RADIO VIOLENCE

RADIO VIOLENCE was formed in November of 2007 in Hattiesburg, MS, though the concept of the band had been an ongoing fifteen year project of Founder/Lead Singer, Michael Mergens.
Mergens, originally from Rockford, Illinois, had balanced a successful career as a radio personality and part-time musician for almost a decade when he moved to Hattiesburg and discovered a large and supportive local music scene. Befriending local 80's rock cover band, C4, Mergens started opening for the band as a solo acoustic act. His rather unorthodox approach to song selection for acoustic (mostly hard rock and metal songs) became a unique niche and Mergens was quickly encouraged to start his own band. Mulling over the band's concept since he was a teenager, Mergens just needed to find musicians to back him up, both musically and supportively in the band's development. Borrowing C4's drummer, Joel Trussell and their bass player, Tom McKay for lead guitar, the group was rounded out by Chuck Maxie, a friend of Tom McKay, on bass. Having recently moved back to Hattiesburg, Chuck, who was already an accomplished guitarist, learned to play bass so he could join the group.
Mergens dubbed the project RADIO VIOLENCE, a homage to his radio career and a reference to fellow Rockford natives, Cheap Trick and their song, The Ballad of T.V. Violence. Much like Cheap Trick, RADIO VIOLENCE set out to create a straight forward rock band with a look that fit the band's raw sound. Straying away from musical trends, the band began doing covers of recognizable, but rarely played songs and B sides from bands like Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver, AC/DC and Ramones to name a few. The formula worked and the band created not only a niche in the local music scene but a reputation as musician's musicians with the group's high energy stage show and attention to detail.