I was the first Head of Music at Mercia Sound and I was executive producer on many of the sessions. Mike Smith was a perfectionist and we often worked late into the evening to get the desired result. I felt so proud when I heard these jingles on air for the first time. RIP Mike.
These may be dated jingles but they came at a time when Mercia had a real community connection to its audience. A time when ILR was as much about public service as well as needing to be a successful commercial business. It was a hard balancing act trying to be all things to all people but Mercia achieved that supremely and was evidently able to satisfy a highly controlling regulator in the IBA. The world seemed a smaller place and Mercia was I think the best ILR in the U.K. in the early 80s. It had a strong identity and these jingles were part of that.
I bet. The jingles at the time were produced by the same company (Sue Manning) and had a lot of the same singers as Capital Radio's second jingle package which began to air in 1979. In fact, some of those early Mercia jingles were similar to Capital's, for example, "Close up every window, close up every door, it's cold outside, but it's warm in here with 194" evidently influence "220 Mercia Sound, even though it's cold all around, get inside and close the door, you'll find we give you so much more". Although there were a number of naff, uncool and provincial cuts, it was nevertheless a great jingle package and did its job well when ILR was still quite restricted in what it could broadcast and had to cater for the whole potential listenership of every demographic.
Mercia's first jingle set had good vocal arrangements and I believe Madeleine Belle was one of the singers and were produced by Mike Smith, the keyboard player from the Dave Clarke Five. I always thought the vocal at 0:36 was Cilla Black ! Have a listen !
What a fantastic radio station Mercia Sound was in those days. Love these original jingles, they bring back so many memories. Thank you for posting them here. Question though, where is the Mercia Sound History website now? That was an excellent resource!
Hi Mike, I closed the website for technical reasons however I have recently created a Facebook page 'Mercia Sound Memories' which has a lot of the info I used on the website: facebook.com/MerciaSound Ceers Kev
It always seems odd (to me) that by the 80's the medium wave was the dominant platform, even though Mercia was available on FM from day one. Oh and 555 444, remember it like it was yesterday :). Local radio before the accountants ruined it by (essentially) merging them all into one money making machine. :(
I have in the dim distant back of my head a memory of a sung jingle that was simply "Sunday on Mercia" - I have never heard it on any pack. It would have been in the Sue Manning era. Is this a bit of a false memory or does it actually exist?
![Sky High [12 inch disco version] by Jigsaw](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5MwDoa7aOig/mqdefault.jpg)
I was the first Head of Music at Mercia Sound and I was executive producer on many of the sessions. Mike Smith was a perfectionist and we often worked late into the evening to get the desired result. I felt so proud when I heard these jingles on air for the first time. RIP Mike.
These may be dated jingles but they came at a time when Mercia had a real community connection to its audience. A time when ILR was as much about public service as well as needing to be a successful commercial business. It was a hard balancing act trying to be all things to all people but Mercia achieved that supremely and was evidently able to satisfy a highly controlling regulator in the IBA. The world seemed a smaller place and Mercia was I think the best ILR in the U.K. in the early 80s. It had a strong identity and these jingles were part of that.
Great jingles from Mercia Sound.
Ahhh the memories of living in Coventry in the 80s x
classic radio at its best !!!
Oh golly, this don't 'alf bring back some happy memories of when I first moved up from London to Coventry.
I bet. The jingles at the time were produced by the same company (Sue Manning) and had a lot of the same singers as Capital Radio's second jingle package which began to air in 1979. In fact, some of those early Mercia jingles were similar to Capital's, for example, "Close up every window, close up every door, it's cold outside, but it's warm in here with 194" evidently influence "220 Mercia Sound, even though it's cold all around, get inside and close the door, you'll find we give you so much more". Although there were a number of naff, uncool and provincial cuts, it was nevertheless a great jingle package and did its job well when ILR was still quite restricted in what it could broadcast and had to cater for the whole potential listenership of every demographic.
Mercia's first jingle set had good vocal arrangements and I believe Madeleine Belle was one of the singers and were produced by Mike Smith, the keyboard player from the Dave Clarke Five. I always thought the vocal at 0:36 was Cilla Black ! Have a listen !
Wonderful days, sadly gone.
What a fantastic radio station Mercia Sound was in those days. Love these original jingles, they bring back so many memories. Thank you for posting them here. Question though, where is the Mercia Sound History website now? That was an excellent resource!
Hi Mike, I closed the website for technical reasons however I have recently created a Facebook page 'Mercia Sound Memories' which has a lot of the info I used on the website: facebook.com/MerciaSound Ceers Kev
It always seems odd (to me) that by the 80's the medium wave was the dominant platform, even though Mercia was available on FM from day one. Oh and 555 444, remember it like it was yesterday :). Local radio before the accountants ruined it by (essentially) merging them all into one money making machine. :(
Gordon, Gordon will drive away your boredom!
Radio in colour !
Bet these had PAMS and JAMS quaking in their boots
I have in the dim distant back of my head a memory of a sung jingle that was simply "Sunday on Mercia" - I have never heard it on any pack. It would have been in the Sue Manning era. Is this a bit of a false memory or does it actually exist?
There was the "A Touch of Class" broadcast on Sunday mornings 8am to 12 noon with Andy Lloyd.