The Time Machine: The Red Button Returns To The Time Machine

"If The Red Button had been around in the '60s when I was producing, I would have signed them to EMI." - Norman 'Hurricane' Smith (The Beatles Engineer)

With a quote like that, you can understand why The Red Button have been a musical staple on the playlists of The Time Machine the last four years. Singer-songwriters Mike Ruekberg and Seth Swirsky are the multi-talented duo behind The Red Button. Their debut album "She's About To Cross My Mind" is filled with so many musical gems that the album became one of our most played albums on the air for 2007. Now their follow up "As Far As Yesterday Goes" has been released and the refreshingly retro collaboration showcases the duo's shared passion for the juicy melodies and catchy hooks of the pop music of the ’60s and ’70s, yet still crackle with present day energy. You will not be able to resist the urge to sing along like The Time Machine Crew does in the radio station, so it was nice to have both Seth Swirsky and Mike Ruekberg share their thoughts on their sophomore release.

Mike Ruekberg’s indie credentials are rock solid: He spent the ’90s as writer and singer for Minneapolis-based pop heroes Rex Daisy, who recorded a CD for Geffen Records with producer Paul Fox. He also wrote the soundtrack for the indie cult film classic “Dummy”, which starred Adrien Brody, Milla Jovovich, and Vera Farmiga. Mike’s music has also been heard in other movies and on TV, as well as in football stadiums and blaring from audio greeting cards.

The Time Machine

In addition to The Red Button, Seth Swirsky has his own solo work and many records composed for other artists like; Rufus Wainwright, Taylor Dayne, Al Green, Jane Weidlin, Michael McDonald, Celine Dion, The Poppies, Xscape, Olivia Newton-John, Charles & Eddie, Smokey Robinson, Brenda K. Starr, Trey Lorenz, Bonfire, Air Supply, Faith Evans and Tina Turner. In addition to getting the chance to compose songs with Eric Carmen, Seth is also a published best selling author ("Baseball Letters" from 1996, "Every Pitcher Tells A Story" from 1999 and "Something To Write Home About" from 2003) and a film maker. His documentary film "Beatles Stories" is currently screening at film festivals around the globe and consists of interviews he had done with his hand-held camera with people who had a story about themselves and The Beatles. It was originally going to be titled ""A Year In The Life" but it’s not a “tribute” or “anthology” piece, according to Seth, just people from all walks of life with a neat, specific Beatles story.

As a solo artist, his first album, "Instant Pleasure", won for Best Pop Album at the 2005 L.A. Music Awards. His follow-up, "Watercolor Day", won Best Pop Song (the title track) at the 2010 Hollywood Music and Media Awards.

The two met in 2005 and hit it off immediately; both of them admiring the songs of each other and sharing a taste for vintage pop.

So, they got together and started writing and recording songs. They found that Seth’s tuneful optimism balanced nicely with Mike’s pessimistic but passionate style. Their first album “She’s About to Cross My Mind”, in 2007, was the result of those sessions and the new album clearly demonstrates that the craft of songwriting and performing in the studio can result in an album that you just can't get enough of.

The Time Machine Crew decided that it might be a good idea to have an album listening party and hear the songs in the order that they were placed on the record. In fact, two albums sounded like an even better idea, so with a three hour afternoon airshift to fill with killer tunes, radio host Michael McCartney started off the broadcast with Seth Swirsky's album "Watercolor Day" along with Seth discussing the music and his film followed by Mike Ruekberg joining the album listening party for The Red Button's brand new record "As Far As Yesterday Goes".

Other artists heard on this Maui afternoon FM aircheck include Paul McCartney & Wings, The Smith Bros., Linda Ronstadt and The Knack.

Click here for The Red Button on The Time Machine