AM Radio

In an effort to fuse the exploratory psychedelia of the 1960s with the raw drive of 1980s indie rock, the group AM Radio emerged during the closing years of the 1990s. Formed in Brooklyn, NY, the musicians tracked their first album in 1999 yet lacked any means to issue it. Holding the tapes, they continued sharpening their approach across several subsequent seasons, culminating in the 2002 release of an EP on Viola Records. Its standout cut “Beeswax,” marked by fluid noise-rock textures, drew the notice of Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo. One year later, an unrelated Los Angeles outfit sharing the name AM Radio asserted ownership, compelling the New York pop act to adopt a new moniker. By the close of 2003 the ensemble had become Icewater Scandal.