About Surge Radio
Surge Radio is Southern California's Digital Radio, streaming live worldwide from Lancaster, CA in Northern Los Angeles County of Southern California. Surge Radio is 100% licensed and DMCA compliant. On Surge Radio, you can find Today's Hottest Dance Hits blended with House and Electro along with Classic Dance & Top 40 Hits from the 80s, 90s, and 00s. We also feature mix shows from Antelope Valley DJs Smerk, Dan Da Mix Man, and others along with other great DJs from out of our area Gabriel Ghali, Rohit Bangera, and DJ Kick as well as world renowned talent TyDi, Johnny Budz, Mickey Bono of The Beat Thrillerz, and Garage Sound System (DJs Suhov, Viper, & Polina).
Surge Radio is also the exclusive place where you can hear the music of Ozone333!
We are Surge Radio... RESPECT THE MUSIC!
Early History
Surge Radio began in December 2000 on FRS Channel 8 as the TDP1 Simplex Repeater (later renamed DPI5 Simplex Repeater) serving West Lancaster, California; which began playing Modern Rock & Dance music on weekday afternoons, gradually expanding to playing music all weekend, then finally becoming a full time music station in June 2001. FRS Radio Station DPI5 then began incorporating some programming from Europa Plus in Moscow; expanding to Channel 3 in Quartz Hill, Channel 10 in West Palmdale, and Channel 14 in East Lancaster as well as streaming worldwide on the internet.
The station branded itself as Europa Plus Antelope Valley in February 2002, replaying a majority of Europa Plus's programs; which consisted of a blend of Pop, Dance & International Hits. Europa Plus Antelope Valley also aired Rock & Metal specialty programming every weekday afternoon, as well as simulcasting Digitally Imported's Trance stream over night. Up until the founding of The Edge 100.1 in 2003, Europa Plus Antelope Valley was the only place you could get heavy doses of Modern Rock music in the Antelope Valley.
The station was taken off the air in mid-2003 after becoming aware of a pending FCC investigation initiated by the Antelope Valley Amateur Radio Club, later returning as an online station in late-2003, and after receiving a cease and desist order from the Europa Plus network, operated under the name "Radio 1" for 2 weeks until merging with Ukraine-based Z Radio in mid-2004, forming "Zed Radio - The Online Party Station" playing a Dance & Chill focused Hot AC format.
The venture fell apart by mid-2005 and the USA Department launched a new station with pirate FM signals, "Surge Radio 96.3 & 102.1 - The Antelope Valley's Underground Alternative Radio" playing Underground Metal & Electronica + Alternative News Talk. During this time, Surge Radio was nearly fined $700 by the City of Lancaster Code Enforcement for mass posting of fliers, advertising the 96.3 FM signal. The phone message left by the Code Enforcement can still be heard on the station today on a comment line jingle.
Much of the talk programming which aired at that time paralleled that of Free Radio Santa Cruz, and much of the Metal music programming that aired on Surge Radio were shows that were carried by or produced by the now mostly defunct One Louder Radio. Surge Radio also carried a variety of local specialty music programming. The mission of Surge Radio during this time was to be apart of the growing micro-radio movement, to support the work of independent media outlets, to protest corporate control of the airwaves, and to be the local voice of free speech in the Antelope Valley. These ideas were fueled by a reaction to the FCC's Regulations Part 95 which resulted shut down of the FRS transmissions.
Surge ceased broadcasting on 102.1 FM in mid-2006 after being contacted by KSCA "La Nueva" 101.9 in Los Angeles. Surge shut down 96.3 FM shortly after, due to a new construction permit issued for what today is KCEL "Que Buena" 96.1 in Mojave. Surge then phased out the talk programming and split into 4 internet radio channels: Surge Radio (Modern & Classic Rock + Punk & Alternative), Brutal Surge (Death Metal/Grindcore), Extreme Surge (Extreme Metal/Metalcore), and The Pulse (Dance & Electronica). The name "The Pulse" was a hommage to the late Underground Electronica station Pulse 1330/KENU in Washington.
On May 7, 2007 at 8pm, Surge Radio shut down operations entirely due to fading interest in the station, the final song to air on all streams was Skinlab's "Anthem For A Fallen Star". The Pulse continued past May 7th, but then segued to Rave HD in August 2007.
Surge Radio's servers became the home of XRQK's new station "Rave HD - The High Desert's Dance Authority" which lasted until February 2009, when XRQK and Surge Radio went their separate ways. Rave HD no longer streams online, nor has offered any actual broadcasts since. In early 2009, plans were to relaunch Surge Radio under XRQK, but XRQK cut ties with Surge Radio after the female members of Surge Radio's staff refused to participate in being photographed for XRQK's "hot girl" calendars and Surge Radio's program director refused to "donate" $300 to XRQK, as was demanded by XRQK management. XRQK still maintains a Surge Radio page consisting mainly of risque photos of women, claiming that it is "the real Surge Radio", but doesn't actually offer any legitimate broadcasts. Surge Radio no longer does any business nor has any contact with XRQK.
Recent History
After a "Surge Reunion" party in November 2010, the former Surge Radio staff, remembering the "good ol' days", discussed the possibility of bringing Surge Radio back.
In January 2011, Surge Radio began testing new streams with a stunt format, airing a repeat of Tomandandy's tracks "Arcadia" and "Binoculars". The testing came to an end on January 24th, Surge Radio relaunched at 11pm with Black Label Society's "Fire It Up". Surge placed on the table whatever was left from before, combining the original Surge Radio playlist and Rave HD playlist, and brought back many of the former Surge personalities as well as new ones. Soon after, Surge Radio began refining the playlist, phasing the Metal music as well as some of the more obscure tracks out of the format, in favor of a Dance & Electronica leaning format with various non-Dance specialty shows.
Surge Radio attempted to operate as a community focused radio station, and built a new studio at BLVD Today Cafe/KING Photo Supply on Lancaster Blvd, and rebroadcasted their live events and ilivetoday programs, including Wednesday Night Vinyl Night, Socialnomics 101 on Saturday morning, and the Saturday night Open Mic night. Surge Radio also hosted an event on Friday nights at BLVD Today Cafe with DJ Mizu spinning live, in which on one occasion the City of Lancaster demanded the music to be turned down. On April 2, 2011 shortly after 6pm, Surge Radio's DJs were asked to leave and remove the station's equipment from BLVD Today Cafe immediately. All Surge Radio programs were cancelled and the on air staff was dismissed.
Surge Radio began refocusing as a station for all of Southern California, operating an entirely jockless Dance Hits format, with the exception of adding several mix shows. Surge Radio also has done many broadcasts from events at venues like BeX Bar & Grill, Ruben's Bar & Grill, and Sami's Donuts with many more events to come.
Thanks for being a supporter of the radio station that has been apart of bringing Dance music to the Antelope Valley and Southern California since 2000. Respect The Music!
