Music Style Experimental Rock

Musical Influences Sonic Youth, Nels Cline, Arnold Dreyblatt, Cat power, The Dream Syndicate, Spacemen 3

Similar Artists Unwound,

Artist History AM Radio started in the dark ages of music in the year of 1998. While the country was being prepared for the onslaught of lip-syncing, pre-fab "artists" two individuals from the Eastern Seaboard got together in the recesses of New York City to create sound that would reflect their interests in music far from the madding crowd's taste for slickly produced pabulum. Started by Sean Maffucci, from Upstate New York, and D. W. Burnham out of the Diamond State of Delaware. They met each other at The School for Visual Arts. Both of them would spend nights playing acoustically with the pulse of city in the background and the aroma of the winos very much in the foreground. Going for a more ferocious feel they were joined by fellow SVA student Travis Redington. Travis hailing from across the Hudson in New Jersey took over duties on the bass and D.W. switched to drums. After playing at number of the local clubs, they found themselves in front of 35 patrons at an ubiquitous corporate coffee house in the heart of Astor Place. While they let loose with their strum und drang bliss, helping to confuse latte orders at the front counter, the final member of the band was in the audience liking what she heard. Andrea Hansen straight out of Brooklyn (but at the time living on Staten Island) joined and took over vocal duties and joined Sean on the six strings. AM Radio then brought the new quartet to as many different stages as possible, including a residency at Williamsburg's The Charleston (home of the world renown low rent light show) With a deceptively chaotic sound and an unadulterated sweet center AM Radio brought a verve into the music without having to invent a swagger to go with it. This earned them the attention of a number of music fans; including the (in)famous Kramer who helped defined the late 80's early 90's sound with his label Shimmy-Disc and his production work. After a couple years of fine-tuning their rough and smooth clatter they went into the studio. What has come out of those sessions can finally be heard on their self-titled debut E.P. Though this is not their first release, that honor goes to "This Is Next Year: A Compilation Of Brooklyn Based Bands", this is the first time you can hear them in their full glory. This is especially present in their eighteen minute opus "Beezwax" an aural journey through their world. Even though AM Radio had not released anything they had gained the ear of Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo. He invited them to record their full length at Sonic Youth's studio in downtown Manhattan in the Winter of 2001. Named "No Handle" and slated to be released in the early Fall of 2002 you can hear the progression of ideas as they cascade further into the realm of unconventional noise/pop rock. Since the recording D.W. has amiably left the group to pursue his artist vocation, his work can be seen on the cover of the E.P. They have found an able replacement in Ben Stanton who brings his own jazz/world music sensibilities into the band. Corporate radio might be suffocating on its own shortsighted gargantuaness; AM Radio is just beginning to come into their own.

Group Members Travis Redington, Andrea Hansen, Sean Maffucci, Ben Stanton

Instruments guitars, drums, bass, vocals

Albums Various Artists–This Is Next Year: a brooklyn Compilation (2000), AM Radio Self Titled EP (2002) AM Radio: No Handle (Falll 2002)

Press Reviews "Out of this world."-Village Voice, August 28, 2001 "Able to burn rubber while it feels as though they are gliding on air." -Knitting Factory Notes, Jan/Feb 2000

Additional Info band web site: http://www.am-radio.org

Location Brooklyn, New York - USA

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