An Introduction to The Backyard Tracks

In New York State, the DIY scenes are undergoing a musical renaissance. Every region seems to be experiencing a growing wave of popularity, an influx of talent, and a sense of thriving community as more and more people are immersed in the culture.

The inherent independence in these scenes empowers creatives to develop their true artistic visions, captivating listeners with innovation and authenticity while nurturing an inclusive and collaborative community that deeply connects you to the art.

However, as a sacrifice for bypassing the commercial music industry’s control over creative autonomy and the relationship between artists and fans, many talented musicians struggle to garner the support and exposure they deserve.
Amid Binghamton’s exuberant scene, one broadcast engineer at WSKG seems to have discovered a solution that will bring regional art to a much wider audience: A 24/7, all-genre, underground music stream featuring independent musicians and bands from throughout New York State

I had the pleasure of interviewing Michael Micha, creator of “The Backyard Tracks” and delving into his aspirations, inspirations, and journey to create this groundbreaking project.

Kal Mota Lopes: What exactly is The Backyard Tracks?

Michael Micha: “So The Backyard Tracks is a local and regional music stream. You’ll be able to find it on the WSKG and NPR apps, as well as on iTunes and Tunein.”

KML: The Backyard Tracks aims to support local and regional musicians. How are you going to curate which artists are featured?

MM: “My only criteria is basically that the tracks don’t extend past 12 to 15 minutes in length. I don’t want to be a gatekeeper of the stream, I just want to expose as many people as I can to as much underground and independent music as possible. The idea is that it's multi-genre, so if you’re listening to the stream and you hear one that isn’t your taste, the next song might be.”

KML: In addition to current musicians, The Backyard Tracks will also feature music from the past. How will you decide on the tracks from the past and what role will they play in showcasing the history of the scenes?

MM: “I’m reaching out to a lot of friends that I have in the scenes that I currently exist in to make me more aware of any older music. Honestly, finding the music is not the problem, it’s finding it in a digital medium. There's a lot of music that existed only on CD or cassette tapes, so I will end up having to rip certain things and make tape transfers. I’ve just been talking to people about the bands that stuck with them since they were younger.”

KML: How long have you been a broadcast engineer?

MM: “I’ve been a broadcast engineer for about seven years now. Up until two years ago, I was strictly working with radio and TV transmitters and all of the equipment that gets our signal [WSKG] to our transmitter sites. For the past couple of years, I’ve been doing the audio production for our music performance series called Expressions. And since then I've just been trying to bring WSKG and the scene and communities of musicians I know together more because there hasn’t necessarily been a relationship there.”

KML: What kind of background do you have in DIY scenes and music in general?

MM: “My junior year of high school, I started playing the guitar and joined a band my senior year. Through playing music, I met a group of people that were “the people I should have been hanging out with the whole time”. But, I wasn’t aware of the local scene, even though it was happening very close to me. I grew up on the south side of Johnson City, and not far from me was East Coast Terminal Skatepark, and they were having shows with bigger names. AFI played there when they were a lot smaller. They were having a lot of shows, I just didn’t know anyone that was going to these shows. It’s something I look back on and wish I had been aware of it. Anyway, I continued playing music, went to school in Oneonta to get my audio engineering degree, graduated, and came back to Binghamton. I started being introduced to a lot of people going to basement shows or bar shows. When I first heard these bands showcasing all original music I was blown away. I came to the scene late but ended up meeting people who have been involved for 20-30 years at this point, and I've fallen in love with the culture and stories.”

KML: The station's name, The Backyard Tracks, evokes a sense of the intimacy and community found in these scenes. How will you ensure that this connection is received by the listener and welcomed as much as you were?

MM: “One of the things that I plan on doing a month or two into the stream is taking polls from listeners to see if there are any adjustments I can make. Specifically with this genre-jumping idea. Since the music is going to be so diverse, I’ll need to make sure that the genres being played are resonating enough with the listeners. I’m also considering doing live shows and small audio documentaries, like going to shows and interviewing people or going to venues and interviewing staff and sound engineers. Making sure people are aware like I wish I was. Even like an inserted podcast, like a 30-minute thing every once in a while.”

KML: Are there any bands that you know you are going to be working with?

MM: “Yeah there’s quite a bit of bands that I have in mind. Mainly because I also run a private recording studio, outside of WSKG, and a lot of the music that’s come through my studio will be on the stream, just because I'm so familiar with it. But there’s also going to be a lot of bands I don’t know. I’ve been sent big playlists of local music, and I've discovered so much. There’s enough music in the WSKG broadcasting area and as long as the word gets spread to those people, people will keep sending me new music from everywhere else.”

KML: Has the recording process with any artists you’ve worked with opened up your mind to new ideas for The Backyard Tracks?

MM: “I wouldn’t say it was something like one specific event, more so just the experiences that I’ve had over the seven years I’ve had my studio. Like I can’t even think about how many wonderful and talented people I’ve met through the studio. When I talk to someone who isn’t aware of the local scene I’m in right now, they always look kind of shocked that it even exists. There are a lot of punk bands, a growing folk scene and now there’s indie scenes coming out of high school and BU [Binghamton University] kids. Multiple scenes are happening, but you don't really know about them unless you’re in them. So I would just say the experiences that I’ve had over the last seven years at Abandoned Studios have helped me realize that I want to do whatever I can to showcase the talent, showcase these wonderful people, and just share what's happening around here with more people.”

KML: As an advocate for local scenes in independent music, what message do you have for aspiring musicians and bands who are trying to make their mark on the music industry?

MM: “Be as motivated as you realistically can. Be excited and try to build yourself and others up and tear no one down. That’s something that happens a lot in scenes. We all have our opinions, and some music’s not for me. But I try to focus on the positives of what people are doing. So yeah, just stay motivated and get excited for whatever your thing is.”

KML; Is there a set release date yet?

MM: “August 27th.”

KML: Is there anything else you’d like to add or express to our readers?

Michael Micha: “That if you read this and you think it’s a cool idea, you can send any music that you make or that anyone else makes to thebackyardtracks@wskg.org. Thank you.”