“We put this thing together two years ago. Our drummer Dave and I have been friends since high school, I ran into him and said, “We’re getting up in age; remember how we’ve always said we need to do something? Well, we need to do something,” then we added Chandler and the three of us hit it off,” said Radio Exile keyboardist and co-founder Charlie Calv. “I needed a songwriting partner and Chandler fit perfect, Jimmy is a great guitar player, and Kenny is a fantastic bassist.”
If the area has a super group or a “Frankengroup,” Radio Exile is it. Comprised of Calv (The Bronx Casket Co. /Shotgun Symphony) on piano and keyboards, drummer Dave Anthony (Dennis DeYoung/Joan Osbourne), vocalist Chandler Mogel (Outloud), guitarist Jimmy Leahey (Dennis DeYoung/John Waite/Allison Kraus), and monster bassist Kenny Aaronson (Bob Dylan/Bill Idol/Yardbirds); this collective group has come from seemingly nowhere, yet everywhere and they’ve gotten here quickly.
With a self-titled ten track debut disc and enough firepower per man to send this thing into orbit; Radio Exile is poised to be the next revitalized voice in an occassionally stagnant environment. “We didn’t pigeon hole this record,” says Calv. “We had a real fun time putting this together. I write most of the music, and Chandler writes the lyrics. I have a home studio. Most of us do so it’s easy to put things together. I would demo the tracks and send them to Chandler and he’d already have melodies in place and that’s not how I was used to working, it was usually the other way around but we made it happen and the result was an album that is different; each track is different.”
A small cast of guest musicians also contributes to the unique quality of this rockin’ new effort. Utilizing the talents of former Silver Condor and Trans Siberian Orchestra vocalist, the incomparable Joe Cerisano, Jessie Wagner (Lenny Kravitz/Kid Rock) and Amy Harnell (Tony Harnell and the Mercury Train) on the track “A Cross On Stone” lent a certain vibe to the tune that was not entirely expected. “We kind of, well Chandler wanted some female voices,” explained Calv as he seemed to search for the right phrases to do justice to their appearance. “I’ve known Joe for years; so between him and the ladies we pretty much said, “Do what you want” with the track and the end result was sort of a gospel feel. Joe has got such a great voice. Jessie is incredible and right now on the road with Duran Duran. Amy is great, I can’t say enough about her.”
According to Calv, the record was recorded in two parts because the members weren’t sure how the process would unfold from an artistic viewpoint. “Yeah, we did the record in two parts. We went into the studio and had only five songs written and thought we’d start there; let’s see how we all get along and how things work out before we dive all the way in was the thought process. Things went well so we had a one day rehearsal and the next day we started recording. We did it totally analog, well minus the big fat reel to reel tape,” said a now laughing Calv. “Recording this disc was a great experience. We used lots of percussion and Dave created landscapes; we wanted a new feel and he produced some classic sounds.”
“No Pity On The Highway” is the first single off of the record and was released with a corresponding video. In March, the band released the video for “Soulfire” -- one that Calv raves about.
“When we first put this together we were working with a management company out of New York and they thought we needed a focus track. Fortunately we were also working with Stephen DeAcutis (Corey Glover, Vanilla Fudge, Cyndi Lauper) as a producer and he suggested we try something different. Stephen had a good hand in crafting this record from start to finish. It was so much fun making the video for ‘Soulfire!’ It’s a killer video and has fire eaters and a Vaudeville feel to it. The director was only a 21 year old guy from Los Angeles and he had some great ideas; he’s a very talented.”
If you hope to see the band coming to a city near you; don’t get too excited. The possibilities of a tour of any magnitude or even local shows are on hold at the moment. “We’d love to tour but right now everyone is so booked,” states Calv. “Jimmy and Dave are getting ready to go on the road with Dennis DeYoung and Kenny has some time off before the next portion of the Yardbirds tour so we’re trying to catch the in between times and it’s looking more like festivals or larger shows with another act or acts.”
ABOUT THE RECORD
Overall, “Radio Exile” is without doubt, one of the best debut records out there today. Magnificently produced by Stephen DeAcutis (Vanilla Fudge, Cyndi Lauper, Corey Glover) who created a full sound while highlighting all of the right things and burying others in the mix so that they stand out when necessary. By blending all of the ingredients into a perfect talent entree that fans old and new should be clamoring for and creating a new sound from an old style; this disc is a winner and should be served up on everyone’s music menu.
Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
