RadioAirplay.com Blog: Center Stage

We're pleased to introduce Radio Airplay's latest Center Stage band, The Begowatts.

Formed in 2012 in Madison, Wisconsin, the band built buzz across the Midwest and honed their live presence through relentless touring and Pabst Blue Ribbon consumption. Along the way, the foursome’s sound evolved. While the early Begowatts paid faithful homage to classic rock, the band has matured toward a tighter, more layered fusion of old and new which they christen, “21st century electric rock & roll.”

Within a short time they went from packing basement parties to being the house band at Madison’s world famous Bike Shop and released their self-titled EP in 2015. The EP’s response gave the band the confidence they needed to pony up for a professionally recorded full length debut. They named their newest crop of songs “Photoelectric" and recorded them at Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago with renowned sound engineer Greg Norman. Photoelectric was released June 17, 2016 to glowing reviews, including earning them nominations for the Madison Area Music Awards “Alternative Album” and “Alternative Performer of the Year."

The group’s sophomore effort, Grand Charade, was released September 2017. Written during the whirlwind of the 2016 election, their new tunes reflect the great division they bore witness to. Songs like the Clash-esque “Kids On Parole” hark back to the politically-charged rock of the late 70’s, while the closing number "You & I" is drenched in dreamlike tension and disillusion, conjuring up a decidedly brooding Twin Peaks vibe. Yet throughout it all, the sound remains undeniably their own in its signature exuberant, carefree coolness. Begofans will find that the group has grown leaps and bounds on Grand Charade, refining their sound and emerging as new contender in the current post-punk scene.

We're enjoying getting to know these guys a little better with this feature. Dive in deeper yourself in in our latest band Q&A:

Describe your sound in one ramble on sentence
A tasty blend of rock & roll, rooted in deep 70’s grooves with an ear toward modern atmospheric aesthetics.

What's your earliest music-related memory growing up?

Hearing Stairway to Heaven for the first time was a pretty transcendental moment, and definitely inspired my picking up the guitar for the first time. (David French - lead singer and guitarist)

If you were to cover another band/artist's album, which would you pick and why?

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - David Bowie. All killer, no filler.

Do you write/compose your own songs? Briefly describe your songwriting process

Yes. It all starts with a good idea, then gets fleshed out in the practice space.

What was the highlight for you in 2017? Either personally or for your music career?

We had a great little tour, and also playing the Freakfest Music Festival here in Madison, WI was a blast.

What have you been working on recently? Can you give us a hint for whats to come in 2018?

We're still just focused on promoting our recent album, Grand Charade.

What do you like more: Performing live or recording in the studio?

Nothing beats crafting a new track in the studio.

What are some artists/bands that you're into at the moment? Or any particular song you find yourself listening to over and over?

We're super into The War On Drugs right now. Amazing albums, and the music takes on a whole new angle in their live shows.

Any embarrassing on stage moments you'd like to share? C’mon, don’t be shy.

We have two songs with similar noisy intros, and apparently didn't communicate well enough which song we were trying to play. Needless to say, we were not all playing the same song. Drummers, man.

What's one thing people should know about you?

Try as we might, our live show is better than our recorded stuff.

What do you enjoy doing outside of music? Does your hobby rejuvenate your creativity?

Music is the major creative output for all of us. Listening to great music definitely sparks creativity.

What do you like the most about Radio Airplay?
It's a great way to get honest feedback on our songs from people who otherwise have no preconceived opinions.

The Begowatts - Grand Charade