The Electric Range reunion album was produced by Randy Meisner for the Dayton, Ohio band Electric Range in 1996. When the group first formed back in 1971, they were called Starbuck. (A more complete bio is below.) In the band are Pat Aicholtz, John Alden, Robin Lamble, Billy Darnell, and Peter Bradstreet. Billy Darnell was in both Open Secret and the Roberts Meisner Band with Randy. In 1995 Randy, Robin Lamble, and Billy Darnell provided backing vocals to the song “Changing” for Peter Lewis (of Moby Grape) on Peter’s self-titled first solo album. Pete Bradstreet went along with Randy to The Joint in Los Angeles to sit in with Jack Tempchin and the Waddy Wachtel band on May 29,2000.
Randy also added some vocals and bass to this album. The audios of the songs Randy participated on are at the bottom of this page:
- Black Satin
- Sailing Home
- Riding Down the Canyon
- Far Away
“In 1994 Randy agreed to produce the self-titled Electric Range project for my fledgling Smokehouse Records. He flew to Dayton and for 2+ weeks worked through live rehearsals with the band (John Alden, Pete Bradsteet, Billy Darnell, Robin Lamble. and Patrick Aicholtz) at Michael Bashaw’s Linden Ave. studio … and then laying down those wonderful tracks at Refraze Studio with Gary King and the assistance of the late Alan Day. Randy went back home for a few weeks and returned to complete mixing. His attention to the band’s harmony-focused material was a reflection of his history with the famous Eagles vocal mastery. I would later visit Randy at his Studio City home, meeting his wife Lana and their chihuahua Winnie. My coveted possession is a snapshot of Randy, Lana, and Winnie.
George Carpenter (Smokehouse Records) – July 28, 2023
By no means were Randy and I anything more than business associates, but his contributions to this project validated my desire to get ER’s music out there. He was kind and professional, never losing his temper or composure … the vocal tracks being particularly central. Throughout the turmoil of his professional and, sadly his personal life, Randy weathered many storms. May you now rest in eternal peace Mr. Meisner. TITTL“
Randy with the Electric Range Band:
Pat Aicholtz, John Alden, Robin Lamble, Randy Meisner, Billy Darnell, and Peter Bradstreet
Electric Range reunion CD front & back (Henry Diltz, photographer)
CD inserts (Henry Diltz, photographer)
Smokehouse Records in Dayton, OH – 1996
Joshua Tree
CD info
“Because of Randy’s familiarity with the style, and in particular with the process of recording the three and four-part vocal arrangements, he was thought to be a perfect fit. Randy was brought on board to produce the self-titled debut and he also played bass on one track and contributed backing vocals to three others. Chris Hillman contributed mandolin parts to two songs and Hoyt Axton came to town to add a booming bass vocal to the closing track ‘Far Away’.”
Jim Foreman (project manager), Randy, and Henry Diltz with Randy’s 1944 Ford truck
Randy loves vintage cars and trucks.
Henry Diltz taking selfies before cell phones. He took these one-handed with a Nikon 35mm camera.
Acknowledgements
Kenny Day and Randy Meisner at Refraze Recording Studio in Dayton while Randy was producing the album for Electric Range
Kenny is a keyboard player, singer, and songwriter. He has written, sung, and played with Randy, Ohio Players, Redbone, Average White Band, Dazz Band, and others.
“Meisner, who lives in Los Angeles, has spent the last two weeks in Dayton producing a reunion album for a country-rock band that features area residents Peter Bradstreet and John Alden, former Daytonian Pat Aicholtz, and L.A. musicians Robin Lamble and Billy Darnell. Darnell played in Meisner’s band following the latter’s departure from the Eagles in 1977.”
“He’s a good choice for a producer, said Refraze owner and engineer Gary King. You can tell he spent a lot of time in the studio.”
Dayton Daily News (Dayton, OH) – June 5, 1995
“Randy Meisner, a former member of the Eagles and Poco, served as producer and even added his voice on a few cuts. Hoyt Axton came to town for a couple of days last fall to record the final song.”
“The record represents a culmination of sorts of a project set in motion more than 25 years ago, when four current Electric Range members – area natives Patrick Aicholtz, John Alden and Pete Bradstreet along with California addition Billy Darnell – were part of Starbuck, a Los Angeles-based band. Starbuck had a record deal with Atlantic, but the project fell apart and the band disbanded.”
Dayton Daily News (Dayton, OH) – Nov. 1, 1996
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