Phil Swern

Born in Ealing, London, Swern was a record producer{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1555733 |title=Tony Blackburn - Chop-Chop (Vinyl) at Discogs |website=Discogs.com |date= |access-date=2014-05-14}} and songwriter,{{cite web|title=Savoy - Broken-Down Transistor Radio|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/emi5068|website=45cat.com|access-date=30 June 2012}} and also wrote for television.{{cite web|url=https://uk.imdb.com/name/nm1737261 |title=Phil Swern|website=IMDb.com|access-date=2014-05-14}} He earned the nickname "The Collector" from working on Sounds of the 60s with Brian Matthew. He produced Pick of the Pops for BBC Radio 1 in the late 1980s and early 1990s and produced the show for BBC Radio 2 from 1997 to 2023. He also produced Sounds of the 60s for Radio 2 from 2007 until his death and formerly produced the Saturday night Bob Harris Show for the same station, also producing Harris's Radio 1 shows in the early 1990s.{{cite web |url=http://www.bobharris.org/pages/philbob.asp |title=Bob Harris |website=Bobharris.org |date= |access-date=2014-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719052054/http://www.bobharris.org/pages/philbob.asp |archive-date=19 July 2011 |url-status=dead }} He also devised the questions for the PopMaster quiz on Radio 2's Ken Bruce Show until this role was assumed by Neil Myners and Simon Bray. Swern co-wrote the quiz show Pop the Question with Jeremy Beadle and co-created another quiz show, That's Showbusiness, with screenwriter Jeremy Pascall.

His first record production work was Horace Faith's recording of "Black Pearl" for Trojan Records in 1970.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/536470 |title=Horace Faith - Black Pearl (Vinyl) at Discogs |website=Discogs.com |date= |access-date=2014-05-14}} He went on to produce for many other musicians, including the Pearls,{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/654909 |title=Pearls, The - Guilty (Vinyl) at Discogs |website=Discogs.com |date= |access-date=2014-05-14}} Polly Brown{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1138453 |title=Polly Brown - Up In A Puff Of Smoke / I'm Saving All My Love (Vinyl) at Discogs |website=Discogs.com |date= |access-date=2014-05-14}} and R&J Stone,{{cite web|title=R and J Stone We Do It|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/rca2616|website=45cat.com|access-date=30 June 2012}} whose "We Do It", released in 1976, reached number 5 on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 533}} In 1972, he formed the studio group Blue Haze with Johnny Arthey; their reggae cover version of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" reached number 27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite book| first= Graham| last= Betts| year=2004| title= Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2004| edition= 1st|publisher= Collins| location= London| isbn= 0-00-717931-6| page=89}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4nx3l5WqxQkQpJmtSdq16d5/phil-swern-the-record-producer|title=Phil Swern - The Record Producer|last=Stanley|first=Bob|work=BBC Radio 2|access-date=10 June 2024}}

Swern had the world's only complete collection of every UK Top 40 chart hit since records began in 1952.{{cite web |url=http://www.longlivevinyl.net/phil-collector-swern-interview/ |title=Phil (The Collector) Swern Interview: The Six Million Record Man

|website=Longlivevinyl.net |date=3 August 2017 |access-date=13 May 2018}} His extensive work within the music industry led to him being awarded a BASCA Gold Badge Award in October 2010.{{cite web|title=Gold Badge Awards 2010|url=http://www.goldbadgeawards.com/2010/PhilSwern.htm|website=Goldbadgeawards.com|access-date=30 June 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322114504/http://www.goldbadgeawards.com/2010/PhilSwern.htm|archivedate=22 March 2012}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles//1198863/gold-badges-for-heather-small-john-paul-jones|title=Gold Badges For Heather Small, John Paul Jones|date=20 October 2010|website=Billboard.com|access-date=16 July 2020}}

On 26 August 2024, Swern presented his Bank Holiday special Phil Swern’s Hidden Gemshttps://www.boomradiouk.com/player/on-demand/phil-swerns-hidden-gems/ on Boom Radio,{{Cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/09/radio-producer-phil-the-collector-swern-has-passed-away/|title=Radio producer Phil 'The Collector' Swern has passed away|date=1 September 2024}} which would be his last radio show, as he died five days later following a long illness with cancer, on 31 August 2024, at the age of 76.{{cite web|title=Radio producer Phil 'The Collector' Swern has passed away|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/09/radio-producer-phil-the-collector-swern-has-passed-away/|website=Radiotoday.co.uk|access-date=2 September 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn9lqr5wqg9o|title=PopMaster co-creator and BBC Radio producer Phil Swern dies aged 76|date=1 September 2024|website=BBC News}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/01/phil-swern-popmaster-quiz-co-creator-dies-ken-bruce-radio-2/|title=PopMaster co-creator Phil Swern dies aged 76|first=Jenny|last=Medlicott|date=1 September 2024|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{imdb name|1737261}}
• [http://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=swern&sm=pr 45cat list of singles producer credits]
• [http://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=swern&sm=cm 45cat list of singles composer credits]
• {{discogs artist|Phillip Swern}}

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Category:1948 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:English record producers

Category:Record collectors

Category:English male songwriters

Category:People from Ealing

Category:English radio producers

Category:BBC radio producers

Category:BBC Radio 2 presenters