Rollins
In the finale of "Bent By Nature," Henry Rollins shares his remembrances of Deirdre: the DJ, tastemaker, and human being who changed his life irrevocably.
Promised Land
Days after underground post-punk luminary Julian Cope was announced as a guest on “SNAP!,” the show was off the air. Deirdre left KCRW for good in June of 1991. Then she left LA, too, for a while. The following year, she showed up in rural England to live with Cope and his family.
Half A World Away
R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe discusses his life in LA in the mid-’80s, at a time when he and Deirdre were kindred spirits pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable within mainstream culture — and how Deirdre helped shape both his musical trajectory and that of artists to come.
Ages of You
This week, we pay tribute to SNAP!’s listeners, whom Deirdre called the show’s “heart and soul.” It’s a story about two young women finding their way, and the courage that music gives us to imagine our futures.
Crossing Over
David Lowery of Camper Van Beethoven explains SNAP!'s place in a larger movement spreading across the country in the mid-’80s, and how the band navigated their own transition from indie darlings to major-label recording artists.
Haywire
Venturing into flyover country’s freak scene with Glass Eye’s Kathy McCarty and Brian Beattie, Deirdre’s favorite independent act from Austin.
Almost Magic
If Deirdre had an official partner-in-crime, it was Syd Straw, who appeared on "SNAP!" five times. She would sing with a band, or over backing tapes that she brought with her, or she would just guest DJ. And no topic was off limits. They had their own wild chemistry: funny, fearless, and more than a little bent.
The iconoclast
Deirdre’s friends were the musicians. She held record companies at arm’s length, and didn’t let anyone tell her what to play on her show. She had battles with her bosses, and was fired and rehired at KCRW.
Bent music
Steve Wynn was the leader of LA’s Dream Syndicate and, later, a solo artist. He performed on “SNAP!” under both auspices.
Growing pains and rising tensions
And sometimes Deirdre was at odds with her bosses at KCRW. Ruth Hirschman (later Seymour) was the Station Manager of KCRW at the time. But Ruth was also the person who put KCRW on the map, turning it from a low-powered college radio station to become one of the most well known radio stations in the world.
Mystery off the mic
There’s a lot about Deidre that was mysterious. She was always hiding her face with her hair or a hat, and she didn’t like having her picture taken. It always felt like there was a lot going on in her head. And the “SNAP!” music, and the musicians who performed there, were her way of taking a break from all that.
KCRW
A collection of the greatest music stories never told. Join Lost Notes for Bent By Nature , a new 10-part documentary series and digital archive about the most influential American DJ you've never heard of. Deirdre O’Donoghue was a vital force in the musical underground of the 1980s.
Rollins
Throughout “Bent By Nature,” you’ve heard many stories of the lifelong connections set in motion by Deirdre O’Donoghue. But none were quite as surprising as the bond between Deirdre and fellow iconoclast Henry Rollins, the former Black Flag frontman, musician, writer, actor, activist, and longtime KCRW host.
Promised Land
The artist has got to be not like the historian. The historian’s got hindsight. He can go back and go, “That was a great moment.” But the artist’s got to go, “No, I was there.” It’s like, history is something that happens. You can’t be there at history. — Julian Cope, May 10, 1991 It’s May of 1991.
Half A World Away
It’s September of 1984. And Deirdre is head over heels for a fast-rising quartet from Athens, Georgia called R.E.M. In just a few years, the band’s music will be inescapable on commercial and college radio alike — and their massive success will mark a turning point for the American musical underground.
Ages of You
In the mid-1980s, two young women are coming of age in the San Fernando Valley. In a few years, when they’re teenagers, they’ll both latch onto DJ Deirdre O’Donoghue, for totally different reasons.
Crossing Over
It’s New Year’s Eve, 1986. Deirdre is talking with the LA Times’ music critic, Robert Hilburn, about the musical trends of 1985. Deirdre O’Donoghue: I don't think that the big, quote-unquote, "rock" stations can very much longer ignore the growing numbers of people who are listening to alternative radio stations all around the country ...
Haywire
It’s Independence Day Weekend, 1988. And Deirdre is celebrating the return of Glass Eye, her favorite independent act from Austin, Texas. They’ve just released their third album, “Bent By Nature.” But Deirdre’s allegiance to the band went much deeper than a catchy title.
Episodes
Throughout “Bent By Nature,” you’ve heard many stories of the lifelong connections set in motion by Deirdre O’Donoghue. But none were quite as surprising as the bond between Deirdre and fellow iconoclast Henry Rollins, the former Black Flag frontman, musician, writer, actor, activist, and longtime KCRW host .
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