Born Alan Zeffertt in 1931 and educated in Portsmouth, Mike Allen devoted much of his time to songwriting. In this field, he was very successful – his songs include Skinny Lizzie for Gerry and the Pacemakers, Iceberg and Stablemates for the Mark Murphy album on Fontana and also Mark’s single Broken Heart.
He also wrote songs for Screaming Lord Sutch, John L. Watson and the Hummelflugs and many others.
Mike first broadcast for the offshore pirate radio station Radio Atlanta in June 1964, moving across to Radio Caroline when the stations merged a month later.
He became one of the station’s popular “Good Guys” on Radio Caroline South, hosting a standard daytime pop slot alongside a specialised Sunday night jazz programme called “Downbeat”.
He left the station in 1965 and later presented a series for the BBC Light Programme called “Triple Crowns”.
He continued songwriting, wrote articles on jazz, and, after moving back to his hometown of Portsmouth, joined Radio Solent. He also wrote witty articles for the Portsmouth evening newspaper.
Alan battled with Parkinson’s Disease for some years before passing away on 26 May 2017, shortly after his 86th birthday.
You May Also Like
Robbie Dale Born Robbie Robinson in Littleborough (Lancashire) in 1940, Robbie Dale began his working life as a…
Tony Blackburn Born at Parkstone, Dorset, on 29 January 1943, the son of a GP and a nurse,…
Jimmy Young Jimmy was born in Cinderford and was originally a singer with a number of hit records…
Wolfman Jack 1 9 3 9 - 1 9 9 5 With the on-air cool of Alan Freed and the…
Spangles Muldoon Born Harry Christopher Cary on 5 October 1946, "Spangles Muldoon" was a flamboyant, highly influential British…
Simon Bates Simon was born in Birmingham in 1946 but lived in Suffolk until 1954, when he moved…
Tony Brandon A native of Dorset, Brandon broke into broadcasting - after a spell as a journalist with…
Don Allen Canadian-born disc jockey "Daffy" Don Allen (born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in March 1939 to Romanian parents)…
