*now playing*
Tom Cheney
Founder/CEO
the backstory
the backstory
“CEO by day, tech geek by night. Sleep? Occasionally.” When your passions are music, technology, and engineering, an internet radio station is a logical innovation. Tom Cheney founded idobi Radio in 1999, as a side hustle during his days as a senior producer at pre-Millenium MTV. Since then Tom has turned the radio network into the eighth-most unique listen in the world—a cornerstone for alternative-music fans. Side-stepping terrestrial radio and subscription models, Tom positioned idobi in the less fashionable but more universal internet radio field, one that companies like Pandora and Apple Music 1 would later recognize. He attributes his ability to survive independently for twenty-two years to a focus on creating community within pop-punk & alt-rock. Tom also describes his greatest innovation as assembling the idobi Team and creating an environment where people can not only express their talents but recognize their own opportunities to grow.
Eddie Barella
Program Director/COO
the backstory
the backstory
Eddie Barella is the COO at idobi Network, a role that requires him to often feel like he’s driving really fast down an icy road while eating a messy sandwich. He’s also in charge of our shows and podcasts. As a massive music fan, he lives his dream by picking the music heard on idobi Network’s flagship radio stream, idobi Radio (and its indie sibling, idobi Anthm). Barella has worked at almost every major radio company in the United States, where he’s won numerous industry awards. Mainly used to make sure his kitchen table doesn’t wobble. You might find him at a music venue, comedy club, falling down on the Rocky Mountain slopes, riding his bike around town, or getting involved in a cause he’s passionate about.
Sherin Nicole
CMO/CCO
the backstory
the backstory
Sherin Nicole might be a covert agent. It’s rumored the CIA offered her a scholarship (but that's classified). After graduating from Howard University, she worked in various major media & creative spheres, before returning to grow the upstart radio network she helped to launch. If you see idobi in the wild, Sherin plays a big part in catching your eye. By day, she's an agent provocateur as Chief Creative & Marketing Officer (CCMO) for idobi Network. By night, she writes and produces content for geeks and nerds alike on the Geek Girl Riot radio show, as well as for publications like Blcklst.com, RogerEbert.com, and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ). Sherin is also a member of CCA and a Black Reel Awards voter. As an author of speculative fiction and comics, Sherin writes under various pen names—one of which was listed on Book Riot’s “100 Must-Read Romantic Comedies”. Culturally, she's half American, half British, and very southern; right down to the accent. Government reports show a residence in DC but Sherin spends most of her time on the astral plane and hopes to meet you there.
Seb Lefebvre
the backstory
the backstory
Sébastien (Seb) Lefebvre is an idobi owner and Canadian musician who is best known as the rhythm guitarist and vocalist for the renowned rock band Simple Plan. While the band continues to play sold-out performances around the world, the Simple Plan Foundation raises millions of dollars on behalf of organizations dedicated to aiding children with illnesses, recovery from addiction, poverty relief, support for LGBTQ+ communities, and humanitarian efforts in the aftermath of war. As a result, Seb is a recipient of the Meritorious Service Cross, created by Queen Elizabeth II, for having carried out meritorious acts bringing benefit and honor to Canada. An extraordinary musician, performer, songwriter, and producer, Seb’s IMDb boasts numerous soundtrack, writing, acting, and composing credits. He is all about his coffee and anime and is known to tool around Montréal on a scooter. Seb also co-hosts Man of the Hour, a weekly radio talk show, where he discusses “music and random things” on idobi Radio.
Joel Madden
the backstory
the backstory
Joel Madden is an enduring figure in the music industry. He has over 20 years as a successful touring musician under his belt as frontman of iconic pop-punk band, Good Charlotte, and many of his entrepreneurial efforts throughout the last decade have been focused on supporting the careers of independent artists. Today, as founder of live-streaming platform, Veeps, and an owner of idobi, he continues this mission of inspiring and enabling artists and performers to build a sustaining business, on their own terms.
Chuck Comeau
the backstory
the backstory
Chuck Comeau plays drums in Simple Plan and is a co-owner at idobi.
Alex Bear
Senior Editor & Asst. to the CCMO
the backstory
the backstory
Alex Bear is idobi’s Senior Editor & Assistant to the CCMO. She’s based in the UK but her heart belongs to US music and pop culture. If you peek behind the scenes at idobi, you can usually find her working on creative and marketing campaigns. Out on the internet, catch her dissecting everything new in entertainment—rounding up the latest TV for idobi.com’s Watch This Week column, writing in-depth reviews, and cracking bad puns on-air with Geek Girl Riot. Alex enjoys iced tea, all things pop-punk, and writing like she's an American.
Mike "Fish" Fishkin
Asst. Program Director
the backstory
the backstory
Broadcasting live from Los Angeles every Thursday, Fish is hosting Gone Fishkin interviewing your favorite artists of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Starting his show from his bedroom on Long Island 5+ years ago Fish has interviewed some of the biggest names, both up and coming and current in music, entertainment, and more! From traveling on the Vans Warped Tour, countless festivals, and just cool bands he saw at a show he’s accumulated over 1000 interviews. In addition to working at idobi Fish can also be seen DJing at bars across the Los Angeles area and hosting Emo Nite LA and his latest venture RKRS!
Yising Kao
Asst. Social Media Manager
the backstory
the backstory
Yising Kao is the idobi Social Media Assistant Manager, based in Los Angeles, CA. She assists with daily posting of idobi’s editorial, photo, video, show, and other creative content to the idobi social media accounts. She has experience working as a Creative Intern at Hopeless Records and Interscope Records, and plans engaging content along with interacting with the idobi audience. As a professional photographer and videographer, she also shoots concerts, BTS photos, and more original content for idobi.
Aidan Shirey
Lead Developer
the backstory
the backstory
What’s up, my name is Aidan, I’m a web developer for idobi Network but, on the side, I’m just a chill dude. When I'm not figuring out travel plans and accommodations for music festivals, you can find me in the gym, spending time with my rabbit, wearing Supreme, or playing video games. Other than that, I’m usually listening to music. My current favorite artists in constant rotation right now are Madeon, Jack Harlow, and Pop Smoke.
Tommy Woolridge
Video Dept Director
the backstory
the backstory
Tommy was introduced to idobi when he was interviewed on the station in 2012, after his viral video, "blink-182 Pick Up Lines", won him blink-182 tickets for life. He went on to write and direct a web series for idobi called "Vandals" in 2017, before joining the team full time to film and edit sessions, interviews, and original content. In addition to working at idobi, Tommy is a freelance director in Los Angeles, with his latest short film "Dog Gone" premiering at the Austin Film Festival in 2019. Tommy is stoked to blend his love of pop-punk and filmmaking daily at idobi.
Patrick Walford
Howl Music Director
the backstory
the backstory
Hailing from Toronto, Canada & joining idobi Radio in 2011, Patrick Walford is the host & producer of Rock The Walls & music director of our heavy music station, idobi Howl. With his finger on the pulse of all things heavy music, Patrick has interviewed over 1500+ bands and aired 100s of episodes over the last 11+ years. In addition to interviews with Scene Juggernauts such as Bring Me The Horizon, A Day To Remember, Ice Nine Kills, Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine to legends such as Dee Snider and even Wrestler/Vocalist Chris Jericho, he has also done the first-ever interviews for bands such as I Prevail, The Story So Far & Paleface along with being the first North American Radio interviews for international bands such as Crystal Lake(Japan), Chunk! No Captain Chunk(France), Paleface (Switzerland) & Bloodywood (India). With a no BS approach to interviews and an ear for finding your favorite new bands before their popularity explodes, Patrick is able to bring listeners in-depth, conversational interviews with artists on RTW & new music to Heavy fans in a one-of-a-kind way on idobi Howl!
Maysa Askar
Photo Director
the backstory
the backstory
Since the year of 2014, Maysa Askar has filled the position of photo editor for idobi Radio to bring you some of the best content of your favorite artists. During her time at idobi, she has covered award shows and festivals from Bamboozle to the APMAs, behind the scenes of backstage and production sets, and countless shows around the country. In between her own shooting, she has curated a team of creatives from all over the globe to bring you maximum content to help relive your best memories.
Nick Major
Asst Video Dept Director
the backstory
the backstory
From 2013 to 2017, Nick Major was a video correspondent for the music publication Alternative Press - spending the 2014-2016 summers on The Vans Warped Tour interviewing bands across the country and establishing himself within the alternative music world, even heading to the GRAMMYs for red carpet interviews in 2016 & 2017. A TV/Film Production graduate from California State University of Northridge, he is also a filmmaker who has created original comedy skits featuring recognizable names like Trevor Wallace & Andy Dick. In 2018 he worked with National Geographic to make a skit for their Nat Geo WILD “Wild After Dark” late-night television show. In 2016, he teamed up with idobi Radio to create The Nick Major Show; a weekly show covering news, politics, entertainment, and pop culture and in 2019 he began full time with idobi where he now - along with his weekly show - sits down with artists for in-depth video interviews and is also a part of the video department, helping film and edit live performances of artists at the idobi Radio North Hollywood Studios for their "idobi Sessions" series.
Sarah Madden
Social Media Manager
Jack Ryan
Office Manager
Jack Rogers
Editor in Chief
Paige Owens
Assistant Editor
Tate Logan
Assistant Editor
Eric Cios
Creative Director
COOKIE NOTICE
We utilize cookie technology to collect data regarding the number of visits a person has made to our site. This data is stored in aggregate form and is in no way singled out in an individual file. This information allows us to know what pages/sites are of interest to our users and what pages/sites may be of less interest. See more