A BRIEF HISTORY
Laser 729 began testing in December 1983, they used a hot air balloon to support their antenna system. Unfortunately the balloon kept flying away and the wire antenna kept falling into the sea. She finally erected a 'T' antenna strung between two masts, she changed to a better frequency and opened as Laser 558 in May 1984. She was very successful in audience figures but financially a bit of a failure. She had a great DJ crew though, she sounded really good and made the ILR stations and BBC Radio 1 sound really crap.
Her success was short lived, the British Government sent out a 'spy ship' to watch the comings and goings on and off the ship. Most of her supplies came from the UK (secretly) so with the spy ship close by, no British ship would go near with much needed fuel, food and water. Due to these starvation tactics and after weeks of 'Eurosiege' Laser finally upped anchor and headed for the nearest port in 1985.
She did make a comeback in 1986 as Laser Hot Hits but failed to make a major impact on the British radio scene. She closed down in early 1987. |
