#23: Emil Berger
HBD from HDB!
Emil Berger is a Stationary Engineer and IT’S HIS BIRTHDAY! 🎈🎈🎈
Age: 35
Hometown: City Island
Currently: Upper East Side
Zodiac: Taurus
Check out the Birthday Boy’s Playlist:
One song you can’t stop listening to right now:
Neckscars - Cutting The Line (At Fest)
First concert you attended:
Dropkick Murphys with Sick Of It All, Horrorpops, and The Tossers opening. At what's now called PlayStation Theater in Times square, maybe Nokia theater at the time, 2006
Genre that has unexpectedly grown on you:
Whatever the hell U2 is. Growing up I never understood how anyone could find them interesting, but over the years I've slowly come to find quite a few of their songs rather enjoyable.
One album or DJ mix that you think everyone should listen to:
Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves.
Not one skippable song on that album. No explanation necessary for fans of punk rock, but incredibly palatable for those who aren't
If your personality were an artist or band, who would it be?:
Dropkick Murphys, although they were such a large presence in my life during my formative years, it was probably a direct influence, a serious band that knows how/when to not take themselves too serious
Your pick for most underrated artist:
Go-to karaoke song:
I like to mix it up, and generally try to feel out the room but Kelly Clarkson - Since You've Been Gone and The Monkees - I'm a Believer are always in my back pocket for when i need them.
Who in your life has shaped your musical taste the most?:
Without a doubt, it would be my father. Primarily a blues fan, but he had a great collection of punk, ska and reggae records that would be playing in the house growing up. He introduced me to bands like The Ramones, The Clash, Sex Pistols, Lou Reed, Stiff Little Fingers, Sham 69, The Specials, Toots and the Maytals, and the list goes on, i heard these bands and gravitated towards them, eventually moving on to more contemporary bands that were coming out.
A few times a year he'd take us down to St. Marks Place (at the time it was still common to see mohawks, studded jackets, bullet belts and all sorts of punk rock weirdos in the east village) he'd give my siblings and i some cash to hit up the used record shops down there while him and my mother had a few pops and a break from us at Bull McCabes, still a good spot for a few cold ones by the way, if readers find themselves in that neighborhood even though the used record shops are long gone.
What’s one question that you think I should ask future guests? How would you answer it?
Q: What are your favorite venues to see live music at?
A: I love the Warsaw in Greenpoint, and the Rooftop at Pier 17 seems to be a regular spot of mine nowadays to catch a show.
Honorable Mention: CBGBs, only been once for the last hardcore matinee before they closed down, but it was an all star lineup and the history there can't be beat.
Dishonorable mention: yankee stadium, great venue for a ballgame but i saw garth brooks there once and i must have been about 5 miles from the stage
I made a playlist for our readers based on your answers. Give them one more bonus track:
Cock Sparrer - Runnin' Riot
Every week I’ll pick a song to add to our guest’s playlist. My pick for Emil:
Go New York Go- Jesse Itzler