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10 Questions with ... Matt Malone
November 22, 2016
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Basically a 5 year rocket-train. Began by working simultaneously at WLS-FM in Chicago and WLUM in Milwaukee. Ran away from the Midwest for a brief programming stint at KURQ (New Rock 107.3) in beautiful San Luis Obispo, CA (#RIP) and now back to the big leagues for my first stop in KC,MO.
1. What led you back to Cumulus this past summer to join X105.1 Kansas City's Alternative as APD/PM-drive?
Mostly, the universe. When you move halfway across the country, you never expect to be living in your car just over a year later, but sometimes that's how the world works. The owner of KURQ, El Dorado Broadcasters, decided to leave the San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria markets, my station was sold, became a translator for a Hispanic station in Ventura and I got 30 day's notice. Packed up the little that I own into my SUV and traveled around the American Southwest for about 2 months.
In that time, I had a lot of great conversations with a lot of great people - but in the end, it was the help of a man I've never personally met in Rick Vaughn, PD at KHTB in SLC. As you'd expect, I sent out a TON of e-mails and had many positive responses, but Rick and I bonded over our admiration of Fook's mustache and as soon as he heard word that KCJK had flipped - he sent me the info and told me, "Good Luck." It was my luck that I had previous experience working with Cumulus KC Market President Donna Baker, who along with OM Lance Tidwell, started quick communication and before I knew it... I was in KC with a new step in my career.
2. What do you love most about working for Cumulus?
The attitude and dedication. The Cumulus level of radio isn't for the "faint of heart." Every member of the team is putting in 110% every second of the day and when you live for radio, every single day, 24 hours a day, that's who you want in your corner. There are no "loose ends" or "weak links," from top to bottom, it's a team that knows the goals we're striving for and they're willing to put in the work to make it happen. With that, of course, comes the satisfaction that you've put in the hard work and you've made a product you can be proud of.
3. How would you describe your afternoon show?
A kid who loves music, is beyond happy to just be involved and hanging out with my new friends. That's the only way I can describe it. My number 1 priority as the APD/MD and on the afternoon shift is the music. That has always been my focus. Having the ability to curate a playlist that people will connect with and enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I love to talk, but that's not the focus of my show. I'm just along for the ride. As Andre3000 once said, "Y'all don't want to hear me, you just wanna dance." And I want to dance with them.
4. What is your favorite part of your job?
Probably an odd answer, but the constant... everything. There's always a next step and there's never a "this can wait." I'm restless, which is a trait that has always run in my family. Idle hands and all that. I need to be working. The more I work, the more I accomplish, the more I learn, the better I feel. With the small team and big goals we have at X1051, there is never "down time" and I wouldn't have it any other way.
5. What is most important to you when you're considering new music for X105.1?
First and foremost, how I feel it will connect to my audience. There isn't a single more important thing to me than, "Will my listeners enjoy this." I want to be honest with them; I'm not going to feed them something with the idea of 'You SHOULD like this." That's not my place.
6. What are music meetings like at the station?
Music meetings at the station are one of the most enjoyable parts of the job and it's easy when you're working with Lance Tidwell. I feel very fortunate that he and I have found very common ground on the music we enjoy, the music that fits the station and how to utilize it for X1051 and our audience. Setting aside a block of time where he and I can just listen to all of our considerations, seeing how it feels to us, getting excited about it, all while matching it up with thorough research to put together the perfect playlist. It's like discovering new music with your friend every week - stress free and positive.
7. Tell us about your new specialty show and new music features that recently debuted on X105.1
I am most passionate about New Music Discovery. One of the first things I wanted to get started at X1051 is a specialty feature, and now I have with SoundcheX on Sunday night. Digging through stacks of e-mails, CDs, and records every week to put curate a tight, 2-hour playlist to give KC a taste of something fresh, new and different. My tagline is, and always will be, "Let's Discover Something New Together," because that's a fundamental connection between you and a listener. If you can be there when they hear the song that changes their lives, or even their day, it's something special.
However, Music Discovery isn't all about me. We at X1051 believe in #MusicForEveryone, everyone should be involved, have the opportunity to change their music, their culture and explore, which is why we launched AltCtrlDelete at 3:45p, every weekday. A standard feature, but one I love - two songs going head-to-head and the listeners decide what returns, what gets played more and ultimately, shape the sound of the station.
Finally, there is our local #neXtNOW feature where Lance and I (who admittedly tend to have very off-center personal tastes in music) can find that "Next Big Thing" in our eyes and present it to Kansas City. Whether they've got 100 Followers or 1Million, there will be a song that strikes us as, "This is something we want people to hear." and we can give it the spotlight for a week and hopefully help it grow.
8. What has surprised you about Kansas City?
I'm not 100% sure how to even explain it, but the... spaciousness? But that's not right. The... "Where are all the people? Oh, right there". It's a metro of 1.7Million people, and you see them all... hear them all... but at the same time, they're not there. There's no traffic jams, there's no overly-crowded bars. Even at a sold-out show, it feels spacious and I think it's just because of the people themselves. It's got that friendly, small-town feel... like there aren't traffic jams because everyone is waving each other in, and the bars aren't overly crowded because people are stepping to the side so you can order a drink.
9. What do you miss most about living in Chicago?
Difficult not to give a cheesy answer, and there are about a thousand of them. The dread and hate you feel riding the L to work in -20* weather. You can miss that. You don't want to do it every day, but when you see a picture overlooking Wrigley Field from the Addison stop and you remember that you used to stand there and look at that view every day... no matter the weather. Or pictures of the boarded up warehouse in Chinatown you lived in for 2 years and had the days and nights of your life in. Little things like that. But more than anything, the people. My time in Chicago introduced me to friends that I will bring with me wherever I go, friends that changed my life, introduced me to so many things and made me a better person. I may not see them or get to hug them, but just like with my blood family, I know they're there... and I know they're good people.
10. What are you most passionate about?
I get most passionate about New Music Discovery. I don't mean to sound bitter, but in general, it takes something special to really get me excited, and I can pinpoint certain moments where I truly felt that - and they all have to do with new music. The first time I heard In Utero when I was a kid, staying up way too late trying to "request" Radiohead "Optimistic" on WKQX/Chicago (I don't want to admit just how young I was at those times...). The first time I saw Phantogram at Lincoln Hall in 2009 with about 100 other people and knew it was only going to get better, and it still happens every single day. The first day Bishop Briggs 'Wild Horses' came across my desk and I was stunned, and a place like SXSW where I can see 20 bands in one day and be excited by each and every one and the promise and hope coming out of their bodies and instruments.
Bonus Questions
What is a typical weekend like for you?
Full disclosure? I'm just a mess of a person - as you can imagine many single 30 year old men are. It's a little different now than when I was in Chicago since I'm still meeting people in KC and don't want to scare them off, but if I can go out to a show, then hit the bars until it's way past my bedtime, find some food served out of a truck, and wake up in my own bed, it's been a great weekend. The next day, everything hurts, but I met new people, I had a great time and I'm going to do it again in 7 days. I'm all business M-F, but if I can't be a rock star, I'm gonna live like one for a couple days every week.
What music are you listening to away from the station?
I like to get weird because, as stated earlier, new, exciting or different gets me excited. I can't pinpoint it, because I don't like 'weird for the sake of weird', but I know when something has *IT*, exactly what I'm looking for. Tame Impala, Tacocat, Son Lux, Warpaint (so excited they're finally hitting radio), Twin Peaks, Cellars (Amazing hipster dream-pop album), Run The Jewels (excited for RTJ3). A new album from this baby-band called The Shacks came across my desk and I fell in love. A couple of 18-20 year old kids with 200 Facebook followers making Ghostly, Doo-Wop/50s inspired jams. So cool that instantly made me smile.
Who are some of your favorite new bands of 2016?
This is, without a doubt, the most difficult to answer. And no matter what, I know I'm going to answer it poorly. It still feels like the beginning of a New Year to me because I started a brand new life in August. And I know there are so many amazing bands early this year, but I'm having a complete memory blank. I've heard so many songs that excited me, so many names I've never heard... but I'm going to cop out by saying that, in 2016, I'm enjoying mostly amazing new MUSIC from old friends. Phantogram, Blink 182, and the list goes on...
Best concert you saw this year?
Hard to say a specific show - but rather an event. Without a doubt, every year, my mind is blown by SXSW. I consider that week the single greatest experience every year. It's my holy land. Running across beautiful Austin, TX from edge of town to edge of town, seeing show after show for 16 hours a day. A nonstop sensory overload of new music.
If I have to choose "one" concert, I'd say one of my few visits to the amazing Troubadour in L.A. and a beautiful and intimate performance from Aurora. Sitting next to Katy Perry and a Jonas brother (I don't know which one) and just thinking, "Yea, this is cool. I'm into this."
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