Pirates on the Air (From: West To: East)

Pirate radio has played an important role in the development of pop culture. Pirate stations were initially commercial alternatives that bypassed the licensing system, advertising bans and taxes, but also sought to increase popularity with the latest sounds played only late at night or not at all by established stations. They mostly broadcast offshore thus extraterritorially, for example from ships outside the 8-mile zone. Later, especially in the UK, pirate radio became an independent movement from below, where commercial interests merged with the desire to present marginalised cultures. In addition to large pirate stations such as Kiss FM, which had a wide reach and were later partially legalised and further commercialised, there were also stations like Dread Broadcasting Corporation, which played reggae, dub, dancehall and other 'black music' as a kind of 'community radio', emerging from the scene and acting on its behalf.

The many pirate radio stations that later promoted jungle and grime also followed in this tradition - with self-built FM transmitters, always tracked by the post office and police. In addition to this line, the show also presents a special moment in East German radio history, when DT64, the youth radio station of the GDR, was to be shut down on 31 December 1991 after reunification. As part of its struggle for survival, DT64 staged a pirate radio day in the style of a long radio play, which was the prelude to a large movement to save the station. Within this movement, parts of the pirate radio stations that had formed in several cities in the chaos following the collapse of the system also got involved. Later, this led to the Free Radios in Eastern Germany.

A slice of airwave history, told or garnished with radio songs by The Clash, The Selecter, Mikey Dread, Radio Rebels, the others, Shabba Ranks, Attila The Stockbroker and many more.