Don’t Be a Critic, Be a Curator | Dave Nadig on Finding What Moves You

In this episode of Just Press Record, Matt Zeigler welcomes back Dave Nadig for a conversation about music discovery, community, and the art of curation. The two explore how radio, mixtapes, blogs, and the internet have shaped the way we find and share music across generations. From college radio stations to TikTok, from Dr. Demento to The Cramps revival, they discuss how music connects people, defines eras of life, and captures fleeting cultural moments. This episode is a nostalgic yet forward-looking exploration of how community forms around sound, and how documenting what we love keeps the signal alive.

Main topics covered:

• Radio as a community builder and discovery engine

• The evolution of music discovery from cassettes to streaming

• College radio, mixtapes, and the importance of shared curation

• Nostalgia, generational shifts, and the persistence of new music

• Music blogging, Substack, and finding filters in a world of abundance

• Temporary communities formed around concerts and festivals

• The art of documenting musical eras through playlists

• Why music remains one of the strongest cultural anchors in the age of AI

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and setup
04:58 Dave’s return to ETF.com and community building
06:47 The Laurie Kaye and Kevin Alexander radio clip
09:46 Dave’s early radio memories and Dr. Demento nostalgia
13:05 Cassette trading, hot takes, and early musical opinions
15:00 College radio and discovering community through sound
17:44 From radio to live shows and finding local scenes
20:00 Early internet and the dawn of digital music discovery
22:00 Record store culture and physical community
24:00 Music as a personal act versus a shared experience
27:00 Curiosity for new music and why discovery never ends
29:00 TikTok, subcultures, and modern discovery engines
31:00 Communities, fandoms, and cultural tentpoles
34:00 Playlists as time capsules and memory markers
37:00 Pandemic music and anchoring moments in time
39:00 Temporary communities and the concert experience
43:00 Finding meaning through curation and connection
46:00 Closing thoughts, shoutouts, and where to find Dave