[DuncanNewmarchMember]

Steve England has said that Alfasound sounded best when they “weren’t trying to sound like the Americans” and I agree. They made some great stuff for Trent and County Sound but is this the best package they created? Invicta Radio (from the Radio ID Vol 7)

[rakMember]

Definitely agree re the Invicta packages by Alfasound. The Signal Radio “Setting the Pace” package was similarly produced, and has stood the test of time as well.

[IainJohnstonMember]

A personal favourite was the Radio 210 package!
With CBC, the Signal launch package, and Metro-&-Tees not far behind.

(PS looks like there’s still a hiccup with logins not recognising usernames?)

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[Tony MullinsMember]

I really like BBC Radio Stoke’s 1989 Alfasound package.

Commissioned by my friend and co-presenter on Moorlands Mervyn Gamage (he was running Radio Stoke at the time). When we celebrated his 50 years on the air last year, Steve gave us special permission to play a few of these on the air as part of a special show. Was great to hear Alfasound jingles on the FM airwaves again!

[Tony MullinsMember]

Sorry Duncan – I am sure I am not allowed a second!

Their late 90s “Radio 106” package was also good! The station become Century 106 not long after, and the jingles were JAM.

[Norman BarringtonMember]

I could certainly say, that one cut that I think is outstanding in quality and charm, is this one, originally made for Piccadilly and then resung for Nova and Caroline. The cut was officially known as “Summer Song” here is a selection of mixes. Alfasound’s Summer Song: Selection of mixes Be sure to listen in Stereo!

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[pvankleiMember]

Thanks Norman for sharing these different versions of the ‘Summer Song’.

Regards,

Peter

[DavidMember]

Duncan, hearing that demo has taken me right back in time. After hearing that in the mid 90s (some time after it was made, I guess), I bought two packages from Steve. One from Alfasound and one after he set up on his own. In both cases I asked for the same lead singer, who turned out to be Ian Wilson of Sad Café. He has a great voice but I remember him struggling a bit with some tracks he was having to sing on. I think the Invicta ones were written specifically with his voice in mind. Great fun 🙂.

[Steve JenkinsonMember]

Wondeful to hear the different “summer song” cuts. Thank you Norman. I had my own custom version of the summer song made by Alan & Steve in the late 70’s – (it’s on the forum somewhere and on Sound Cloud). I was on Nova in the early 80’s and used my version, on-air, mixing along it with both the English and French versions. It was a lot of fun back then and one of the great Alfasound jingles from those magical Piccadilly days. Being a Nottingham boy, I loved to death the early Trent stuff done by Alfasound too. I often listen to the Trent and Piccadilly cuts, with heaps of Jam and others, whilst driving the very long distances we have to travel here in Australia. Thanks again Norman.

[Laotian_12_inMember]

My favourite Alfasound packages are Centre Radio and Invicta Radio 1.

[TheOriginalBigDaveMember]

I’ll put forward the first Radio Hallam custom as an example of a great UK made and sung Alfasound package.

Solid tracks and great vocals by Jimmy Helms and Tessa Niles make it really stand out.

[IainJohnstonMember]

Would that be this one Dave?

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[Tony MullinsMember]

I have been meaning to add this… One of my favourites from 1986. I love this EPIC package for BBC Radio Northampton from Alfasound

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[LastyMember]

I have to agree with Duncan about Invicta Radio. Recently found the cuts again on my mac, and brought back so many memories. In particular, the main song – opened the station every morning and I fondly remember getting up very early with my finger poised on the tape machine to record this, hoping for a static-free FM signal! Listening to this, and the cutdowns, I appreciate the instrumentation from guitars to even an organ/electric piano somewhere in there, through to the vocals and the drum machine! Not only that, it’s a well-crafted bit of music that is also very catchy. And this continues throughout the whole package.

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[LastyMember]

and this was my other favourite in that package…

[ratnobMember]

Great thread. I remember the excitement when Alfasound started producing jingles that sounded like the jingles I loved from the USA.
I loved the original ‘Severn Sound’ package, and, as an individual cut, that Radio Trent ‘Summer of 81’ song (I think it was that year – in my chaotic jingle collection I can rarely find anything).
G

[TigerQ105Member]

There’s a lot to choose from when it comes to the best Alfa jingles, but my favourite one was the CBC ’82 and Fox FM package.

[rakMember]

There are some great cuts in this Trent/Leicester package. The Cagney & Lacey Travel bed, the Ultravox, Al Jarreau based cuts as well. I bought the reels for this package, when Steve was selling them off a number of years ago. (this is just from an MP3 I found on the computer)

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[IainJohnstonMember]

Similarly bagged the CBC reels ( 10″ NAB 15 IPS )
Superb quality :<))

Steve also dubbed me CDs of some of the other reels – yet some packages are “missing in action” to this day…

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