[martinlesterMember]

The You Package from TM is one of my favourite Classic TM Packages

I was going through my old recordings yesterday and wondered if anyone knows the background to this
As the Tracks sound different to the original so was this re created?

(Like some of the Alfasound Cuts that Len has previously spoken about)

or Re mixed from the Original master?

[IainJohnstonMember]

Yamco?

[SeanMartin]

Who knows if it was ever legit, but the tracks and the vocals were recorded in the UK. My first thought was that someone may have thought that the Atlantic not only divided continents, but copyright issues too!! These were outright copies.

Would be interesting to know from those “in” the know

[LenGroat]

I believe the deal was totally ‘legit’? Jay & Alan the 2 bosses at Beacon used UK ‘musos’ using the original parts of the scores, so could claim it against their MU budget?

Of course (as we all knew) no one could replicate the class, style musicality, tightness of the original tracks – it was like ‘seed pearls’ instead of real pearls. I’ll leave someone else to comment on the vocals….

[IainJohnston]

I think the Beacon “You” topic came up on JM a very long time ago?

In the meantime, with apologies for the “reference-only sound quality”, a bit of the Beacon stuff to judge on the “production quality”.

I can’t look for any “proper” US You station stuff at present (it’ll be “somewhere”…) but if anyone can post something definately the TM Dallas article for comparison?

Beacon-You by wixy1360

[Tracy CarmanMember]

Sure… Compare away…
KHJ / KLIF – TM Productions “You Campaign” examples by MPF TM Archives

[IainJohnston]

Thanks TC – well, discernably different – but the UK ones’ tracks are closer to the originals than they might have been! A better effort than some “other” attempts of the time at reproducing US production by UK (Musicians Union approved) producers.

Some of the brass at least was performed with as much “gusto” as the originals

[ratnobMember]

Thanks TC – well, discernably different – but the UK ones’ tracks are closer to the originals than they might have been! Some of the brass at least was performed with as much “gusto” as the originals

I agree – it’s big and brassy and sounded like nothing else on British radio, so all credit to all involved for the sheer ambition of the project.

[mbMember]

Well i’m going to stick my two penneth in I like the vocals especially on the “special friend” song both the male and female vocals are clear, crisp and sound great.

[teachercreature]

Very interesting. Do you think the singers were trying to sound American? Check out the word “like” on cut 3’s “we like what you like.” Almost has a U.S. southern dialect.

[AndyWMember]

I’m sure these were legit like the PAMS re makes for Orwell around the same time. I heard that Tom Merriman kept the multitrack but later gave it to Muff Murfin when he started re selling TM in the UK. They were made by Yamco, an off shoot of EMIson when it closed.

The much more interesting topic is the Beacon EMIson sign on package that ‘borrows’ heavily and not very legitimately from some mid 70’s Jam tracks. I’m sure Jon has a few words to say on that matter as he did in the Radio Mag a couple of years ago.

[enerjee]

I always reckoned the Beacon resings were better than the originals, however, I am biased as they were some of first the jingles that I heard as I began listening to Beacon a couple of months before they introduced them on air, replacing their “Sunshine” package.

Brilliantly produced in my opinion and, in my young teenage naivety, I used to think it was Olivia Newton-John and Andrew Gold singing on the beautiful “Wanna Sing Your Song” cuts ! ! !

[martinlesterMemberAuthor]

I have dug out some of my old You packages and one thing I have noticed

Almost all of the versions I have , with the exception of beacon that changed 24 hours to 19 hours a day have the same basic lyrics

Why was that ?

Was it because the Demo Lyrics was so good

Or

No PD’s could spare the time to write anything better

If you take any other package from TM or PAMS you will always find several versions but with You package the one set of lyrics are used on every station

[IainJohnston]

I’ve heard versions where the station call has clearly been sung as an “insert” into the main body of the cuts,
i.e. just a small bit to sing instead of the entire cut long lyrics, and the difference in sound/voices/texture
has been detectable.

To be fair, the “You” package WAS one that TM designed to have the long cuts chopped-down to shorter
versions, c.f. as with earlier era long Heller jingles.

Not being in any way critical, but I think on some of the JAM Christmas Kit cuts the plugging-in of simply a
station’s call letters is sometimes also “detectable” – but as an economy measure for a budget mini-package
that DOES make sense.

As for the Beacon Yamco “You”, as far as I know it was all done quite legitimately “in association” with TM – and
it IS instrumentally & vocally “fresher” than the US original – shame the only copies I’ve ever heard are just a bit
“mushy” or artifacty (darn those MP3 rip days!)

PS – would I be right in saying the Emison custom for Swansea Sound was also a UK “co-operation” with TM?

[martinlesterMemberAuthor]

I’ve heard versions where the station call has clearly been sung as an “insert” into the main body of the cuts,
i.e. just a small bit to sing instead of the entire cut long lyrics, and the difference in sound/voices/toexture
has been detectable.

I have also noticed that as well for example on the TM in Japan the Insert while vocally fine is on the track at a higher level than the rest of the track

[IainJohnston]

“at a higher level than the rest of the track”

Indeed; I’m thinking of a Canadian station version like that.

[enerjee]

As for the Beacon Yamco “You”, as far as I know it was all done quite legitimately “in association” with TM – and
it IS instrumentally & vocally “fresher” than the US original – shame the only copies I’ve ever heard are just a bit
“mushy” or artifacty (darn those MP3 rip days!)

The MD of Beacon at the time (Jay Oliver) was an American who had good contacts in the US. Apparently, after being told he couldn’t use non-UK-based jingle singers, he flew singers over from Dallas and had them sing in London to get around the MU rules. I also believe the orchestration had to be done in the UK too. I have some very good MP3s of most of Beacon’s “You” package.

Regarding lyrics, there were several adaptations for some US stations KACY152 changed “you are the sunshine” for “you are the beaches” and “you are the freeways”. There were other stations which used similar changes to the lyrics as well.

[ratnobMember]

The MD of Beacon at the time (Jay Oliver) was an American who had good contacts in the US. Apparently, after being told he couldn’t use non-UK-based jingle singers, he flew singers over from Dallas and had them sing in London to get around the MU rules. I also believe the orchestration had to be done in the UK too. I have some very good MP3s of most of Beacon’s “You” package.

As a loyal Beacon Radio listener from 1976 to when I left home in 1981, and a young jingle freak, I’d always thought those ‘UK singers’ sounded far too good to be true. This is the first time I’ve read someone confirming what my instincts told me – that they may not in fact be UK singers. Is it hearsay or definitely the case?

[IainJohnston]

Was this about “flying in singers” perhaps triggered by JMW’s anecdotes on Rewound Radio the other day?

[enerjee]

I know an ex-journalist from Beacon who was there and kept in touch with Jay Oliver. They chatted and Jay revealed this was the case. The journalist in question was about to co-author a book chronicling the station’s first three years (when Beacon had received two serious broadcasting breaches and a third would have closed the station down in 1979) with Jay, but unfortunately Jay died in 2007 before anything could be coordinated.

Here’s some dialogue I had with the said journalist only a few weeks ago confirming what Jay had said to him . . .

“ME: – though in my opinion the Beacon “You” production is tighter and stronger. Rumour has it that Jay Oliver’s connections allowed him to fly the singers over from the US and have them sing here to get around the MU rules.”

“EX BEACON JOURNO: “that is more than rumour! I did have a handle on all this 15 years or so ago – had talked to Jay about it. But, yes – that is what happened, I think. No doubt I’d have got it all down and out there if I’d done the book with him he wanted to do. Biggest regret of my professional life. I was concerned he was not clear about libel laws in this country. But should have done it and then put it past the lawyers!”

“ME:- shame he’s no longer with us to verify. At the time I fancifully assumed the singers on the minute-long “I Wanna Sing Your Song” were Andrew Gold and Olivia Newton-John as Beacon played so much country rock and the “Grease” soundtracks were dominant. It’d be interesting to identify who they actually were.”

Incidentally, Barry Manilow was a jingle writer and apparently worked at TM for a while. A Beacon presenter told me in 1978 that Manilow had some involvement in the production of the “You” jingle set, but I have no way of verifying that.

Jay is quoted as saying while he was MD at Beacon that the name of the game when running an ILR station was to abide by the rules just enough to avoid breaking them. Beacon certainly did that, which made it such a great station, however, rules were perceived to have been broken and September 1979 brought in dramatic programme changes in order to save the franchise.

[enerjee]

I found this interesting anecdote too regarding Beacon’s first jingle package:

“The original TM version of “You” was made in 1975. There’s a much more interesting story of Jon Wolfert (he of “Jam” fame) coming to the UK to plan the launch jingle package of Beacon Radio.

The Musicians’ Union vetoed it as Jon was not a UK citizen. Jon, still in the UK, had to cut his losses. He took a chance and went to London where he blagged a meeting with a young Johnny Beerling and ultimately came away with the accounts for BBC Radios 1 & 2.

Who knows what would have happened if he’d not been invited by Jay and Allen to work on that first Beacon package.”

[ratnobMember]

A few years back I put together a silly little montage of ‘You’ jingles for various stations, including Beacon. I wanted to see how easy it would be to spot different singers. You can hear it here and be reminded of just how impressive the Beacon resings are:
http://www.geoffbarton.co.uk//files/_IDs/You-medley.mp3

I played it to Jon Wolfert who – as well as inevitably being able to talk about the various vocal combinations – told me something I hadn’t realised. The long male/female-piano based songs (“I wanna sing your music …”) weren’t part of the original TM package. They were written by Otis Connor who, in the late 70s/80s, produced jingles with a definite Barry Manilow vibe. I have a few of those Otis Connor Productions packages if anyone wants me to post them.

[enerjee]

A few years back I put together a silly little montage of ‘You’ jingles for various stations, including Beacon. I wanted to see how easy it would be to spot different singers. You can hear it here and be reminded of just how impressive the Beacon resings are:
http://www.geoffbarton.co.uk//files/_IDs/You-medley.mp3

Thanks. And referring to Martin Lester’s question regarding lyric changes, your very clever medley includes (at 55 seconds in) the KACY 152 main theme with the words “you on the freeways” and “you on the beaches” instead of “you in the sunshine”. There are other lyric changes I’ve heard (which aren’t in your medley), but I can’t remember where, however, I’ll have a look and post a link as soon as I find them.

I played it (the medley) to Jon Wolfert who – as well as inevitably being able to talk about the various vocal combinations – told me something I hadn’t realised. The long male/female-piano based songs (“I wanna sing your music …”) weren’t part of the original TM package. They were written by Otis Connor who, in the late 70s/80s, produced jingles with a definite Barry Manilow vibe. I have a few of those Otis Connor Productions packages if anyone wants me to post them.

The Manilow connections were mentioned to me by a former presenter at Beacon while he was still on air back in 1978. Yes Ratnob, could you post those Otis Connor Productions packages please?

Finally, I reckon your medley really highlights how much beefier and tighter the Beacon resings of the “You” package are in comparison to the others.

[martinlesterMemberAuthor]

Enerjee I would be interested in listening to any examples you have as this was / still is my Favourite TM package from the 70’s

When I asked about Lyric changes I was wondering if any station Re Lyric one of the 60 sec songs in whole not just the odd line

[ratnobMember]

Here you go, as requested, an introduction to the work of Otis Conner circa 1978-1981, I think. You’ll see there’s a strong Barry Manilow vibe.

Close to you:
http://www.geoffbarton.co.uk//files/_IDs/GB-Otis-Conner-WASH.mp3

Come Home:
http://www.geoffbarton.co.uk//files/_IDs/GB-Otis-Conner-KLIF-Come-Home.mp3

Let’s Make the Music Together:
http://www.geoffbarton.co.uk//files/_IDs/GB-Otis-Conner-Lets+Make+The+Music+Together++KMPC.mp3

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