Famous Firsts with Dave Hanacek
Dave Hanacek
Music Director/ Middays
92.9 KJEE Santa Barbara's Modern Rock
It was the late '90s, and I had this wild balance—drafting full-time by day and playing in two bands by night. But something was missing, so I decided to take a chance and intern at the local radio station. I started small, answering phones at night, then eventually found myself hosting a weekend show. Fast forward a few years, and I was on air Monday through Friday from 6 to 10 PM, then moved to afternoons. Eventually, I became the music director. Each stage of my journey was more challenging, but also more rewarding. I wasn’t just playing music; I was shaping the vibe and turning the airwaves in Santa Barbara into my playground. It was a crash course in the radio business, and an absolute blast.
In 6th grade, I had one goal: get to the LA Forum to see Van Halen on their 1984 tour. I begged my sister and her boyfriend to take me, and looking back, I had no idea what I was walking into. But once those lights went down and Eddie Van Halen hit the stage, I knew one thing for sure – I was witnessing something incredible. The energy, the volume, the power of that show? It changed the way I saw music forever. It was the first time I truly understood that live music isn’t just a performance – it’s an experience you feel. I’ve never forgotten that moment.
When I was 8, I saw the cover of Elvis Presley: Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite and had no idea who Elvis Was – but something about that album spoke to me. I begged my mom to buy it, and when I finally dropped the needle on that vinyl, I was hooked. The man’s voice, his swagger, his entire presence -- it felt like I was being introduced to the very soul of rock ‘n’ roll. That was the moment I realized records were more than just songs—they were an entire world waiting to be explored.
July 20, 2001 – Green Day’s Warning tour, and I was lucky enough to score my first live interview with them at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Now, when I say they didn’t hold back, I mean it. The entire interview was full of bleep-worthy moments, and they didn’t care. I was trying to stay professional, but they were doing anything but that. It was chaos! In this industry, things don’t always go according to plan. You can’t control everything, but you can control how you roll with it. Green Day gave me a masterclass in spontaneity, and I learned the hard way.
Then there was that Saturday morning in my late 20’s. I had definitely overdone it the night before, but somehow I made it to the station to cover my shift. Long story short, I fell asleep at the board. Cue 20 minutes of dead air – nothing but pure silence. When the program director came in and saved me, I felt like my soul was leaving my body. In radio, you can’t phone it in. You have to show up, no matter what’s going on in your head (or your hangover). It was a lesson in accountability, but also in humility. Dead air is real, and it’s not your friend.
