Favorite restaurant? Bucci, an Italian place in Grosse Pointe Woods. Favorite place to go to unwind? Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle, Detroit. Favorite place to take out-of-town guests? Hitsville - the Motown Historical Museum in Detroit. Favorite place to go for live music? The Ark, Ann Arbor. Most romantic place in Michigan? Pretty much anywhere on the Old Mission Peninsula. Michigan’s best-kept secret? Funky, scruffy, arty Ypsilanti. Favorite annual Michigan event? Detroit Festival of the Arts. Favorite place to view art/gallery? Detroit Institute of Arts. Favorite place to hang out/party? Gusoline Alley in Royal Oak. Favorite place to people watch? Detroit's Lafayette Coney Island. MiLife MiTimes | 300 N. Washington Square | Lansing, MI 48913 Privacy Policy

This Month's interview: Martin Bandyke Meet Martin Bandyke, one of Michigan’s most interesting media personalities. For over 20 years, Bandyke introduced southeast Michigan radio listeners to an eclectic variety of music not available elsewhere on the airwaves, via his popular program on WDET-FM, Detroit Public Radio. He recently made the jump to morning-drive commercial radio at ann arbor’s 107one (WQKL-FM), still spinning tunes and interviewing musicians, but also talking to fascinating folks working on various cool community events and issues in and around Ann Arbor, home of Bandyke’s alma mater, the University of Michigan. Bandyke writes about music as well, in recent years for the Sunday Free Press (the new name for the former Detroit News and Detroit Free Press combined Sunday newspaper, now produced solely by the Free Press). MiLife MiTimes’s Kim Silarski, a Detroit-area freelance writer, has a unique perspective on Bandyke. She’s his wife of 11 years and a former news anchor/reporter at WDET, where they met. We asked her to get Bandyke’s responses to this list of questions assembled by MLMT staffers. When did you realize that music was your passion? I was pretty much hooked early on when my dad brought home albums by the likes of Charles Mingus and Dave Brubeck when he worked at a mom-and-pop record store in the late 50s/early 60s. I firmly believe music is the best, most transcendent art form - but that's just me! Certainly listening to cool radio stations like WKNR-AM and WABX-FM while I was growing up played into it. In 1983, I started working in music radio myself.   How is the music you have played over the years different than typical radio programming? I love to play tunes from both new and established artists who you might not hear much on other radio stations. These days I tend to drift a bit more toward roots-rock bands and all sorts of singer-songwriters, but I still enjoy everything from blues to jazz to classical.   Because your programs feature live musician interviews and performances, you've met an array of artists in person. What's that like? It's incredibly exciting and at times a little scary. The cool part is that 99% of the musicians I have met are extremely nice and accommodating, especially if you have a sincere interest in what they do. Some are much more articulate talking about what they do than others, which makes for a better interview, of course! I treasure the times I have spoken to Elvis Costello, who lives and breathes music; Maceo Parker, James Brown's longtime sax player, so very friendly and easy to talk to; my soulmates, Los Lobos: singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier, who's been to hell and back in her personal life.   Many of your listeners recount how they’ve purchased CDs based on what you selected for your program, often way more CDs than they might have otherwise bought. How do you decide on what new music you will play? It's all about my ears making a judgment about whether the artist has fully achieved his vision - is there originality? passion? soul? brains? abandon? precision? Different questions for different artists. You don't judge a new White Stripes album the same way you judge a new Detroit Symphony Orchestra recording!   Where do you see your current position going? Where would you like to take it over the next couple years? I love being the new morning drive host at ann arbor's. It's a total blast to both play tunes and be connected to the A2 community - there is so much to cover, so many people to talk to. I fully intend to fight the fight in support of creative music for many more years to come. Satellite radio can leave me pretty cold, but I did subscribe to XM specifically to hear “Theme Time Radio With Your Host Bob Dylan” because Dylan is my all-time favorite artist. For me, what makes radio compelling is its local aspect and the personal relationship you can form with listeners who go to the same concerts, et cetera.   You also occasionally DJ outside of radio. What do you like about that format, and do you think you will be doing more of it? Still getting me sea legs at 107one, but definitely will continue to do more outside DJ gigs. Love having that close connection to listeners when I DJ at clubs & private events. I love it when I can play a tune in a club and see people get on the dance floor!   Had you not pursued this career path, what do you think you would've done for a living, maybe in an alternate universe sort of way? My fantasy job might be somewhere in the area of trying to save endangered animals.   Have you ever played in a band? I played drums in the Zooks and Retro, which were active in the 70s & 80s. Retro had the honor of performing on the same bill as Iggy Pop, the Gang of Four, Pere Ubu, Simple Minds, and many others.   What are your “gone but not forgotten” local live music venues? And your current favorite? I loved the Punch & Judy, a movie theater in Grosse Pointe that also featured some excellent concerts, including the first Talking Heads show in Michigan. I also treasure Bookie's, the scuzzy bar on 6 Mile and Woodward where every major punk/new wave band played in the late 70s/early 80s. Today, I’d say it’s The Ark, in Ann Arbor - intimate, great sound system and attentive audiences. Who would you put on your all-Michigan all-star band lineup? James Jamerson-bass, Pistol Allen-drums, John Lee Hooker and Joe Messina - guitars, Earl Van Dyke - keyboards, Marvin Gaye and Iggy Pop - vocals. All but Hooker and Iggy worked for Motown.   What are your interests outside of music? I got hooked on racing at a young age, when Formula One champion and '65 Indy 500 winner Jimmy Clark made the cover of Time magazine. I admire the courage of people who do something for a living that I could never in a million years have the guts to do. I watch a ton of racing on TV – F1, IRL, NHRA and sometimes NASCAR. I also read way too many newspapers and magazines, while hanging around the house with my beautiful wife Kim and our cat Lulu. And for exercise I do power walking, about five miles per session.