HIGH FREQUENCIES: Vinyl’s ‘Vinyl’ on the air

Kosmo Vinyl, artist, producer, and somewhat of an agent provocateur in the English sense, has a new gig premiering Wednesday, Jan. 8, during WABE-FM’s “City Lights with Lois Reitzes.” The confidant of Ian Dury and The Clash in the 1970s and ‘80s, when popular music mattered, Vinyl has been posting Kosmo’s Vinyl of the Week on social media these past ten years. Now, rather than just posting his words, you can hear Vinyl speak truth to power about his favorite albums as he launches the audio version during Reitzes’s popular afternoon radio program.

Vinyl has a longstanding relationship with Atlanta from his early days first visiting the city with the aforementioned Dury and The Clash, to producing local musicians like Jack Logan and Drivin’ N Cryin.” In addition, he provided the artwork for many of the releases on Clay Harper’s Casino Royale label. More recently, you may have attended one of his art openings  at Different Trains Gallery or anywhere else where Decatur-based VinsonArt exhibits works.

Vinyl hold this city in fond regard. “I’ve developed a relationship with Atlanta,” he tells me during a recent telephone call. “It’s appropriate to do it there,” he says of launching his audio program in Atlanta. “I have a lot of people dear to me there.”

And what records will be the subject of the first episode of “Kosmo’s Vinyl of the Week?” Vinyl holds the secret close to his vest. “I’ve been doing this for ten years, having listed over five hundred albums. The show will include a few of the best of the past each program along with some newer releases.” In other words, the curious will have to tune in. —CL—

“Kosmo’s Vinyl of the Week” airs every other Tuesday, starting Jan. 8, during “City Light With Lois Reitzes” between 1-2 p.m. EST and again in the evening,10-11 p.m.