By Danny Coleman
originally published: 02/11/2016
"We put this thing together two years ago. Our drummer Dave and I have been friends since high school, I ran into him and said, "We're getting up in age; remember how we've always said we need to do something? Well, we need to do something," then we added Chandler and the three of us hit it off," said Radio Exile keyboardist and co-founder Charlie Calv. "I needed a songwriting partner and Chandler fit perfect, Jimmy is a great guitar player and Kenny is a fantastic bassist."
If the area has a super group or a "Frankengroup," Radio Exile is it. Comprised of Calv (The Bronx Casket Co. /Shotgun Symphony) on piano and keyboards, drummer Dave Anthony (Dennis DeYoung/Joan Osbourne), vocalist Chandler Mogel (Outloud), guitarist Jimmy Leahey (Dennis DeYoung/John Waite/Allison Kraus) and monster bassist Kenny Aaronson (Bob Dylan/Bill Idol/Yardbirds); this collective group has come from seemingly nowhere, yet everywhere and they've gotten here quick.
With a self-titled ten track debut disc and enough firepower per man to send this thing into orbit; Radio Exile is poised to be the next revitalized voice in an at times stagnant environment. "We didn't pigeon hole this record," says Calv. "We had a real fun time putting this together. I write most of the music, it's all me and Chandler writes the lyrics. I have a home studio, most of us do so it's easy to put things together. I would demo the tracks and send them to Chandler and he'd already had melodies in place and that's not how I was used to working, it was usually the other way around but we made it happen and the result was an album that is different; each track is different."
A small cast of guest musicians also contributes to the unique quality of this rockin' new effort. Utilizing the talents of former Silver Condor and Trans Siberian Orchestra vocalist, the incomparable Joe Cerisano, Jessie Wagner (Lenny Kravitz/Kid Rock) and Amy Harnell (Tony Harnell and the Mercury Train) on the track "A Cross On Stone" lent a certain vibe to the tune that was not entirely expected. "We kind of, well Chandler wanted some female voices," explained Calv as he seemed to search for the right phrases to do justice to their appearance. "I've known Joe for years; so between him and the ladies we pretty much said, "Do what you want" with the track and the end result was sort of a gospel feel. Joe has got such a great voice and Jessie is incredible and right now on the road with Duran Duran and Amy is great, I can't say enough about her."
According to Calv, the record was recorded in two parts because the members weren't sure how the process would unfold from an artistic viewpoint. "Yeah, we did the record in two parts. We went into the studio and had only five songs written and thought we'd start there; let's see how we all get along and how things work out before we dive all the way in was the thought process. Things went well so we had a one day rehearsal and the next day we started recording. We did it totally analog, well minus the big fat reel to reel tape," said a now laughing Calv. "Recording this disc was a great experience. We used lots of percussion and Dave created landscapes; we wanted a new feel and he produced some classic sounds."
"No Pity On The Highway" is the first single off of the record and was released with a corresponding video. Currently the band is in post production of "Soulfire" their second video off of the album and one that Calv calls, "Killer." "With "No Pity On The Highway," well when we first put this together we were working with a management company out of New York and they thought we needed a focus track. Fortunately we were also working with Stephen DeAcutis (Corey Glover, Vanilla Fudge, Cyndi Lauper) as a producer and he suggested we try something different. Stephen had a good hand in crafting this record from start to finish. The video for "Soulfire" is done and gosh it was so much fun making it! It's a killer video and has fire eaters and a Vaudeville feel to it. The director was only a 21 year old guy from Los Angeles and he had some great ideas; he's a very talented."
Shall one hope to see the band coming to a city near you; don't get too excited. The possibilities of a tour of any magnitude or even local shows are on hold at the moment. "We'd love to tour but right now everyone is so booked," states Calv. "Jimmy and Dave are getting ready to go on the road with Dennis DeYoung and Kenny has some time off before the next portion of the Yardbirds tour so we're trying to catch the in between times and it's looking more like festivals or larger shows with another act or acts."
"Radio Exile" is a great effort from start to finish. Next week look for a review of the album; so watch this space!
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
Amalfi's Restaurant146 Lawrenceville-Pennington Rd. Lawrenceville
(609) 912-1599
Fri. 8:30 p.m. The Prophets
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Bear's Choice
Amarones Windsor Inn29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-7144
Fri. 8 p.m. Rick & Kenny
Sat. 8 p.m. Kindred Spirit
Blend Bar & Bistro911 Highway 33, Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Tues. 8 p.m. Triviajam
Backstage at Championship Bar 931 Chambers St. Trenton
Fri. 5 p.m. Oh Sleeper, Rival Choir, Cut The Act, Endless Sacrifice, Disaffect, Stasis, Zoume. All ages, $12/$15
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Dirt Platoon w/ lll Conscious, Oksajin, Skar, Bobbi Skratch, Swego, Longev Boys, YayoVille, Voice, Rasheen, Bain Fatz, RapLife CEO, Cardo, Ock, Calaber 007, J Math. All ages, $10
Candlelight Lounge 24 Passaic St. Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Sat. 3 p.m. Josh Lawrence Trumpet Quartet (No cover-$10 minimum)
Chickie's & Pete's183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-9182
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Music Night feat. The Dawgs
Wed. 9 p.m. Quizzo Trivia
CityStreets510 Route 130 South East Windsor
(609) 426-9400
Fri. 9 p.m. 80's Undercover
Dempster's Pub437 Pine Street Mount Holly
(609) 261-0500
Thurs. 8:30 p.m. DJ DNIAL
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Chris
Dog & Bull Brew House810 Bristol Pike (Rte. 13) Croydon, PA.
(215) 788-2855
Thurs. 8 p.m. Gypsy Mother
Fri. (4 p.m.) "Happy Hour Jam" feat. Visoon(9 p.m.) The Mix
Sat. (11 a.m.) "Saturday Brunch Jam" feat. Michael Leggerie (9 p.m.) Kevin Toft & The All Stars
Sun. (11 a.m.) "Sunday Brunch" feat. Keli Vale (3 p.m.) Joe Robinson Brunch Jam
Wed. 8 p.m.
Fran's Pub116 S. Main St. New Hope, PA.
(215)862-5539
Mon. 8 p.m. Open Blues Jam
All shows 21+
Havana New Hope105 S. Main Street. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. 8 p.m. "An Evening With Tim Reynolds and TR3" / Hot 4 Robot / Evan Miklosey. Doors at 6 p.m., $35
Fri. 8 p.m. "A Tribute To Iron Maiden" w/ Tailgunner. Doors at 6 p.m., $15
Sat. 9 p.m. The Wailers. Doors at 7 p.m., $35 (General admission)
Sun. 3 p.m. Ladies 2000
Hopewell Valley Vineyards46 Yard Avenue Pennington
(609) 737-4465
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Thurs. Jazz" feat. Hopewell Valley Vineyards Jazz Ensemble / Prindiville Moher Gallery Exhibit
Fri. 6 p.m. Pocketful Of Soul
Sat. (12 p.m.) "Wine & Chocolate Trail" Wine Tasting, Vendors, Chocolate. $6 (6 p.m.)Matt Roach
Sun. (11 a.m.) Valentine's Day Brunch. $29 (check website for tickets) (2 p.m.) "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Haddon Jazz Quartet
Wed. 6 p.m. "Farm To Table" $70 (check website for tickets)
Iron Plow Vineyards26750 Mount Pleasant Road, Columbus
(732) 306-9111
Sat./Sun. 2 p.m. Dick Gratton
Ivy Tavern 3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 10 p.m. Polish Nannies
Sat. 10 p.m. Soul Custody
Tues. 7 p.m. Teddy Z Memorial Jam
All shows 21+
John & Peter's 96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. Bill & Fred's Excellent Adventure
Fri. 9 p.m. Vinyl Approach Kicks Winter's Ass
Sat. (3 p.m.) King Of Nowhere "Pre-V-Day Show" (9 p.m.) Spitune / Lovetester
Sun. (3 p.m.) Brad Staudle (9 p.m.) Ted Offensive
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night w/ Justin
Tues. 9 p.m. Matt Setzer
Wed. 9:30 p.m. The Invitational
All shows 21+
JoJo's Tavern2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-2678
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke
McStews Irish Sports Pub5316 New Falls Rd Levittown, PA
(215) 949-9570
Thurs. 10:30 p.m. "Beer Pong" w/ DJ Codie
Fri. 10 p.m. Steamboat Annie
Sat. 10 p.m. "Saturday Night Party" w/ Dueling DJs
Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo hosted by Mike
Millhill Basement300 S. Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-1600
Sat. 10 p.m. Morningside Lane, Logan Carpenter, (TBA).
Mill Hill Playhouse/Passage Theatre205 E. Front Street, Trenton
(609) 392-0766
Sat. 7 p.m. Casa Cultura & R2 Events Presents: "Bohemian Nights A Night of Romantic Music" feat. Daniel de Jesus, Doce (Thaimi Michelle), Miguel O.rlando & Trio. $20
O'Connor's American Bar & Grille1383 Monmouth Road, Easthampton Mt. Holly
(609) 261-1555
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Alright Alright
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Greg Parker Duo
Olde Liberty Tavern2114 Liberty Street, Trenton
(609) 396-2262
Sat. 10 p.m. Open Mic. Night
Palermo's Of Hamilton310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
Patriot's Crossing1339 River Rd. Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Fri. 8 p.m. Acidic Solution
Sat. 8 p.m. McMillian & Company
Pete's Steak House523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Kevin Toft & The All Stars
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Tangled
Randy Now's Man Cave134 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 424-3766
Check Website for upcoming events.
RHO Waterfront50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 10 p.m. "College Night" w/ DJ Paul Desisto. Ages 21+
Sat. 9 p.m. DAS FX Concert w/ multiple DJs. $30 (advance), $40 (door), $50 VIP Seating
Tara's Tavern 1 Cookstown-New Egypt Road, Wrightstown
(609) 286-2300
Thurs. 9 p.m. Laurita Winos
Sat. 9 p.m. Out Of The Red
Tavern On The Lake101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 7 p.m. No Limits
Sat. 9 p.m. El Ka Bong
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The Cool Cricket216 4th Street Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. The Drunk Monkeys
The HOB Tavern146 Second Street
(609) 291-7020
Sat. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night
Wed. 8:30 p.m. Deb & Mike
The Ivy Inn248 Nassau St. Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Ron
Fri. 10 p.m. Rainbow Fresh
Sat. 10 p.m. (Closed for private party)
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. "Wednesday Wheel Night Spin To Win Karaoke" w/ DJ Rockn Ron
The Record Collector358 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Sat. 8 p.m. Kim Simmonds & Savoy Brown "The Devil To Pay" Release Tour. All ages, Doors at 7:30 p.m., $35 (advance)
The Roost 181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-0050
Fri. 9 p.m. Sideways Willy
Sat. 9 p.m. Joe St. Michael Group
The Sticky Wicket 2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. New Dawn
Sat. 9 p.m. Dirty Red "Unplugged"
The Sun National Bank Center 81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check website for upcoming events
Tir Na Nog 1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Fri. 9 p.m. Mike Brill
Sat. 9 p.m. Diarmuid MacSuibhone
Wed. 9 p.m. Paul Wiese
All shows 21+
Trenton Buzz702 Pine St. Trenton
(609) 392-6000
Fri. 8 p.m. Live Band & Open Mic.
Trenton Social449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Fri. 7 p.m. First Friday
Sat. 9 p.m. Charles Laurita & The Mischief
Mon. 9 p.m. Monday Night Karaoke w/ Benny P
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic. Night
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Fri. 10 p.m. Ceramic Animal w/ Hurrah A Bolt Of Light. ($5 cover charge)
Sat. 10 p.m. Beaucoup Blue($5 cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night (Sign ups 6:30 p.m. at hostess stand)
All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
Sat. 9 p.m. Acoustic Rock
All shows 21+
Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program entitled 'Rock On Radio' airing Sunday evenings at 7:00pm EST on ThePenguinRocks.com where he features indie/original bands and solo artists.
