Professor Plays: Sean Robinson, Professor of Communication

Fulton Bryant-Anderson 

Writer

Meet Visiting Instructor of Communication and Nighttime Sports Editor at The News Tribune, Professor Sean Robinson. Professor Robinson teaches writing classes and advises Showrunners, PLU’s student-led creative film group. 

I caught up with Professor Robinson and asked him what he is listening to.

What was the last song or album you listened to?

Goin’ Out of My Head by Little Anthony and The Imperials, written by Teddy Randazzo, is my latest earworm. On a few songs that group has a perfect John Barry-esque quality that also hits a classic ’60s girl-group vibe. I think Amy Winehouse could have nailed a cover version.  

Who is your favorite musician and/or band?

Brian Wilson. It’s not so much particular songs, though I love many of them—it’s the snippets that show up here and there, bits of polyphonic vocal madness, chord changes and transitions scattered like veins of musical diamonds. He calls them “feels,” which I love. Pet Sounds is a perfect record.

What did you listen to in college?

A lot of stuff I don’t listen to anymore. The Police, for example. But I still like Peter Gabriel and Elvis Costello. I also discovered Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue in college. That’s the greatest album ever made.

Beatles or Beach Boys? 

Beatles. I know, I just said Brian Wilson, but The Beatles were a better band. So many more great songs that still stand up.

Favorite concert memory? 

Queen—Seattle, 1982. Freddie Mercury was the best live performer I’ve ever seen. Billy Squier (The Stroke) was the opener, and he did a nice clean set.

Any music you’re looking forward to?

I don’t know much new stuff. I guess I should say I don’t look for it. A lot of it bores me—a few producers writing hits for everybody—so I don’t keep tabs on the latest. The last debut I noticed was Adele’s 30. I’ll listen to anything she does. I can’t resist good singers. If I discover music, it’s usually because someone sends it to me, or it shows up in the background of something I’m watching. I found Barns Courtney (Glitter and Gold) that way. My son sent me Uptown Funk a couple of years ago, and I’m like, wow, this is great, and he tells me it’s been around for years—so that’s my level of awareness.

During the pandemic, I found myself listening to tons of classical—the Symphony Hall channel on Sirius. I know some stuff in the canon, but I’m enjoying learning it, and getting to know composers and their styles. 

What are your hobbies outside of work?

I play chess a lot. I walk my big dog in empty fields. I’m a newspaper editor, and I’m also teaching here, so I’m constantly reading news and editing work by students and journalists when I’m working. When I’m off the clock, I need peace.

Professor Plays is a weekly column written by Fulton Bryant-Anderson. Bryant-Anderson is the co-general manager for PLU’s student-run radio station, Lute Air Student Radio. He also writes Fulton’s Music Room, a monthly column in the Mast. Listen to his radio show Ambient Hour every Tuesday 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Visit plu.edu/lasr to learn more about Fulton and Lute Air Student Radio. 

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