A programer Profile of David Grenon
Caileigh Morrison: What is your programme called and when is it?
David Grenon: I do Can Con All Night Long, which is an hour-long programme from five to six on Mondays. It is all Canadian; it’s generally music that’s not widely known, although sometimes I make mistakes and play Polaris Prize Nominated Artists. It’s all over the place; it’s a really eclectic show with lots of different sounds. Sometimes it’s garage rock, or post-rock, or Tin Vespers...there’ll probably be a lot of Tin Vespers on it for a while...or experimental music. Primarily experimental music, I think, although I may be wrong about that. Sometimes I just play full albums by bands because that’s a great way to hear a band, or I’ll at least play a few songs in a row by the same band.
CM: When did you first become involved at Trent Radio and in what capacity have you been involved?
DG: I think I got involved in 2005 or 2006, in the September of that year...unless I started in January 2006...I’ve run a bunch of different shows. Can Con All Night Long is in its second year. There’s Noise For Peace, which is a mysterious entity that floats in and out of the schedule that I’ve been doing for about a year. It’s a live noise show. And I’ve been on the board of directors for one year now, and I’ve been an operator for almost the entire time I’ve been here. There were a couple of years I was gone...I think all in all I’ve been here for four or five years. Wait, that’s impossible.What am I saying? This is my fourth year.
CM: What initially drew you to Trent Radio and why do you continue to stick around?
DG: The movie “Pump Up The Volume” with Christian Slater sparked my interest in radio when I was about thirteen or something.
CM: I’ll need to see that.
DG: For real. There’s this kid somewhere in the States in high school and he sets up a pirate radio station and it’s really badass and great because it’s Christian Slater. Don’t make me sound like a huge fan of Christian Slater [laughing]...although I do like Heathers as well. So I think that’s kind of what sparked my interest in radio. And I was always interested, well at least on and off, in electronics and stuff, and I think radio is an extension of that interest. And when I was in Waterloo, I wanted to get involved at the community radio station there, but then I couldn’t because they...I don’t know why actually.
CM: Because they sucked?
DG: Well, I kind of sucked a bit too at the time. I’m much better now [laughing].I thought it was awesome; I’d see they could play whatever they wanted, so I knew when I came here I wanted to get involved with that. And then probably on Clubs and Groups day I found the table or whatever and filled out a programme proposal. I don’t remember what my first show was, but I certainly somehow found out about all the people doing live noise like Dahn Mirabelli and Brion Wagner and Meagh Culkeen. They all kind of encouraged me and I ended up with one of my first live noise show called “Gently Wallowed the Bear”. It had a really funny intro but I’m not going to say it. And then I stuck around because the people here are pretty real. I was going to say humble and honest, but that’s not necessarily true...although it is primarily. And everyone is generally kind and supportive of one another and interested in people being interested and not just what they’re interested in, if that makes sense.
CM: Yeah, I get that.
DG: I’m sure you do [laughing]...
CM: Can you tell me and all the aspiring noise-makers out there about noise and how cool it is?
DG: I can do that. Noise is...oh Jesus. Noise is...I don’t know [laughing]. It’s kind of a really loosely-used term encompassing all sorts of experimental audio or experimental sound, so drone, radio art - though I’m careful with the word art. There are a bunch of different people in town who are into different types of experimental sound. Brion Wagner, who has a show on Trent Radio called Preying Mantra, is starting to do live noise, Full-Metal Booty does stuff in town, and there are a couple of other people that do jams around here. And certainly we have people at Trent Radio that would be really happy to share what they do with people. I know Brion Wagner’s show with Mannlicher on Tuesday night is always open to anyone who wants to join in. We Live Here Too has parties in town where they generally feature some kind of experimental sound. Often the parties end up dance-oriented but they start off with soundscapes and drone, really cool stuff. Sometimes at Artspace on Saturday by accident you’ll come across a show. Actually, soon Noise For Peace will be having shows, so if you keep your eyes open you’ll be able to check it out.
CM: Sweet!
