By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Oh my, the 1980s. Radio, video... boogie with a suitcase. We got the beat of a Mexican radio gaga. It was a lot to take in. And that’s just the tunes. Never mind the follicles—here's A Flock of Seagulls.

Yes, sad to say, hair reigned supreme from the over-poofed and primped styles of the early part of the decade to the MHO (maximum hairspray overdose) of the later years. Many times, it masked an inferior product, padding questionable sounds with distracting scissor wizardry. Other times, it was simply a questionable foray into, um, fashion—yeah, fashion. Oh my, the 1980s. Enough ridicule, as the band in the spotlight here could have easily done without such hair-raising antics. The debut album from A Flock of Seagulls had the tunes to back it up and stand on its own merits.

One might find it odd, but the roots (no pun intended) of A Flock of Seagulls date back to the progressive rock era. The duo that produced the band’s debut album was each part of significant forces of that era. Mike Howlett was an Australian musician who landed in London in the mid-1970s, joining the legendary band Gong in 1973. After a four-year run with them, he formed the short-lived band Strontium 90, which included Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland before they became the Police. Meanwhile, the other man behind the board on some of the A Flock of Seagulls sessions was none other than Bill Nelson of Be Bop Deluxe fame. Following Be Bop's disbanding, Nelson dove headfirst into the new wave currently happening, especially the frantic energy of bands like XTC. He formed his own take on the style under the name Red Noise before making a run of solo albums all informed by the 'modern music' he had, in part, helped shape with Be Bop Deluxe. Howlett would go on to produce significant bands like OMD, Gang of Four, the Alarm, and Joan Armatrading, among others, while Nelson has maintained a strong solo career for decades.

With all that behind them, A Flock of Seagulls took flight, straight out of Liverpool, England, releasing their debut single, "(It's Not Me) Talking," in the spring of 1981. The Nelson-produced 7" was released on his own Cocteau label prior to the band signing with major Jive Records. It set the stage for what this band was all about: modern, catchy, futuristic pop music for the new decade. Though encased in the new technology and gloss available, the songs were simple and informed by rock and pop’s past. A follow-up single, "Telecommunication," was issued that fall and became a college radio hit of sorts in the US, with Nelson’s sharp and striking production making a great-sounding record over the airwaves. Mind you, this all happened before most had any idea of who this band was or what they looked like—an all that would change with single number three and their arrival on MTV.

When "I Ran (So Far Away)" hit MTV, it became a mini sensation, making the Top 10 in America. The first of the Howlett-produced tracks, his style was a bit more spacious and cinematic, which only aided the visual aspect as the video gained heavy rotation. The next single, "Space Age Love Song," followed a similar path but failed to crack the Top 20. Other album tracks such as "Modern Love Is Automatic," "Don't Ask Me," and "Messages" kept things alive via college radio, but it was the visual aspect of the band that truly sold them to the mass market. Though ultimately kind of a curse they could never shake, their exaggerated style, primarily of singer/keyboardist Mike Score, certainly got them attention. We wouldn’t be talking about them or their music if they didn’t have the songs to make it all work.

Though they may have had loftier ideas when they began, the songs were catchy, enjoyable, and can still bring a smile and a foot-tap 40-plus years later. That’s what good pop music is supposed to do, and there is no shame in 'pop music' when it’s done right. For "I Ran" to sit alongside the likes of "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes," "Indian Giver," "Knock Three Times," and so on is no simple task—and it does so just fine.

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Indie rock heroes Spoon, led by the duo of singer/guitarist Brit Daniel and drummer Jim Eno, had been steadily ascending the rails of success since the release of their debut album, 'Telephono' back in 1996. Jumping briefly to major label distribution, the band swam back into indie waters in 200, signing with Merge Records, a catch all, well respected label. for the next several years, the band's reputation grew and they had become a mainstay in the indie world. Their sound was a solid mix of familiar and new with albums like 'Kill The Moonlight' and 'Girls Can Tell' but it was their sixth LP that seemed to solidify them as a true force,

Released in the summer of 2007, 'Ga Ga  Ga Ga Ga' was one of those records that seemd to jump forth from nowhere straight into the spotlight, something that even caught band leader Britt Daniel by surprise. "I don't know what happened," he said in an interview. "We were on Saturday Night Live and I had just moved to Portland. I was at the grocery store, they actually sold records at the grocery store, and I remember going to my grocery store and seeing that this ('Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga') was the number one record and it blew my mind."

Clean up on isle four aside, it meant that these guys had arrived and if not fully inside the mainstream, close enough to get a view. A lot of work went into the album. "We take a long time to record," Daniel recalled,' "only ten songs made it onto the album, over five months, that's two songs a month and after we'd been doing it for months, and I could tell we still had months to go. At that point it feels like, Ive been doing it forever and I'm going to be doing it forever."

The album kicks off nicely with the dynamic 'Don't Make Me A Target,' probably one of the band's finest moments. It was, however, the first single from the album, 'The Underdog,' that sets things into motion. It is simply undeniable with its ultra-catchy hook and dynamic horn section adding to the layers of sound. It was an alt radio hit and remains one of their best loved songs, sounding for a moment like the Libertines crashed into Herb Alpert. 'The Ghost of You Lingers' and 'Finer Feelings were other highlights, while the album's second single, 'Don't You Evah' was later re-issued as an entire ep, featuring seven different mixes of the song.

The album was produced by the band, along with Jon Brion, a guy with a great pop sensibility. With lyrics that ranger from personal, to social and from angry to uplifiting, the band seems to connect with its fans in both sonic and lyrical terrain. The band carry on still creating their own take on pop music, and for many, that first peak was this album.

By Chad Miller - Summit FM Music Director

What's everyone been listening to out there? 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' 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

"Australia, the chance of a lifetime" - Ray Davies, 1969

The list of great music to come out of Australia is massive! From heroes of the 1960 like the Easybeats and Bee Gees, through the glam era of Skyhooks, punk pioneers the Saints, hard rockers the Angels and Rose Tattoo and on to Nick Cave, Beasts of Bourbon, INXS and Hoodoo Gurus, it's a mega-jukebox of great music, and I didn't even mention AC/DC! Among the many bands, only a handful really made a dent in the US market, in that camp we cannot forget Midnight Oil.

Issuing their self-titled debut back in 1978, the band quickly got noticed in their homeland. It would take a few more LP's before that attention circled the globe, in fact, the band's first three albums were not even released in America. Their fourth, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1," became the first in late 1982, and with each following release, the band picked up more steam in the States and elsewhere around the world.  'Red Sails in the Sunset' became a favorite at college radio, and then finally in 1987, the band had a genuine hit on their hands with 'Diesel And Dust,' thanks in large part to the hook laden classic 'Beds Are Burning.' The video was all over MTV and the song on modern rock radio everywhere, Midnight Oil had finally arrived!

With politically-charged and environmentally aware lyrics, it was the perfect song to catapult them forward, though ironically, the song that would make them stars across the world was initially ignored at home. "When 'Beds Are Burning' first came out in Australia, ir didn't get played on radio,' recalled lead singer Peter Garrett in a 2022 interview.  "Half of our audience went, 'what are you talking about, what are you writing songs about aboriginal people, about black people for, what's that got to do with us' and over time, I think people got to understand why we were doing it and what it meant to us."

So after the excitement from 'Diesel And Dust' had settled, the next hurdle was, how to follow it up? In early 1990 the band did just that with the striking 'Blue Sky Mining.' A Gold and Platinum hit across the board, especially in their native Australia where is went five time platinum, it was a self-assured statement that these guys were a force all their own. Songs like 'Forgotten Years,' 'King Of The Mountain,' and the classic ‘Blue Sky Mine’ would all drive the album. Produced by Warne Livesey along with the band, a conscious effort was made to expand on the signature band sound throughout the LP.

 ‘Mountains of Burma’ had a full orchestra and I believe Warne did all of the arrangements for that, which was pretty incredible," recalled engineer Brendan Anthony in Mixdown magazine. "The strings were set up in the drum room, but the rest of the orchestra spilled out over the recording space, which was quite large.” The entire approach to the album was steeped in adventure and experimentation, straying from the norm, even when it came to the lyrics. “Peter Garrett is probably the most talented person I’ve ever met to make up lyrics on the spot,” adds Brendan. “If you listen to “King of the Mountain” at the last vocal section, I think he sings lyrics like “over liquid tarmac wastelands of cactus and heat, down cobblestone alleyways of washing day sheets” etc. Have a listen to it. He made those lyrics up on the spot. Warne said, ‘Okay, just ad lib over the end’. He had no lyrics and he just made them up, and from my memory it was probably the first or second take. Lyrically he was amazing in what he could come up with for lyrics when he needed to. ”Garrett was never a one trick pony, just a glance at his life's resume of activist, law student, environmentalist, member of parliament and lead singer shows that his path has always been different.

A total of five singles were released from the album as the album became the band's second worldwide hit album, charting even higher than its predecessor in the US. The critics agreed as well, scoring four and five star review at seemingly every turn. While it was a triumph on many levels, it was also a turning point for the band's fortunes in America as it was the last genuine 'hit' they had here. Though they maintain a loyal fan base worldwide, especially in Australia, their days of global superstardom were short, yet very powerful. ‘Blue Sky Mining’ is an essential statement from an essential band.

Lessons in the Garden - A tale of a lonely kid and his Lebanese Jiddoo 
By Marc Lee Shannon - Summit FM Wellness Contributor

During a recent Summit Staff meeting, our GM Tommy Bruno asked, let's get this thing started "Opener" question:  

“What did you call your Grandfather and Grandmother?”  

When it came to my turn, I said that I called my great parental family members Jiddoo (Lebanese for grandfather) and Situ (Grandmother). There was a laugh in the room, and the meeting went forward, but it made me think of my love for these cherished family members and how much I miss them, especially in summer as August moves in and the backyard harvest begins to be plentiful.  

Growing up, my family was not like others in the neighborhood, and summertime often found me left on my own. That usually meant wandering around, playing baseball across the street at Forest Lodge Park, or any of the activities that the city of Akron offered with its parks and recreation hubbub at the time. Those programs saved lots of lost and lonely kids like me.  

My Grandparent's big brick home at 643 Orlando Avenue was the other place I felt safe. The house with green awnings had three stories and a basement with shelves of green beans, squash, pickles, apple sauce, and tomatoes, all in neat rows of Ball™ jars with their lids tightly protecting the previous or current year's bounty. All were from my grandfather's garden in a small plot of land at the end of Hawkins Avenue that would be known as Mudrun Golf Course many years later.  

There was a clubhouse on that property at the end of a dirt drive where the other men with starched white shirts, three-day gray-bearded faces, and broken accents would congregate like priests in a private sanctuary of a church to play cards,  hoe a row of beans or cukes, and eventually tell stories of their lives before their passage to the new world, America.  I was just a fly on the wall as  I witnessed those stories, their belly laughing and the emphatic yelling as the conversations always seemed to have a "You don't tell me, I tell you" tonality.  

It was so much fun. 

I was allowed to do anything I wanted, and I would wade into the gardens with a salt shaker, pick a small tomato, and tear into the deliciousness only available when something is freshly picked. I would look up to the grape vines and the purple fruit hanging from a pergola I could not reach, toss a stone or branch to knock down a few of the forbidden sweet, sugary grapes, and then steal away like a pirate with my treasure.  

So many hours with my Jiddo were spent in those rows of love filling a basket with the bounty of the garden and then off to the A&P co-op market on Copley road to pull round back and watch my grandfather haggle with the store manager over the price of the bushel of goods. He would get back into the big Buick and laugh and laugh about how he was able to get 5 cents more per pound than the man wanted to pay, light a Lucky Stike unfiltered, and off we would go down the road as I stood on the front seat with no restaining seat belt.  

Those days and times framed moments and great memories of feeling safe, loved, and unconditionally accepted.  

My Jiddoo, Lee Shannon, was a worldly man intelligent beyond his eighth-grade education, and he would share his wisdom in those gardens or on a green and white Chase lounge chair in the garage after the day's work was done and the dinner dishes washed. The familiar and frequent mantra was about how I could consider myself lucky if I had five true friends in life while holding out his massive paw,  formed from the years of swinging steel in the N. E. Ohio factories of his youth. The accounts of his time in WWI on the Texas - Mexico border in Battery B from Summit County (one of the first cavalry units deployed)  protecting the USA from Poncho Villa and crew and the stories of his passage at age 14 crossing the Atlantic in steerage and being held in Liverpool by a man that was supposed to coordinate the journey but instead spent the money his father, (my great grandfather) had sent leaving my grandfather in a ramshackle room of a house till the US consulate got involved. Eventually, he was freed and sent on his way.  

All of these adventures were told with a cigarette in his mouth, an ear of corn being husked, or a bean snapped, and a laugh and a grin that somehow made its way into a parable of life that he would share in a way that is still indelibly inscribed in my cherished childhood memories. 

In all my years of education and learning, I am sure that the best lessons I will ever learn happened while we sat in the garage processing the day's picking of home-grown harvest: cleaning and talking, my young ears stimulated by his stories.  

Today, as I kneel in my garden watching the Roma's, the Big Boy, and the clustered Cherry tomatoes send their vines upward and out next to the magical purple Japanese Eggplant overgrown from the excess rain of the year, I can still hear his voice and see his ever-present Fedora and Keith Richards-like hanging ciggy. He is telling me that the wisdom of the garden is timeless and that I should pass this knowledge along, tell his story, and how he taught me the lessons of life on his knees, hands in the dirt, garden trowel in hand, and heart on sleeve.  

All that is missing now is this storyteller's own grandchild's voice saying, "Jiddo, tell me…. " 

Maybe someday. Maybe someday, very soon.  

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Let us rewind back to the olden days when radio was a genuine force of power and influence. No, seriously! Way back before anyone's Tik had even thought about Toking, radio had a significant presence on the musical landscape. From the 1960s through the early 80s in particular, radio not only made bands famous, but made bands become bands. Growing up listening to your favortie radio station, hearing all these different sounds pouring through the speakers, and, different stations run by different programmers in different cities led to different acts becoming popular in some cities while ramining virtually unknown in others. Regional hits were very common. A record may have caught fire in Detroit or Cleveland but went unheard in San Fransisco or Arizona.

From the late 70s through the early 90s, KROQ in Los Angeles was the arbiter of taste, style and hipness. Thanks in large part to legendary dj and scene maker Rodney Bingenheimer, K-Roq was the first station to play such acts as Ramones, Blondie, Depeche Mode, Devo, Oasis and on and on, Growing up in southern California at the time  with KROQ as the soundtrack influenced countless young musicians to take the jump to forming a band and trying to 'make it.' The variety of music they played also gave listeners the idea that anything was fair game. A band like Depeche Mode could sell out a stadium in L.A. where they were struggling to fill arenas elsewhere, and bands like the Specials and Madness were big stars out west but practically unknown throughout the rest of America outside of college radio. The retro Ska sounds of those bands, and many others, caught on big time in L.A. and new bands were incorporating that sound into their own style. From the Untouchables on through to Rancid, the ska/reggae vibe had snuck in.

Formed in 1986, No Doubt were caught up in the style, building a local following and working on their high energy live shows before ultimately beginning work on their debut album in 1990 with their eyes on the independent label scene. As the band kept working, a little album called 'Nevermind' was released and suddenly anything loud and 'grungy' was the place to be. While No Doubt were a far cry from the flannel wrapped angst of the grunge brigade, the outside world was changing and soon enough the 'alternative' music avalanche had begun. This was good news for No Doubt who were snapped up by Interscope Records who released their self-titled debut album in 1992. 

Though confident and energetic sounding, the album sank without a trace. The band were ready to roll into album number two, but the label was less engaged, feeling the first album tanked and that was the end of the story. So, with the label being non-committal, the band headed back to indie mindset and recorded another batch of songs in their home studio, figuring nothing would happen anyway. Interscope reluctantly released the album, titled 'The Beacon Street Collection,' in early 1995 and much to the surprise of everyone, sold over 100,000 copies, three times as many as their debut. "With our frustrations we decided, “F--k it! We're gonna go make our own record," drummer Adrian Young told Headliner magazine. "We're going to sell fun and we're going to put it out for the local fans, and for us.”

The music scene was moving fast, radio and MTV were still a force and a band like No Doubt seemed ripe for stardom. Though they may have had early roots in the sounds of ska, it was always a ska-lite, and they were just as much, if not more, in debt to commercial pop music in general, being only a stone’s throw from the likes of Cyndi Lauper, Madonna and Debbie Gibson. Singer Gwen Stefani had the image and style to pull off playing the pop star role, and she did just that by the time of their massive breakthrough, 'Tragic Kingdom.'

Released in the fall of '95, 'Tragic Kingdom' pulled out all stops going on to become a mega hit which has remained the band's 'go to' album. It started out slow, however, entering the Billboard charts at a less than stellar #175, it would take nearly a year but it ended up in the number one spot by years' end. A total of seven singles were issued from the album with 'Just A Girl' being the big smash. Others like 'Don't Speak,' 'Spiderwebs' and 'Excuse Me Mr.' all helped keep the LP in the charts, while endless press and media blitzing put No Doubt in the hot property category. Though the band had already been around for nearly a decade by the time 'Tragic Kingdom' hit big, it was for the best said Young. "If our first record was as successful as 'Tragic Kingdom' we would have been younger – in our early 20s. I don't know if we could have handled it as well."

Producer Matthew Wilder (of 'Break My Stride' fame) would go on to work with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson and Miley Cyrus. Though their next three albums would all hit the Top 10, none ever matched the fever pitch of 'Tragic Kingdom,' which was truly a case of right time, right place, right band.

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

"I felt like I was going f***ing crazy," Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brian told Q Magazine looking back on the time period just before writing what would become 'Kid A.' "Every time I picked up a guitar I just got the horrors. I would start writing a song, stop after 16 bars, hide it away in a drawer, look at it again, tear it up, destroy it... I was sinking down and down."

Before the Beatles, Bob Dylan and kindred spirits set up shop, pop music was a much simpler game. People wrote songs, people sang them, record labels signed them, the public bought them, or didn't. Some acts were markedly better than others and some were noticeably more involved than others. Frank Sinatra, for example, is often and rightfully credited with the concept of the 'concept' album. He produced several thematic albums that not only stood a cut above, but have survived the sell by date. By the mid-60s, pop music had become an art form, not just a catchy jingle...not that there's anything wrong with 'just a catchy jingle' mind you, but the idea of rock/pop acts creating art was new at the time.

From 'Pet Sounds' to 'Close To The Edge' to 'Sandinista' and beyond, rock and rollers were always trying to one up each other, and themselves. Of course, in the process they could easily alienate casual fans, confuse critics and, perhaps, confuse themselves when crawling a bit too far out on that limb. The other option was, of course, to keep delivering the same goods that got them to that place of being able to branch out. A place Radiohead found themselves in at the dawn of the 2000s.

Following the huge critical and commercial success of 'OK Computer,' Radiohead were somewhat at crossroads artistically. "I was fed up with all the prog-rock analogies," said guitarist Ed O'Brian, "particularly because I hate all that music anyway. I thought the only way that we could do the antithesis to OK Computer was to get rid of all the effects, have really nice-sounding guitars and do something really snappy." At the same time, singer Thom Yorke immersed himself in the music being released by the Warp label, who specialized in groundbreaking electronic sounds, acts like Autechre and Aphex Twin, trying to find new inspiration to incorporate into the Radiohead sound. This was decidedly at odds with O'Brian's back to the roots concept.

"If you're going to make a different-sounding record," O'Brian said, "you have to change the methodology. And it's scary - everyone feels insecure. I'm a guitarist and suddenly it's like, well, there are no guitars on this track, or no drums. Jonny, me, Coz, and Phil had to get our heads round that. It was a test of the band, I think. Would we survive with our egos intact?" Yorke came to the conclusion that, "To be honest, yes, we could have done that," he told Rolling Stone. "And three weeks down the line, it would have been a f***ing nightmare. We would have hated it."

The progression of the band had been swift, from the dyed blonde angst and 'chunka chunka' guitar of 'Creep' through the haunting acoustic textures on 'The Bends, a beautiful album, ultimately checking all the boxes on 'OK Computer,' which sold into the the millions, though, according to Q, the band now views that album as "overrated and several minutes too long." 

So Radiohead opted to take a new road with 'Kid A,' initially confusing fans and critics, some of whom called it a "commercial suicide note," as they picked apart it's obvious atempt at creating something that could be seen as decidedly obscure. The Guardian going as far as to say it was "self-consciously awkward and bloody-minded, the noise made by a band trying so hard to make a 'difficult' album that they felt it beneath them to write any songs." 'Everything in Its Right Place,' 'How to Disappear Completely' and 'Optimistic' are all good examples of the new direction the band opted for on 'Kid A.'

Whether it was the lingering excitement from 'OK Computer' or something in the water, no one told the record buying public, as the album shot to number one in Canada, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, England and America! It remains one of the band's most cherished titles in their catalog and one of the most unconventional albums to ever be classified as a hit. Years later, many notable publications have even listed it on their respective 'Greatest Albums of All Time' lists. While no singles were released from the album, much material was record during these sessions, so much, in fact, that the follow-up album, 'Amnesiac,' was comprised of material from these sessions, though taken in a different direction. Radiohead have proved themselves to be an essential component to the rock landscape over the past 30 plus years, and 'Kid A,' as off the beaten path as it may have been at the time, has also proved itself an essential listen

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Hold on a moment. The Summit FM and Metallica? No, that is not a misprint and yes your rafters will shake and your neighbors will tremble, but that's alright, honest! ‘Ride The Lightning’ turns 40 this year.

Heavy Metal is a peculiar beast to say the least. The legions of metal fans are among the most loyal on the planet. Seriously, those people are dedicated to their cause. Up The Irons! People may try to make other cases, but for the sake of brevity, heavy metal began with Black Sabbath. Anything that came before of a heavynature - Cream, Grand Funk Railroad, Led Zeppelin, Blue Cheer or Iron Butterfly were better tagged as hard rock. They all displayed characteristics that the metal crew would adopt and carry further but it was Black Sabbath that really established the sonic template of harsher, yes 'metallic' guitar sounds, married to a general vibe of evil, doused with witchcraft, horror, chaos and other darker topics in the lyrics. The sound of that first Black Sabbath record (1970) was unlike anything that came before with that whole 'devil's third' chord progression in the opening track, it was totally unique at the time.

There were bands like Sir Lord Baltimore, Judas Priest, Scoripons and Budgie early on. Throughout the 1970s there were many hard rock bands from Thin Lizzy and Aerosmith to Deep Purple and AC/DC but again, all really not 'Metal.' At the same time that punk was starting to brew up, a band appeared who played rock and roll at full volume and aggression, at breakneck speed. They were called Motorhead and were formed by Lemmy Kilminsterafter being kicked out of Hawkwind following a drug bust. Not that Hawkwind were anti-drugs, but they preferred psychedelics where Lemmy was busted for amphetamines.  Motorhead was a power trio unlike any other and though they were definitively hard rock and roll, they metal contingent loved 'em. They inspired countless young musicians to jump into the fire and form their own band as each would try to play faster, louder and meaner than the previous. At the same time, the energy and brevity of punk was not lost on this crowd as they would incorporate some of that DIY defiant attitude to their sound.

This movement was tagged the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, a scene that would prove to be highly significant for years to come, inspiring  countless bands to up the ante. Iron Maiden, Saxon, Angel Witch and countless others emerged and took the underground by storm and in the process, even influencing metal pioneers Black Sabbath to streamline their sound and infuse more energy, making for their finest album in years, ‘Heaven And Hell.’ Eventually, that influence made its way back to America, inspiring another batch of bands. Call it thrash, speed or punk metal, this next generation were higher octane with bands like Exodus, Slayer and, of course, Metallica. Originally buzzing around the Los Angeles rock scene of the early 80s, they found themselves at odd with the crop of bands like Ratt, Motley Crue etc. They heard about a happening metal scene eight hours north in San Francisco, so they found a new home. Underground metal fans had their own network of communication. long before the internet. The common practice of swapping demo tapes of new bands was at a fever pitch and Metallica's 'No Life Til Leather' was the most talked about at the time.

That tape found its way into the hands of many fans as well as a guy named John Zazula, who ran Megaforce Records out of New York. Soon, Metallica headed east to meet with Zazula, ultimately signing to Megaforce who released their debut album, the underground classic 'Kill 'Em All,' in the summer of 1983. The album became an instant favorite on the underground scene, launching Metallica to the head of the list of most talked about metal bands as they toured across the land. Almost a year to the fate from their debut, Megaforce issued their second offering, 'Ride The Lightning.' Whatever promises that were made with 'Kill 'Em All' were more than fulfilled with 'Ride The Lightning' as the band sounded more confident, powerful and heavier.

The album begins with an almost classical style acoustic guitar intro before lumping off the cliff into the fastest and fiercest riff they had yet to deliver. ‘Fight Fire With Fire’ is payed at breakneck speed and with Armageddon inspired lyrics spat out as the band hammers away. One thing they had in place that set them apart was precision, the riffs, solos and rhythms were fast but all played with a savage precision. As each song is rolled out its clear the band were moving on from the pure thrash of their debut. Songs here were longer, more complex, more dramatic and more demanding on band and listener. The production was tighter and emphasized the heaviness and power over just speed.

The album is loaded with what would become Metallica classics like 'Creeping Death,' 'For Whom The Bell Tolls,’Trapped Under Ice' and the title cut. The band had someone truly special in bassist Cliff Burton, who was arguably the most talented and inventive musician in the band. He would tragically be killed in a bus accident a mere two years later. Within a short time following its release, the major labels came calling and the band would eventually sign with Elektra Records, following up 'Ride' with what may be their signature release, 'Master of Puppets.'

From that point out, it seemed like heavy metal ruled the remainder of the decade in one form or another and though 'metal' was a term many bands were labeled with, it was an immense canyon between the likes of Poison, Winger, etc and Metallica, Slayer and so on. Metallica would go on to become not only the most successfulheavy metal band ever, but one of the most succesful bands ever, selling millions of records, concert tickets and t-shirts over their career, which carries on to this day.

So what makes 'Ride The Lightning' essential you ask? Why is this station, better known for a 'kinder, gentler' soundtrack to your day, playing this nearly hour long metal assault? You'd have to ask program director Brad Savage for the behind the scenes choice. I'm not a real metal guy, but I can appreciate certain bands and albums for sure and I'll back him up on this choice. If, however, in the future, you hear a Motorhead album being played, that's all on me. 

'Ride The Lightning' is, to my mind, the best thing Metallica ever did. It was everything the first album promised, then magnified into a total powerhouse of heaviness. Mega success would come in 1991 with the self-titled 'black album,' but this is where it all initially came together and the reason people are still talking aboutMetallica forty some years after they began. So when these songs come blasting out of your radio, app, device or fillings, turn it up and shake those cobwebs out. You can always listen to James Taylor later, though you might want to have that condition checked out.

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- Passion Works mission statement 

Check out Passion Works, an all-inclusive collaborative art studio in uptown Athens, Ohio. 

Passion Works began in 1998 in the small corner of a workshop, supported by a grant from the Ohio Arts Council. In 2009, the studio relocated to their current place of residence, whose vibrant exterior is instantly noticeable amongst the greys and browns of the surrounding area. Nine years after their move, Passion Works became a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization. 

The eye-catching, vibrant nature of the studio is matched, if not exceeded, by that of the art created inside. From painted guitars to intricate animal portraits to their signature Passion Flowers, every masterpiece is uniquely and beautifully crafted. Passion Works takes creative lead from their core artists with developmental differences, while collaborating with individuals of all abilities, creating a highly inclusive place of employment and self-expression. Additionally, much of the art is sustainably created with upcycled materials. 

Passion Works has a variety of artwork available for purchase in-studio or online. The proceeds from the sales are split 60/40% between the artists and the studio. The studio also donates 20% of the sales from specialty Passion Flowers to causes in the local area.

More information about Passion Works and how you can support them can be found at passionworks.org. 

By Matt Anthony - Summit FM Digital Media Specialist

“When the world comes in 
They come, they come 
To build a wall between us 
We know they won’t win” 
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” – Crowded House 

This was supposed to be one of the most satisfying events of my whole week. My Sunday morning walk. I look forward to it like I look forward to Pizza Oven pizza. Or an ear-injection of Green Day. Or that ‘Good morning, handsome!’ chirp that I get from Donna right before breakfast. 

But my head felt like it was going to implode. What was normally a measured, strolling meditation focused on the nature that surrounds me was turning into confusion, apathy, and anger. And while I disagree with the 45^th occupant of the Oval Office on many things, my angst was at boil-stage at the reality of an assassination attempt. 

This anxiety that I felt, though, was not in an embryonic state. I, like many, have felt it for some time.  But the events in Butler, Pennsylvania seemed to propel it into 5^th gear. (much like ‘January 6^th’ did.) My gait quickened and my head throbbed. What in the hell is happening, I mumbled to myself. 

“Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. I will be hoping that this letter finds you, and finds you well.” ― The Shawshank Redemption 

Several posts exist on social media relative to “which movie do you almost always watch when it’s on, even though you’ve seen it multiple times”.  I always include the 1994 classic above. (During filming, both Morgan Freeman and I were in Mansfield at that time, as I worked at Y-105 and WMAN.) But even years later, I continue to evaluate one of the over-arching themes of this epic film: hope. 

Yes, I know. ‘Hope’ is not a plan. And I’m not suggesting that it should be one. I can feel the burning sting of the question from Andy Dufresne himself, as I spill out my thoughts: “How can you be so obtuse?” But it can be a starting point that may evolve into the realization that a change can occur. 

I thought of hope during my walk. And I felt like a microscopic thread of it manifested itself as I made my way past a house several streets down, one normally adorned in MAGA décor. Someone emerged out of a side door carrying a bag of trash. As he deposited it into his refuse container, he spotted me gliding past, and yelled. 

“Beautiful morning for a walk!”  

“Yes, it is.” 

“It’s not always easy 
And life can be deceiving 
I’ll tell you one thing, 
It’s always better when we’re together.” 
“Better Together” – Jack Johnson 

People who hope to lose weight sometimes actually do it. People who hope to be better at learning an instrument sometimes see dramatic results with practice, even after a short time-period. People who hope for positive test-results sometimes get their wish. 

In The Shawshank Redemption, Red ‘hoped to see his friend and shake his hand”. I’m grateful for ‘hope’. I see it sometimes as the only way towards a common-sense dialogue about how people with disparate viewpoints can plant a seed with the goal of agreeing on a shared barometer for measuring ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘acceptable’ and ‘unacceptable’, and ‘makes sense’ and ‘doesn’t make sense’.  

It’s a tall order, I know. But I’m content with the concept. And I champion at least trying it. 
I also hope for a cure for Alzheimer’s. 
I hope to be a better caregiver. 
I hope for non-violent solutions. 
I hope for days with less depression and anxiety. 
I hope for reasonable health. 
I hope the Guardians win a World Series in my lifetime. 
I hope to take better photos. 
I hope to appreciate the moment in which I’m living. 

What do you hope for?