My 45 Minutes of Fame

You know that secret dream you have deep down inside–the one you’re afraid to say out loud because it might sound silly? Mine has always been to be an expert commentator on NPR. Today, my simple dream came true. I had the honor of appearing on WNYC’s excellent music talk show, Soundcheck, with British Ska Legends, The Specials (p.s. They’ve aged a bit since this photo was taken).

Brian Wise, a producer at Soundcheck, contacted me after he read an article I had written on ska music that was published on PopMatters. That was a shocking day. In the weird world of cyberspace, you never think anyone is reading what you write. I did the interview from home in Boulder, Colorado–was nervous as hell–but pulled it off pretty gracefully. Host John Schaefer even called me “an authority” on ska. A great day indeed!

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