Tom Lodge Sr 1936 - 2012

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Alexia
Posts: 2999
Joined: Sat 01 Oct, 2005 17.50

Tom Lodge, known as Umi Tom Lodge in recent years, has passed away from cancer at the age of 75.

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Lodge was one of the original DJs on Radio Caroline, and his success on the Frederica (Caroline North) led him to change the format of Caroline South (Mi Amigo) to compete with the Big L Radio London. Like many pirates, he later found himself on Radio 1 before moving to Canadian radio and founding a Creative Electronics course at Fanshawe College which is still running today.

He wrote an account of his time on board Caroline, "The Ship That Rocked", which stands proudly on my bookcase alongside my signed copy of Johnnie Walker's autobiography.

Without wishing to invoke the semantics of a certain ex-member of these boards, without Tom and Radio Caroline, radio would and could have been very different in this country. He was one of the true pioneers and his passing is genuinely a sad day for radio.

However he leaves a fantastic legacy - his Music Industry Arts program continues to generate bright talent for the future. His son, Tom Jr, hosts his own show on the new generation Caroline every Sunday 9-11. He was also a master of Zen Buddhism - whilst not to my own personal tastes, he spread a message of peace and love that was very much in keeping with the tenets of LA upon which Caroline was founded.
Alexia
Posts: 2999
Joined: Sat 01 Oct, 2005 17.50

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