IF you’re new to the area and haven’t tuned in to classic-rock station 102.5 FM The Bone, Mike Calta’s name might not immediately ring a bell. Most locals, however, are familiar with the show host by both his real name and his former moniker, the one he used in Tampa Bay radio for more than a decade: Cowhead. “I’m 43 and have two kids,” he says with a laugh when asked why he retired the name. “It’s also not a cool name — if I’d had a cool name I probably would’ve ended up keeping it.” A Staten Island native, Calta relocated to the Bay area right after high school in 1989. He wanted to work in media, and an internship with late, lamented FM station The Power Pig convinced him his future was in radio. He’s been an entertaining and influential airwave staple ever since. On his off time, Calta enjoys spending time with his family — wife Amanda, son Joey and daugher Juliana — near home in Land O’ Lakes and beyond.
Favorite taste of home in the ’Burg: GRATZZI ITALIAN GRILLE. “It looks like every Italian restaurant I used to go to in New York, kind of neighborhood, kind of classy, and the food is fantastic.”
Favorite taste of home in the ’hood: VILLAGGIO RISTORANTE in Lutz. “I eat there a lot. It has fantastic, authentic, old-school Italian. The guy who owns it has a ponytail and drives a Vespa. They’ve got hidden rooms in back, wine in the bottle with the wicker bottom. No frills, you probably wouldn’t see if if you didn’t know it was there.”
Favorite place to play a show: JANNUS LIVE. “It’s always great to play Jannus. After going there and seeing shows for so many years, and suddenly you’re on the stage looking out at the courtyard — it’s awesome.”
Favorite place to gear up for a show: GUITAR CENTER. “We have a sponsorship with Dean Guitars, but as far as equipment goes, we do everything at Guitar Center. Those guys have been great.”
Favorite place to take touring comedians: SHOOTERS WORLD. “They want to shoot the machine gun … it’s kind of my hobby now, guns. I’m doing this hunting thing more often.”
Favorite place to not be recognized: PRIMEBAR at Shops of Wiregrass, Wesley Chapel. “One, nobody gives a shit, and two, Jon Cena lives there, and he’s completely trumped any celebrity I might have [laughs]. Nobody recognizes me.”
Favorite remote location for the radio show: UNDERTOW. “We’ve done some really cool stuff there. That place is great.”
Favorite group night out: THE PENTHOUSE CLUB. “It’s one of our biggest places to go out as a group. We even take our wives to the Penthouse Club, if for no other reason than they serve good food and it’s just like a big living room. I’ve never gone there to look at the girls. We’re in the back room, eating a steak and watching a fight, and there happens to be a girl dancing. It takes some convincing to get your wife to go there the first time, but then they’re like, ‘Oh, OK.’”
Favorite seafood to go: LOBSTER HAVEN. “I’m a big fan of lobster. I’m buying all of them there now. We’ll drive all the way from Land O’ Lakes.”
Favorite place to take the kids: LAND O’ LAKES RECREATION COMPLEX. “It’s great for everything — tennis, skating, baseball. They built this fantastic skatepark. And behind the skatepark is a pet cemetery. I’m dying to go walk around back there.”
