Crowds gathered inside 7th Street’s 13th Floor to celebrate the 30th anniversary of KOOP’s Stronger Than Dirt on Saturday, December 7th.
Words and photos by River Holland Bryan
The atmosphere was relaxed and vibrant inside the 13th Floor, where dozens gradually filled the intimate venue just off Red River and 7th Street. The occasion was a 30th birthday celebration – not for any one individual but for KOOP’s longrunning staple Stronger Than Dirt, which airs two hours of wide-ranging rock music – punk, garage, new wave, and beyond – every Saturday night.
Host Scott Gardner was relaxed and friendly, mingling with guests before manning his DJ station for a live broadcast followed by performances from Big Bill, Sugar Shack, and The Ugly Beats. Normally a vibrant two-hour injection of eclectic mixing, tonight’s show was “going to be more of a nostalgic event,” according to Gardner the day prior, flanked in his home by a towering, bedroom-scaling record collection. “I’ll kick back and play some personal favorites.”
It’s a fruitful reward for a lifetime of service to Austin’s music scene. Gardner, a Houston native, has perhaps been pre-determined for said service; he was born into a music-loving family and quickly took to local AM radio for its inclusion of community music. He recalls early memories of listening to his older sister’s vinyl records while she was at school and subsequently developed along with the rock genre – from the British Invasion to Punk to New Wave to the present.
Several guests greeted Gardner on arrival, reflecting a level of personal community with which Stronger Than Dirt has coincided. But it hasn’t always been this way. With Gardner formerly daylighting as a high school German teacher, the show’s early days – which included original co-host Bob Coleman – were somewhat rock and roll in itself. “I had no experience in radio, so it was on-the-job training. The equipment in the early days was hand-me-down, used, and not the best. It was humble beginnings.”
Since then, Gardner has retired from teaching and focuses on the show full-time; he showed me a detailed, handwritten list of music that he jots down for future episodes. He partly credits his friends and KOOP contemporaries for the “cross-pollination” of eclectic taste and champions artist-oriented platforms like Bandcamp for empowering smaller artists. “No artists are getting paid unless they’re the Rolling Stones or the Beatles, but (through Bandcamp) an artist can go and self-release songs if they want.”
Gardner (left) with original co-host Bob Coleman, circa 1995. (Photo by Tim Hayes, courtesy of Gardner)
It’s this spirit of purity in sharing and supporting music that flavors Gardner and Stronger than Dirt’s work and legacy. “I’m on Instagram and tag every small band. I try every two-hour show to get in 6 – 8 new songs. It’s absolutely a rewarding experience.”
Despite the rising influx of digital curation and AI-based DJing, Gardner has also observed younger people’s appreciation for radio. Citing KOOP’s UT-based sister station KVRX he noted, “They’re from a generation that basically streams and they don’t really listen to radio, but they think it’s cool – I guess as some kind of a cultural artifact. It was heartening to see.”
Scott Gardner celebrates 30 years of Stronger than Dirt. “I still feel like I have something to offer. In the studio, I’m still doing air guitar or air drums, so some things never change.”
The most rewarding aspect of the show? According to Gardner, the art of sharing music itself has always been a noble endeavor. “I think of my show as a sort of weekly mixtape. I’m not saying money isn’t important, but it’s never been a major motivator in my life.” Likening to his teaching days: “I didn’t go into teaching to get rich, but my feelings with the students were always gratifying.”
With Stronger than Dirt now climbing a landmark, Gardner also maintains relevance and love for his work. “As old as I am, I still feel like I have something to offer.” He said. “In the studio, I’m still doing air guitar or air drums, so some things never change.” Indeed, Gardner spent his Saturday night dancing to his curated set before the live performances, enjoying the long-coming yield of his work, yet still happy to keep the party going. Cheered on by a full house, he announced, “I’ll see you all again in 30 years!”
You can listen to Stronger Than Dirt every Saturday night online at KOOP.org or by tuning into 97.1 FM between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM. You can also listen to archived shows at https://koop.org/program/stronger-than-dirt/. For more Stronger than Dirt and curated music recommendations, follow Gardner and the show through Instagram and Facebook.