Beyond the Dial: Meet Marcus Springs

Only on Mana’o Radio will you find over 40 volunteer DJs from such diverse backgrounds and musical influences. Often musicians themselves, our DJs have fascinating stories, musical journeys and passion for the music they share with you.

This month we are excited to feature Marcus Springs! For over 9 years, Marcus has been part of the Mana’o Radio family. His show is indeed unique – in fact he’s been known to describe it as “a soulful sonic sci-fi soliloquy of paranormal proportions.” With his gift for words, phrasing and an amazing voice for radio, you’ll love tuning in to start your Tuesday mornings from 6:00 to 10:00am with Marcus!

Don’t forget, you can always catch the show later or have a second helping by visiting The Marcus Springs Show page and selecting an archived show! Now, let’s get to know a little more about Marcus Springs!


How did you get started at Mana’o Radio? Why did you want to be a DJ on this station?

“Tony Novak-Clifford, former Mana’o DJ and host of the “Academy of Errors” show, along with a mutual friend Scott Johnson, recruited me. Scott has a knack for making essential meetings happen, so I believe Tony trusted his judgement and gave me a chance. That was 9 years ago now and I’m eternally grateful for their confidence in me. I’ve always wanted to be on the radio and I love music. It was a perfect fit for me.”

Describe your show — what type of music do you play, what’s the vibe? What should the listener expect?

“Funk, Soul, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Jazz, Progressive Rock, Electronica, R&B, Dub, World, Afrobeat, and Dancehall. The vibe is one long continuous groove. You can expect to hear songs that you’ve never heard before but somehow already know and love.”
 

What’s your philosophy about music; why does it matter in our lives?

“Music is a pre-lingual way of hearing the world. We’ve had music for infinitely longer than we’ve had language.”
 

Most people are surprised that everyone at this station is a volunteer including all 40+ DJs. Why do you share your time and talent week after week?

“I make connections with people through the music on our radio station every week. That is much more valuable to me than money.”


At Mana’o Radio, DJs are able to play whatever music they choose; there’s complete freedom with no commercials. How do you think that affects the quality of the music played at Mana’o Radio compared to other stations?

“In the case of my radio show, it means that I get to play any music from any country or era simply because it is superb. I don’t think DJs at most stations play music because they think it is a cut above the rest. I think they play it because they are told to. We are all allowed to cultivate our own tastes and our own production at Mana’o Radio.  It makes for dynamic programming with something for everyone.”


Where do you find your music? What inspires you as you create your shows?

“I get my music from Request Music at 10 N. Market Street in Wailuku. Right down the street from the Mana’o Radio studio.”


Why is independent, commercial-free radio important?

“For the same reasons that independent people, opinions, and tastes have always been important. Homogenized music and culture is temporary and tasteless. Depth comes from perspective. Each show on Mana‘o Radio comes from someone with a unique and independent perspective on music.”

Check out “The Marcus Springs Show” Sample Playlistbelow from August 3rd. You can listen to a replay of his show on demand from our website at The Marcus Springs Show page. You’ll see why Marcus continues to be a favorite DJ at Mana’o Radio!

The Marcus Springs Show Playlist

August 3 2021 6:00-10:00 am

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe – Elephants
The Relatives  – Revelations
Papadosio – Magreenery
Tricky – Gangster Chronicle
London Posse – Gangster Chronicle Remix
Beats Antique – Veil of Tears
Fishbone – Chim Chim’s Badass Revenge
Fishbone – Bonin’ In the Boneyard
The Heavy – Same Ol
Jon Cleary – Aint Nuttin Nice
Adrian Sherwood – The Ignorant Version
Keebs – Mario Underworld Moombahton Mix
Billy Cobham – Stratus
Lettuce – Fly
The Wild Magnolias – Ho Na Nae
Tom Tom Club – Say I Am
Michael Viner’s Incredible Bongo Band – In-a-gadda-da-vida
Trombone Shorty – Suburbia
The Electric Peanut Butter Company – Big Tweed
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Dragon Queen . . .

This is a partial listing of the August 3rd Marcus Springs Show. For the complete playlist, KMNO’s complete playlist archives are available at Spinitron.

Follow Marcus here on Facebook. You can listen to The Marcus Springs Show or replay it any time with our Listen On Demand feature.