Legendary DJ Tony Prince is holding an auction to keep Slough-based United DJs Radio station streaming. The auction will have music and memorabilia collectables from his own personal collection. Items include the first Beatles record ever played on the radio, letters from Queen, signed music items and the one-off bronze bust of Elvis Presley by David Wynne OBE commissioned by Tony Prince.
Tony Prince Interview
Here Tony explains the driving force behind the auction that is taking place on Monday 28th January
10.30am (UK time) at Omega Auctions Ltd in Newton-Le-Willows.
Leah Marriott: Tell us about the auction.
Tony Prince: The radio station needs more support, we'll be two years old on 2nd April, and I believe it will take another couple of years before streaming becomes the accepted norm for people to receive radio. There are so many small stations now but non-offering the feast of personality, well known, DJs as United DJs Radio.We are currently seeking investors, but in the meantime, all costs fall to me. I believe the Beatles and Elvis owe a great deal to the radio, in particular, Radio Luxembourg and the pirate stations. Now it's payback time; they can help the DJs to re-establish a radio format of old where the DJs choose to play what they like from seven decades and say what they want.
LM: What does it mean to you to auction off these pieces, is there anything you couldn't bear to sell?
TP: I've closed my heart to the sadness. I've been a collector of records and memorabilia most of my life.
LM: Which is your favourite auction piece?
TP: Elvis' transistor radio sat at the side of his bed in the Circle G ranch where he lived before Graceland.
I also commissioned the UKs top sculptor to do a bronze bust of the King and hope this might live in Graceland. But the Linda McCartney, HARD ROCK VEGGIE BURGER launch party menu, signed by all the prominent name guests is a bit special. There's also no getting away from the fact that THE WORLD'S FIRST BEATLES RECORD (heard first by The Beatles themselves on Radio Luxembourg), is probably the most important record ever pressed, even forgiving EMI for spelling Paul McCartney's name McArtney.
LM: You're selling the memorabilia to keep United DJs Radio streaming, tell us about the station and why it is so important?
TP: I have 32 DJs in 14 countries who have donated their time and efforts to deliver what I believe to be the perfect format fro our target 40+ audience. We are all dedicated to creating a return to personality radio with no narrow playlists.
LM: You've had an extraordinary career, what has been the highlight?
TP: Read my book The Royal Ruler & The Railway DJ which covers the radio years; the book ends before our company DMC (Disco Mix Club) changed the club DJ world inspiring the modern DJ producer and the DMC World DJ Championships. The company magazine Mixmag was an extraordinary influence, and we continue to publish online from Ibiza with my son Daniel Prince in charge.
My whole life has been dedicated to the DJ industry, ever since the Bristol Musician's Union expelled me from singing because I played records when the band had a break. People think we're a large organisation, but we're a family run business with agents in 30 countries. We have been creating, selling and inspiring DJs to produce and remix music since 1983 and we still have our shoulder to the wheel on behalf of the DJs, club and radio.
