Crack o’ Dawn airs the first Thursday night, Friday morning from midnight until 3am. The focus is computer and electronic music with a blend of talk and music, mostly music. Over the last 30 years, most luminaries of the “new music” scene have appeared live on “The Crack” including Terry Riley, La Monte Young, Frederic Rzewski, David Behrman, Robert Ashley, Laurie Anderson, Matmos, George Lewis, Maryanne Amacher, Diamanda Galas, Linda Montano. Local heroes who come and play live electronics: Antimatter, K Atchley, Tim Perkis, Fuzzy Bunny, Wobbly, Thomas Dimuzio, John Bischoff and a plethora of others. The late great Frank Moore was a frequent guest as well. For a listen, google “Conversations at the Crack o’ Dawn”, a feast of 40 “conversations” with various composers.
Barbara Golden
Host/Producer
In 1979 an orange
VW Beetle made its way westward from Montreal to Oakland California. In it was escaped housewife/schoolteacher Barbara Golden on her way to Mills College to study music with Terry Riley, Robert Ashley and Lou Harrison. She wrote her first song at forty, and by 1985, was hosting KPFA’s “Crack o’ Dawn”, a late night twice monthly show featuring electronic and computer-driven music, much of it performed live. She also started WIGband, a now legendary trash feminist performance duo. Golden has played in various Balinese ensembles as well, in the United States and in Bali. Two cookbooks including Barbara Golden’s Greatest Hits Vol1, containing tasty recipes and tasteless songs have sold out to eclectic audiences. Golden plays keyboards and vocalizes with indie rock group The Golden Path, which is currently working the Bay Area dive bar circuit.