Me Arriving at RVAM

At an early age already "broadcasting" had an enormous appeal. Other boys may tell you about their ambitions at becoming a fire fighter, my dream was: "director of broadcasting". But what I really liked was the technology involved and radio as a medium. My first acquaintance with a real radio station was the hospital radio/TV.

Nurse Mariëlle of the Maaslandziekenhuis (Maasland Hospital) in Sittard of that time (where I often visited) must have heard me talk about my dreams and decided to send me off with her boy-friend, Jean Vroomen. He made radio programs for the Ziekenhuis-Omroep Sittard (Z.O.S.; hospital radio/TV) from the deep basements of the hospital.

But Jean was also a disc jockey at Radio Veronica Anders Maaseik, and on Ascension Day they had a big event where you could bring your own music recording at a visit to the studio in Maaseik, and they would then play it on the radio.

That day my eyes were big and my enthusiasm for the radio was really ignited by Jean when he had a talk with me "on air". Preceded by "We Built This City" by Starship, it was time for the recording that I brought.

It was still the time of black vinyl, and my first single I obtained through a laundry detergent promotion. Saved a few coupons, ordered the free single. My single on the radio was "Hazy Shade of Winter" by the Bangles.

That summer I went back (on the bike) to "apply for a job" at the radio. I stayed for years!