Wachtelligence

Season 3, Episode 11. A conversation with our host. AJ Wachtel has probably seen more club shows in Boston bars than anyone. As the head writer for BEAT Magazine, and holding ground at Bunrattys, he was out 7 days a week, seeing at least 4 bands a night. He has interviewed the greatest of the greats in the world of music. When the local press needs a comment of a recently passed artist or a rememb...

Season 3, Episode 10. AJ chats with Jerry Portnoy. Legend, one of the highest ranks you can achieve. But when you are the premiere harmonica blues player in the world and can speak of being in both Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton's touring band, my friend, you have reached the legendary status.  Born in Chicago, he now makes Cape Cod his home. Essentially he has been on the road performing live sinc...

Season 3, Episode 9. AJ chats with Billy Bud. As the Production Manager of the historic Paradise Rock Club in Boston, Billy has had a front row seat for some of the greatest shows ever. For over 30 years, Billy has been setting the stage for some of the most legendary national acts as well as local musicians who are living their dreams by playing on that stage. You would think this would be plenty...

Season 3, Episode 8. AJ chats with David Bieber. There is a great line in a classic George Carlin skit, where he says "… all you need in life, is a little place for your stuff…." But what if your "little place" needs to be a warehouse? After a 50 year career within the radio business, including time at both WBCN and WFNX. David Bieber collected a lot of stuff. Out of necessity came The David Biebe...

Season 3, Episode 7, If the voice sounds familiar it is because you have been hearing it on the radio since the early 1970s. AJ chats with Harvey Wharfield about a career that kept him in the Boston Market for over 50 years, up and down the dial on different rock 'n roll stations. No matter where he was, he was always a strong supporter of local music and was one of the first DJs to have a radio s...

Season 3, Episode 6, This Episode is all about Girl Power. As we are honored to have one of the strongest woman voices to emerge from the Boston Music Scene. AJ chats with Liz Borden who led the charge with an all female band in a predominantly male music scene. She was forced to hide her true self from the public eye, told how to dress, act, etc.., things you do not think of when you just want to...

Season 3, Episode 5, AJ chats with "Cowboy" Mach Bell. A fixture on the Boston Music Scene since the mid-70s. Initially a Glam Rocker, this lead singer/songwriter has an amazing ability to adapt to the times and the current music trends. His bands are legendary: Thundertrain, the Joe Perry Project and currently the Mach Bell Experience. As if that is not enough he teached music for local home-scho...

Season 3, Episode 4, AJ chats with Cha-Chi Loprete, a native of Cambridge Massachusetts. After seeing The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show as a youth, he immediately knew his career path would be in music. He started volunteering in the early 80's at WBCN on the listener line and by the end of the decade he was the station's Marketing Director. His show "Breakfast with the Beatles" has been on the...

Season 3, Episode 3, AJ chats with Rick Berlin. A fixture on the Boston music scene since the mid-70s, this Iowa born piano playing songwriter established himself for his visionary writing of theatrical rock n roll songs. With their exposure on WBCN, Orchestra Luna captured a national audience, recorded for a major label and opened for established bands on every major stage in Boston. Thru his sol...

Season 3, Episode 2, AJ chats with Steve Berkowitz. A proud Brighton resident, if there is a job in the music business, this man has performed it: a teenage roadie for Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry, Tour/Co Manager for The Cars during their first 4 albums, Co-Owner of the legendary studio Synchro Sound, Concert Promoter, Agent, Musician, A&R Executive and Producer.  He has settled in nicely working...

Season 3, Episode 1, AJ chats with Ray Tabano. Growing up Ray was best friends with Steven (Tallarico) Tyler. Naturally they started a band with Tyler on drums, and Ray on bass. Eventually he switched to guitar and was a founding member of The Bad Boys of Boston: Aerosmith. When Brad Whitford took over on guitar, he became their Marketing Manager, from designing their logo, to running their fan cl...

Season 2, Episode 17, AJ chats with Dan Vitale. 2023 marks the 40th Anniversary of the legendary ska band Bim Skala Bim, who have been mashing up dance halls around the world since 1983. Massive respect! Dan as the lead singer, fronts one of the most successful bands to ever come out of Boston. As if that is not enough, he also sings with Steady Earnest, and is a highly respected film producer. Wh...

Season 2, Episode 16, AJ chats with guitarist Cliff Goodwin. From Worcester, Massachusetts, Cliff was one of the first members of the Jon Butcher Axis, before making his name as being Joe Cocker's Musical Director and Band Leader for over 12 years. An absolute musical experience, taking him around the world and on to some of the biggest stages with an iconic Musical Legend. As a session musician s...

Season 2, Episode 15, AJ chats with Steve Cataldo, David McLean & Adam Sherman, AKA: The Nervous Eaters. Formed in 1973, they are one of the premiere Boston punk bands and a huge influence on the local music scene. "Loretta" is the epitome of the perfect song. Steve may be the only original member, but they are now a Boston Supergroup with David McLean (Willie Alexander's Boom Boom Band) on drums,...

S2, Episode 14: David Hull Is Never Dull Season 2, Episode 14, AJ chats with David Hull. Living in Connecticut in 1970, as a teenager in high school, David is chosen by Buddy Miles to be the bass player in the Buddy Miles Band and had a front row seat to the legend that was Jimi Hendrix. Opening shows for Jimi and even being in the house band at his memorial service, this is the stuff legends are...

Season 2, Episode 13, AJ chats with Mike Girard, lead singer of The Fools. Formed in Ipswich, MA in the mid 70's, this is the story of a Rock n' Roll band in America, including local radio play, signed to a major label, MTV videos, and National tours. All done with a sense of humor that could only come from a Boston native. If there is a stage anywhere in New England, you know The Fools have been...

Season 2, Episode 12, AJ chats with Sal Baglio. From East Boston comes a legend, the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of The Stompers has been performing in Boston clubs since the late 70s. Their shows during the 80s and 90s were always a packed house, with an audience who knew the words to every song. They got national attention thru MTV videos and touring with some of the top grossing acts...

Season 2, Episode 11, AJ chats with Chris Doherty. Chris has been a social media influencer for over 40 years. At 15 years old, this Braintree resident became a founding member of Boston's hardcore punk scene with his band Gang Green. In 1982, the influential CD "This is Boston, Not LA" put the Boston punk scene and them on the map. In 1986 they won the WBCN Rock N Roll Rumble and were on their wa...

Season 2, Episode 10, AJ has a Fab conversation with Charles Rosenay. Living in New Haven, CT, like most of the nation he immediately fell in love with The Beatles, watching the Ed Sullivan show in 1964. So much that for over 50 years, he has been been involved with Beatles conventions, concerts, for 25 years he published the ultimate Beatles Fanzine "Good Day Sunshine" and currently (since 1983)...

Season 2, Episode 9, AJ talks to Charlie Farren. America's Special Guest has been a fixture in the Boston Music scene for almost 50 years. They discuss his legendary bands: Farrenheit, Balloon, The Enemy, The Joe Perry Project and his very successful solo career. From clubs to stadiums, chances are no matter in the world where you are, if there is a stage, Charlie has been on it. All thru this ama...

Season 2, Episode 8, AJ talks to Bob Margolin. When you think of classic blues guitarists, Brookline, Massachusetts very rarely enters the conversation. But todays guest was born there and then made a name for himself in the world of the Blues, playing guitar for the legendary Muddy Waters from 1973 to 1980. "Steady Rollin" Bob Margolin is a walking blues historian so when you get him in a room wi...

Season 2, Episode 7, AJ talks to Jerry Lehane, singer songwriter of the legendary Boston band: The Dogmatics. For over 40 years, they have been on the Boston Music scene as one of the most energetic bar bands you will ever see. They literally put Thayer Street in the South End of Boston on the map, by naming their first album that and having infamous "after parties" at their studio/loft on that st...

Season 2, Episode 6, AJ talks to Tom Hambridge., multi-Grammy award winner. Although he grew up in Buffalo, he really made his name in Boston after he graduated Berklee in the early 80s. He started out drumming and singing lead for guitar legend Roy Buchanan, created his own band: T.H. and the Wreckage and also quickly became the "must have" drummer when any legend needed a back up band. Since the...

Season 2, Episode 5, AJ talks to Scott Spray. A Grammy recording musician whose bass playing can be heard on over 800 cd/albums with a vast amount of recording artists, as well as familiar commercial jingles, TV and movie soundtracks. He is the epitome of what a professional working musician is. As the bass player (at different times) of both Edgar and Johnny Winter bands, he made a name for himse...

Season 2, Episode 4, AJ talks to Boston's Queen of Rock: Robin Lane. A vital part of Boston Rock history, Robin Lane and the Chartbusters led the charge of Boston bands in the 80's with singles on the charts and videos on MTV. Fronting that band was the first women to really make a mark on the scene, Robin Lane. Sure AJ talks about that, but also her time before that as a back-up singer with Neil...