“CHRIS MORRIS with some mild radio anarchy.” - Radio Times
In contrast to Morris' jobbing DJ duties at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, this music show was his first real 'starring role'. For this show (of which one of the timeslots was apparently inherited from an old man who had been with the station for years!), Morris employed many of the devices that he would use in his later radio projects - including ludicrous spoof news stories, fabricated listeners letters, Feedback Reports, tape re-editing, prank phone-calls and the daytime DJ parody character Wayne Carr. He also began his legendary campaign against backwards messages in pop music here, challenged listeners to send in risque conclusions to the first line of limericks, and had the odd celebrity guest, including, on one occasion, Jerry Sadowicz (on one of the weekend 11am shows!). The main collaborator on this show was Michael Alexander St. John, an HTV West linkman with a rich, authoritative voice that Morris made good use of by getting him to read out lists of bizarre facts and commandments.
There are a number of stories going about as to why Morris left the station, ranging from being fired from the station after giving a running commentary (and possibly eating) over a news bulletin, being unnecessarily robust with a caller or because of the infamous incident in which a news studio was filled with helium causing a newsreader to have to press on with their report in a ridiculously high-pitched voice. We have it on good authority that the helium incident was nothing to do with Morris, other than him surreptitiously fuelling the myth.
It would appear that no complete editions of No Known Cure have survived as studio master recordings; however a small number of off-air recordings made by listeners from May 1989 to February 1990 exist and are available to download from this site.
APPEAL ALERT: I'm ALWAYS on the lookout for more shows to add to the site, there were dozens and dozens of shows made so more must be out there somewhere. If you have any that you'd like to offer up or you can upgrade any of the shows we do have, email Neil at waynecarr@gmail.com, send a twitter to @neilbombd/@cookdandbombd or send a private message if you have a forum account. Failing that, leave a message on the CaB Radio voicemail at 02 895 811976.
Any local press articles are also welcome, especially anything about why he came to leave Radio Bristol.
Shows are available to stream or download from zShare. Click on the dates for additional download links from other providers and show guides. Due to the temperamental nature of free file hosting websites, some of the links might not work at times. Apologies if so - give us a bell if you spot an expired link, and we'll get it back up.
Thanks to: Rob Baker, Lewis Gillingham, Mart Simpson and Zeb for their help in providing us with these shows. Full shows supplied by Rob Baker and Zeb. Uploads and most of the work done on this page by weirdbeard.
1989
02/06/1989 | [Link coming soon - Full show] (Supplied by Rob Baker)
03/06/1989 | [Link coming soon - Full show] (Supplied by Rob Baker)
09/06/1989 | [Link coming soon - Full show] (Supplied by Rob Baker)
24/06/1989 | [Link coming soon - Full show] (Supplied by Rob Baker)
Jul-Nov 1989 Off-air compilation | Stream/Download | Download (Rapidshare) | Download (Sharebee) | [Off-air compilation of various Friday night shows between July and November 1989] (Surfaced and supplied by Lewis Gillingham)
25/11/1989 | Stream/Download | Download (Sendspace) | [Full show] (Supplied and encoded by Zeb)
1990
26/01/1990 | Stream/Download | [Full show] (Supplied and encoded by Zeb)
02/02/1990 | Stream/Download | [Full show] (Supplied and encoded by Zeb)
16/02/1990 | Stream/Download | [Full show] (Supplied and encoded by Zeb)
Comedy Map Of Britain | YouTube | Short feature on No Known Cure presented by BBC Radio Bristol DJ Steve Yabsley and includes comments by Roy Roberts, station manager during Morris' time there. TX: BBC2, 27th January 2007
Saturday mornings
11:35am - 1:30pm | 11:04am - 1:04pm | 10:05am - 12:00pm - Saturday 11th July 1987 to around Saturday 17th March 1990
Sunday mornings
11:00am - 1:04pm - 12th July 1987 to 2nd October 1988
Friday nights (“The Late No Known Cure”)
10:05pm - 12:00am - 7th October 1988 to around 23rd March 1990
(simulcast on BBC Radio Gloucestershire and from 7th April 1989 on BBC Wiltshire Sound)
Whilst the beginning of No Known Cure can be pinpointed (Saturday 11th July 1987 - together with article, interview and photo in the Radio Times), the exact end of it can't be, as it's been reported that he was sacked after one prank too much. The last listing in the Radio Times was for Friday 23rd March 1990 (but not for the next day) - Radio Gloucestershire listings scheduled the Friday night simulcast for a few more weeks, probably in error.
The BBC's forthcoming Genome project promises to put the entire broadcast history of the corporation online by Summer 2011 - so more info to come.
The beginning of the Friday “Late” No Known Cure shows and the end of the Sunday morning shows coincided with the launch of BBC Radio Gloucestershire, which featured a simulcast of the Friday night show right from the start of it's programming.
No Known Cure transmission dates & selected show guides
A short clip of a song parody performed by Morris does survive in the BBC Archives as it was rebroadcast on BBC Radio 4's 'Pick of the Week' on the 28th August 1987. This is the description in the BBC's internal programme information database, INFAX]]:
Humorous song written & performed by Chris Morris From No Known Cure - PRE:Satirical song mentioning [Jeffrey] Archer's fame & achievement - which according to Morris don't add up to much. Particular ref. to recent opening of his first play “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” & widely publicised libel action against the Star, which had alleged he paid prostitute Monica Coghlan 370 for sex, then lied about it. Mention of his “spot-free back” - a crucial turning point in the case. NTS:this transmission taken from Pick of the Week R4 28.8.87 Introduction by Margaret Howard. TXN/TDT:R. Bristol 21-Aug-1987 CON:MORRIS Chris; Satirist (voc).
Several fans report also having heard this re-used in the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 circa 1997.
Mr. C is a bad young brother
Mr. C is a bad young brother
Now if your weekend is a total bore
Enough to make a rabid insomniac snore
Put this programme in your head with a surgical saw (later replaced with “Wrap your your ears around the sound of No Known Cure”)
And I bet you will forget you ever had a care before
The show is like a drug but is totally legal
I swear we didn't have to test it on a beagle
Gratuities and liberties and competition chance (later replaced with “There's novelties and liberties and competition chance”)
And the music in the show will make your coffee table dance
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