Tommy Vance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tommy Vance
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Vance in January 2005
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| Born |
Richard Anthony Crispian Francis Prew Hope-Weston
11 July 1940 Eynsham, Oxfordshire, England
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| Died | 6 March 2005 (aged 64) Dartford, Kent, England
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| Other names | Rick West |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1960–2004 |
| Known for | Friday Rock Show (1978–1993) |
| Television | Top of the Pops, Dumber and Dumber, The 11 O'Clock Show, The Nightfly and The Friday Rock Show (VH1) |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 2 |
Richard Anthony Crispian Francis Prew Hope-Weston (born 11 July 1940 – died 6 March 2005), known as Tommy Vance, was a famous English radio host. He played a big part in making heavy metal and hard rock popular in the UK during the late 1970s and early 1980s. His show, Friday Rock Show, was one of the only places on national radio where new rock bands could get their music played. Tommy Vance was known for his catchphrase "TV on the radio." Millions of people around the world heard his voice when he announced the bands at the huge Live Aid concert in 1985.
Contents
Early Life and Radio Dreams
Tommy Vance was born Richard Anthony Crispian Francis Prew Hope-Weston in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, England, on 11 July 1940. His family had a background in entertainment: his grandmother owned a traveling theater company, and his mother was a singer and dancer.
Tommy was expelled from school at 15 because he often skipped classes. His first job was at the Hyde Park Hotel in London. At 16, he joined the merchant navy as a cabin boy. While his ship was in New York City, he listened to American radio and was inspired to become a disc jockey. He loved the energetic sound of American radio stations.
When he returned to the UK, he worked as a mechanic for a jukebox company so he could listen to music for free. Since it was hard to get a job in British radio, he studied at a college in Northern Ireland. He also became an actor and stagehand for a theater company.
Starting His Radio Career
First Steps in American Radio
In 1964, Tommy Vance moved to the United States. He got a job at a radio station called KOL Seattle. He was hired to host the "drive-time" show, which is a popular time when people are driving to or from work. The station had already made jingles (short songs or tunes) for a different host named "Tommy Vance." So, they asked him to use that name, and he agreed!
Later, he moved to Los Angeles and worked at another famous radio station, KHJ. This station was very successful and played a lot of popular music. However, the United States was involved in the Vietnam War at the time. When Tommy received papers to join the U.S. Army, he decided to return to the UK.
Broadcasting from the Sea: Pirate Radio
Tommy Vance came back to the UK in 1965. He soon joined Radio Caroline South, which was a "pirate radio" station. These stations broadcast from ships in the sea to avoid strict British broadcasting laws. Many famous DJs worked there, including Johnnie Walker and Tony Blackburn. On 3 January 1966, Tommy hosted his first show on Radio Caroline South, using "TV on radio" as his slogan.
He released a few singles (songs) himself, including "You Must Be the One." However, his wife was not happy with him being away on a ship for two weeks out of three. So, Tommy left Radio Caroline and moved to Radio Luxembourg, another popular station. But his marriage didn't last. He later rejoined Radio Caroline South in December 1966.
In the summer of 1967, the government decided to make laws against these offshore pirate stations. Tommy heard that another station, Radio London, might move to France. He joined Radio London in July 1967, hoping to continue broadcasting. However, Radio London couldn't find a base in Europe and closed down on 14 August to follow the new law.
Becoming a National Voice
Joining the BBC and Capital Radio
After the pirate radio stations closed, the BBC launched a new station called BBC Radio 1 in 1967. They hired many DJs from the pirate stations, including Tommy Vance. He co-hosted a show called Top Gear with John Peel.
Later, Tommy moved to the BBC World Service in the late 1960s. He started a very popular show called "Pop Club." This show began with a song from Cliff Richard, who was the "president" of the club. Listeners from all over the world could become members, get membership cards, and receive gifts. Tommy would read letters from listeners and play their song requests.
Feeling he wasn't progressing enough, Tommy joined Capital Radio in October 1973. This was Britain's first legal commercial pop station in London. He first co-hosted a morning show and then played reggae and soul music on a weekend show.
In 1975, Tommy Vance appeared briefly in a film called Slade in Flame, playing a disc jockey. He also worked for other local radio stations and voiced many advertisements. In 1977, he conducted the first in-depth interview with Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, a punk band that was often ignored by the media. Tommy also hosted Capital's "Hitline Top 30" on Sunday evenings, where he sometimes played rock album tracks instead of just chart hits.
The Famous Friday Rock Show
Tommy Vance returned to Radio 1 in November 1978 to host the show he is most remembered for: the Friday Rock Show. For 15 years, he became strongly linked with heavy metal and rock music. His deep, booming voice and catchphrase "classic cuts" became very famous. The first song he ever played on the show, and the last one on his final program in 1993, was 'Rock 'n' Roll Damnation' by AC/DC. In 1983, his show was the first radio program to use only compact discs. His signature music was "Take It Off the Top" by Dixie Dregs, followed by his gravelly voice saying, "Hi, this is TV on the radio and welcome to the programme that we call the Friday Rock Show."
From 1982 to 1984, Tommy also hosted the Sunday-afternoon Top 40 show, showing his knowledge and passion for many types of music. He also presented Top of the Pops on TV around the same time.
Tommy Vance also worked for BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) from 1976 to 1987, which made him popular in Germany among British military families and civilians. He hosted a weekly chart show and other programs like Soul Bowl.
In 1988, when the BBC launched a new radio station for London called Greater London Radio (GLR), Tommy hosted the drive-time show. He mixed rock music with current affairs, calling it "rock and rolling news." He also worked as a voiceover artist for BBC2 and Sky One. Tommy was often the master of ceremonies at big music events like Monsters of Rock festivals. He left Radio 1 in March 1993 but continued to host Rock Salad for the BBC World Service for many years.
Later Career and Tributes
New Ventures and TV Appearances
In March 1993, Tommy Vance helped launch Virgin Radio, where he hosted the Drivetime show. However, he later felt it wasn't the right move as the station changed its music style.
In 1997, Tommy co-founded an internet radio station called Rock Radio Network, which later became TotalRock in 2000. He also had business interests with recording studios.
In 2001, Tommy Vance joined the American rock band Cheap Trick on stage in London. He performed the spoken DJ part in their song 'On The Radio'.
Tommy also appeared on the digital music channel VH-1 UK from 1994, hosting 'The Nightfly' and later bringing back 'The Friday Rock Show' until 2002. He was on the Channel 4 comedy series The 11 O'Clock Show with a segment called "Tommy Vance's News Slam." He also presented and did voiceovers for the Channel 5 series Dumber and Dumber.
One of his most memorable TV moments was in 2004 when he left ITV's Hell's Kitchen. He decided to leave after a dangerous incident with boiling fat and a heated argument with chef Gordon Ramsay. His agent said that Tommy felt the environment was "dangerous" for him due to his age.
Later, Tommy moved to Spain, planning to semi-retire. But he soon returned to radio, playing music for tourists and expats on Spectrum FM. He eventually came back to Britain, doing commercials, TV appearances, and hosting a weekly show on Virgin Classic Rock, an internet radio station.
Death and Lasting Legacy
Tommy Vance passed away on 6 March 2005, at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent. He had suffered a stroke three days earlier. He was cremated in London. Tommy was survived by his ex-wife and their two children.
Many people paid tribute to Tommy Vance after his death. On 11 March 2005, TotalRock radio station held a 15-hour live broadcast called Rock On, Tommy Day. It celebrated his life and work, playing music and sharing messages from artists and colleagues. The broadcast ended with a replay of Tommy's very last Friday Rock Show from 1993.
Author Paul Stenning dedicated his books about Iron Maiden and Slash to Tommy Vance. On 31 March 2006, a special Tommy Vance Tribute Night was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Bands like Judas Priest and Scorpions, along with musicians like Ian Gillan, Roger Daltrey, and Bruce Dickinson, performed to honor him.
In 2018, a new music festival called Stonedeaf named its stage after Tommy Vance. In February 2024, artificial intelligence was used to recreate his voice for station announcements on the new radio station Boom Rock. His family gave permission for his voice to be used, showing his lasting impact on radio.
Images for kids
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Tommy Vance in January 2005
