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Revealed: the "Cosmic Power" that drove our turnaround from December.

Warning; this is very silly, so don't take it seriously. And yet...

So I've mentioned before my Czech buddy who has an anorak vintage rock and blues show on the otherwise hip indie Prague Radio 1. He's not a footie fan, tennis is his game. But as someone who was imprisoned by the Communist regime for daring to trade such music, he likes to hear my stories of seeing bands like Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy in pubs in the 70s, and eventually the two big concerts at the Valley. I bought him the posters that were recently offered by the Museum, and he was made up. So then i explained my sadness at my underperforming team's fortunes, and he announced that he would big them up on his show. I thought that was daft, what would his audience make of it? He didn't care. On R1 the DJs play and say what they want.  He went ahead and quite randomly dedicated a song to Charlton Athletic, the team that play at the Valley. His show runs on Saturday morning. It was 21st December. A few hours later I was trying to process that out of nowhere we had won 5-0 away at Northampton.

This of course greatly pleased him. He'd invited me to be his guest on his Christmas show, and among other British Christmas gems (some suggested on here) I got the Red Red Robin shoehorned in , on the grounds that the robin is a Christmas symbol. We beat Cambridge next day, and then , after another big-up from him, Wycombe. It started to look like something was going on. I kept asking him if he was sure about doing this, but he insisted, every week, we got a mention. I thought about posting something on here about it earlier, but I was afraid of jinxing it. He started to refer to the "Cosmic Power of Radio 1" behind us. A couple of weeks ago he mentioned somebody else as a fan of Charlton. I asked him WTF? He said it was a Czech listener in London who at first had asked WTF? too, but then decided to.. er...check us out - and became a fan.

Every week since Northampton away,  Tomaš has mentioned us, and here we are.

So this Saturday, he's doing a special for us. In the first hour he's going to feature tracks from the Who and other bands who played those Valley concerts in 74 and 76. Maybe not Lindisfarne. Too folksy for him...but expect  Humble Pie, Bad Company, Montrose, Stone the Crows...

Of course he'll be speaking Czech and the music will only be of interest to those of you of a certain vintage (even though he says he's got a young cohort in his audience ratings). But now he's seen the photos and videos. The Valley clean-up. The Valley Party. The beautiful photo of the Valley from a drone. The big entrance at a packed Valley on Thursday. Matty Godden's winner. Had me misty-eyed putting that together, but he gets it now. For him and his mates, the old rebels who risked their necks just to get their hands on a Who album, the Valley was already a legendary place and seeing it on its knees, and then on full power, that got him.

Saturday, 10.00 a.m. UK time. You can listen from their website or any of those global apps like Radio Garden. If you like what you hear, mail him on studio@radio1.cz  Like any radio DJ, he'll be bouyed by the engagement.

It's all nonsense of course...isn't it?


Comments

  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 33,628
    Well, you've jinxed it now haven't you  🤬
  • EugenesAxe
    EugenesAxe Posts: 3,291
    Fantastic will listen 
  • jose
    jose Posts: 622
    Don't forget the marvellous Little Feat.
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    Well, you've jinxed it now haven't you  🤬
    Not if you listen to the show and feel the Cosmic Power...
  • Fanny Fanackapan
    Fanny Fanackapan Posts: 18,738
    Wow ! The 2nd post to bring me shivering with goosebumps a plenty on here today .

    I'll raise a glass ( or three) to Tomas when we celebrate post match on Sunday.

    Surely this has to be " It's a kind of magic".....
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 10,970
    'Cosmic' as Rodney Charlton Trotter might say.
  • superclive98
    superclive98 Posts: 4,766
    Will be at Alicante airport, waiting to fly back, but will try to tune in.
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    jose said:
    Don't forget the marvellous Little Feat.
    He's confirmed their inclusion.👍
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    Starting in 35’mins. No catch-up available, unfortunately. First hour is very much for us. I reckon he’s going to get some complaints. But he doesnt care. The tracks are from bands he loves to play anyway.
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    jose said:
    Don't forget the marvellous Little Feat.
    He's confirmed their inclusion.👍
    And he is playing them now. "Bag of Reds" 🤣
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  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    And now "My Generation", live. Its been going on for about 15 minutes🤣
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    edited May 24
    And now he's telling them the story of the exile at Selhurst and the Valley Party. "sympathetic rebels" he's called us.

    Followed by Streetwalkers with Roger Chapman on vocals. I'd forgotten them.


  • BDL
    BDL Posts: 6,001
    Haven’t heard this Chapman track in years
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    Dave Mason
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    Humble PIe live. Amps up to 11. 
  • KiwiValley
    KiwiValley Posts: 3,380
    Why don’t they just relabel the amps to make the loudest setting a 10?
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    Bad Company. 
  • Foxycafc
    Foxycafc Posts: 1,214
    Brilliant show @PragueAddick! I'm getting about every 15th word he says from my German, and I'm loving it 😂
    Emailing now to see if I can get a shoutout for my brother 😂
  • KiwiValley
    KiwiValley Posts: 3,380
    Why don’t they just relabel the amps to make the loudest setting a 10?
    A Spinal Tap reference if anyone is wondering what the heck I’m talking about 
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  • jose said:
    Don't forget the marvellous Little Feat.
    I thought Godden wore size 11s
  • WelshAddick
    WelshAddick Posts: 1,321
    I love this fun story 
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    Foxycafc said:
    Brilliant show @PragueAddick! I'm getting about every 15th word he says from my German, and I'm loving it 😂
    Emailing now to see if I can get a shoutout for my brother 😂
    He did it, very last song, Uriah Heep, “Traveller in Time”
  • Foxycafc
    Foxycafc Posts: 1,214
    Foxycafc said:
    Brilliant show @PragueAddick! I'm getting about every 15th word he says from my German, and I'm loving it 😂
    Emailing now to see if I can get a shoutout for my brother 😂
    He did it, very last song, Uriah Heep, “Traveller in Time”
    Got it recorded! Brother's chuffed lol
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    BDL said:
    Haven’t heard this Chapman track in years
    He says its a really hard record to get hold of (and he has a vinyl collection of 20k)
  • YTS1978
    YTS1978 Posts: 1,703
    Great story @PragueAddick cosmic power❤️
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,145
    edited June 1
    So on yesterday's show Tomaš informed his audience that Charlton won at Wembley and were promoted. Behind the scenes he is very chuffed by the whole silly thing, he's had quite a bit of feedback, including people sending screenshots of the result and asking, "is this the one you are on about?" I'm not sure all of them are too impressed by the match stats, but at least they didn't get to see the actual game. Czechs like their football to be played on the deck, neat and tidy. Now in return I have to write up the story for the Czech platform that carries blogposts under editorial control.

    He said it had been quite hard work, doing it every week, so he's glad of the break. He warned me that Cosmic Power is bestowed on a "need not greed" basis, so he won't be repeating it at season start, but has promised me that if we are in relegation mire come December he'll do it again.

    Oh and the track he played yesterday was Traffic's "Feelin' Alright" . Listening to it at the market in the sunshine, I thought, yes, I probably am.
  • KBslittlesis
    KBslittlesis Posts: 8,607
    This is brilliant 🤩 
  • Siv_in_Norfolk
    Siv_in_Norfolk Posts: 4,057
    Haha... good stuff