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10 Questions with ... Shelby Taylor-Thorn
July 26, 2016
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I'm the new kid here. 94.3 The X is my first industry gig.
1. How did you become interested in radio?
I did a little bit of college radio just because I wanted to meet people at school, and I was pretty bad at it. That ignited a long series of events though, which I guess eventually landed me here. I wasn't ever one of those kids who always knew like, "That's what I want to do," but I think I found my niche. Hey, better late than never, right?
2. What led you to 94.3 The X when the station flipped to Alternative in the summer of 2015?
I was actually already here! I was just hiding. I've been around since the fall of 2014, when 94.3 was still active rock. #SLAYER. I was working off the air, but as soon as the decision was made that 94.3 was going alternative, I wanted to be all-in.
3. Tell us a bit about 94.3 The X, Front Range Alternative.
94.3 The X is Northern Colorado's only station that plays everything from the '90s Seattle grunge era to brand new alternative rock releases.
We have a completely unhealthy obsession with Eddie Vedder impressions, pictures of Dave Grohl that look like Jesus, and we all think Courtney did it.
4. How would you describe your afternoon show?
My afternoon show is where the Kings Of Leon meet the Queens Of The Stone Age. It's a little '90s grunge mixed with brand new music, and hopefully it makes being stuck in traffic suck a little less.
My favorite part of my show every afternoon is when we "take a new song for its first spin on The X" during the Test Drive at Five. New music is always so fun. I also really like Turntable Tuesdays, when we play music straight off of vinyl records in the studio.
5. What are music meetings like at the station?
One thing that I love about working for this station is that the music decisions are made here, under our roof. Justin Tyler, who programs The X, and I sit down and we decide what music we want to bring to Northern Colorado. We're not trying to model The X after other stations or play it safe. We'll take chances on new music because we can, and I think that's the way that it should be.
6. What is your favorite part of your job?
When you can pair an over-size flannel shirt and knee socks, not do your hair, and call it 'work appropriate,' you're in a good place. I get to come to work and just me (minus the swearing).
7. Describe the typical workday in the life of Shelby Taylor-Thorn.
Too many lattes from the machine downstairs. Aside from that, my work day entails coming into the studio in the morning to create online content for our station website, which could be anything from recording a YouTube video to editing audio from an interview. Then, I get on-air at 3 pm and bring the music to the people.
8. What do you like best about living in Ft. Collins?
I moved to Fort Collins the day after my 18th birthday, and I'm about to hit seven years here and couldn't be happier to still be around. Because it's a college town, there is a lot of night life and culture and excitement, but if you hit the road out of town for about 10 minutes, you can get completely lost in the mountains. It's the best of both worlds.
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ___________?
Black eyeliner and coffee. Not black coffee though. Two creams and a sugar in that.
10. What would surprise people most about you?
People seem pretty surprised when I tell them I don't really drink alcohol. I never got the official "straight edge" tattoo so I'm still allowed to bend the rules every now and then if I want to, but it's just not really my thing.
Bonus Questions
What are your hobbies?
My hobbies became my full-time job: going to concerts, writing and making killer mixtapes.
Last non-industry job?
When I first started on 94.3 The X as the midday, I was still juggling a second job. I did radio by day, but I was moonlighting in dietary room service at a hospital by evening. My job was to go room to room and deliver dinner to patients. I did that for four years; it was actually a really fun job.
First record ever purchased?
My parents were both always very nurturing of my love of music, and were great suppliers, but the first album I can recall actually going out and buying myself was Decemberunderground by AFI.
First concert?
My cousin brought me to Warped Tour when I was 16.
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