ORANGE, CALIFORNIA | Accomplished sports and music correspondent Adrian Gonzalez will be joining the OC MUSIC NEWS writing staff.
Adrian has distinguished himself as a well respected member of the OC music and sports reporting community. He’s been covering the Orange County music and sports scenes for the better part of two decades.
Adrian was raised in the OC during the 80’s where he was exposed to homies, surfers, skaters, and punker’s alike. The diversity helped him not only understand people in general, but also how to communicate, which came in very-very handy later in life as a reporter.
As for his family, he had 9 older siblings; that only heightened the range of musical opinions and interests that he would be fortunate enough to grow with. He had parents that were born in the 40’s and his siblings were born in the 60’s and 70’s. Again, only adding to the eclectic taste in music within the home, and dancing… there was lots and lots of dancing and joy in his home.
His love for live music started when he was very young. He had an Uncle who lived in an old farm house on 3rd street in Santa Ana. He hosted shows, which enabled young Adrian to listen to some now iconic punk bands from the comfort of his parents van. Back then he listened to the sounds of Black Flag, Social Distortion and X.
Story of My Life by Social Distortion
As a kid, he was identified as the guy at school that listened to everything and was an expert in everything that kids were into. He was the go to dude when classmates, and sometimes teachers, needed to know the name of a song, or band. As you can imagine, in his early years Adrian studied the album art and inserts of 100’s of vinyl records and cd’s. He practically lived at the local record stores learning what would later become his calling. We all know the haunts we loved back then; Tower Records, Music Plus and Bionic.
Adrian told us back in the day his older siblings would bring home records or cd’s and tell him “You really have to listen to this band.” He went on to say he took pride of knowing obscure bits of trivia about music and the artist that made it.
The Specials cover of Pressure Drop
As a teenager, he was in the OC during the big 3rd wave ska boom. As the music Gods would have it, Adrian is a gifted and recognized swim instructor. His passion for music has always stayed by his side. Over the years of going to shows at every venue in SoCal; he got to know many of the bands that he loved as a kid. He eventually got entrenched in band promotion and merchandising. In later years, he became such good friends with so many bands that he’s been asked to be in some of their music videos. His favorite he says is his cameo as a Mad Scientist in Half Past Two’s “Smile Like You Mean It” (Killers cover).
Smile Like You Mean It by Half Past Two
Circling back to the past to circle back the future, along with music Adrian was raised in a home that loved following local sports teams. The family loved everything about the Dodgers, Lakers, Kings, Rams and Raiders. Adrian tells us that if Fernando Valenzuela was pitching, the kids weren’t allowed to touch the television. We can all relate to a family like that.
FERNANDOMANIA!
His love for sports led him to venture in the world of sports broadcasting where he founded a short-lived weekly podcast called “Off The Top Sports.” He literally got to live his boyhood dreams and got to interview athletes and executives from different sports. It was during those years he earned his broadcasting and interview skills.
Circling back to the present to get to the future, Adrian joined forces with TNN RADIO and began his tenure in music reporting. With the launch of OC Music News in the latter part of 2019, Adrian was able to use his love and connections of both sports and music to land a spot as a music and sports columnist.
Adrian will be covering southern California music and sports teams and events. His stories are now being published at ocmusicnews.com.
Adrian’s First Sports Story for OC Music News
Adrian’s Not Music Related Factoid: Adrian has twice been recognized by the city of Tustin for his work as a swim teacher.
For More Information Contact Us at: ocmusicnews@yahoo.com
