By Dustin Lothspeich

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? If my plates over the Thanksgiving weekend are any indication, the answer is “no.” And in the case of San Diego radio — more specifically, for 91.1 XETRA-FM (otherwise known as 91X) — “too much” just ain’t enough.

In early November, Michael Halloran, longtime radio disc jockey and 91X’s newly minted program director, staged a regional radio coup d’etat that took everyone by surprise: Tim Pyles, FM94.9 radio personality and beloved host of The Local 94.9, announced he was ending his nearly 10-year tenure at the station to join Halloran and return to 91X (the place he actually began his radio career at from 1998-04) as the new Loudspeaker host.

Loudspeaker, a weekly show (which airs on Sunday nights from 7 – 10 p.m.) features solely local music, on-air interviews and in-studio performances from San Diego artists. Now in its 26th year, it’s the longest-running one of its kind in the region.

“I had to go,” Pyles said about his decision to switch ranks. “I was getting frustrated with a couple things, and maybe I could’ve ridden it out a little longer — but the bottom line is: [91X] is a station, and [Halloran is] a man that believes in San Diego.”

Pyles — a loveable, shiny-headed, goateed character — is an instantly recognizable pillar of the local music scene with a near-constant presence at shows, a regular host of live showcases, and an on-screen music reporter for NBC’s weekly TV show, SoundDiego. The guy is everywhere.

Admittedly, it was a shock: FM94.9’s most visible tie to the local music scene was jumping ship — and had inexplicably teamed up with his biggest adversary. Or so it would seem.

“Even though we were supposedly competing with each other, I have mad respect for [Pyles],” Halloran said. “I’ve always felt like I’ve been working with him: We share the same interests, we go to every show we possibly can go to, we’ve always been supporting the local scene — whether that’s supporting [bands] by trying to get them regular airplay or making sure local music hosts know about them … And he needed to come home … what he does for the community is paramount.”

Not only had Halloran teamed up with the most unlikeliest of comrades, he had also reached out to three other staples of San Diego music (all previous Loudspeaker hosts as well) to expand the station’s local music coverage: Al Guerra, Andrew Rowley and Lou Niles. Together, Halloran explained, they plan to expand Loudspeaker by hosting frequent live showcases throughout the county; getting out to more local shows for interviews, photos and video footage; and even visiting bands in their rehearsal/recording studios.

“Loudspeaker, to me, is what 91X is all about … the goal is that we need, on a weekly basis — through all of these guys — an honest reflection of what’s going on the scene,” Halloran said. “I do believe there’s enough great bands in San Diego now, that it’s a much cooler place than people give it credit for.”

Indeed, the music scene — along with Loudspeaker itself — has changed quite a bit over the years. The current hording of local music gurus is just the most recent change in a long evolution for the show, and the station. What began as a recurring one-song feature on the show “Listen To This” eventually became its own two-hour show in 1988 with original host Marco Collins — who had brought the show format, and ideology, over from his stint at San Diego State’s KCR radio.

Over the next 26 years, its time slot would change, the length of the show would vary, and hosts would come and go — but through it all, one thing remained: San Diego music.

While airplay is crucial and invaluable for our city’s musicians, the station is updating its model and putting some hefty multimedia weight behind the tunes. Enter Rowley, creator, producer and editor of “A Trolley Show” — a web series that captures local and national acts performing while riding the trolley. As a former Loudspeaker host from 2008-11, he’s in a unique position of understanding the significance of not only clueing listeners in to the best music in town — but with giving artists professionally produced visual exposure as well.

“Three weeks in, and we’ve already done two video sessions here,” Rowley said. “It’s simple: Bands are here, they bring in a guitar, we throw it online on 91x.com and you’ve got content, you know? It makes [Loudspeaker] three-dimensional.”

With our city’s musical output seemingly at an all-time high, this incarnation of Loudspeaker couldn’t have come at a more fitting time. A lot has changed for San Diego music since the show took flight, and the hosts seem genuinely excited to see how far it’s come.

“I think the scene is doing really good,” said Niles, Loudspeaker host from 1990-96. “I like how the [San Diego Music Awards] have developed. I like the amount of good studios in town. NBC’s SoundDiego TV show really helps give local music an extra push, and I like that the [San Diego Music Thing] has seminars to help bands with the business end of things; more of that would be good. Expanding Loudspeaker should just bring more opportunities for local music.”

When asked about new, local standout acts, all of them started rattling off names: The Donkeys, Weatherbox, Octagrape, The Young Wild, The Burning of Rome, Schitzophonics, Blackout Party, The Gods of Science, Bakkuda, Ed Ghost Tucker, Taurus Authority, Gayle Skidmore, Glass Spells — the list went on and on. And ultimately, that’s exactly what the San Diego music scene needs: a group of spirited individuals working together in a supportive environment with the passion, the history, and the ability to truly champion hometown musical talent.

Only time will tell, but Halloran believes they’ve accomplished just that: “The bottom line is that [Loudspeaker] has to be the best show in San Diego — and now it is.”

—Dustin Lothspeich is a music writer in San Diego. Contact him at [email protected].