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Business News Deals Media
Rinse FM acquires Kool FM
By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 31 January 2023
London-based Rinse FM has acquired Kool FM, another radio outlet which – like Rinse – began life as a pirate station in the UK capital.
Kool FM originally launched as a pirate station in 1991 and is widely seen has having played an instrumental role in the rise and evolution of jungle and drum & bass. It became a legit online radio station, operating as Kool London, in 2010.
The station’s co-founder Eastman confirmed at the start of this month that he was retiring from radio and that, as a result, Kool London would go off air for a month while a new team took over.
He wrote: “I feel that, at 64 years old, I can’t contribute to Kool, jungle and dnb the way I have in the past, keeping up with all the new talent, going to events and being involved as much as I was in the past. Also, I’m not in the best of health and don’t have the energy like I once did”.
However, he added, he and his partner Suzy G will continue to have some involvement in the next phase of Kool FM.
“We are not just walking away from Kool out right”, he went on. “We will be kept on working with the new owners for a minimum of five years in the background, with no say in the everyday running of Kool or the DJ/MC rota, but helping with advice and promoting the station”.
Rinse FM confirmed it was taking over the running of Kool FM and its Jungle Fever events yesterday, with Rinse FM founder Geeneus explaining how Kool FM had heavily influenced his own involvement in radio and music.
“Starting Rinse for me was based on the passion and love I had for Kool FM”, he said. “To be able to join the pirate radio community and say we are joining the fight to showcase true underground music created in our community was something I was extremely proud of. It led me to dedicate my life to helping the underground, searching for talent and encouraging young creatives from our background to try”.
Confirming that “Eastman and Suzy have decided to pass the baton over to us to continue the Kool legacy”, he added: “I can’t even begin to explain how I’d feel if I could tell the fifteen year old me I would one day own Kool FM and Jungle Fever. It is beyond a privilege and I hope to do it justice. Thank you to Kool, Eastman and Suzy for trusting me with this. It means a lot”.
On the Rinse FM deal, Eastman said: “Geeneus has an excellent track record of achievements in radio and also has first class knowledge of Kool and myself as we worked together on the roofs putting Kool and Rinse on. Back in the day he was a big Kool listener and took inspiration from Kool and the way we ran the station”.
“His love for Kool is 100% and that’s why we have put trust in Gee to get Kool to the next level”, he continued. “We must say thank you to those who have helped with the running of Kool or been a part of Kool in any way over the past 31 years. It’s been a massive, life changing journey for Suzy and myself. This is not the end, this is a new beginning for Kool. Thank you all for your support”.
Rinse’s statement added that it is now working on the relaunch of Kool FM “with a new lineup of DJs across the spectrum of drum & bass, jungle and old skool”.
