Listeners of the award-winning WMSC 90.3 FM college radio station at Montclair State University got a surprise treat this week when President Jonathan Koppell stopped by to spin his collection of vinyl 45s on a special show, \u201cDr. K\u2019s Vinyl Fantasy Funhouse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dressed in a funkadelic outfit of multi-colored paisley with bell-bottom pants and a gray fedora along with some funky shades and a Red Hawk face mask, the president channeled his inner \u201cDoctor of Funkology\u201d and spun some ’70s funk, ’80s college rock along with some one-hit wonders and even The Boss.<\/p>\n
His teenage daughter Elsa, in the studio helping him spin the records and quickly dubbed \u201cPrincess Von Funk,\u201d played along, especially when it came to her dad\u2019s attire. \u201cI\u2019m dealing with excitement and embarrassment at the same time,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I\u2019m appalled by my father\u2019s fashion choices but also admire his confidence in pulling them off.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to \u201cDr. K,\u201d he saved the 45s from being thrown away and destroyed and brought them to WMSC where they would be enjoyed and protected. \u201cI was in Arizona \u2026 hunting for vinyl and came across the mother lode on its way to a dumpster \u2026 I rescued it from certain doom.\u201d<\/p>\n
With help from recent Montclair graduate Kenny Horn ’21, Dr. K led off the Vinyl Fantasy Funhouse with the Go-Gos\u2019 \u201cWe\u2019ve Got the Beat\u201d and the B-52s\u2019 \u201cRock Lobster,\u201d a nod to a favorite pair of lobster cufflinks he\u2019s been seen wearing on campus. For the next 90 minutes, he spun a variety of music, including, of course, some funk with \u201cPlay that Funky Music\u201d and \u201cFunkytown.\u201d<\/p>\n
During their banter, Horn mentioned that the president had been at Montclair since August, and Dr. K replied \u201cthat\u2019s true, but that\u2019s sort of a side gig. I only do that to keep the lights on so I can spin vinyl. That\u2019s what I\u2019m really about.\u201d<\/p>\n
To listen to WMSC, tune in to 90.3 (on and around campus), visit the station\u2019s website<\/a> or on iHeartRadio<\/a>.<\/p>\n