes/Felious (1930) and Donna Summers (1948)

DJ Malibu

Awaiting biographical information 

with Rankin' Bev during 1988 court case crowds/demo

PCRL at 1985 Handsworth Riots

Thanks goes out to John Hannon for sharing his September 10th, 1985 PCRL recording with us. Cecil Morris is on the streets of Handsworth the morning after the riots that caused major damage to the local Handsworth area. He is talking amongst others, to Cllr James Hunte, Cecil had also during the riots called for calm over PCRL airways. Photos: Central News

Narratives from Beyond The Bassline

 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐊 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐚𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

This book was published in 2021 and it devotes a whole chapter (20 pages) to PCRL. Although at £85 it's will have a limited audience. Thanks goes out to work Dr. Lisa Amanda Palmer. Can be found on Amazon.

This book explores the history of reggae in modern Britain from the time it emerged as a cultural force in the 1970s. As basslines from Jamaica reverberated across the Atlantic, so they were received and transmitted by the UK’s Afro-Caribbean community.
From roots to lovers’ rock, from deejays harnessing the dancehall crowd to dub poets reporting back from the socio-economic front line, British reggae soundtracked the inner-city experience of black youth. In time, reggae’s influence permeated the wider culture, informing the sounds and the language of popular music whilst also retaining a connection to the street-level sound systems, clubs and centres that provided space to create, protest and innovate. This book is therefore a testament to struggle and ingenuity, a collection of essays tracing reggae’s importance to both the culture and the politics of late twentieth and early twenty-first century Britain.

Nite Nurse

 A recent photo of  Reggae PCRL DJ Nite Nurse. Who believe it or not, works for the NHS. Seen here with Pilot at staff reunion.

'Love-Doctor' Romie

 

Sorry no biographical information given as yet.

He has 3 FB profiles:- this seems most used:- Romie Facebook page

Trevor Ranks interview

 Deejay Paris Walker takes you on an insight into how the Modern Dancehall Reggae Music Industry was started in the UK, with this Interview with Pioneer and Birmingham , UK Deejay Legend Trevor Ranks. 

What makes Trevor Ranks a Pioneer of the Modern Dancehall Reggae Music Industry in Birmingham, is that he was involved in every aspect, of the Reggae Music Industry. Trevor Ranks has had a Glittering Retail Sales Career in shops such as Summit Records, Direct Link, Dance Rock Records and Now Generation Records selling thousands of vinyl records to the UK public throughout the 1980's and 1990's. 

Trevor Ranks, as Sound System Selector, for the Legendary Love "Inting" International Sound System, dominated a drew huge crowds to Blue Parties, Night Clubs and Concert Venues and as a Radio Deejay on Birmingham UK's First Black Community Radio Station PCRL Radio, launched the careers of numerous Birmingham Reggae Recording Artists. 

This is an interview that charts how it all came about .....

 

Cecil Morris @ Flatpack Cinema festival

 

During the 16th Flatpack Festival (17-22 May 2022) we had the pleasure of staging a conversation between Cecil Morris and Garry Stewart of Recognize Black Heritage & Culture. Since arriving in Birmingham from Jamaica in the early 60s, Cecil has been a musician, DJ and cultural entrepreneur for over fifty years. During the event he talked about the late-night film screenings he promoted at the Elite on Soho Road during the 1970s, and his role in setting up PCRL. This community pirate radio station was crucial to the city's Black community from its birth in the early 80s, surviving numerous raids by the DTI until it was finally closed down in 2004. The conversation formed part of Flatpack's Wonderland program, presented by the Birmingham 2022 Festival and supported by Arts Council England and National Lottery Heritage Fund. Cecil is a featured character within the Wonderland exhibition, which runs at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery until 30 October 2022. With thanks to the Mockingbird for hosting the event, and to Sima Gonsai for documenting it.

 

 Visit page link (click on me)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sandra Bee

𝐏𝐂𝐑𝐋 𝐃𝐉, 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐞, played dancehall, reggae & ragga music, shown here at the Porsche Club in 1995. Now found on Tellstream Dem on-line radio. Part of the Female Connection that was formed in 1991 and is the musical collaboration of Birmingham based Radio and Club DJ’s Sandra B and Lady Destiny. Both Ladies are of Jamaican origin which is where their deep understanding and love for Reggae and Dancehall music is rooted.

Female Connection play a variety of styles which include Reggae, Dancehall, Revival, R&B as well as Hip-Hop and Soul music, whereby they are at their best when it comes to playing dancehall music. Their unique playing style continues to attract interest also in the US and Jamaica. David Rodigan said about them : “… in 25 years I have not seen or heard any other more professional Female DJ’s ... “

Having started out as Radio DJ’s with regular shows for Enterprise Radio, Lazer FM, Metro Radio, P.C.R.L Radio, Lazer FM, Power FM, Unity FM and Galaxy Radio to name just some, Female Connection have progressed their careers as Club DJ’s winning many awards for best Female DJ Act. Performances alongside Shaka Demus & Pliers, David Rodian, General Levy, Mighty Spice, Marcia Griffith, Ken Booth, Tony Matterhorn, Method Man, Redman and many others have followed including juggling shows alongside international sound systems like Concrete Jungle and Budaddub Sound to name just a few. 

The Female Connection is a musical force to be reckoned with!

Lady Destiny

𝐏𝐂𝐑𝐋 𝐃𝐉 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲. Part of the Female Connection that was formed in 1991 and is the musical collaboration of Birmingham based Radio and Club DJ’s Sandra B and Lady Destiny. Both Ladies are of Jamaican origin which is where their deep understanding and love for Reggae and Dancehall music is rooted.

Female Connection play a variety of styles which include Reggae, Dancehall, Revival, R&B as well as Hip-Hop and Soul music, whereby they are at their best when it comes to playing dancehall music. Their unique playing style continues to attract interest also in the US and Jamaica. 

David Rodigan said about them : “… in 25 years I have not seen or heard any other more professional Female DJ’s ... “
Having started out as Radio DJ’s with regular shows for Enterprise Radio, Lazer FM, Metro Radio, P.C.R.L Radio, Lazer FM, Power FM, Unity FM and Galaxy Radio to name just some, Female Connection have progressed their careers as Club DJ’s winning many awards for best Female DJ Act. Performances alongside Shaka Demus & Pliers, David Rodian, General Levy, Mighty Spice, Marcia Griffith, Ken Booth, Tony Matterhorn, Method Man, Redman and many others have followed including juggling shows alongside international sound systems like Concrete Jungle and Budaddub Sound to name just a few. Now found in Sting radio. Photo: 1992. (Bio. from Facebook)

Ankhobia

𝐏𝐂𝐑𝐋 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐤𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚 joined us near the end of our broadcasting days having trained in media around 1999 and helped out on Talk-Back shows and did her own 'On A Level' community programs with Tugstar. When the Station ended she joined New Style radio. She has her own pages on YouTube, with around 6.6K followers on this page:- Click here

Mr Niceness

𝐏𝐂𝐑𝐋 𝐃𝐉 𝐌𝐫. 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝟒-𝟓-𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟕. Joined us in 1980's and left during a radio 'shake-up' late in that decade, but returned again in the 1990's. He sadly passed away on 28th May 2008. A Facebook private memorial page has been set-up. This photograph was used on a 10th anniversary Show flyer commemorating his life in 2018.

RIEP KING, YOU HAVE DONE WELL IN YOUR LIFETIME FOR KEEP PUTTING-UP PCRL'S RADIO TRANSMITTERS. AFER EACH RAID BY THE BRITISH GOVERMNT AGENCY; DEPARTMENTOF TRADE AND INDUSTRY (DTI) RAIDED AND SEIZED OUR BROADCASTING EQUIPMENT (SOME TIMES DAILY), 

REPECT TO YOU MR NICENESS - Cecil Morris

Lots of the time people will turn on the radio to hear good music but Niceness was one of those rare true radio personalities. If it was the dullest of days the sunshine would come out the radio when he came on. It didn't matter what he played - you were hooked because you always knew you were going to be entertained. Never forgotten. - Richie McCoy

Black History Award

 

There has been over 300 radio presenters trained by PCRL radio (C.R.T.Community Radio Training), to achieved this space in 'ourstory' and achievements I share this honour with thanks to all the PCRL radio presenters that made this happen, too many to mention, yes we made a change!