10 Questions with ... Justin Barney

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

88Nine Radio Milwaukee is my career thus far.

1. How did you become interested in radio?

When I was a kid, I remember my grandma saying to me, “I wish I had two lives, one to do my normal stuff, and one to listen to the radio.” She introduced me to This American Life, and I fell in love with audio storytelling. I always loved music, and in college I thought it would be fun to tell stories about music. It still is fun. 

2. Radio Milwaukee is celebrating 15 years! How long have you been at the station and how has the sound evolved during your time there?

I have been at the station for almost 10 years. I started as an intern. I was supposed to work two days a week for three hours a day. On the first week I just started working every day for 5 hours. They tried to get me to move on, but I wouldn't. After a year they hired me, and I’ve been here for 8 years. 

Our sound has changed as music has changed. But it’s always been incredibly diverse. I came in around 2012. The trend at that time was tail end of coffeehouse singer/songwriter and our playlist reflected that. We were also playing mostly men. I have been intentional about making our playlist sound how Milwaukee looks. That’s half female identifying and a majority non-white, as it is in most dense cities. On top of that I listen to our staff a lot and try to keep up with what’s cool. 

3. What is the coolest thing the station is doing right now?

Right now, Tarik AKA the Architect, is creating an Urban Alternative station. Most of the work that we do is to change Milwaukee for the better, but I think this is going to do more. I think it will change our industry for the better. Urban Alternative is the new Alternative. It’s going to create an industry around it. More artists of color will be signed. More underrepresented people will be hired in the music industry. More voices will be heard. It’s a change with radio in the lead and there is no one I trust behind the wheel than Tarik Moody. It is going to shake shit up. More info coming soon… stay tuned

4.. What are the biggest challenges for Radio Milwaukee?

Giving people a reason to listen to the radio. 

5. How do you feel about the current climate of music?

There is a lot. Which I love. At the end of the day, my favorite thing is discovering a song that I love. Every time I really fall in love with a song, which is often, I am reminded of what a fantastic job I have.

6. Where do you find new music?

Trusted sources. Pitchfork. Stereogum. Twitter. I really love when all my friends are talking about the same release on Twitter. And when I need something really weird, I will go to my local record store Rush Mor and talk to Dan behind the counter. He’s my favorite source. He’s got a story for every record or song, and I’ll always walk out with a comp from some country I’ve never been to, from a time period I never experienced. 

7. What would surprise people most about the station?

We used to operate out of the basement of the public schools administrative building. Our call letters are WYMS which stands for We’re Your Milwaukee Schools.

8.  What is the most radical thing you have done appearance-wise?

When I was in fifth grade, a western wear store opened down the street from us. It was called The Cowboy Store. Walking in was like walking into Abilene, Kansas in 1863. So, I read every book I could get on cowboys from the golden era of cowboys, 1860-1880, and I wanted to be a cowboy from that era, so I bought a cowboy hat and anything I could as a fifth grader and dressed as a traditional cowboy for a year. 

9. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work? 

I really love reading. If I have any hint of free time I am listening to a song or podcast, watching a movie, or reading a book. I love graphic novels and really fell in love with this Japanese author Yoshiharu Tsuge, who only has like three works translated, but each one is so good. Highly recommended.

10. First Concert?

Weezer and Pixies at Summerfest in Milwaukee in 2005. I saw a sexual act in the third row of the show that I will never forget. Looking back, it was just an average show. I’ve never seen a spectacular show from Weezer. But I knew every word to every song, and yelled them at the top of my lungs, which must have been hell for the people in front of me, but I have no regrets. 

Favorite Band of All Time?

Woof. I used to have a show on my college radio station, WSUM, called Tom Waits and Tom Waits play Tom Waits, and my friend and I would impersonate Tom Waits and play his music. I don’t listen to as much Tom Waits as I used to, and for some reason The Flaming Lips have taken over my life in the past three years, and Black Country, New Road is my favorite band right now, but the other night, I got back from the bar and put on a Tom Waits record and, god damn, nothing can compete with Tom Waits, the romantic.