This is the third in a series of interviews with DJs from BC’s FM radio station, WZBC 90.3. This week, The Heights talks with Brendan O’Brien, A&S ’02.
How did you become involved in ZBC? My dear love of music. ’Twas the only thing my father could hear before he died, and now, I listen to it to remember him. Oh, if only he could see me now.
What time is your show on ZBC? My show is Monday from 7 to 10 a.m., which happens to be the one time I continuously end up being occupied at. I love doing my show and I keep missing it. It annoys, it annoys.
What type of music do you play and why that type of music? I listen to some lovely, lovely music. As of late I listen to a lot of electronica because it is a genre that can really have a nice driving beat, and little twists and turns that keep you interested. I also like to play American punk, which is just nice for the methodic pounding sound and creates this great groove in your brain. Next would come garage punk, like Billy Childish or The Cynics – a raw, really strong and underproduced form of punk that’s got a nice emotive edge. Finally, surf rock, wonderful, wonderful surf rock tantalizes me. It has this great play on music, a dive up and down that keeps you interested, following each twist and turn of the tune. It is so ornamented, if it’s good surf rock, that your ears can’t hear the entire song at once. You have to listen to the song three or four times to hear it all. It’s powerful and so lovely.
What are your top five groups right now? Eyeliners, Holly Golightly, Dick Dale, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Hives.
What were your top five groups four years ago, and why do you think you’ve changed if you have actually changed bands or styles? Sunny Day Real Estate, Modest Mouse, Polvo, Dick Dale, Jawbreaker. I still really like all these bands but I over-listened to some of them, others just kind of aged for me and the sound lost its edge. Of course, Dick Dale is ageless.
If you could go to a concert of any performer or band of any time who would it be and why? Going to a Bach concert would be kind of interesting. The guy had a passion and drive that was awe-inspiring. Contemporary performers, probably Dick Dale for his incredible, unrivaled guitar playing, maybe the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, just once for the stage show.
What are your thoughts on Whitesnake, Nelson, and Poison? I love big hair bands. Diddly, diddly, what times were those, such craziness, it was lovely.
Did you ever try to emulate Axel Rose or any other member of Guns & Roses? When I was stuck under the floorboards by my parents, I would hum their songs to keep me from crying.
How much would you pay to get a ticket to a Journey show? I would kill my first born.
Do you listen to “mainstream” radio, and why? I do, sometimes, as long as it is loud, just to keep me awake in the car. The thing is that I don’t mind a lot of mainstream music. Some is excellent. The only problem is that it is so overplayed that I get sick of it and listening to it again and again irritates my brain.
If you could change one thing about BC, what would it be and why? Giant pterodactyls that roost on top of McElroy and grab people off the Dustbowl – just to keep things interesting, another little interesting tidbit to talk about at parties. Also, a little more attention paid to merging what seems to be the polar opposites of the BC community.
What’s one thing people might not know about you? I love peeps.
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