| Radio 4 | |
| Origin: | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1999–2012 |
| Label: | Astralwerks, City Slang, Gern Blandsten |
| Current Members: | Anthony Roman Greg Collins P.J. O'Connor Dave Milone |
| Past Members: | Gerard Garone Anthony Rizzo Tommy Williams |
Radio 4 were an American punk band based in Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 1999, they claimed their music is "made in New York, is about New York, and sounds like New York".
The band was formed in 1999 as a trio comprising Anthony Roman (vocals/bass), Tommy Williams (guitar/vocals) and Greg Collins (drums). The three had been friends growing up in Long Island, where they had been involved in the hardcore scene,[1] appearing in bands such as Garden Variety (Roman) and Sleepasaurus.[2] They initially formed the band under the influence of late 1970s/early 1980s punk and post-punk, recording a three-track EP which was released on New Jersey's Gern Blandsten label.[3]
Their first album The New Song & Dance was released in 2000, produced by Tim O'Heir. This record was a low-budget, gritty rock album with a slightly retro sound, drawing comparisons to The Clash in particular. Around this time Anthony Roman opened a record store in Brooklyn which became a focus for the emerging scene, and the first album was followed by the Dance to the Underground EP, also produced by O'Heir. A dance remix of the title track became a club hit and was used in a Mitsubishi advert, indicating a new direction for the band's sound.
The band subsequently became a five-piece, comprising Roman, Collins, David Milone (Vocals/Guitar) (who replaced original guitarist/singer Tommy Williams in 2005), Gerard Garone (Keyboards), and P.J. O'Connor (Percussion), and teamed up with James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy's DFA Productions to produce their second album. This collaboration signalled a new direction for the band, merging the guitar punk of their first album with electronic and dance music influences to create a dance-punk sound similar to other DFA-affiliated artists such as The Rapture. Gotham! was released in 2002 on Gern Blandsten, described as "half dance party, half political rally",[4] leading the band to mainstream recognition and international success.
The band recorded their third album, Stealing of a Nation, in a basement studio in Brooklyn with Max Heyes, and it was released in September 2004, to a poor critical reception.[5] A fourth album entitled Enemies Like This followed in 2006.
Gerard Garone left the band in April 2008. They last appeared together as a full band at the CBGB Festival in New York in 2012. Roman and Milone still occasionally perform together as Orange Cassettes along with former members of Elefant.[6]
They cite a variety of influences, including Gang of Four, Mission of Burma, Primal Scream and Zero Zero, though their lively punk sound combined with their militant political stance has drawn a strong comparison with The Clash.
Their name comes from a Public Image Ltd. song from that group's second album, which is itself a reference to BBC Radio 4.