Phil Solem, Cliff Hillis, Elyse Haren and Andrew Curry Interview on The Time Machine

Singer-songwriters Phil Solem (The Rembrandts, Great Buildings and Thrush), Cliff Hillis, Elyse Haren (Elyse + the Aftermath)and Andrew Curry were recent guests on The Time Machine. Phil Solem and Danny Wilde had just performed as The Rembrandts on NBC's "The Today Show" to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the hit television series "Friends". The theme song, "I'll Be There For You", remains a classic and memorable television show theme. It arrived on scene as the major networks began to really feel the pressure of their competition and suggested to all new series in production to not bother with an actual theme song and in many cases, keep a short five to ten second instrumental opening. The power of The Rembrandts performance clearly demonstrates the power of a catchy theme song to a television series. Twenty years later, it's nice to hear newer TV series like "The Goldbergs" and other sitcoms bringing theme songs back to network television. Phil's early band Great Buildings has been a staple of The Time Machine's playlists for thirty-three years and The Rembrandts remained in rotation since the duo's first album release in 1990. "That's Just The Way It Is, Baby" held onto the number one spot on The Time Machine's playlists for three months. Quite a feat that year, considering the massive airplay and radio requests for many songs off of Paul McCartney's 1989 album "Flowers In The Dirt", Aerosmith, Madonna, Pebbles, Phil Collins, Wilson Phillips, Billy Joel, Lou Gramm, Janet Jackson, Tommy Page, Rod Stewart, Sinéad O'Connor, Bell Biv Devoe, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, En Vogue, Nelson, Heart, Maxi Priest, Alannah Myles, Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville, After 7, Taylor Dayne, Prince, Tom Petty, Depeche Mode, Bad English, Go West, Chicago, Gloria Estefan, Faith No More, Paula Abdul and Hawaii's very own Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown topping the charts around the world. The Time Machine Crew were hot and heavy back then on Maui's Top 40 powerhouse KMVI. Are you ready for this bit of information? The number one radio station in 1990 was not on FM but on the AM dial. Personality radio with big hits and classic songs from rock and roll's past along with Hawaiian music made KMVI AM 55 one of Maui's heritage radio stations that was embraced by the community and visitors alike. Getting sentimental just typing this out...

The Time Machine Crew were excited to have Phil Solem return to the airwaves last year with his cover of the Rick Nelson classic "Just A Little Too Much" off of the Pop Garden Radio release "Legacy - A Tribute To Rick Nelson Vol. 1" and Phil also announced the fantastic news that The Rembrandts latest album will be released later this year. Phil just got together with Cliff Hillis and the two of them composed and recorded "Tonight" which made it's world broadcast debut on The Time Machine. Phil shared the details behind the new song with the radio audience that we thought it would be nice to quickly ask Cliff Hillis to return to the radio show and get his side of the story. The duo call themselves simply Solem & Hillis. Cliff had been on the radio show before and it was great catching up with the talented artist who is putting the final touches on his upcoming album. Cliff garnered a great deal of airplay for over the past year on The Time Machine with his cover contribution of Ian Matthews' classic 1979 Top 40 hit "Shake It" (written and originally recorded two years earlier in 1977 by Terence Boylan) to the double album "Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute to Lite Rock" produced by Andrew Curry. Andrew Curry returned to the broadcast to debut two brand new songs for the upcoming album project "Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion". The first song that Andrew shared was the inspired arrangement of Adam Ant's 1982 hit "Goody Two Shoes" from Jim Boggia featuring Pete Donnelly followed up with another world broadcast debut of Human League's international monster hit "Don't You Want Me" (it's the 23rd most successful single in UK Singles Chart history) that the über talented Chris Price and Rachel Hoodrich gave their musical magic touch to the 1981 classic that topped the charts during the Christmas season that year in the United Kingdom and later became a smash hit in the summer of 1982 in America.

Elyse + the Aftermath released their sophomore album last month titled "Love and Armour" that is a tasty musical treat. The album has teeth with it's lyrical content and melodies. The gifted singer-songwriter Elyse Haren graced the FM dial and shared the inspiration behind her song "Stereo Kisses" and her thoughts behind covering the New Order song "True Faith". The new sound on the second album reflects Elyse's progression from pop rock into the electronic pop world and is being compared to Blondie, Garbage, the Killers and Goldfrapp, The album was co-produced by Andrew Williams and Chris Arena (Mirrorball Entertainment - Tony Maserati) and mixed by Mark Needham (Killers, Fleetwood Mac, Imagine Dragons) and Andrew Williams (Five for Fighting, Jessica Simpson, Toad the Wet Sprocket). Elyse + the Aftermath shared the stage with world famous pop band Berlin and a staple of The Time Machine's playlist since the eighties (lead singer Terri Nunn was one of The Time Machine's favorite guest appearances on the radio show). Elyse + the Aftermath have toured the Southwestern Unites States three times, most notably to Austin, Texas to play the acclaimed SxSw Music Festival in 2011. The second album "Love & Armour", was fully funded by their fans through Pledge Music, with a portion of the funds raised to be donated to the Keep a Breast Foundation. Others artists featured on this afternoon Maui FM broadcast aircheck include The Skies of America, Low Millions, Take That, Fountains of Wayne, The Rembrandts and Great Buildings.







Click here to listen or download the radio aircheck interviews with Phil Solem, Chris Hillis, Elyse Haren and Andrew Curry


Below: Official music video for "Novocaine" by Elyse + the Aftermath




Below: Official music lyric video for "Stereo Kisses" by Elyse + the Aftermath




Below: Official music video for "Love Fever" by Elyse + the Aftermath




Below: Official music video for "Start Again" by Cliff Hillis




Below: Official music video for "Keep The Blue Skies" by Cliff Hillis




Below: Music video for "The Way She Smiles" by The Rembrandts




Below: Official music video for "That's Just The Way It Is, Baby" by The Rembrandts




Below: Music fan video for "I'll Be There For You" (Theme from "Friends") by The Rembrandts




Below: Official music video for "Someone" by The Rembrandts






"Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion" on Facebook

"Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion" on Twitter

Official Website for Phil Solem

Official Website for The Rembrandts

Official Website for Cliff Hillis

Cliff Hillis on Twitter

The free MultiTracks on iTunes for the Solem & Hillis single "Tonight" and other songs

"Legacy - A Tribute To Rick Nelson Vol. 1" on Bandcamp

Official Website for Elyse + the Aftermath

Elyse + the Aftermath on Twitter

Elyse + the Aftermath on Facebook

Official Website for Jim Boggia

Jim Boggia on Twitter

Official Website for Pete Donnelly

Pete Donnelly on Twitter

Official Website for Chris Price

Chris Price on Twitter

Official Website for Rachel Goodrich

Rachel Goodrich on Twitter

Official Website for Rob Bonfiglio

Official Website for Michael Chaves of Low Millions

Official Website for Adam Cohen of Low Millions

Low Millions on Twitter

Official Website for Fountains of Wayne

Official Website for Take That