Peter Is Here–It’s Radio Days

IMG_0041Peter Mokover is in town. Sunday, he and Nancy came over. I invited a few others. Helaine prepared a feast.

It was radio days!

Peter has an unbelievable collection of great New York City radio moments on-tape. As a teen he was obsessed. He recorded WABC’s Dan Ingram show open and close EVERY day! He still has those recordings.

I remember a shelf in Peter’s apartment in Cherry Hill. Box-after-box-after-box of white 5″ audio tape. Nicely leadered. Peter had an archivist’s touch.

That wall is now a tiny piece of Peter’s hard drive. Properly cataloged in a tree like directory structure, Peter is no less obsessed than he was at sixteen.

He played a few airchecks today. These are recordings, often made in the studio, which only roll when the mic is on. No songs… except the opening and closing few seconds. You’re listening to the disk jockey.

We listened to the iconic news sounders WCBS used in the 70s and 80s. Then some jingles and more airchecks.

Peter and I were driven to get into radio. It was as if we had no free will. It sucked us in.

Radio’s not like that anymore. That’s a shame, because it used to be a fun way to earn a living.

Peter (never Pete, sometimes Petey–as his mom called him) was my boss in Philadelphia, though we first met in Cleveland. Peter showed me my first pocket calculator. He kept me company the night I got to fill-in on WNEW’s Milkman’s Matinee.

Once, in his office, he told me I should stop telling the jokes that weren’t funny. I’m sure I’ll get over that meeting at some point.

Tomorrow, armed with a trusty thumbdrive, I’ll clone that amazing collection. Life is good.

If You Ain’t Heard Your Name By This Time, It’s Probably Cause It Just Don’t Rhyme!

My messy office at home

Helaine has declared it spring cleaning time. There’s no excuse for me to be a slacker. After 23 years in this house we’ve accumulated a lot of crap. Everything must go!

OK–not everything, but if I haven’t looked at it over the last decade (or possibly two) it needs to be tossed. Fair enough.

The anti-intuitive part of cleaning and straightening is the first step is to make things messier! I have two wall units. I pulled most everything to the floor.

That’s tough love cleaning. It becomes easier to toss than return!

From time-to-time a discovery is made. Like most archaeological digs, most of what was unearthed in my room was worthless. Not everything!

I have audio tapes. Reel-to-reel. No player. I couldn’t toss them. OK–I tossed a few unlabeled boxes.

There were audio cassettes too. That’s where this afternoon’s KGB aircheck came from.

Tonight there are audio CDs and three gems I have to share. Indulge me.

Part of what made radio so special was the production of it all. The premier production element was (and is) the jingle.

I’ve written about and linked to the work of Jon Wolfert. He is the King of Jingles. Irrefutable. He is the keeper of the flame.

Alas, none of what I’m posting is his. I hope he doesn’t think I’m cheating.

First up the PAMS copyright notice. A jingle company could have printed its copyright notice on the label. Not PAMS. They chose to sing theirs!

Second, the iconic news opening from the Johnny Mann produced package that ran on stations consulted by Bill Drake (and a few others). After the third note, just say (in your ballsiest voice), “It’s twenty minutes before three. I’m Byron MacGregor, CKLW 20-20 News.”

Finally, a jingle company’s tribute to itself and its clients. This is the TM Song. This blog entry’s title, “If You Ain’t Heard Your Name By This Time, It’s Probably Cause It Just Don’t Rhyme!” is included in the lyrics!

I love this stuff. Radio and I were very close.

My Favorite Jingle, Version 3.0

When you’re a kid and not feeling well you’re likely to get gifts. Hey kids, adults are guilt ridden!

Actually, when you’re a grown-up you get get well gifts as well. We just got a delivery of amazing brownies. Earlier last week I got a beautiful fruit/goodies basket from the folks at work. And then there’s the jingle.

A jingle isn’t a traditional get well gift. In fact this jingle probably wasn’t even meant as a get well gift. It is one anyway.

When you’re a kid and not feeling well you’re likely to get gifts. Hey kids, adults are guilt ridden!

Actually, when you’re a grown-up you get get well gifts as well. We just got a delivery of amazing brownies. Earlier last week I got a beautiful fruit/goodies basket from the folks at work. And then there’s the jingle.

A jingle isn’t a traditional get well gift. In fact this jingle probably wasn’t even meant as a get well gift. It is one anyway.

My jingle comes from JAM Creative Productions in Dallas. JAM makes the jingles radio stations play between songs.

We use the finest team of vocalists, musicians, writers and producers, and our custom-built facilities, to create musical images heard around the world. – JAM website

JAM stands for Jon and Mary Lyn. I have known them since the 70s.

This jingle started its life before JAM existed! It was originally PAMS Series 29 Cut 6 and was customized for morning drive at WABC. I played it when I did nights on 1100 WBT Charlotte. Back then the lyrics were:

From Canada to Florida, Carolina and the USA. 11-10. Double-youuuuuu Beeee Teeee

When I worked in New Haven, Jon cut a custom version for me. Now at FoxCT it’s been sung again. Each version has become my all time favorite jingle! How could it not?

I love this jingle on a variety of levels. Yes, I worked on a 50,000 watt station heard from Canada to Florida… and we bragged about it! Yes, it’s very cool to know singers have sung your name.

This must be a get well gift because I can’t play it on-the-air until I get well. I’m hoping one more week will do it.

Thanks Jon and Mary Lyn. It’s even cooler than you think.

Go ahead, play the jingle!

PAMS Series 29 Cut 6 / Canada-to-Florida custom! by Geoff Fox 1