Music & Family: Interview with Karsten

Today I'd like to take a quick second to introduce Karsten, my dad! Being one generation older than me and quite the talker, my father was a great option for this interview to explore his interests in music. 

For some background, my dad is a full time AT&T employee, but he also works as a DJ- which is another one of the reasons I chose him for this interview. Here's a picture of him to put a name to the face

When I first asked my dad about doing this, I knew that he would keep it real and in detail. Without a doubt, that's what he did- so let's get into it. 

My dad was born in Kentucky but he didn't fit in too well with the rest of 'em. He grew up with his mom, dad, and sister. When asked if his family respected or enjoyed his music growing up, my dad let out the loudest laugh I had heard in a while. He then proceeded to tell me a story about the first time he played some music for his dad in the car. My dad had switched the radio station to a local rock station and it happened to be playing KISS- or it was playing KISS before his dad had immediately turned it down and asked my dad what he was thinking. I asked my dad what happened next and he said, "Well, he beat my a**!". 

As my dad was growing up, his family had its own twists and turns and agreement on music was one of them. My dad first grew a liking towards what was then heavy rock: KISS, Metallica, all that. Everything that made 80s rock is what made my dad. But as he grew up he began to tear through the radio stations at night- praying for the clouds to clear so the long distance radio stations would shine through and play some hip hop or rap. He shared that the first song he listened to by Run DMC intrigued him to search for this type of lyrical content and high energy beats. This type of music wasn't anything like what he had heard before, from lyrics that talked about parties, obstacles, positive messages, and unheard experiences. This was when my dad began to turn to hip hop for the stories that were told. 

As he went through his teenage years and adulthood, my dad gained an appreciation for all types of music. In the 90s, my dad was able to meet people and experience music through his friends and different dance clubs. This exposure of reggae and hip hop got him into some new grooves. He said, "It always makes you feel better". 

His favorite song, though it was hard to pick a genre let alone a song, is "It Takes Two". He says that as a DJ, it still makes people wanna dance and smile. 

This is one of the things that pushed my dad into the scene of being immersed in the music by either playing it or issuing it for a party. My dad's classic rock background got him to play the guitar and pushed him to pick up being a dj for the crowd. 

My dad has been in the nightlife scene on top of his corporate job for a while now, so he's been able to see a lot of change in today's music. He explains that he's been fortunate to perform for such crowds, but is a little sad to hear the crowd preference nowadays. He says that everybody is so engrossed in their phones and drinks that they're not there to dance or have a good time with the music. He misses the eras of loud, dancing, and socializing in comparison to this artificial version. He explains that in no means is he trying to diss or diminish the music of today, but he thinks that it's become slower and repetitive. During the first break out of the party scene, DJ's were pushing towards unique sampling and a new party vibe, and since then it's just kind of changed.