“Jam For The World In Action”
Jam For The World In Action: There were many TV theme tunes created in the sixties and seventies that were so memorable that people of a certain age still remember them fondly, sometimes even more so than the television programme itself.
One such theme tune that has haunted me for decades is the magnificently intense and foreboding progressive hammond B3 organ grinder “World In Action” theme.
I’ve since found out that the theme was called “Jam For The World In Action”, created by Mick Weaver and Shawn Phillips, but unlike many other memorable theme tunes from the era, this one has never been released on record or CD.
The Untold Story of ‘Jam For The World In Action’ Theme Tune
Mick Weaver was the leader of way-out instrumental group Wynder K Frog. Shawn Phillips has made numerous albums beginning with “I’m A Loner”, released by Columbia in 1965.
It’s unlikely that “Jam For The World In Action” will enjoy a release any time soon but you never know. Perhaps in the future everyone involved with the original creation can reach an agreement because the music would make a highly sought after 45 for something like Record Store Day.
Someone has created a mash-up of the intro / outro which has been uploaded to YouTube. Interestingly, Mick Weaver, Shawn Phillips and producer Jonathan Weston have posted comments regarding their involvement with the ‘World In Action’ project. Repeated below.
Shawn Phillips: Thanks for your comments, but I’d like to set everyone straight if I may.
Jonathan Weston had nothing to do with this piece of music. In fact, he walked into the session, as we were finishing up. I improvised it on the spot with Mick Weaver.
The Untold Story of ‘Jam For The World In Action’ Theme Tune
John Shepphard, (Producer for World In Action), paid for the session. At the time, I was not a member of the British Musicians Union,
There was some question as to how I’d get paid, but Granada told John that night when he called them, that I might make a few pounds at the most.
So, Jonathan said we could put his name down as composer, and if anything came in, he would give it to me. Never did any of us dream that this music would run for more than 30 years.
It was only 20 years later that I found out Weston had been collecting the royalties all those years. He collected over £189,000, and never gave me a penny of it. The man was, and remains a #*?#! and an #*?hole with a capitol A.
Jonathan P Weston: To try and keep an impartial balance: I produced every milli-second of this theme. It was edited together from a jam session at Trident Studios actually on time while I was producing for Polydor records.
The Untold Story of ‘Jam For The World In Action’ Theme Tune
Mick Weaver: I can’t stand it any longer. My name is Mick Weaver, and I played the B3 on the World in Action theme music. Shawn Phillips gets all the bloody credit. Yes, he came to me with a descending chord progression, I did the rest.
We spent an evening in a recording studio in the west end of London putting together segments of different lengths, and Granada T.V. used it for 20 plus years.
Not only did I not receive one word of credit, I didn’t even get the session fee. Phillips gets the musical credit, Jonathon Weston got the money, and I am down the price of the tube fare I paid to get to the bloody studio.
Makes me #$?@ing SICK.
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