By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Graham Parker has lived a life of music. From his teenage years, following a beat group dream, and on through to gracing the world stage with his own brand of rock and roll, which he merged with soul, folk, and a smart pop sensibility. Parker hit the ground running with his debut LP, 'Howlin' Wind,' in 1976. Produced by Nick Lowe, 'Howlin Wind' was a perfect introduction to the world of Parker and his songs. 'Nothing's Gonna Pull Us Apart,' 'Back To Schooldays,' and 'Don't Ask Me Questions,' to name a few, made people take notice there was a new force to be heard.

Soulful yet savage, Parker was the first kid in line, before Costello, Jackson, and the rest. Melding a bit of Van Morrison with Bob Dylan and his own personal venom, he quickly developed his trademark sound. He would follow that with the slightly more polished, Mutt Lange produced, 'Heat Treatment,' a mere few months later. Two landmark albums under his belt by the end of 1976, and the 'revolution' that was punk rock/new wave had yet to get into gear. Not that GP was 'punk rock,' but like many of the era, that had little to do with the grandiose candelabras and conceptual works of the day, he shared a back to basics sensibility. Graham called Nick Lowe back for album three, 'Stick To Me,' followed by the gritty live album, 'The Parkerilla.'

By 1979, the lay of the land was different in the few years since Parker wandered into the landscape, meaning, the world was catching up with the style GP was laying down, which should have made 1979 the year of Mr. Parker. In some ways, it was. The release of 'Squeezing Out Sparks,' in March of 1979, was perfectly timed. Chock full of classics delivered with a crash, bang, and wallop simply made for the era, Parker was suddenly in the spotlight.

It's not a stretch to claim that it is a perfect album. From the first chord of 'Discovering Japan,' to the final note of 'Don't Get Excited,' the album had everything going for it. The sharp production, by the legendary Jack Nitzsche, was a perfect fit for the first rate songs within. With backing by his loyal, and very rocking band, The Rumour, it honestly didn't get much better. 'Local Girls' was the hit that never was, while 'Nobody Hurts You,' 'Saturday Nite Is Dead,' ‘Passion Is No Ordinary Word,' and 'Love Gets You Twisted,' are all classics that prove Mr. Parker should be on that elusive Mount Rushmore of unsung heroes of rock and roll!

A modest hit in the UK, hitting number 18, 'Squeezing Out Sparks' actually hit the U.S. Top 40, making it, along with the follow-up 'The Up Escalator,' his highest charting U.S. albums. While it never made him a household name, it certainly gained him many new fans, and could easily be held up as Essential! Now, go turn it up and enjoy!

By Matt Anthony - Summit FM Digital Media Specialist

“So, you’re the guy who never responded to any of the tapes I sent to you!?”

We both howled in laughter. It was the first time that I had met Garrett Hart. I was getting a tour of the Ott Building with Jim Chenot, and Garrett came bouncing out of a studio and was immediately called over by Jim.

Not only did Garrett and I share a common bond of grappling in the ‘radio wars’ after long careers, but we were also able to compare notes on a city a couple of hours to the southeast: Pittsburgh. Garrett was a native of the Steel City, and I worked in the ‘Burgh with KDKA radio, from 2001 until 2006. I could detect the recognizable southwest Pennsylvania cadence in his speech.

Leaving the Ott Building after my tour, we also shared an additional chuckle as Garrett easily slid into ‘Pittsburgh-ese,’ comically mocking me as I departed with a ‘Yinz be careful ‘aht there with that winter weather ‘n ‘at. It could be slippy!”

How do we define a ‘body of work?’ What is my body of work? What is yours? It takes no time at all to pore over the massive body of work of, say, The Rolling Stones, or Stephen King, or Martin Scorcese. It’s also easier to access that work. A library gives it to us at a moment’s notice. (and now, naturally, Netflix, Audible, or Spotify!)

Coincidentally, I had been re-arranging some of my things in my home-studio when I heard that Garrett Hart was retiring after 50 years in broadcasting. I sat motionless trying to imagine being involved in something for a half-century. I thought about a person’s body of work, and what it might mean in the scheme of things.

To my right sat an oblong box full of cassette tapes. They included composites and recordings I had saved of past on-air performances, promos that I had voiced, and countless commercials that I had written and produced over the years. Sprinkled around the box were a few CD’s, as well as a couple of rogue DAT tapes, at the time the so-called ‘future’ of audio-archiving. I realized that inside this make-shift modern studio that a cassette player was nowhere to be found. Ha! I couldn’t possibly access this ‘body of work’, even if I wanted to!

I also knew that, unlike Stephen King and Martin Scorcese, my body of work would, more than likely, never be heard again. Nobody would demand a copy of the PM Drive show I did in 1994 at Arrow 94.7, in Washington, D.C. Nobody would ask to read a promo I had written for Opening Day. between the Red Sox and Orioles, for WEEI-FM in Boston. It was as if those decades of work, archived for posterity on those cassettes, served no purpose other than to fill up a box and be left in a dark closet.

But after having the chance to work with Garrett, to be a teammate of his, and to witness his attention to detail and long-time commitment to The Summit FM, I began to understand that a person’s work-life isn’t just a static thing meant to be archived and admired from a distance. It’s a living, breathing thing. It lives on in the people that we touch and the impact that we make.

Garrett’s contribution to broadcasting is immense. While his on-air performances may not be catalogued in a wing of a museum, they honor, in real time, the importance of broadcasting as a medium of expression. The information, humor, and knowledge that he has imparted over this half decade…to listeners, co-workers, employees, members, and underwriters…matters way more than whether it can be accessed on You Tube or in the public library.

The markets where he has worked. The people that benefitted from his knowledge. The companies that profited from his expertise. Heck, just his contributions to KidKam! Radio and Rock and Recovery, alone! All of these hallmarks of an illustrious career are things that everyone can point to when honoring this titan of a broadcaster.

More importantly, though, he understood the role and the mission of this noncommercial public radio entity…AND…he’s just a good guy. Sure, I would have loved to work at WDVE-FM, in Pittsburgh, earlier in my career. I joked with him several times that, as the Program Director of WDVE, he probably erased all those demo-cassettes I had sent him, and re-used them! But I’m grateful that I had a chance to work with this radio broadcasting legend. His body of work is intact, and it’s appreciated and respected.

By Andrew Popp - Attorney

Charitable Giving is something that many of us do, at least in moderation, to support the things we care about. While some of the benefits of donating are obvious, such as supporting the non-profits or charities that you care about, others are more difficult to discover. Additionally, HOW you donate plays a huge role in the way your donation is treated. In this article, we will be giving a brief overview of some of the most common ways to donate as well as the benefits of each. The information contained is for general informational purposes only. You should consult with an attorney or tax professional in making decisions regarding financial matters as these rules change frequently.

Gifting Rules

Before we delve into the realm of Charitable Giving, I think it will be helpful to briefly review the IRS’ regulations about gifting generally. This area of law is seldom understood and, in my presentation, “When Good Gifts Go Bad,” we review some of the common pitfalls people fall into.

Annual Gifts. Every person has the ability to gift a certain amount of money to any other person, charity, or entity of their choosing without tax consequences. This limit is adjusted for inflation periodically and was increased to $18,000.00 in 2024. Note that as a married couple, you can double that figure as you each have that amount to gift. If you go over the annual limit you will likely want to complete a 709 Gift Tax Return with the IRS.  This form petitions the IRS to treat the overage as an early inheritance and while it reduces the amount you can eventually pass on to your heirs by the amount of the overage, it means no gift tax is due and payable.  Since gift taxes are quite large, and the personal exemptions for inheritances is currently also very high (13.61 million per person).

Straight donation

An outright donation to a charity is probably the most common way in which people give to organizations they care about. While any donations to qualified organizations can be used to reduce your taxable income, other means to donate will allow you to maximize tax benefits while providing flexibility in the long term.

Generally speaking, each individual can subtract charitable donations up to 60 percent of their adjusted gross income when itemizing their income tax deductions. This benefit is a good start, but many families will not donate a large enough amount in order to make itemized deductions worth it when compared to your standard deductions. This option also may leave money on the table and you likely have better options.

Charitable remainder trust.

A Charitable Remainder Trust (“CRT”) is one of the more common ways to support a qualified organization that you care about. As you will see, the numerous benefits of a Charitable Remainder Trust make it clear why.

What is a Charitable Remainder Trust? A Charitable Remainder Trust (“CRT”) can be set up either as a stand-alone Trust, or a sub-trust within a family Trust. It is an irrevocable trust designed to receive funds or assets that will benefit both chosen beneficiaries (such as children) and qualified organizations. A CRT holds those assets and the Trustee manages them. The CRT pays an income to the beneficiaries you choose for up to 20 years. When the time frame for payments has run, any assets left in the CRT are paid to the qualified non-profit or charity of your choosing.

Now for the good part. CRTs are tax-free. What does that mean? In short, CRTs do not pay capital gains or income tax. A common strategy used is to transfer highly appreciated assets into a CRT before they are sold. Where an individual would have to pay tax based on the appreciated value of an asset, a CRT does not. If the assets in the CRT earn an income, again, there is no tax. This has the added benefit of removing assets from your taxable estate at a lesser value.

Keep in mind, however, that when the beneficiary named gets the periodic income payment, that income is taxable and is added to his or her annual income tax return. Even still, this can be a powerful tool in reducing capital gains tax.

In addition to the above, you, as the donor get to claim a charitable deduction, as with a straight donation, in the year in which you create and fund the CRT. (subject to the same limitations above).

Once the payment to the CRT is made it is out of your taxable estate. If the funds grow or appreciate, you would not be taxed on the increased value if your estate would otherwise be subject to gift or inheritance taxes.

Asset Protection. Another benefit of a CRT is that it is beyond the reach of litigants, creditors, or others. (In most cases). That means you can gift an amount to a CRT, receive an income back from the Trust for 20 years and the principal amount cannot be touched by anyone else.

IRA/401K and the SECURE Act.

Additionally, a relatively new benefit of CRTs has come about due to the SECURE ACT. The SECURE ACT went into effect in the year 2020 (SECURE 2.0 at the end of 2022). While this law changed many things, we will be focusing on changes related to IRAs and 401ks. Some changes, like not being required to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) until you are 73 are relatively innocuous, the changes to inherited IRA’s were quite significant.

Elimination of the Stretch IRA

The stretch IRA is a term used to describe payments out of an IRA when it is inherited by a named beneficiary. It works like this, if a beneficiary inherits an IRA from another person, that beneficiary needs to start taking out RMDs regardless of his or her age. The amount of the RMD is typically calculated by looking at the value of the account and the life expectancy of the beneficiary. That beneficiary then can stretch out payments from that IRA over, often times, several decades.

While the stretch is still available to a surviving spouse, or in other very limited circumstances, for most people it is gone. Under the SECURE Act, an inherited IRA now must all be taken out within 10 years, period. In short, that means that larger distributions are required which not only increases taxes on the distributions, but can increase the beneficiary’s tax bracket for income tax.

How does a CRT help? One of the few ways around the required 10 year payout is through a CRT. With a CRT you retain the ability to make payments to a chosen beneficiary for 20 years. This doubles the time for payments and can significantly reduce the tax burdens on the beneficiaries you choose. Additionally, it can serve to extend the protections of the assets in the IRA from any issues your beneficiaries may run into.

Charitable Lead Trust

A Charitable Lead Trust (“CLT”) is similar to a CRT but operates in reverse, and loses some of the tax benefits of a CRT. Unlike a CRT, a CLT pays the income to the charity or qualified non-profit over a term of years. When the time frame for payments has lapsed, any amounts remaining in the trust are paid out to a beneficiary of your choosing (even yourself).

You, as the donor of the CLT, can often receive the same income tax deductions as with an outright donation, or through a CRT. A CLT is not tax-free like a CRT, however.  That means income tax and capital gains tax would still need to be paid out of the trust. Taxes on CLTs can be very complicated and a qualified tax professional should be consulted before taking action.

Distributions directly from your IRA/401K

Another option that is often overlooked is the ability to roll over portions of your IRA/401k directly to the qualified non-profit or charity of your choosing. The IRS permits people who have reached the age for RMDs (seventy-three in 2024), to roll over up to $105,000 ($100,00 indexed for inflation), from his or her IRA to such an organization without that donation being counted as taxable income. Even better, that withdrawal, while not counted as taxable income, it DOES count towards your RMDs for the year. That means that if you have a year in which you would be in a higher tax bracket, you can use this technique to satisfy your RMD requirement with the tax consequences you normally see.

Preserving Flexibility in your Charitable Giving

A common concern shared by those who do any type of long-term giving, or those that leave gifts in their Will or Trust, is “What happens if the non-profit or charity goes under?” In short, there are a couple of legal principles that come to the rescue.

The first is a term called cy pres. In non-lawyer speak, cy pres means “as close as possible,” and comes into play for almost any type of charitable gift. If the non-profit or charity you named dissolves the doctrine of cy pres allows the person making the gift to direct those funds to another organization that has a purpose as close to the original organization as possible. This is done to preserve the intent of the original gift giver.

Another option we see used is something called a Donor Advised Fund. A Donor Advised Fund (“DAF”) is a fund established as a public charity. (A section 501(c)(3) organization). A DAF allows you to make a charitable contribution to the Fund and receive that same immediate income tax deduction as we see above. However, the ultimate organization that the donation is given to is not set in stone. The donor retains advisory privileges regarding the distribution of funds. In short, that means you can change the organization that is donated to every year. Moreover, all the funds do not need to be distributed at once. As a charitable organization, if the assets in the Fund grow, they are not taxed. In recent years, Donor Advised Funds have been used as tax shelters by those seeking to avoid properly payable taxes. As such, the IRS is considering additional rules regarding these organizations. Overall, the flexibility and tax benefits should largely be preserved, but the nuances of the law may be subject to change in the future.

Conclusion In sum, charitable giving is a great way to give back and support the community in which we live. However, like many things in law and with taxes, doing it the right way can yield even greater benefits to you. Should we contribute to local non-profits or charities? Absolutely, just make sure you speak with a qualified professional to discuss what best serves you, your family, and even the organization you want to support.

By Chad Miller - Summit FM Music Director

What's everyone been listening to out there? There's been an AVALANCHE of great new songs coming at us to start the new year, as per usual, with STILL more to come! Easily the most exciting time of the year in our world of music, that I get to sort through and play them for you on the radio. So much new music coming at us, so little time...however, these songs that might fly under the radar to most are what I've been diggin' most especially these past few weeks!

Like what you hear? Please email me at chad@thesummit.fm and let me know what you think!

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

One thing for certain about Canadian rock music, it's all over the map! And that's a good thing! If there is a 'Canadian sound,' it would have to slot somewhere in between Neil Young, Rush, Nick Gilder, the Guess Who, Voivod, Nash The Slash, Thundermug, and, well, you get the idea. None of those bands sound alike, and there is no Canadian sound, which in turn, makes perfect sense that Barenaked Ladies are among Canada's favorite sons.

Formed in 1988, just outside of Toronto, BNL rose up from the underground in a highly unprecedented manner. After recording a handful of demo tapes, the band's reputation had grown to the point where demand for fans to get their hands on those demo recordings went sky high. This led to the band self-releasing their official unofficial debut, self-titled though known as 'The Yellow Tape.' The songs on this recording were made to coincide with the band's appearance at SXSW, but fans kept buying the demo tape, which then made history as the first independent release to go Gold in Canada.

With all this in their favor, it wasn’t long before the big labels came calling. The band eventually signed with Sire/Reprise Records, in the States, who issued their proper debut album, 'Gordon,' in 1992. The band re-recorded the songs from 'The Yellow Tape,' most of which are still among their most well-known. 'Be My Yoko Ono,' 'Brian Wilson' and 'If I Had $1,000,000,' make up 3 of the album's 16 tracks.

Barenaked Ladies, with a name that came from a list of imaginary bands the guys had compiled, immediately found a home in the alternative rock landscape, which included just about anything under the sun at that point, so why not some clever, catchy, smart pop music from these Canadian rabble rousers. The songs are colored with just about every instrument within reach, making it even more difficult to categorize their quirky brand of folk/pop.

Clever lyrics with humor often at the center, the band was an admitted product of its upbringing, surrounded by pop culture. "Some much of what we grew up in was pop culture in the 70s and 80s,” said vocalist Stephen Page, in a 1992 interview with the CBC. "That's the atmosphere we grew up in. A lot of our music comes from knowing about those things. We make fun of a lot of stuff."

Guitarist Ed Robinson concurs, "Like the song 'Be My Yoko Ono’ is just a love song in the disguise of a quirky little pop culture joke. We thought it was just a joke, but people kept saying 'that's a great, really sweet love song."

Yet, for every goofy pun or silly reference, there is often much more lurking under the surface in their songs. The New York Times called that point upfront in their initial review, "It's not easy to be hyperactive, brooding, and whimsical all at once, but the Barenaked Ladies do just that." ‘Gordon' hit the number one spot in their Canadian homeland, and sold well in the U.S., paving the way for a long running, happy fan base here in America, and eventually, two years later, turning Gold here as well.

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

New York. London. Paris, and of course, Munich. Everybody, go on now, talk about Pop Music! What is Pop Music? Certainly, one would think pop, being short for popular…however, so much amazing pop music had nothing to do with popularity contests. It was meant to define music in a popular idiom for mass consumption, however, the craft so often involved in what makes truly great pop music, could never be tolerated by the masses. What then, makes a great pop song?  Hooks, melodic invention, dynamics, and so on, all add up. Could be something as sweet and innocent as 'Sugar Sugar,' by the Archies, or something as dynamic and gravity defying as '21st Century Schizoid Man,' by King Crimson. Coincidentally, both those records were released in 1969, worlds apart, and yet closer than one might think in the large scheme of things.

Roxy Music were, by definition, a 'Pop' group, however, the definition of pop had been remade and remodeled in the post-Sgt. Pepper world. It was the golden age of anything goes Pop music. By 1973, Roxy Music had released their stunning debut, and equally stunning follow-up, 'For Your Pleasure.' It's at this point in the game that sound craftsman, special effects coordinator, and visual flashpoint, Brian Eno decides to leave the band, to begin his most interesting odyssey as a solo artist.

Released in early 1974, 'Here Come The Warm Jets' was Pop Music, ENO style. Direct links to pop's golden past collided head on with futuristic bravado to create not only one of the most interesting debut albums ever, but one of the most art driven, fully realized Pop albums of all time. Kicking into high gear with track one, 'Needles In The Camel's Eye,' things are off to a grand start. With a two chord Velvets style groove at its root, it is awash in the Glam-era colors, with a simple Kinks-ian melody. In other words, it's a perfect pop song, co-written by Eno and Roxy guitarist Phil Manzanera, who lends his guitar prowess to the mix as well. 'The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch' follows, with some prime Eno nob twiddling for the solo, welcoming the future a few years early.

By track three we are settled in but hardly prepared for the attack that is 'Baby's On Fire.' A deceptively simple song that is, even 50 years on, still a house rattling good time. Guitar overload courtesy of one Mr. Robert Fripp who provides, dare I say it, one of the top recorded guitar solos in history. If this doesn't rattle your windows, and your soul, at full volume, check your pulse.

'Cindy Tells Me' is about as pure pop as ENO gets, again using a Velvet style template, but in sweeter tone, which helps prepare for the side one closer, 'Driving Me Backwards,' which somehow combines a Kurt Weill-esque backdrop, with some Lennon ‘White Album’ tones, all the while predicting and predating post punk. Side two runs the gamut from the lush and sophisticated 'On Some Faraway Beach,' to the pre-punk ramblings of 'Blank Frank,' to the Kinks-meets-avant-garde of 'Dead Finks Don't Talk,' and the exotica futurism on 'Some Of Them Are Old,' before washing away with the glorious title track, which rides us off into the sunset.

ENO would make another stunning LP, 'Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy,' by the end of year. 1975 would find him off on new sonic adventures like the varied ‘Another Green World,' and 'Discreet Music,' his first real dive into ambient music, a genre he in many ways is the father of, not forgetting the pair of albums made with Robert Fripp, 'No Pussyfooting,' and 'Evening Star,' both sonic landscapes of guitar tones and tape loops, unlike anything else attempted by rock or pop stars. 1977 would see the last of his pop albums for a while, the also wonderful 'Before And After Science.' For many years, he would follow the ambient muse as an artist, while his role as producer grew and grew. In fact, he is likely better known for his producer tag, in the large scheme of things, but we must not forget his insanely great contributions as a pop artist.

'Here Come The Warm Jets' is Pop Music as Pop Art. It fills that role as much as the Beatles 'Revolver,' the Kinks' 'Face To Face,' and the Who 'Sell Out,' to name a few. And ok, yeah, I admit, it is one of my all-time favorite albums! I vividly remember first hearing it back in 1975, and feeling like I had connected to some other frequency out in the cosmos. It was so modern sounding. It was the sound of the future, yet of that specific moment in time as well. It has worn incredibly well over the years, and still sounds like it's being beamed in via some distant signal from some faraway place. The whole album still gives a chill and a thrill. Thank you ENO! On behalf of The Summit FM, I am more than happy to call ‘Here Come The Warm Jets’ essential!

By Matt Anthony - Summit FM Digital Media Specialist

Lucky to have met,

When we did.

          “Now Is The Time” - Jade Bird

In the early 2000’s, I was working as Imaging Director for WTEM-AM, in Washington, DC. It was our second opportunity to be in the nation’s capital. Seven years earlier, I was the PM Drive host for CBS’s Classic Hits station, Arrow 94.7, but at SportsTalk 980, my work was done primarily behind the scenes, writing copy, producing promos, and taking care of the imaging, for our role as the flagship station for Washington Capitals hockey.

Our station was in Rockville, Maryland, situated along one of the most congested roads in Montgomery County. Sometimes for lunch, I would walk down the street, try to avoid the traffic, and snag a sandwich at, what was then, a small chain of restaurants, ones that eventually became ubiquitous nation-wide: Subway.

That day the store was crowded. I waited with the others, and I noticed a young girl being tutored on how to make the various sandwiches. She was obviously a new employee. And the closer I inched towards the person taking orders, I kept my eyes on her. I noticed that she was having trouble communicating in English. She appeared frazzled, and unsure of herself, but I admired her willingness to learn, especially during a very hectic time-period.

I placed my order, and then moved on down the line towards her. She would occasionally ask a customer if they wanted onions or cucumbers for their sandwich, but it seemed easier for her to point at vegetables and wait for the customer’s response.

Finally, it was my turn. I guessed that she may have been of Hispanic origin, but I wasn’t sure. My Spanish is abysmal, but I thought I would try my best to help her out, if that was indeed the case. I mumbled a quiet ‘Hola’, and a brief smile crept across her face. She would point to the various containers of vegetables, such as onions and I responded, “Ceballo…no. Pero, pimientos, por favor.”

Down the line I walked, forgetting the Spanish words for ‘mustard’ and ‘cheese,’ but doing enough pointing and head-nodding to be able to complete my order. Once done, she slid it towards the person ringing out orders, and then tossed me a gentle smile before turning to her next customer.

“If you can’t find the truth right where you are, where do you expect to find it?”

• Dogen Zenji, Zen Master. 1200-1253

Her expressive brown eyes haunted me for the remainder of the day, and on the long drive home back to our small apartment in Annapolis, I thought of that moment during lunch. I wondered how difficult it must have been for her to completely change her life to come to a country where she was unfamiliar with the language and the customs. How chaotic her world must have been, standing there in a fast-food restaurant, on a crowded, busy street, near one of the great cities in the whole world, trying to learn to make American sandwiches in the throes of a lunch-time work-crowd.

Entering Anne Arundel County, I increased the volume on the radio. U2 had just released ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind,’ and ‘Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of’ filled the interior of my car.  I considered it a moment of serendipity.

For whatever reason, I’ve thought of that moment several times since then. A few times over the decades, I’ve wondered what happened to that young girl. Did she stay in this country? Was she married? Did she own several Subway franchises? Did she go back to her country of origin?

Right here, right now

There is no other place I want to be.

          “Right Here, Right Now” - Jesus Jones

When I was riding motorcycles, I would encounter other riders at gas stations, diners, or rest areas. Being on two wheels without the protection of a steel frame is an automatic invitation to a unique club, a dangerous club, and yet, a fulfilling, bliss-inducing one. Those momentary conversations were instances that I would think about later in the evening, or when I would be trying to fall asleep.

I would think of riders who would pass me going in the opposite direction, and as is sometimes the custom, I would drop my left hand towards the ground, and he or she would do the same, the motorcycle ‘wave.’ As their gust of wind gently nudged me, I would be reminded that the moment…that moment, with that fellow rider…would likely never happen again.

In Zen meditation, we’re taught to try to settle our minds and to focus on the present moment, simply being aware of the act of breathing in and breathing out. It’s tougher than it sounds.  We’re taught to be ‘open’ to the present moment. Dogen says, “If you open your hand, you may receive anything.” While I fail repeatedly, I do try to keep in mind that the big, broad brushstrokes of experience are, certainly, to be expected and appreciated. Weddings. Concerts. Funerals. But it’s the instantaneous, one-off moments for which I’m most grateful…or try to be. I believe they help teach us to concentrate on the present. Those moments that, for whatever reason, we can’t get out of. They are experienced, and then, like us, they’re gone.

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

No lying, no pretense, no hype sheet, just the facts! The Pretenders self-titled debut album stands as one of the greatest, most fully formed debut's in rock and roll! Way back upon its release in 1980, every note, every guitar chord, and every word rang true, and all these years later, that all remains intact. It was the sum of the parts, great songs, with great players, attitude, style, and bravado, all adding up to a pretty much perfect album.

Chrissie Hynde has always been, quite simply, one of the coolest rockers on the docket. From childhood, she knew she wanted to get the hell out of Akron, Ohio, and pursue her rock and roll dream. Upon moving to England in the early 1970s, she found herself hanging out with the 'in-crowd,' including members of the soon to form Sex Pistols, and their whole entourage. Hynde stood out, as it was obvious she was genuine, she began gaining a reputation among other aspiring rockers.

Inspired by the energy of the punk movement, but with her deepest love in mid-60 rock and roll, like The Rolling Stones and The Kinks, Hynde began writing songs, very good songs, which opened more doors, and soon signed a record deal. She assembled what seemed to be the perfect band for her songs and style; drummer Martin Chambers, bassist Pete Farndon, and guitarist extraordinaire James Honeyman-Scott. Their attack was simple, yet sophisticated, and Hynde's sharp and sultry vocals made their signature sound what it was.

It's interesting to note, that Hynde never seemed to make the fact that she was a woman the issue. Not unlike Patti Smith, she just got up and did her thing, being a rock and roller, and in the process, shut down any naysayers. Her talent as a songwriter and performer instantly made people shut up and take notice.

From the opening raw salvo of 'Precious,' it was clear this band meant business. As song after song came blasting out of the speakers, the listener was more and more captivated. 'The Phone Call,' 'Up The Neck,' 'Tattooed Love Boys,' (which contains one of the coolest guitar breaks ever!), 'The Wait,' and that's only side one! The first single released from the album was a beautiful cover of the lost Kinks classic 'Stop Your Sobbing,' Initially one of the songs the band sent producer Nick Lowe as a demo, after recording the track with them, he left the project with the remaining tracks to be produced by the legendary Chris Thomas. The next single, 'Kid' made the UK Top 40, but it would be the LP's third single, 'Brass In Pocket,' that hit pay dirt in America, clocking in at No. 14, and the video for the song got heavy rotation on the new MTV channel.

The album proved to be a big hit, making it into the Top 10 in the U.S., and number one in the UK. The band more than held their own on tour, proving they could rock it out with the big boys of the era. One more album featuring the original line-up would follow before personal issues and substance abuse would take its toll, with both Farndon and Honeyman-Scott losing their lives to drug issues. Hynde and Chambers would pick up the pieces and soldier on. The Pretenders carry on to this day, with Hynde as the sole original member. It’s encouraging to note that her most recent couple of LPs have been among her best, but that first album was truly something special. Essential? To say the least!

By Michelle Charles - Summit FM Development Director

While it's true that anyone can listen to The Summit FM and enjoy our diverse range of music, being a member adds an extra layer of significance and connection to the experience. Here's why membership is special and integral to our station: 

Enhanced Connection: Membership offers a deeper connection to The Summit FM's musical journey. When you become a member, you're not just a listener; you're part of a passionate community that shares your love for alternative music. 

Exclusive Access: Members enjoy exclusive access to events and perks that non-members don't have. This includes live Studio C performances, special concert ticket offers and much more! 

Support and Influence: By becoming a member, you directly contribute to the station's ability to bring you exceptional music and experiences. Your financial support plays a pivotal role in shaping the content we provide and the community we foster. 

Joining a Community: Membership isn't just about the music; it's about joining a community of like-minded individuals who appreciate the artistry, creativity, and depth that alternative music brings to our lives. 

A Personal Investment: When you become a member, you're making a personal investment in the station's success. You're saying, "I believe in what you do, and I want to be a part of it." 

Nurturing Creativity: Your membership helps us create an environment where artists and listeners can come together to celebrate creativity and musical expression. Your contribution supports emerging artists and diverse genres. 

In essence, being a member is about embracing the unique opportunity to go beyond being a casual listener. It's about actively participating in a musical movement, sharing your voice, and helping shape the future of The Summit FM. 

While anyone can tune in at any time, being a member allows you to delve deeper into the heart and soul of the station. It creates a more meaningful and lasting connection to the music, the artists, and the community that makes The Summit FM truly special. 

Click here to become a member.