Sussex's Heart Attack - Southern Sound Radio/Southern FM

We're headed for the easterly part of the South Coast for my next radio retrospective looking back at just over 25 years of Southern Sound Radio.

The station began broadcasting from studios in Brighton on the 29th of August 1983 where after the first playing of David Arnold's lively station theme, the first record played was "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys.

Here's the launch itself and the rest of the jingles can be heard below, based around a distinctive theme and in the usual David Arnold manner you can expect a few bizarre variations.

1983 Jingles - David Arnold Music

The station managed to become established a regular listen for residents of Brighton, Hove and Sussex overall, although some of their programming ideas were slightly offbeat, such as a nightly rock show broadcast on week nights.

Presenters included Sean Bolger, Russ Williams, and Chris Copsey who managed to become the station's longest serving presenter.

A selection of various moments can be heard here, proving that they couldn't always get it right.

A second jingle package from David Arnold followed in 1985 although there was also a short selection of cuts that never made it to air that were produced by Alfasound.

Compare and contrast at your will.

1985 Jingles - David Arnold Music

1985 Unused Jingles- Alfasound

1987 saw another package with more contemporary sounding cuts alongside a new top of hour news theme with a rather authorative sax lead.

1987 Jingles - David Arnold Music

A few variations on the top of hour theme can be heard here, with one of them later adapted for use by Steve Wright on Radio 1 in the early 90s.

February 1989 saw Southern Sound launch a new transmitter for East Sussex and a relaunch on FM as "Southern Sound FM - Classic Hits".

The jingles can be heard below including a soundalike of the top of hour jingle from TM's "Synchronism" package as well as the re-worked news intros near the end.

Southern Sound FM 1989 Jingles - David Arnold Music

In the early 90s the station brought Ocean Sound and Power FM and began sharing programmes with Ocean during the evenings.

The David Arnold Jingles were resung for both stations with Dallas vocals.

Over on AM there was South Coast Radio who used a composite of KOST jingles with UK singers from Alfasound in what many jingle fans believe to be the worst resung JAM package by UK singers.

I'll let you be the judge.

South Coast Radio 1992 Jingles - Alfasound/JAM Creative Productions

Meanwhile, over on FM a JAM package was also introduced but this time with Dallas vocals and based on a selection of country packages mainly from KUSA.
The station had changed it's on air name to Southern FM but retained part of the melody logo that had been used on the station since the beginning and was a rather nice package.

In terms of trading, certain indviduals who want to show off have sent out dubs with cuts missing, but luckily I happen to own two different dubs and have taken what I hope is the main mix of every cut in the selection below.

Southern FM 1992 Jingles - JAM Creative Productions

By this time Southern Radio had also brought Invicta FM and it's AM station although in 1994 the group were brought by Capital Radio who gradually made changes over the rest of the decade.

1997 saw a new jingle package by Groove Addicts with a more uptempo sound and became one of the most remembered from the station.

Southern FM 1997 Jingles - Groove Addicts

The package can bring back several memories of Danny and Nicky, Dan Gasser on drive, and Terry Garroghan's "Last Bus To Whitehawk" judging by those from the area who I've spoken to.

On AM South Coast Radio changed to Capital Gold and Southern FM had even adapted Capital FM's smiley sun logo but kept the swirly "S" in their name for quite a while.

2001 saw the station change it's package to the generic Capital package by Vibe Music and Audio Imaging, and 18 months later they switched to those produced by Groove Addicts.

The most recent package I have comes from 2006 although I'm not sure who the producer is (possibly Reelworld?).

Southern FM 2006 Jingles

In July 2008 Nicky Keig-Shevlin made her departure from the Breakfast Show after almost 20 years, and long-serving co-host Danny Pike also announced he was leaving the station shortly after the Heart rebrand was revealed.

Whilst I've not listened as often as a few others in this set of blogs, it's jingle history cannot be faulted.

Thanks to Sean Saunders, Martin Lester, Aston McNeil, Stacey Harris, and David Furness for the various audio and info.