Travis is our new “high mogul of the front desk.” We spoke on June 4th.
Michael A. Brown: You’ve been involved for a long time with non-profits and community service. Tell us about that please.
Travis Pope: I’ve always wanted to help and leave things better than I found them, which is why my background is in education, the non-profit sector, and the service industry. In 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, I started volunteering at the food bank and it soon turned into a job distributing food to folks in 21 Texas counties. I’m proud of my work there because it helped me hone my quick-decision and conflict-resolution skills. I also have been active in civics, especially with cultural events, which I like because they connect me to the community.
MAB: What sorts of radio have you done, whether commercial or community-based?
TP: I was a student DJ on KTXT, 88.1 FM college radio at Texas Tech from 2005 to 2008. We saw and heard some amazing groups come through Lubbock and the Bright House, with one of my favorites seeing No Age as they blew up at Bash’s Far Bar. The whole radio realm was exciting and fun to do, but I was away from radio since then and wanted to get back to it.
MAB: How did you and KOOP first get together?
TP: I was an avid listener, especially while driving. I liked the niche programming such as Rocky’s show and Dark Side Daddy. And then I started listening to other KOOP programs because they were fun and not what you usually hear on the radio.My first volunteer shift was last August at a tabling event at Batch. People came up and told me how much they appreciate and love KOOP. Afterwards, I increased my volunteering and was greatly impressed by the programmers … how much effort and detail they put into their shows, and I wanted to do that too. And now I do!
MAB: Talk about your role as Volunteer Coordinator.
TP: I conduct monthly new volunteer orientations and station tours for our new people. Then I administer a program to match their stated interests with the opportunities and volunteer teams available to them at KOOP. I also help all volunteers find opportunities to get their required hours. Currently, I’m working with the Community Council to streamline the event process and find additional ways for new volunteers to apply their unique skills at those events … skills like audio recording, writing, photography, or similar.
MAB: What have you experienced so far with KOOP and our volunteers that you consider very cool … and what might you like to hear and see going forward?
TP: I love the passion that new volunteers bring to the station. They believe in what KOOP is doing and are enthusiastic about being part of it. And with volunteers who have been at KOOP a while, their passion is still evident on every show. For myself, I like that I can connect people and help them arrive at that moment where they “get it” and can achieve what they intend. Going forward, I hope to assist the PC (Programming Committee) in identifying any gaps in our programming. I also want to help amplify our community voices via the Community Council and our outreach to local musicians and others.
MAB: You’re a certified KOOP programmer with your own show. Tell us all about that please.
TP: My show is Creature Feature, streaming on Friday eveningsat 8pm. I go by “DJ Creech” and feature Trip Hop and Down Tempo … the origins and how the genre evolved from the Bristol, UK scene in the 1990s. At the time, a lot of DJs there were playing Break Beat but then started playing slower music from bands like Wild Bunch which became Massive Attack, Portishead, and Sneaker Pimps. Trip Hop took off in the US and worldwide in the mid-‘90s, and I serve it up on KOOP in 2025.
MAB: How about a sneak preview of your upcoming broadcasts?
TP: Well, with KOOP’s new schedule, we have a new title track for the show. Plus, I’ll be playing the song that caused the Trip Hop name to be coined … you have to listen to find out which song it is. Plus, we’ll explore some Trip Hop history … the beginning, the middle, and what it might influence in the future.
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You can enjoy Creature Feature with DJ Creech every Friday at 8pm, and also encounter him in-person at the station weekdays from 9am to 1pm during the summer and usually at Saturday KOOP Events.
Interview by Michael A. Brown