James Raymond is never at a loss for words -- especially when it comes to the freedom of speech guaranteed on local public-access cable television.

"That's such a powerful right, I can't stop speaking about it," Raymond says.

And he speaks from experience. Ten years ago, the wiry redhead -- then a 16-year-old at Napa High -- angered some parents and school administrators with his late-night cable program on metal music, "Brutal Chaos."

Retired Napa police chief Dan Monez chuckles as he recalls "the long-haired, red-headed trouble-maker" whose unfettered show sparked complaints about profanity at the public's expense.

"The way public access works, it's absolutely his right" for Raymond -- or anyone else -- to control his own program, Monez says.

"Freedom of speech, that's it," says Raymond. "I was able to walk in here without restrictions and do the show I wanted to do."

Napa TV Channel 28 backed its young producer over school officials' objections, and "Brutal Chaos" ran for more than a year.

Fast-forward a decade: Monez is now executive director of Napa TV -- and Raymond is his right-hand man.

"The stations literally would not operate without him," Monez says.

In order to make Raymond the stations' full-time operations manager, Monez negotiated what he calls a "very reduced salary" for himself, along with a flexible work schedule that allows Raymond to both run his own video production business and tour with his heavy-metal band.

"I decided it would be better for the station," Monez says. "He's obviously very much in demand."

Monez calls Raymond "one of those unique individuals who has very, very strong technical skills and knowledge and very strong people skills. The guy is amazing. Extremely talented, extremely intelligent, very creative."

Add "generous" to the list: After growing out his red hair until its length was practically a trademark, Raymond had it chopped off last January, and donated all 15 inches to Locks of Love, the Florida-based nonprofit that provides human-hair wigs for children with long-term medical hair loss.

Drafted by Dreamweavers

With all his experience in television, Raymond never dabbled in acting -- until this summer, when he was drafted into the lead role of Shep in Dreamweavers Theatre's recent production of "Early One Evening at the Rainbow Bar and Grille."

Director Louise Anderson had already auditioned more than a dozen men for the challenging part before spotting Raymond at a Channel 28 workshop for Dreamweavers volunteers (including this correspondent, the troupe's publicity manager).

"He seemed very cognizant of his body and where he was, and confident about his material," Anderson recalls. "I thought to myself, 'He could play the part of Shep.'"

She wasn't alone. Two of Anderson's castmembers -- lead actress Taylor Bartolucci and Raymond's Napa TV boss Monez, who played a gun nut -- had already thought of him for the role. A talented understudy was ready in case of scheduling conflicts.

In the end, Raymond says, he was "out of excuses."

Anderson says "He worked harder, I think, than anyone else -- because he knew he had to learn all the basics before investing himself in the character."

Like Monez, Anderson praises Raymond's quick intelligence.

"Light bulbs keep going off in his head," she says.

Raymond says he enjoyed the show, even at the expense of other work -- not only at Napa TV but in his own business, Napa Valley Media Productions.

"I'm seven projects behind," he admits cheerfully.

"Flatline" is just a stage name

Few Napans who saw the Dreamweavers play, or pass through the Napa TV studios, would connect the energetic, articulate Raymond with the name "Flatline."

The moniker certainly doesn't describe his rapid-fire drumming. But it's as Flatline that Raymond performs with his longtime heavy metal group "Vengince," which has released two CDs sponsored by the Jagermeister brand of herbal liqueur.

"When I found out that that was the kind of band he was in, I was amazed," Anderson says, adding with some understatement, "His interests are eclectic."

The band recently performed at the famed Warfield in San Francisco, and next month Vengince plays the Bakersfield Tattoo Festival -- the perfect venue for a Jager band.

Sporting no visible tattoos himself, Raymond says his stage name is just that -- a name, not a character. He developed the alias on the road over 11 years with Vengince, touring as far afield as Massachusetts.

"I sleep like I'm dead," he says. "Flat-lining."

Born at Queen of the Valley Hospital, Raymond grew up on five acres in Rutherford, where his parents, John and Agnes, gave him the use of a shed for drumming practice.

"They've encouraged me in anything in life," he says.

Raymond also gets plenty of encouragement from his job at Napa TV, which allows him to make a living without having to quit when Vengince goes on tour for a month and a half.

"I love it. I absolutely love it -- couldn't say enough good things about it," he says of Napa TV.

On top of the flexible work schedule that lets him run his own business and tour with the band, "I love the fact that it's just such an educational outlet for people, and it's meant for the public."

www.napatv.org

www.napavalleymediaproductions.com

www.vengince.com