MICHAEL T ROBERTS
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News/Blog

The Radioactives: Funk Revival

8/26/2023

 
If you go way back with me, you know that playing electric guitar, preferably in a band, is my bread and butter. From age 13 through 26, I was rarely without a band, culminating in Stand Up Eight. That was a good band, and sort of ruined me for playing in any other band. After we amicably dissolved in 2004, the closest I came for the next fifteen years was playing with Zac in Duo Symphonious.
Picture
Mo bass in yo face.
That finally changed in the fall of 2019 with the formation of the Radioactives: a funk band where I am actually not the guitar player, but for the first time ever in my musical travels, the funky bass player.

Radioactives on YouTube
​Radioactives on Facebook
​
We got together at my kids’ school, Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, where our music teacher is named Madame Kuhry (pronounced like Curie...get it?). After Mme Kuhry, an excellent keyboardist and vocalist, arrived at school, I realized that there were quite a few excellent musicians amongst the ranks of teachers and parents. And I remembered that a band does not have to conquer the world or write life-changing songs—it can just be fun. So I invited some of these excellent musicians to get together and play some classic funk tunes with me—just for giggles, no big whoop—and to my surprise and delight, they all accepted. 

Fast forward nearly four years, and we have indeed had a lot of fun (and plenty of giggles) playing soulful tunes—from Stevie Wonder to Jamiroquai to Adele—at a number of school shindigs, plus one very cool gig at the Cowell Theater in SF last year. And there are Radioactives originals on the way (stay tuned for some sneak-peek demos). 
As far as the funky bass goes: four years in, I think I might finally be getting the hang of it. But let me know what you think: check out my post on collaborations with Radioactives singer Will Hammond, Jr. 
Picture
Will Hammond, Jr. appears to be having trouble hearing the audience as the Radioactives play the Marché at Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, June 2022.

Radioactives Originals: Seeds, Part 1

8/25/2023

 
PictureCowell Theater selfie by Will
World Parade
My bass guitar debut on the wider interwebs! Penned and produced by Radioactives vocalist Will Hammond, Jr.:

World Parade on Spotify
World Parade on Apple Music
World Parade on YouTube

I played guitar on this one too. Will wrote the song for a Ukraine benefit at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco. Though Will and I are the only Radioactives on the studio version above, the Radioactives did give the live premiere of the tune at the Cowell Theater—and we got a video! 

World Parade Radioactives live premiere - Cowell Theater, San Francisco, June 2022

Can You Feel Me
This one really is just a seed, but I think a tasty one. Following the World Parade premiere, Will sent me an instrumental idea and invited me to flow with it. Starting with the initial keyboard and drum track Will provided, I added bass, electric guitars, and a synth lead. Will it ever turn into a real song? Who knows! Enjoy the sound of two Radioactives playing in the sandbox: 

​Can You Feel Me (sketch) 

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    Composer Michael T Roberts shares his thoughts on writing, playing, and teaching music. Comments? Please e-mail Mike. 

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  • Audio
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    • Highlights from the Musical Life of Mike
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  • Works
    • Heat Pump
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    • Previous Commissions
    • Commission Ideas and Process
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  • More
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