The
Mercia Sound Forum Archive
| Name: Mark | ||
| Comment: Looking good :) Keep up the good work Mark http://www.RadioMad.net news & events |
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| Name: Andrew Hewkin | ||
| Comment: Your
site brings back a lot of memories. I used to stay in to listen to the Six of the Best competition when I was at Leicester Poly. Imagine my surprise to be reading the news on his Breakfast programme on Beacon seven years later!! I'm
still involved in radio, and it was through listening to
stations like Mercia (in its early days) which made |
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| Name: John Barnes | ||
| Comment: Hi,
Just a note after coming across your Mercia website. What an excellent piece of work. I grew up in the Black Country listening to BRMB, Beacon and Mercia - I loved Mercia even though it was not easy to get in Dudley - Dave Jamieson and John Warwick were two of my all time hero's. Am I right that Dave Jamieson now runs a bar in Spain? - I got to know John Warwick when I was living in the north-east - a lovely man. Loved the Centre Stuff as well - I later employed Mark Williams when I was Station Manager / Programme Controller at Radio Maldwyn in mid-Wales Impressed that you have the old Mercia Jingles - I have a huge collection of stuff on CD and early BRMB and Mercia are two of the few things I want that I don't have - even have the old Beacon stuff now :0) Thanks again, John Barnes BBC Radio Lancashire |
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| Name: Jeff Collins (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Wales | Date: Thu Apr 17 18:19:31 2003 | |
| Comment: Ahh those Mercia memories. I really
had some great time at Mercia, among the best of my career so
far, even though I had to work with Colin Palmer, Alan Turner,
Paul Chapman, Fae southWell, Bella Hedgecock, Rob Gurney and a
cast of thousands. I know Paul Chapman is working at Reuters TV in London. And Fae Southwell is working part-time at BBC Cambridge - and is a mum-of-two. Lost touch with Bella though. I even bumped into Leighton Crossley at ITN. I'm working in Wales for the BBC (I'm sure we all swore we'd never take the BBC buck!) I'm presenting and reporting on sport after 11 years in news. aybe I'll catch up with some of you at the next reunion. Cheers Jeff |
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| Name: Robbie Mason (Web Site) | ||
| Country: USA | Date: Tue May 14 21:33:56 2002 | |
| Comment: I cannot believe all the old faces
and memories, it really has been so long. Whenever the next Reunion
is count me in. Have been here in California now 16 years, an
editor in TV. Carole and I have 2 girls Kaitlin 9 and Kristal 13 will been in UK summer 2002, who knows maybe I'll see some of you! |
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| Name: alan turner (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Tue May 14 17:57:15 2002 | |
| Comment: great reunion on Sunday (those who
DID turn up..) and nice to see so many faces who DIDN'T make it
last year.... Tony Harrison...WOW! Clive Skelhon...hans't aged at all even though he'd got less hair...Mark Baggett wearing a toupee and pretending it's real. But where were Karen Thompson, Ian McLaren, Simon Garrett, Jeff Collins, Paul Chapman, Barbara Evans, Jane Rawson, Mark Foster, etc etc..... PS...how DARE Colin Palmer push Saga's news...it's BORING!!!! |
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| Name: naomi bishop (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Britain | Date: Tue May 7 20:45:32 2002 | |
| Comment: The newsroom in the late 80s. Mark Foster, Simon Garrett (carlton tv), Ian McLaren (meridien tv), Ian Woods (sky), Rob Gurney(bbc WM), Carole Peters (tv freelance), Tina Gelder(yorkshire tv), Judy Ward (bbc), Colin Palmer(saga radio), Neil Curry (sky). me, bbc midlands today. any updates?? | ||
| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Thu Apr 18 13:41:50 2002 | |
| Comment: Had this message by form mail: From: David M Zermatt Company: The Movie Store Limited Comments: Very Good site, keep it going |
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| Name: Matthew Wright (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Mon Apr 15 10:44:26 2002 | |
| Comment: Great site Mr Mix ! | ||
| Name: Simon Garrett (Web Site) | ||
| Country: uk | Date: Fri Apr 12 12:21:47 2002 | |
| Comment: Mark Baggett, Andy Armitage, Gary
Hynes and Colin Palmer! Names to conjure with indeed (or should
that be conjure up?) What a fantastic website - and filled with people who are even older than me (and in Colin's case with even less hair, on his head at least.. sorry Colin, but there aren't many of you these days) Working for Central telly in Abingdon - Karen Gooch (nee Thompson) also here. Louise Reed-Daunter from Cable days used to work here too but does so no longer. Also |
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| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Sun Mar 31 18:04:51 2002 | |
| Comment: Had this e-mail: I stumbled across your fantastic Mercia site and just had to congratulate you on preserving an important time in broadcasting. I thought the information was very interesting and very well presented.I have fond memories of trying to listen to Mercia in the early 80s when on holiday in Worcester! The reception was variable on MW, but OK on sunny days. It was really great to hear the Sue Manning jingles in stereo on your site. Michael Balkwill |
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| Name: Colin Palmer (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Mon Mar 18 18:58:30 2002 | |
| Comment: You sad gits... time to tune into Saga 105.7fm to remember the News as we used to do it. | ||
| Name: Andy Armitage (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Fri Mar 8 10:41:38 2002 | |
| Comment: I've looked into the question of the MCR pension scheme (see my earlier posting) and PricewaterhouseCoopers tell me that the 'increase in employer contributions are expected to return the Scheme's assets to cover it's [sic] liabilities in full by 30 September 2006'. They say that, as the assets 'are expected to return to cover it's [sic] liabilities[,] Scheme members are not informed until such time as they would be effected [sic]'. So now we know, if via appalling grammar! | ||
| Name: Mark Baggett (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Great Britain | Date: Tue Mar 5 10:48:09 2002 | |
| Comment: Following the line of great Commercial
Producers(Robbie Mason, Ted Elliott) they got me in 1987! Still thank's Nick Rushbrook and Ian Rufus for the chance. Hello to anyone who was there with me until 89 - Especially sales, Sandra Chuff, Charlie, Rick Walker, Jan Lynch... where are they now? - I wrote the spoof ad that appears on the Dave Sims audio bit on this site by the way - Now at Wave 105 Solent Regional and would love to hear from anyone who remembers a (sometimes) blonde piss head who |
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| Name: Andy Armitage (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Wed Feb 27 14:28:31 2002 | |
| Comment: Sorry to be the bringer of perhaps not-so-welcome news, but did you who were in the pension scheme know that it's grossly underfunded and is being administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers? Not enough space on here to comment further, but it's worrying. Email Andy on ajarmitage@aol.com if you want to know more. | ||
| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Tue Feb 26 14:45:46 2002 | |
| Comment: Had thie e-mail: Hi Kevin, Enjoyed your site - look forward to the rest of it!! Best Wishes, Shaun Tilley (Presenter with Mercia 94-95......now hosting Afternoon Drive on Radio City Liverpool) |
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| Name: Steve Williams (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Mon Feb 25 11:21:47 2002 | |
| Comment: Ah... Getting that new 'single' (that's a 45 RPM recording) from the record rep of the Thompson Twins at 2.30 and putting it on the air at 4.30. And many more besides. Live Coventry Bands in the Studio. Happy Days. Thank you Kevin, for a wonderful site, and to 'Update the Jingle' into day's jargon. "All Day Long You've Been Running Around, now it's home-page with Mercia Sound!" Steve W. xx PS. I wonder if stuart still looks at his watch and says "it's 2.20 on 2.20?" | ||
| Name: john bradford (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Mon Feb 25 09:24:31 2002 | |
| Comment: Great site. any ex merciers are mega welcome at Radio Academy events. It is great to hear the nmaes and where they are now. I am trying to construct a 'friends reunited' section into the Academy web site so that we can track peoples movements through the industry. did you know that two of the five BBC National controllers started in local commercial radio? | ||
| Name: Gary Hynes (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Sun Feb 24 19:09:28 2002 | |
| Comment: Hello! Have just had my first proper look around the website and just wanted to congratulate Kevin on a great job! It's great to be able to re-live the golden days at Mercia and as I'm sure is true for others who, like myself, no longer live in the Midlands, it's a little bit of home which is somehow quite comforting. |
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| Name: Kevin Sykes (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Thu Feb 21 07:45:16 2002 | |
| Comment: ...Hmmm, might have to review the
Forum. I will soon be moving the site too as it is sometimes unavailable (too popular?), it will mean however NO AD's!, hopefully you won't feel a thing! |
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| Name: Jim Lee (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Wed Feb 20 07:22:40 2002 | |
| Comment: ..I got cut off too. I think I was
going to say that I also still do the odd bit of local radio (very
odd). I also go into schools delivering study skills courses for
Year 11s as a sideline. Prior to going freelance (redundancy -
best thing that ever happened to me apart from Ian Rufus plucking
me from Hospital Radio) in 1997 was with the Beeb for 8 years
at CWR and latterly at Pebble Mill where I got involved in telly
for a while as well as producing Ed Doolan, and surviving! I think that's me up to date. There's stuff on this site I'd completely forgotten about.. nice one Kev |
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| Name: Chris Jackson (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Tue Feb 19 17:43:24 2002 | |
| Comment: Well done Kevin. I was a greeble from before the station started and helped Gordon Astley by compiling the travel info. Went on to present sport bulletins and work with the great news team under the likes of Mike Henfield and Pete Lowe. Now a senior producer at the BBC (reporter & presenter on Look North - Newcastle). Nothing quite compares to those early days which were just fantastic! Hello to all that remember me. | ||
| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Mon Feb 18 14:30:21 2002 | |
| Comment: From Alan turner My god....almost 22 years since The Mercia went on air. And some of us STILL believe in radio. This REALLY is sad-anorakism of the first degree but congrats!! Aah...the memories.... Oh yeah...and Big Bad Bev called me at home out of the blue just last week!! So she IS still alive... |
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| Name: Andy Lloyd (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Mon Feb 18 11:47:51 2002 | |
| Comment: As my first message appears to have
been lost in the ether, rather fitting for a broadcaster ... can
i compliment kevin again for the website .. it brings back so
many memories of sounds and faces ... great people, great music
and great fun. Andy Lloyd PS: I didn't post the previous message, promise! thanks andrew brown. |
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| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Mon Feb 18 08:52:48 2002 | |
| Comment: From Guestbook: I lived in Hinckley and took the day off school just to listen to the first days programming. I recorded the first hour and was so excited to have an ILR in my area at last after a couple of years enjoying the renegade broadcasts of Beacon 303. I always wondered what happened to Andy Lloyd! He was by far the best presenter on the station - a touch of class. I heard on BBC Radio Bedford in the late 1980's, but may be he became a lawyer after all! Andrew Brown |
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| Name: Andy Armitage (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Sun Feb 17 22:12:49 2002 | |
| Comment: I got truncated. More than 500 characters! Hmm. Just as well, considering what I was saying about sheep. | ||
| Name: Andy Armitage (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Sun Feb 17 22:10:25 2002 | |
| Comment: Thanks, Kevin. Thanks to your tweaking,
I can forget that Java Script error nonsense and post a message.
I nearly said 'shit' instead of 'nonsense', but thought 'shit'
might me censored. I'm doing books now - writing and compiling some and editing a lot and proofreading some and indexing some and have become like Jack: a rather dull boy, wishing to get out and get pissed more often. But with only sheep to drink with ... Mind you, you know what they say about Wales and sheep. And cliff t |
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| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Sat Feb 16 18:54:21 2002 | |
| Comment: Had this e-mail: I lived in Coventry for 10 years and remember those early days well, even though I was living in Tamworth for the test era. Used to tune in a lot.Mercia was one of the best ILR stations with some good Jingles...."Hello Nuneaton"...."Mercia sound is Coventry, Mercia Sound is Warwickshire etc" ..great stuff. None of the ILR stations are much good these days. They all sound the sameCarry on with developing the site. It is appreciated by us ex locals and anoraks ! Nigel Carr |
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| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Sat Feb 16 17:11:39 2002 | |
| Comment: Had this e-mail: I used to sometimes get a train down to Coventry and go to Mercia to buy Goodies get DJ photo and stuff, I don't have any thing of Mercia anymore. I once met John Warwick coming out (a big man) and got him to sign the photo. Mark |
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| Name: Dave Jamieson (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Spain | Date: Sat Feb 16 17:04:49 2002 | |
| Comment: Well done, Kevin! Great idea. The
site is very promising, and only serves to remind me how old I
am ... I live in Spain now and would be delighted to hear from
anyone who remembers the early days. ¡Hasta luego! |
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| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Sat Feb 16 17:00:45 2002 | |
| Comment: Had this e-mail: Hi Kevin What a fantastic site you have I am very impressed. Regards Simon |
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| Name: Jim Lee (Web Site) | ||
| Country: UK | Date: Sat Feb 16 16:40:42 2002 | |
| Comment: Well let me be the second then! Thanks
Kevin for this facility. In Liggo's reply to my recent mail out
he asked for a "where are they now" facility and this will do
fine. For the record I'm still based in Coventry but hardly ever there. Spend most of my time in London at BBC BH doing continuity work for Radio 4, Bush House doing similar for the World Service and just recently at TV Centre where I've just started newsreading on R4. Still |
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| Name: Kevin (Web Site) | ||
| Country: Birmingham | Date: Fri Feb 15 15:37:39 2002 | |
| Comment: Let's get the messages under way by
saying - Welcome, keep it clean (so I don't have to muck around deleting stuff!) and have fun!!! |
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