Daniel Mescher is the digital producer for Indie 102.3. He has produced Inside Track and contributes to CPR News’ Colorado Matters program.

Education:
Bachelor’s degree in psychology and statistics, Northwestern University.

Professional background:
Daniel joined CPR in October 2013 as digital producer for OpenAir. Prior to that, he interned for WXRT in Chicago and also served as business manager and student DJ for WNUR in Evanston, IL. More recently, Daniel was a Blueprint Math Fellow in the Denver Public School System and also provided support as an OpenAir volunteer.

Q & A

How did you become interested in music?
My first foray into rock music came via the Beatles. “Breakfast with the Beatles,” hosted by Terri Hemmert on WXRT, became an unbreakable Sunday morning ritual. The Beatles led to the Stones who led to the Clash who led to Joy Division, and so on and so on. Somewhere in there I bought a guitar and taught myself to play along with Dad’s Neil Young records, sealing my passion for music forevermore.

How did you get into radio?
I remember staying up late listening to stations like WXRT in Chicago, eagerly awaiting song after song and recording my favorite tracks onto cassette tape (this was around the turn of the millennium, so I was a little behind the time with technology as a kid).

My older brother went off to college when I was in middle school. When he came back home to visit, he detailed how he became involved with his campus’ student-run station. So on my very first day of college I sought out the student radio station and found work as an apprentice on a show dedicated to the music of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, a program for which I eventually took over hosting duties. My radio story came full circle when I found an internship with XRT, the very station that sparked my interest as a rabid young music fan.

As a music radio employee, my goal is and always will be to spread the joy that I received on those late nights hunched over my stereo.

How did you end up at CPR?
I moved to Colorado after graduating college to work as a full-time math tutor. As summer approached and school would soon be out of session, I decided to reach out to CPR about writing for OpenAir. I worked as a volunteer for several months generating digital content and supporting the station at events like the UMS and Raise the Roof before joining full-time. I am so grateful and lucky to work at a station as remarkable as Colorado Public Radio and I am certainly glad for my initial decision to get involved as a volunteer.

Favorite music?
This is always a difficult question, but my stock answer is: whatever moves me, be it emotionally or physically.