If you’re a regular Point listener, chances are you’ve heard Zeb Norris’ voice in your dreams — it’s just that memorable. Norris has been working in radio since 1976, when he won a KTYD/Santa Barbara “listeners become announcers” contest — two weeks later he was hired. Later, Norris was the first Bay Area commercial DJ to play Metallica. “They couldn’t get any love in the early days,” he says. Drummer Lars Ulrich called Norris personally to thank him. As program director at the Point, he’s still discovering great new music; his recent favorites include Fitz & the Tantrums, Mayer Hawthorne, Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes and the Avett Brothers.

SEVEN DAYS: Are there any songs in the current Point rotation that you secretly hate?

ZEB NORRIS: Hate is a strong word, but I am not enjoying John Fullbright. Critics love him, though, and so does our music director, Mike Luoma.  So even though it’s like mating alley cats to me, since we are a collaboratively programmed station, we play him.

SD: Who’s the most recent band/artist you’ve fallen in love with and why?

ZN: I get crushes on talented musical women [who] I meet through work pretty easily. Oddly, that didn’t happen with KT Tunstall... until I jokingly kissed her hand. That’s when the perfume got to me. It smelled expensive, but it was worth it. I was helpless.

—Megan James