Matt Heath: Rebellious Radio Hauraki still rocking the boat

On December 4, 1966, Radio Hauraki began broadcasting from a boat. That was half a century ago yesterday. Everyone knows the story. In the '50s and '60s, Radio in New Zealand was boring because it was owned by the Government.

No one on land was legally allowed to have a radio station so the 'Good Guys' grabbed a ship and headed for international waters. Their transmissions changed everything. The kids went crazy and New Zealand was instantly less lame.

Legendary drummer, concert promoter and great Kiwi Brent Eccles sums up the excitement: "Radio Hauraki turned Hillsborough on its head and mum wondered where the kitchen radio had gone. I had it in my bedroom, tuned to a very static 1480AM and up loud. Radio Hauraki personified rock 'n' roll attitude and I was drawn in. Totally.

The 'Good Guys' led the rebel charge against the authorities and we kids all f***ing loved it. I'm sure the whole Hauraki idea influenced many like it did me. Long may they sail! F*** yeah!"

Of course the actual boat didn't sail for long. It wrecked, so they got another one which also wrecked and eventually the Government relented and Hauraki became a legal, landlocked radio station.

Over the years it's been a lot of things.

From top 40 to Classic Rock That Rocks to today, when it plays whatever it feels like. Since the original pirates David Gapes, Derek Lowe, Chris Parkinson, Ian Magan and the rest there have been some great names on Hauraki. Blackie, John Hawkesby, Mark Perry, Captain Stain, Havoc, Phil Gifford, Willy De Wit, Phillip Schofield, The General, Lazza McGoldaz, Dean Butler, Dr Rock, Tim Batt, Dean Lonergan, Abe from Whakamana and so many others.

A bunch of great people, many of whom were fired. Commercial radio is a tough game. I'm coming up on five years with the station and I'm the longest surviving employee.

With so much genre and personal change over the years I've been trying to get my head around what holds Hauraki together as an idea. What links current hosts like Jeremy Wells, Leigh Hart, Jason Hoyte, Ange and myself with the original pirates and subsequent jocks?

Us with our super-flash, comfy new studio. Them out at sea, in a rusty old boat. Us with our non-radio voices, our predecessors with their deep, booming tones. What ties it all together other than a name? I couldn't think of anything, so I went out drinking.

On Saturday night, Hauraki threw a 50th party for all those who had been a part of the station over the years. I heard a lot of stories. Mostly positive, some bitter, a few creepy. The good times were so good. Listening to all the tales of drug use, hearse use, studio sex, corruption, fake eruptions, regal pounamu downtrows, giant chopper plugs, sordid billboard dwellers, indoor smoking and record smashing it finally hit me what the station stands for. What the underlying essence of Radio Hauraki should always be: "Not doing what you're told".

DJ Andrew Dickens describes '80s Hauraki as "rebelling against small-minded, rural, conservative NZ with late-night Thursdays and arcane licensing laws". It seems there was also a fondness for limos and nose candy and bubbles in a town of Morris Minors.

So maybe the underlying essence of Radio Hauraki is not doing what you're told. They told them they couldn't do it back then ... so they did it anyway.

Whenever the station has done what it's told, it's stagnated. Whenever it has gone rogue it's done well. In 1966, the station started with a sea crime. In 2016, Hauraki commits land-based atrocities daily. In 1966, the station played music no one else was playing, as it does today. In its 50-year history, Radio Hauraki has never been more in tune with its roots than it is now.

Not that the original fans have to get on board with new Hauraki if they don't want. Baby Boomers who loved the station back then may well hate it now. Which is fine. Their parents and their parents' parents certainly hated it back in the day.

Radio Hauraki turned 50 yesterday. A great innings. It started in '66 with a big F-you to the rules. In 2016 we endeavour to honour that spirit. It's what the original pirates and those who followed would have wanted. Even the ones that hate us now.

Bring on 100!