37 - Alan Cross: The definitive Canadian curator and contextualizer of alternative rock
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Alan Cross is the voice of a generation. Well…to be accurate…by this point, he’s the voice of at least a few generations. Alan has been a broadcaster for 40 years and while he’s done a ton of work throughout his career, he is best known as the host of the syndicated radio series The Ongoing History of New Music, which he started (against his will…more on that in the podcast interview) in early 1993.
Today, he’s approaching 1,000 episodes of that show. They’re also available as podcast episodes and if you’re a music fan (and really…who isn’t?) I highly recommend that you check it out if you’re not already familiar with it. Alan creates shows that are insanely easy to listen to. They’re full of bits of trivia, nostalgia, storytelling and, of course, music. And the thing that brings it all together is that iconic and instantly recognizable voice.
I’m extremely grateful that Cross took the time to speak with me. The fact that he did so in the middle of the holidays says even more about what a solid dude he is. We talked about his start in the radio business, his work ethic, his philosophy of success, which famous musicians make even him a little bit starstruck and a lot more. Hope you enjoy it!
CONNECT WITH ALAN CROSS
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Thank you for taking the time to listen. If there’s someone you’d like me to interview, please leave a comment below, write me an email or connect with me on social media.