“My mom played guitar,” said musician Jeremy Hagen, guitarist and lead vocalist in local Orlando band Afterglow Radio. “She started teaching me when I was really young, I think around six or eight, but it was more of a ‘hobby.’ I got really serious around 14, and was self taught until college, where I got a degree in Guitar Performance.”
Hagen cites a variety of musical influences ranging from Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Incubus, Radiohead, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, to Alice in Chains, but he most admires “Incubus and Radiohead, because they make music that pushes the envelope forward. If music isn’t moving forward, which way is it moving? They are also very active in doing things to help awareness, the earth, etc. And in the case of Incubus, they have never been on the cover of Rolling Stone, and don’t seem to care.”
The Orlando musician writes both music and lyrics, finding inspiration pretty much anywhere, “Birds, my dogs, animals in general, the weather, music, mood, travel, movement, etc.”
In speculating about what makes Afterglow Radio stand out among the crowd, Hagen came up with several, vastly different reasons. “We all wear pink underwear on gig days. Our astonishing good looks and charm. Oh, and this is actually true, we all love our Moms a lot!”
From his music, he wants fans to get, “Whatever they want, a relation, a release. A feeling that somebody else feels the same way, has been through the same thing, and its okay.”
Afterglow Radio, Jeremy Hagen (vocals, guitar), Tom O’Keef (guitar), Eric Palkovic (bass, backing vocals), and Jorge Alvarez (drums, backing vocals), recently released their CD, Miles Away From Anywhere. The new CD, as well as their debut full-length Find Yourself Again and their self-titled EP, are available from their artist page on iTunes and CD Baby.
Music fans can follow along with the local Orlando band on their official site, Facebook page, Reverbnation, and You Tube channel.
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