Thomas Breiter is a native of Frankfurt, Germany, and was master mechanic for a major Volkswagen and Porsche dealer before coming to Topanga. He is also a computer whiz.

Breiter met Ananda, a graphic artist, outside the Topanga Market in 1992 and they have been designing websites together now for seven years including www.internebula.com and www.eyecandywebdesign.com.

A few months ago they decided to create Topanga Radio with Ananda's father, Topanga poet and musician Daryl Vance Jones.

"There is a special aura of the '60s living here in Topanga," said Thomas Breiter. "The Chumash must have had drum circles here. You can feel it."

Jones is also a multi-systems fabricator who has been producing on-location digital recordings for musicians performing in the canyon.

Among the local artists and bands currently on Topanga Radio or scheduled to be added soon to the playlist are Tim O'Gara and The Dapple Gray; Djam Karet; Zdotzone with Daryl Vance Jones and "Drummer;" Madra; Neptune Blew with David Lichten and Sarah Vaughan; ABBa Roland; Eve Terran; Kim Carrol; Wendy Smith; Eric Lynn; David Hess; Peter Alsop; Rick Ellis; Brendan O'Halloran; ; STAR; Jamie Papish; Todd Montgomery; and Randy Chance.

In addition to links to musicians' web pages and an online music store, it will also be possible to create custom CDs through various services linked to Topanga Radio. Because users are not able to burn the music onto CDs, there is less likely to be a copyright problem for artists providing music for the Topanga Radio playlist.

The site will provide photographs, biographies, e-mail addresses and other information on Topanga musicians as well as upcoming concert listings in the Canyon. Also, it will link, through internebula.com, to world music that plays radio stations from more than a hundred countries.

"The Internet dissolves all the shields and the curtains about what is real, about people coming together....Everything is O.K. It's O.K. to believe in the artists in your community," says Jones.

He described Topanga Radio's mission as an outlet for musicians and artists with this mantra:

For Thomas Breiter the Internet has provided a liberating ability to create with others.

"People can brainstorm together all over the world. They don't have to be together," said Breiter.

Composer-arranger Randy Chance said radio is becoming a completely different medium now with options like Topanga Radio. Somebody was always in charge before, he said, but now anybody can do what they want.

"You don't have to spend thousands of dollars. Anybody who wants can release a CD," said Chance. " It's another feather in the cap for Topanga's identity."

Chance said that, in Galileo's time, Galileo's thesis was published in Florence in February and by May two copies had reached the Vatican.

"Today CDs can be created and on the Internet within days."

Kim Carroll, a guitarist, pianist and session musician who co-founded and plays guitar for Topanga's Madra, said Topanga Radio is an exciting new outlet for a thriving Topanga music scene.

"It can only serve to benefit the artistic community within the Canyon," said Carroll. "I hope this is just the beginning....I'm hoping it's just going to blossom from here."

A Topanga resident for 10 years, Carroll said he has never seen anything like the excitement around the music that's going on now, with every possible venue being used by musicians anxious to play.

The record industry is starting to recognize what's going on here," said Carroll. "Artists are having more fun playing here than in a stuffy club in Hollywood....Topanga is going to play a pivotal role in what's going on in L.A."

Ned Landin, a Topanga singer-songwriter and web designer who has traveled throughout the country as a street performer, said Topanga Radio will fulfill an important role by playing the music of local artists which commercial radio rarely does.

Landin said his experience with local radio stations in Boston showed that a community music scene can be covered. Stations like WUMB and WHRB, at the University of Massachusetts and Harvard University respectively, broadcast music with a strong local flavor.

"When local musicians announced concerts in the paper, they filled up because their work had been played and they had a following. Careers were made," said Landin.

Initial costs for Topanga Radio have been covered by its creators. In the future the plan is to offer subscriptions so that the station can provide additional features and coverage of community events. Artists interested in having their music accessible to the community, and those interested in providing ideas for program content should contact info@topangaradio.com or should call (310) 403-1336.