Shorter grew up in Barry Farm. In his late teens he started managing Junkyard’s business affairs, and he’s played a backstage role in the group ever since. He then went on to co-found the Go-Go Alliance in the mid ’90s. He has since served on various boards and commissions, including the Go-Go Coalition (gogocoalition.org), where he’s currently president. He’s also sold a few PA tapes himself at his now-defunct record store on Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Now in his mid-40s, Shorter continues to live a life dedicated to promoting, cultivating, and protecting the art form. He does great radio and an even better one-on-one. No one can offer a better tutorial on the genre. And few have done more to protect it from legislative busybodies.

—Jason Cherkis