Me with my Frank Zappa vinyl The Xavierite
If you’ve ever seen me around campus, chances are you’re seeing me at the radio station, with a band shirt on, talking about music like it’s my life’s work.
Everyone has their hobby in the world, and music is not just a hobby; it’s a life’s calling. Much so, I can’t picture my life without having a good tune to cycle through the day.
It started pretty simple, I was a sixth grader who joined the track team and wanted something to listen to as I ran around the neighborhood. From that, I downloaded Spotify and the rest was history.
To be fair, I was not always an old head when it came to music, in fact, I was a huge fan of Twenty One Pilots for the longest time and then my brother put me on with Jimi Hendrix when I was in the eighth grade. From there, music became a distinctive part of my life.
When I went into high school, I was accompanied by my older brother, Nick, for my first year. He would drive me every morning and for some reason, “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas was always playing at 8 am and we’d always sing it together.
For those kinds of memories, I’m grateful as now I look back and smile at how happy we used to be going to school which no high schoolers said ever.
I have my brother to thank for my music journey as he is the one who truly put me on with most of the music I listen to now. Having a sibling means you have a built-in best friend and someone you can share playlists with.
Honestly, classic rock had a different impression on me. It felt so natural and gave me chills to hear mystical lyrics with a hypnotizing guitar riff. To me, it was more special than what I was hearing on the typical radio stations, it felt like music that was speaking to me.
That feeling was at its peak in the summer going into my sophomore year of high school where I discovered “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” a studio album released by Pink Floyd in 1967. I recall listening to “Interstellar Overdrive” by pure chance off my Daily Mix off of Spotify and thinking to myself “woah this is life-changing,” and indeed it was.
That album is what introduced me to a subgenre known as ‘psychedelic rock’ which later put me on bands such as Grateful Dead, The Doors, Yes, Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience and plenty of others.
I was simply fascinated by this music and I finally felt a place of belonging that was yearning for years prior. I found my niche if you will, as I wanted to feel bonded to the music I listened to but couldn’t seem to find a match. I felt that connection when I found psychedelic rock and it gave me a life I wanted to have.
Years to follow, I studied the music, collected it in various forms such as CDs, cassette tapes, and my personal favorite, vinyl records. It truly became a passion that was almost infectious as I wanted to share this love with other people and remind everyone that music will never be outdated just because of the year it was released.
For me, there is something so radiant about spinning a vinyl record as it feels like you’re taking a time machine back to a period you wish you could always see. I’d prefer to spin a vinyl record over a listening platform any day as it feels more real especially when you hear a crackle from the record.
Music became my life quicker than I thought it would. I found myself talking about it consistently and even taking time out of my day to explore different genres of music or studying what I knew prior. I was simply fascinated with everything music had to offer this world and it made me feel like I had a purpose.
Upon entering college, an old friend suggested that I apply to work for WXAV 88.3 FM as a radio show host. It was the best decision I ever made, as I met the people who promoted my passion for music and it even allowed me to be the music director after just being in the radio for three months prior.
The Xavierite
Due to my love for music, I had a job that allowed me to explore my passions further and later to change my life for the better. Joining management was the best decision that was brought my way at SXU and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity even if it just lasted a year.
The Xavierite
Throughout that year, I went under press passes for so many exciting events and my two favorites being Riot Fest and C2E2.
I went to Riot Fest in Sept. 2023 and was able to attend all three days with my colleague, Natalie Chibe, as we explored the various vendors and got to the front row for our favorite artists. My core memory of Riot was waiting for four hours to see the Foo Fighters and it was the best memory as we made new friends along the way and indulged in the best cheese fries ever.
It was worth every second to see Foo Fighters as I was so close to Dave Grohl that I was remembering this is the same guy who knew Kurt Kobain and played in Nirvana with him. It was almost like a full-circle moment of seeing people perform on your TV or phone, but now they are directly in front of you.
My last memory of being music director was attending C2E2 in April with Brian Raica and Athena Reum, my coworkers from The Xavierite.
You’d think a music director couldn’t attend non-music related events, but fear not, because they absolutely can.
As someone who is a nerd in disguise when it comes to Star Wars and cult classic movies, I knew this was going to be a fantastic experience and even more so, going with people who became your close friends.
This event had to be a personal favorite as I was able to see so many people dress up as The Dude from the Big Lebowski or Napoleon Dynamite. The whole thing was just a time to enjoy myself, have fun, and take it all in while I could.
As I begin to reflect on my time in music, it’s safe to say that my love for music is the reason I’ve made it as far as I have with radio and onward. When you’re passionate about something, opportunities will be at every corner you turn to.
To my friends from SXU Student Media, thank you for everything and I wish us all the best happiness and success as we all travel to the next chapter. Rock on.
– Vanessa Orlando