20.12.11 California Diner - 'Goodbye 2011!'

Well here it is--and I can’t believe it, but 2011 is rapidly racing to an end. But before we get busy with Christmas and then New Years 2012, I just wanted to blast a little more indie music into your speakers! Not a long winded epic blog this week, but just a thank you for a great ride this year. We had everything from live interviews and sessions, including legendary artists Duncan Faure, Sal Valentino, Patrick Campbell-Lyons, Peter Daltrey, and more. Exclusive debuts from Skip Heller, Vegas With Randolph, Maxi Dunn, the Corner Laughers/Agony Aunts, and more. I nominated three artists for Pete Renzullo’s “That Time Of The Month” competition, and so far, you made two of them winners--Lindy LaFontaine and Blake Jones and the Trike Shop. The Whiskey Saints are the third, and you can vote them in as well right now for December’s contest (home page of www.rechargedradio.com, right column, “Vote” section). Personal musical highlights of 2011: I was given the great honor of writing the liner notes for Vegas With Randolph’s album “Above The Blue”. The legendary Debora Iyall of Romeo Void fame invited me to sneak a listen to a couple of remake versions of her 1984 hit “A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)”--on her Ipod! And most fulfilling of all--several radio presenters, dozens of musicians, and many listeners came together in a radiothon back in March, to help raise money to help the people of Japan after the devastating tsunami. Their generosity humbles me. 2011 humbles me. It really has been quite a year. Lots of great music, as always. Thanks to the wonderful artists who give so freely of themselves to make our ears and brains tingle with delight. Thanks to my colleagues at Recharged Radio in London (and Australia, and the Azores), who have supported, encouraged, and let this Yank do two hours of independent radio each week. And most of all, thanks to you, the listeners, who keep an open mind and open ears. We share in this musical journey together, and you make me want to do more each week. I wish you the best of the season. See you in 2012! --“Chef” Mike Lidskin, the California Diner If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC Maple Mars - Add The Numbers Joe Algeri & The Sugarbrits - Merry Christmas (around the world) Rob One - Flames Fortune Dwellers - Al's Song Skip Heller - Let's Stay Home Emily Zuzik & Tim Lefebvre - West Coast East Coast The Recusants - Sunday Afternoon Jeff Merchant - Love Yourself Away Braam - Burlington Northern The Whiskey Saints - Every Little Thing Chad Neaves - Something In My Soul The Scratch - I Relax To Spiral Scratch Maxi Dunn - Make It Better Peter Daltrey and Damien Youth - The Wheels Of Romance Kat Jones - He's The One I Need The Most Dead Heart Bloom - Sentimental Cures Sal Valentino - Lovin' Fallin' Jay Fraser - Devil's Play The Shindig Addicts - Not Long Now Bud Rogers - Caught In A Wheel Laurie Biagini - Leave Me Alone Model Society - Tomorrow She Loves Me Cult of Wedge - The Birds and the Bees and Jaime Bill Mumy - I Owe A Little Money Lindy LaFontaine (with KYRO) - Harmonics Hollywood Drunks - Looks Like Christmas Colin Heppell - Poltergeist In High Heels Corner Laughers - The Red Queen Anton Barbeau - Doctor Don't Chop My Knee Mama, Ouch Is Another Word Blake Jones & The Trike Shop - I Roped The Moon Out Of The Sky Go National - Place To Sit Jimmy

13.12.11 California Diner - 'Peter Mayer Interview!'

This week’s show brings an interview with a recent addition to the California Diner: Cincinnati Ohio’s Peter Mayer. Pete is a great example of the D.I.Y. ethic that we love so well here at Recharged Radio. And being of that mindset, in terms of getting on our station--he “did it himself”--did his own PR, and found us! And in true 21st century fashion, we transcended all barriers of geography to get him heard. How’s that you say? Well, Pete in Cincinnati, contacted Alex in London, UK. Alex thought that I, in Sacramento, California, might find Pete’s music a perfect fit for my show. And of course, being Head of Music at Recharged, Alex was absolutely correct. So this week, by getting Pete on our airwaves, we’ve traveled from Cincy to London to Sacramento back to London--over 14,000 miles--digitally, of course! My head hurts. Back to our story. Pete got his start back in the early 1980s, and got much local acclaim in the bands he played in--The Drumbones and Big Pictures. Back in those days, before corporate mergers created what feels like a single national playlist, an enterprising local band, if they were good enough, could get airplay on their local and regional rock and roll stations. In the case of Pete and his bands, airplay happened on the legendary WOXY radio--aka “97X, BAM! The future of rock and roll!” This led to some decent regional exposure and opening slots for really well-known national and international acts. And as I’ve written many times before in these pages, the world changed. For both better and worse at the same time. While modern rock powerhouse radio stations like 97X went away, independent radio stations (like Recharged) were born. And the tools for musicians got better, so somebody like Pete Mayer could make and distribute great music more easily. But to do so, you’ve still got to have the musical chops. And he definitely has those. He recently released a compilation album called Collection. He curated 14 great tracks which represent various career higlights, and there’s some stunners in there. We’ve been featuring a great 1990’s era song called “It’s Just The Energy”--quirky enough to have gotten my attention at first. The Marrying Kind has a great 1980s pop sound, with a compact little guitar solo. A couple of new songs channel his long time guitar hero Duane Allman: Long, Long Way To Go and Where My House Used To Stand. These are smoldering examples of his guitar shredding prowess--bluesy, wailing jams. And on these recent tracks, Pete plays everything--including bass, keyboards, and drums, to accompany his radical riffage. True D.I.Y.! And the really good news? He’s working on another new album! We’ll spend a half hour with Pete on this week’s Diner. We’ll sample a few of his songs. It’s a great chance to hear the perspective of a musician who’s seen it all, and keeps creating credible new music, no matter what the era is. The times have changed, his music has evolved to step up to the challenges, but none of it sounds dated. It all sounds right! www.petermayermusic.net/ If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC Go National - Strong The Taters - Such A Good Day The Whiskey Saints - Every Little Thing Corner Laughers - The Red Queen Sweet Sweet Concorde - Armadillo Man Braam - Way Away Maxi Dunn - Why Do I Want You? Peter Mayer Interview Peter Mayer - The Marrying Kind Peter Mayer - Long, Long Way To Go Peter Mayer - It’s Just The Energy Allen - Hold Me Tight The Fuegos - Against The World Anny Celsi - Christmas in the Pines Bud Rogers - Slave To Passion Boomchick - TGTW Popdudes - Desperation Time Laurie Biagini - Can't Wait For Christmas Lost Left - Thank You For The Lung Lindy LaFontaine (PSM) - Sunday (Trip Hop remix) Joe Swidenbank - Coming Up For Air Green Beetles - The Basement Vegas With Randolph - The Better Part Kate Burkart - Cross The Street Blake Jones & The Trike Shop - Who's Got a Ligh

06.12.11 California Diner - 'Dive into December!'

Well here it is, the last month of the year. This is the first California Diner show of December, and we commemorate this holiday month with some great new music, and some new artist discoveries. I have a Facebook friend named Mike Braam, from the Chicago-based band Braam, who recently read my blog about Christmas music. I had said that I’m not really big on holiday music, but there’s a special place in my heart for original, indie holiday music that doesn’t sound like all the rest. So what did he do? He sent me an original, indie holiday music track by he and his brothers, that doesn’t sound like all the rest! Wait--not so fast, Chef Mike! You pride yourself on discovering new music, yet it says on Braam’s ReverbNation page that they’ve been around for over 10 years? Admittedly, I’m a little late to the Braam party, but look at it from my point of view. 10 years ago, there wasn’t really much in the way of internet radio. It was a niche for geeks--who could have imagined actually sitting around in front of a computer, listening to the radio, when you could just listen to radio on, well, the radio? In those days, Braam would have been a local Chicago band, and I would have been a local Sacramento DJ, and never would we have heard of each other. But now, the internet makes all possible. I’m in Sacramento, playing a Chicago band on a London radio station. Braam’s sound is what I might call “sweet alternative”. Rock and roll with real instruments--soul-searing melodies, thoughtful lyrics, and great haunting vocals. They’ve shared stages with the likes of Bettie Serveert, Shoes, Teenage Fanclub, and Webb Wilder--sounds like my record collection! We’ll hear that Christmas song this week. And lots of other Braam songs in the weeks to come. www.reverbnation.com/braam Ben Swidenbank is a London-based musician. You might recognize his name--at least part of it--he plays bass in his brother Joe Swidenbank’s band. Joe’s been a fixture here on the Diner for a couple of years now, and now Ben takes a turn in the spotlight. Not only has he played with Joe, but he’s a working musician, having played in bands that have supported the likes of The Who, The Undertones, The Buzzcocks and more. And as most creative musicians do, he recently got the bug to create his own music. I just got my hands on a compilation album called Uncovered. It was released by Aspire Music Management, and Ben’s first single, Girl (Leave That Animal Tonight) appears on it. What a great track--a bit quirky, with incisive lyrics. Picture vintage Joe Jackson, minus the piano, but driven by upbeat, acoustic guitar. If you’re anything like me, this one will stick with you. I’ve listened to it about 4-5 times in a row, and am still enthralled! http://aspiremusicmanagement.co.uk/benswidenbank.aspx If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC Debora Iyall - Be My Last Ben Swidenbank - Girl (Leave That Animal Tonight) Melissa Phillips - So Young Lost Left - Thank You For The Lung Dave Stephens - You Are Mine, I Am Yours Vinnie Zummo - Homicidal Baby Scream - Secret Place Duncan Faure - In The Right Place Braam - Sad Xmas Agony Aunts - Linus's Fists Of Death Tom Alford - Shiloh Vegas With Randolph - She Does It For Me Weird Shapes - Blue Sky at Night Nushu - Your Girl Dennis Holseybrook - Take Care My Friend Blake Jones and Tom Magill - Life Turns On A Dime Maxi Dunn - You're All I Need At Christmas Little Guilt Shrine - One Two Colin Heppell - Poltergeist In High Heels Onward Chariots - War Hero Karim Fanous - So Long Jenny J Laurie Biagini - A Face In The Crowd Lindy LaFontaine (with Kyro) - Haunted Joe Symes - One Too Many Peter Daltrey and Damien Youth - Blue Girl Eyes Cult Of Wedge - Technology Cull Don Scannell - Mystery Lannie Flowers