Edmonton Production Guru Marc Patterson: 40 Years in Radio

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Edmonton Production Guru Marc Patterson: 40 Years in Radio

Postby jon » Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:10 pm

Corus Edmonton Production genius Marc Patterson marked his 40th anniversary in Radio today. When I mentioned that to someone at today's Edmonton Broadcasters Club Fall Luncheon, the person replied that Marc is, by far, Edmonton's best Production person, period.

It was on this day in 1974 that Marc was put on salary at CFRN-FM as an Operator. Within a year, he was at CHQT where he soon moved into Production. With a few short interruptions, he has been at CHQT ever since. Over the years, he has added CISN-FM, CHED and CKNG-FM to his responsibilities as they became sister stations to CHQT.

Although Marc's name is one that is not widely known, his production work is familiar to almost anyone who has ever listened to commercial radio in Edmonton. Many of the sponsors he does commercials for are still successfully using approaches Marc developed for them decades ago. Over the years, he has also been involved in syndicated radio features that have been used by stations across North America.

Happy 40th, Marc!
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Re: Edmonton Production Guru Marc Patterson: 40 Years in Rad

Postby jon » Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:13 am

This just in from Ed Mason:

Marc Patterson is an unsung hero of Edmonton radio, arguably one of the very best producers in Canada. In the days before digital, Marc did the impossible with tape splicing and other magic tricks.

When CHQT morning man Bob Bradburn found his personal copy of a long lost master tape of two songs he produced for Neil Young in Winnipeg in 1963 or early 1964, he asked Marc to try to salvage the songs and to restore them.

Bob had invited Neil Young and his band The Squires to a studio at CKRC where he oversaw the recording of the vocal "I Wonder" and an instrumental "Mustang". Some of you may know that Bradburn also produced an ultra rare holy grail collector 45 of two instrumentals that featured his voice at the very end of the song "Aurora", the flip side of "The Sultan".

Imagine...finding the first ever recording of a vocal by a future super star. Bob took the fragile two track tape to Marc who went about very tenderly getting the decades old tape to "sing". The instrumental "Mustang" was good to go almost immediately but "I wonder" had a glitch at the very beginning of the recording. Marc was able to use his skills and his marvelous ears to locate an edit point. He re-created the opening bars and the song was saved.

Bob got word to Neil's people in California and one day he played for me a voice mail from Neil Young asking about the tape and how to get a copy. There was a "legal" dance and in the end Neil didn't get the copy of the master. His box set "Archives" contains a very poor copy of "I Wonder", supposedly pieced together from a number of sources. Too bad his fans will never hear the fully restored song...another gem in Marc Patterson's crown.

Congratulations on 40-years in the radio business Marc and a wish for many more to come. Ed Mason
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Re: Edmonton Production Guru Marc Patterson: 40 Years in Rad

Postby Neumann Sennheiser » Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:27 am

You'd think I'd be completely jaded and cynical about these things by now but; "legal dance" prevents Neil Young from receiving a copy of his own historic recording?

As the young'ns say today: I can't even!

Now that I can't have it, I want to hear this more than ever.
"You don't know man! I was in radio man! I've seen things you wouldn't believe!"
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Re: Edmonton Production Guru Marc Patterson: 40 Years in Rad

Postby Howaboutthat » Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:41 am

Here's how I'm guessing the 'legal dance' went:

Neil: I'd like a copy please.

Producer: Sure, that'll be 50-grand please

Neil: Screw you.
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
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Re: Edmonton Production Guru Marc Patterson: 40 Years in Rad

Postby jon » Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:23 pm

Not sure who would be considered Producer(s) for purposes of negotiating CD Release Rights now. Given that the original recording was done in CKRC facilities, current owner Bell Media (CKRC is now Bob-FM) might be able to claim Rights as Producer or something similar. I could see that scaring off a Record Label.
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Re: Edmonton Production Guru Marc Patterson: 40 Years in Rad

Postby Mike Cleaver » Thu Oct 16, 2014 4:04 pm

ALL radio and TV stations for which I've ever worked have considered anything produced for them by anyone they employed is THEIR property.
The more valuable your work became, the more widely distributed it became but YOU never received any additional remuneration because THEY claimed they owned the rights to any work you produced while you were employed by them.
Therefore, the station involved probably demanded money for the editing, restoring and remixing of said tapes.
Mike Cleaver Broadcast Services
Engineering, News, Voice work and Consulting
Vancouver, BC, Canada

54 years experience at some of Canada's Premier Broadcasting Stations
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Re: Edmonton Production Guru Marc Patterson: 40 Years in Rad

Postby Howaboutthat » Thu Oct 16, 2014 5:25 pm

Mike Cleaver wrote:Therefore, the station involved probably demanded money for the editing, restoring and remixing of said tapes.


This is what happens when you block people, you end up saying the same thing they already posted and look like a...
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
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