English professor’s musical interests have transformed over time as he collaborates with Bennies and Johnnies
Nearly 20 years ago, a middle-aged English professor, interested in critical theory and semiotics, decided he was going to learn to play reggae.
The interests that led Opitz to play reggae music in 1992 have led him to his newest musical venture — a collaboration with alumni and former CSB/SJU professor of Spanish and French Tom Daddesio.
The project is quite different from his first album. He wrote most of the new songs in the spring of 2008 and spent about a week last summer recording them in his basement.
Opitz has always collaborated with students. He humbly attributes the success of each endeavor to the other musicians involved.
Senior English major Dylan Ronan met Opitz last semester in a critical theory reading group. They have played a few times together, including playing protest songs in the Ref. earlier this semester.
“I don’t think I could say anything unflattering about Mike,” Ronan said. “He puts the same amount of effort into his music as he does in the classroom. He brings excitement to everything he does. Not all teachers are like that.”
Back in 1992, Opitz’s academic interest in semiotics — the study of signs and symbols within a given culture—pop music and the slave trade, combined with an effort to “bring a bit of culturally diverse music to campus,” led him to collaborate with Daddesio.
Neither Opitz nor Daddesio knew much about playing music, but Brooks Peterson, an English major who graduated in 1992, took them under his wing and taught them to play the electric and bass guitars. Soon the two budding musicians learned to play their first song — Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry.”
Opitz and Daddesio formed “The One Drop Band,” named after the common reggae drumbeat that drops the downbeat on the first count. Their band was well-known on campus from 1991 to 1998, playing at Br. Willie’s Pub, Sal’s and Pinestock ‘98.
“We became the most popular band on campus — certainly the best paid,” Opitz said.
But for Opitz, it was never about the money.
The band often played for organizations such as Amnesty International and Bread for the World. When the two made money, Opitz let the students he was playing with split the profits.
Opitz hopes to donate his latest profits somehow, though he’s not yet sure of the appropriate medium to do so.
“The whole idea of trying to make music and produce it and trying to grub for money — it’s uninspired,” Opitz said, while noting that he is fortunate enough to be in a position where he doesn’t need the money that would be made.
Like his first album, “The 1-Drop,” this one will feature former and current students, including Ronan, Megan Vetsch and Kathee Reagan (Downes).
The new project is constantly changing and has a sense of spontaneity that Opitz enjoys. He composes the songs, which he describes as poetry put to music, then sends them to Daddesio who adds a bass line. The end product is often something different than either one expected.
“My music has changed … it’s not so raucous,” Opitz said, who insists he is too old to carry an electric guitar for five hours. “I don’t know what it is now … we’ve discovered this new sound. It’s not reggae anymore.”
Although the music may be different and the fan base smaller, Opitz’s passion remains the same.
In the spirit of openness, the project is still unnamed. Opitz calls the tracks “twisted love songs,” as they center around the themes of fantasy and desire, but what is to ultimately come remains a mystery even to the musicians.
Opitz and his collaborators are hoping to have the final mixing done in late July.