Airwaves rave on Ecstasy shocker
By thisislancashire – Friday 17 January 1997
Copyright: thisislancashire
AN outraged radio DJ smashed up East 17 records and swore on air in protest at singer Brian Harvey’s controversial comments about Ecstasy.
Red Rose Rock FM morning presenter Kev Seed launched a 30-minute tirade against the band before announcing a ban on their records.
His actions, later backed by station bosses, came after he heard Harvey claim Ecstasy was a safe drug, that he had taken up to 12 Ecstasy tablets in one night and that he had driven home after taking a pill.
Seed responded by grabbing all the band’s records which were stored in the studio and smashing them up.
The outburst yesterday prompted 200 phone calls from listeners supporting the 28-year-old DJ’s actions.
Seed said: “It’s outrageous. It is the tablet that killed Leah Betts and it is a tablet which is quite likely to kill me or any of my listeners if we decided to try it.”
And programme director Paul Jordan said the station would not play the band’s new single Hey Child, even if it went to Number One. Harvey later apologised for his statement and urged youngsters not to take the drug.
But Mr Jordan said: “The ban on East 17 records will last for the foreseeable future. The management has endorsed the decision.
“We feel that we cannot have high profile people saying such things and hopefully our decision, as market leader in the North West, will seriously affect the band’s fan base in this area.
“Kev’s language came out in the heat of the moment. He was incensed but his feelings were supported by every call we received.
“We obviously wouldn’t want him to repeat the language he used but we will not be taking any action against him.”
The ban was mirrored by radio and TV stations around the country yesterday.
