This radio host lives on more than mere ‘Breakfast’

AS people today mark the 25th anniversary of John Lennon’s death, Chris Carter is still doing his part in keeping the music alive. Now in his fifth year hosting “Breakfast With the Beatles” Sundays at 8 a.m. on KLSX-FM (97.1), Carter has a special edition of the show ready for this weekend.

The 47-year-old Sherman Oaks resident has long been immersed in pop culture. He was a founder of the band Dramarama (“Anything, Anything”), and helped produce the 2003 doc on DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, “Mayor of the Sunset Strip.” He’s now working on a biopic of Warhol protege Edie Sedgwick, “Factory Girl.” It’s an eight-days-a-week schedule, but Carter, wife Allyson and daughter Nicole have some fab weekends too.

Like Mom makes

My mom is one of those old-school Italian cooks, and on a Friday night, one of the places where I can get food like that is Vitello’s, which Robert Blake helped make famous. My friends from New Jersey saw him there, and I told them, “He’s on the menu too.” But the thing they do best is sausage. I always get it on the side with my regular order of ravioli with meat sauce.

Afterward, I might go see a concert, but I don’t go out as much as I used to because on Friday nights I’m usually preparing for the show. A monkey could program a Beatles show and it would still be good because it’s Beatles music, but I think if you put extra effort in, it comes out.

Playing the classics

On Saturday morning I’ll take my daughter to Big Kid, an amazing vintage toy store with much more interesting things than what’s being put out now. It’s got the classics like Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots, and there’s a soda machine that has Tab, Original Coke and Dr. Pepper with that distinct flavor from the 1972 formula that some mad chemist whips up.

Then we’ll go to Freak Beat Records and look around. I used to go to Amoeba, but Freak Beat is a neighborhood place, which is nice. Later, we might go to lunch at Cathy Moriarty’s place, Mulberry Street Pizzeria in Encino. It’s where people from the East Coast go to when they’re looking for great pizza. Then I’ll head back home to my office -- which used to be our two-car garage -- to put together the show. Later, we’ll go out to dinner to Toluca Garden, where the Chinese chicken salad is great.

To work and back

On Sunday morning I’m up at 6 and my producer Mikey picks me up and we get to the station by 7:30 for the 8 a.m. show. It’s fun driving through Hollywood at that hour and seeing the people who are on the streets. We play “who’s been out all night and who’s just gotten up.” After the show, I’ll get a touch football game going with some guys, and then we’ll come back to the house for a barbecue.

Later that night, we might go to one of our favorite special places, the Saddle Peak Lodge. I’ll get the roast duckling, but my wife is more adventurous -- she might go for the elk or some other game meat.

Afterward we might go see a new band like the 88, but when I look at my ticket stubs over the past year, I see Oasis, Paul McCartney, the older stuff. I once got to introduce Ringo Starr on stage at the El Rey, and it was one of the highlights of my life.

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-- Mark Sachs