Since 2004 Virtual Noise has been Austin’s only music broadcast focusing on Progressive Rock. Blending many progressive musical styles (as well as related genres like jazz-fusion & art-rock) from around the world spanning the last 50+ years all the way to the present day in intricate, musically intense and experimental ways,Virtual Noise will challenge both your ears as well as both your hemispheres!
Originally founded and hosted by “The Progressive Cowboy” Mark Boyden, Virtual Noise began its weekly broadcast in January 2004. Co-host “The Professor” (a.k.a. “Professor Ted“), came on board in 2008. In late 2018, Progressive Cowboy retired from the program and was replaced by “Baron Mind” who brought his own related influences to compliment The Professor‘s and further expanded the musical palette of Virtual Noise. The Baron then retired in early 2023, so The Professor now carries the torch (though will sometimes be joined by guests).
Virtual Noise exposes the listener to the many forms of adventurous music collectively known as Progressive Rock (a.k.a. Prog). This includes a wide variety of sub-genres such as Symphonic prog, Proto-prog, Neo-prog, Heavy prog, Psychedelic (a.k.a. psych)/Space-rock, Eclectic prog, Canterbury, Avant-prog/Rock-In-Opposition (a.k.a. RIO), Zeuhl, Krautrock, Chamber-prog, Rock Progressivo Italiano (a.k.a. RPI). We also venture outward, playing music from related genres such as Crossover prog, Jazz-Rock/Fusion, Progressive Metal, Experimental/Post-Metal, Art-Rock/Prog-related, Progressive Folk-rock, Ambient/Progressive Electronic, Post-rock/Math-rock, and more including occasional “coloring outside the lines” such as Art Rock (e.g. Bowie, Kate Bush, Roxy Music, etc.) and some categories we make up ourselves: “New Directions” (possible futures of prog), “Nu-Jazz/Not-Jazz” (trad. jazz styles mixed with electronics), “Pop goes the Prog” (Is it pop or prog?), “WtF?” (head-turning, unclassifiable weirdness), “Local Yokels” (Austin artists of interest), and the beloved category “It’s Prog Jim, just not as we know it.” (prog influences where you might not expect).