Rock Revolution 99.1 FM’s morning man and production manager

“Brando” would “give it all for a little piece of mind.”

Brandon Nivens, May 2004 mass communication graduate, made a demo tape called “Barry the Love Doctor’s Theme Song” for the Pittsburg-established radio station, and they liked it.

Nivens said he was at the right place at the right time and knew the right people.

Since then, he has interviewed a few famous people such as Pauly Shore, Bill Goldberg, Rob Schneider and Stacey Peralta.

“He’s kind of shy, but you couldn’t tell when you listen to him on the radio,” said Kolourz Voss, freshman theatre major.

Nivens started at Missouri Southern in 1998 and finished in five years while playing in several bands including One Track Mind, Parasite Host, Adhesive, Swagger and Mind Orgies.

He also chose his major based on what he thought he wanted to do.

“It (mass communications) was the only thing I could tolerate in college to use my mind and be creative,” Nivens said.

Nivens said he will eventually get his master’s degree, but wanted some experience beforehand.

“If radio doesn’t give me good opportunities, I’ll change medias,” he said.

He had some advice for students today.

“Show up to class and do your homework,” Nivens said.

“Sometimes it doesn’t even matter if you get it done on time. Just do it and find the short cuts.”

Nivens said there are perks about being out of class.

“What I enjoy most about being a graduate is no more classes, no more finals, no more putting in time and not getting paid for it and no more pointless

classes,” he said.

“After graduating you realize what it all means. You are more mature.”

He said he misses the intellectual praise and discussing the deeper issues. However, he learned much about the media being biased, how the news is slanted by the small fraction of people who own them and how politics and politicians are crazy.

“A small majority of people question what they are told,” Nivens said. “People should be skeptical, but not cynical – question everything.”

If he could do it all over again he said would have gotten a better grade point average, showed up to class more and tried to learn German a little better.

Overall, Nivens said he believes Southern prepared him for his career.

“The script writing and voice and dictation classes were very helpful,” he said. “I don’t know if it made me a better speaker, but I notice people and their speaking habits now.”

Nivens can be heard from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday at 99.1 FM Rock Revolution on “The Brando Show.”

For more information, please see his Web sites at www.thebrandoshow.com or www.myspace.com/thebrandoshow.