105.9 FM WOMM-LP The Radiator; Burlington, Vermont's Community Radio Station

Radiator Sponsors Business Fair Feb. 11

Honk If You Love Haiti!

Swale

Raph Worrick of the Dirtminers has organized an amazing music event to support the Haiti relief effort. Join Big Heavy World and The Radiator in the Showcase Lounge of Higher Ground on Saturday January 30th at 8pm for an evening of fantastic music to raise funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Proceeds from the show will be donated to Doctors Without Borders for their medical work in Haiti.

This event page is open for you to invite any of your Facebook friends. Please spread the word. Doors open at 7.30 and admission is $15.

Here’s the word from Raph, which we’ll update as new info is available:

“The show will feature:
The Honky Tonk Tuesday Band
Patrick Fitzsimmons and friends
Swale
Dirtminers
Waylon Speed
Lowell Thompson
Marie Claire
Blowtorch
and special surprise guests!

Enjoy the music, play a round of Pin The Tail On Pat Robertson, and raise some money for a worthy cause. The good folks at Higher Ground are hosting the event at no cost to us, and a number of other sponsors (listed below) are helping out to cover advertising and other expenses, so your ticket money will go directly to the relief effort. If you can bring along few extra dollars to throw in our donation boxes in addition to that we would greatly appreciate it.

Sponsors:
Higher Ground
Big Heavy World
The Radiator
Common Ground Youth Center

(and an extra big thanks to Brett Hughes for helping me put this show together!)”

19.01.2010 Port-au-Prince. Houses destroyed by the earthquake. ©ICRC/M. Kokic

Fatal Flaws Keep Garage Rock Alive

Words by Amber Clark

Gritty, caustic garage rock; it’s what The Fatal Flaws do best. This husband-and-wife duo of Sasha Rodriquez and Chris Beneke has been kicking around Burlington since they formed in August of 2008. The Flaws were born out of a classified ad in which Chris was searching for a fellow guitarist. Through the ad, Chris found fellow guitarist Jason, but the group was still in need of a drummer. After some persuasion, Sasha, despite never having previously played, stepped up to fill in the role. After a few years the trio became the present duo when Jason moved away from Burlington. Despite the lost member Beneke and Rodriguez kept going.

One of the most defining characteristics of the duo is that they are both completely self-taught. Beneke, who tackles vocals and guitar, learned how to play the guitar by himself years ago while Rodriguez, the percussionist, picked up drumming, and occasionally the maracas, when the band began and she has been fine-tuning her skills throughout their growth.

The duo has mixed answers about their influences. While Beneke favors Bo Diddly and The Scientists, Rodriguez listed specific drummers such as Steven Fish and Meg White from The White Stripes. Rodriguez claimed White as an influence because while her drumming ability may be limited, “She’s in a kick-ass band.”

The Fatal Flaws have funneled their individual sound into two self-recorded records, the first being ‘Your First Mistake’ which dropped in early 2006. Their debut album consisted of four tracks all recorded in one day in their apartment. The duo admitted their first release was a bit hectic and abrupt due to its single day conception. Their sophomore effort ‘Scragged’ followed up in August of 2008. The 23-track album was recorded over the course of three to four days, allowing for a more polished final product that lost none of the bands acidic sound or lyrics.

Beneke and Rodriguez broke into the Burlington music scene playing their first show at local favorite Radio Bean in December of 2006. The duo joked that they knew how to clear out a house in under five seconds. Admittedly, plugging in your amp and throwing down some riffs at 5PM in a coffee house can have that effect. Despite their rather rough start, Rodriguez said the Radio Bean’s owner, “never seemed reluctant to give us a slot.” The Fatal Flaws soon moved in to become regulars who performed the first Saturday of every month from 8–10. The duo said one of their favorite parts of these shows is when individuals who are removed from the music scene in Burlington stumble upon and decide to pick up a CD after the show. Unexpected new fans are always a welcome so hit up the Radio Bean next time Beneke and Rodriguez take the stage.

(Sasha and Chris each host shows on WOMM-LP 105.9FM ‘The Radiator’)

‘Write The Book’ with Shelagh Shapiro

Words by Aaron Ball

Photos by J. Lockridge

Shelagh Shapiro is a published author, family woman, and host of the show ‘Write The Book’ on WOMM-LP 105.9 FM The Radiator. The show has aired since March 22nd, 2008. It currently airs Mondays from 2:00-3:00pm.  ‘Write the Book’ consists mainly of interviews, as Shelagh explains, “I interview people in the book business, very generally. So that encompasses authors, poets, agents, editors, bookstore owners, illustrators, publicists… It’s a long list. I try to give a well-rounded impression of the world of books, but most often the guests are writers.”

One of the more recent interviews for ‘Write The Book’ had guest Scott Russell Sanders describing an essay he wrote on the subject of Arks. During the show, Scott delved deep into his subject: “In the story of Noah and the flood, the ark preserves all creatures that live on land, so that the earth can be replenished after the waters recede. More broadly, we can think of an ark as any vessel that preserves something vital through troubled times, something essential to the well-being of the planet and to humankind. In this sense, books can be arks. Libraries are arks. So are museums, land trusts, housing coops, and free schools. And so are public access radio stations, for they sustain the possibility of non-commercial conversation and entertainment. They enable us to keep sharing our art and ideas, without having to pander to big corporations in order to use the public airwaves.”

Scott Russell Sanders

‘Write The Book’ is directed toward writers and readers who might be interested in the on-goings of the book business. The show may cover “what motivated an author in a certain direction, plot-wise or in developing characters, why a certain poet leans toward formalism, how a mystery writer found her agent, how a best-selling author managed to land on the NY Times’ list. Things of that nature,” says Shelagh.

Not only does the show air on WOMM-LP 105.9FM ‘The Radiator’, but it is also offered as a podcast at http://writethebook.podbean.com. The podcast has allowed listeners to download the program from all over the world, from as far away as Hong Kong, to London, and the Pacific Islands.

When Shelagh isn’t working directly on her show, she is spending time with family, working on her writing, and absorbing more books whether it be on paper, or on tape while walking her dogs. Shelagh is a published author and has had short stories published in a number of magazines. She is also currently working on a few novels - “one about half-way through a first draft, another nearing the end of what I hope is a final revision.” Shelagh says she would never have become published if it weren’t for an “acquired” ability to deal with rejection. For every story she has had published, she says she has had about twenty others rejected.  Shelagh believes you have to not only be imaginative, but also tough.

Part of the difficulty of being published was a catalyst for starting the show.  Shelagh elaborates, “I wanted to better understand the industry for my own purposes and as far as I know, no other show existed in this area that addressed these same issues.” For Shelagh, it is a wonderful experience spending time with people like Scott Russell Sanders, and she can say the same about the many other wonderful people she has had the chance to interview for Write The Book.

Anything but Country

Words by Thomas Deterling

Photos by Kate Worley

“Anything but Country” airs at 9pm on Thursday nights, here at The Radiator. DJ Michael Carney brings you a personal view into the music that he loves as he plays tracks from every genre (including country). Since the show started in March of 2008, Michael has been playing the music that has influenced him throughout his life. While the format of the show has stayed the same, the music you hear each week certainly hasn’t.

Self described as a “passionate observer,” Michael is a fan of most genres. Playing anything from The Replacements, to The Clash, to The Cure, to Elliot Smith, and even some Bright Eyes, his musical taste knows no limits. Making frequent visits to the Middle East club in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as clubs in Vermont, Michael is always searching for new music to bring to the people of Burlington.

Even before coming to Vermont from Winthrop, Massachusetts to attend St. Michael’s College, Michael knew that being a DJ was something he wanted to experience. After getting his own show at St. Mikes, Michael moved forward in securing a DJ spot for after he graduated. When the opportunity to join The Radiator crew came along, he jumped at the opportunity. Michael didn’t just stop with the role of DJ; since joining he has assumed the role of Music Director at The Radiator. His job is to maintain and build the ever-growing library of music that The Radiator has assembled over the years. Michael makes sure that the music that goes on the air is diversified and always evolving. From jazz, to punk, to metal, Michael and The Radiator pride themselves on providing an eclectic mix of music for their listeners.

On top of his role as Music Director, Michael, alongside other members of The Radiator staff, founded the Queen City Social Club. The Queen City Social Club is the events and fundraising wing of The Radiator, promoting creative events as a way to get the people of the community involved in the local music scene. The ultimate goal of the club is to get music fans out to support local musicians and party with the people of this great community. Thanks to Michael, the Radiator continues to grow and provide a positive influence on the Burlington live-music community.