Biography

Webb began his career in radio in Australia and hosted the first Top 40 radio show on Sydney radio in the late 1950s. After moving to the UK in the mid-1960s he became one of several Australian DJs who were prominent in the pirate radio

Pirate radio

Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...

 scene that flourished at that time.

He joined Radio Caroline

Radio Caroline

Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...

 in May 1965, going on to become Programme Controller and later News Director. He was one of the staff rescued from the Mi Amigo when she ran aground at Walton in 1966. He left Caroline and returned to Australia after the proclamation of the 1967 Marine Broadcasting Offences Act

Marine Broadcasting Offences Act

The Marine, &c., Broadcasting Act 1967 c.41, shortened to Marine Broadcasting Offences Act, became law in the United Kingdom at midnight on Monday, August 14, 1967 and was repealed by the...

, which forced the closure of the pirate stations. In the late 1960s he presented the Australian end of the long-running Family Favourites

Family Favourites

Successor to the wartime show Forces Favourites, Family Favourites was broadcast at Sunday lunchtimes on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2 and the British Forces Broadcasting Service until 1980...

radio series.

In the early 1970s webb moved into television, hosting and producing many popular TV shows, including the original version of Blind Date. In 1973 he was the founding host and producer of the pioneering Saturday morning music video

Music video

A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 series Sounds Unlimited -- the world's first show featuring pop clips.

As producer of Sounds, Webb played a pivotal role in the career of music video and feature film director Russell Mulcahy

Russell Mulcahy

Russell Mulcahy is an Australian film director. His work is easily recognized by his use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights.- Music videos :...

. In need of material for the new show, Webb approached Mulcahy (then a staffer in the ATN-7 newsroom) and asked him to film some footage to accompany popular songs for which there were no purpose-made clips (e.g. Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson

Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...

's "Everybody's Talking"). Using this method, Webb and Mulcahy assembled a collection of about 25 clips for the show. The success of his early efforts encouraged Mulcahy to quit his TV job and become a full-time director, and he made clips for several popular Australian acts including Stylus

Stylus (band)

Stylus Australian soul-pop group. The band is notable for being the only Australian act ever released by Motown Records in the USA. Stylus toured with George Benson, Average White Band, Ike & Tina Turner, and Australia's "Little River Band"....

, Marcia Hines

Marcia Hines

Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...

, Hush

Hush (band)

Hush was a 1970s Australian glam rock pop group and became famous during frequent appearances on the ABC show Countdown for live concerts and teenagers, and they would not have come into existence without the superb John Koutts on drums....

 and AC/DC

AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...

, before moving to the UK, where he became one of the most successful music video directors of the 1980s and beyond.