Overnight Sensations

Overnight Sensations is a genre-free zone in the grand tradition of late night radio. You will hear brand new releases interspersed with great songs from the last fifty-or-so years covering punk, country, blues, R & B, folk, jazz(-ish), classic deep cuts, indie rock, bluegrass, and anything that I forgot to mention. I play pretty much whatever strikes me in a given week. Local music is always in the mix and requests are always welcome, no matter what it is. I’ll make it work, and I’ll make it worth your time.

Get to Know Your WMSE DJ Profile

How do you spend your days and nights when not hosting your radio show?

I repair professional audio equipment for a living. Amplifiers, mixers, keyboards, PA systems, that sort of thing. Dealing with musicians on a daily basis keeps me tuned into what’s going on around town. So I spend a lot of time in my shop with a soldering iron in my hand while listening either to WMSE or previewing musical candidates for next week’s show.

Outside of work, I love going out, preferably on two wheels of the self-powered variety, to see live music. Summer in Milwaukee is great because there is always so much going on that you have to choose between several options. The free park concerts during the week are great. My perfect night out involves bands, biking and beer, possibly in that order.

I also live in an old house, so that keeps me busy. There is always something that needs attention.

Do you remember what band, album or song took you from being a casual music listener to a passionate music lover? Is there a memory associated with that experience?

There’s nothing specific. I just grew up with it. Constantly listening to 60′s Top 40 radio exposed me to a lot of genres of music, unlike most radio today, which is so compartmentalized it’s stupid. The late 60′s and early 70′s was an amazingly rare time, in that a lot of the most cutting edge music was also extremely popular. As I got older I just kept exploring different things and never lost that interest. In the 80′s I did sound for a local band called The Squares. We played out a lot, which opened my eyes to the amazing local music scene in Milwaukee. I met a lot of musicians and came to appreciate what it takes to get their music out to the public. As a DJ, I try to support that as much as I can.

What band have you heard or discovered in the past six months that reminded you why you want to continue being a WMSE DJ?

Usually it’s a band at some club show that hits me over the head with an amazing set that reminds me why I love music. There have been several recently, but the one that comes to mind is finally seeing The Figgs at Linneman’s. Over two hours of amazingly great power pop. I pedaled home in a rainstorm and didn’t even care. I was in such a good mood.

Who is your favorite non-you WMSE DJ and why?

I can’t pick just one. Friday mornings with Dr. Fell and the Chicken Shack get my weekend started. It’s just a fun, goofy couple of hours. I love Buzz’s Garage for the music and the trivia. The Good John does an amazing job subbing in any time slot and always unearths some real gems.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

6″1′? It’s probably too late.