Santa Fe Reporter; photo: Cathy Linford
Low Power FM station Madrid Community Radio is on the air. We posted about the Madrid, New Mexico station some months ago and now it has gotten a write up from the Santa Fe Reporter. Author Benjamin Yeager says he can pick up K96.9 all the way from Santa Fe. It broadcasts from the lower depths of a local art galley called Studio 14:
“It’s a clean white basement with shelves teeming with CDs and vinyls donated by the community. In a corner is a DJ booth on a homebuilt desk, and Linder Byrne is on the air. She puts on a soulful tune by the Carolinas. Playing music is fun for her, but she’s more excited to hear what all the other people do. It’s all so new for her. Next up is Zwager with his synthesizer jam, then a political talk show and then some “old timey music.” I ask if the talk show will have guests; she doesn’t know. It’s the host’s first show, and she hasn’t even heard him yet.
She puts on ‘Pretty Good’ by John Prine, and Eastwood scoffs playfully. ‘I can’t believe you’re playing John Prine. I cut him out of my playlist.’ They talk about what Eastwood will play when it’s her turn and playfully judge each other’s tastes. She calls dibs on another song of his, “Illegal Smile’.”
Linder Byrne is one of the founding “Madroids” (as they call themselves) who set up Madrid Community Radio, along with Matt Zwager, Ashley Eastwood, and a few other true believers. It’s a nice article, with a lot of interesting historical background and a quote from a self-appointed expert (me). I can’t wait until they get streaming going so we can all listen.
