10 Questions with ... Jeremy Powell "Fat Kid"

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

During high school I worked at stations in Rome and Carrollton, GA. Then, I was the stunt guy at 99X in Atlanta, worked nights at WDOD in Chattanooga, did afternoons at KQYK in Mankato, MN, and was the morning show producer at WZGC in Atlanta.

1) What do you do to maintain a positive mental attitude and stay motivated?

I'm very active on social media and I try not to take life too seriously.

2) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?

I earned a degree from the University of Phoenix. Really, I did.

3) Some people get discouraged or enlightened with the business when they actually step out of it for a while. Tell us your observations from the outside.

The thing that discourages me about radio is the fact that the industry is not cultivating young talent anymore. The industry won't die, but it will not be able to compete with other forms of media and entertainment if we do not have a place for young talent to hone their skills.

4) Do you plan on sticking with radio?

Absolutely. I've been in radio since I was 16 and I don't know if I could function properly without it in my life.

5) What has been your best resource for finding out about job openings?

All Access. Duh.

6) What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get a job?

I sent a bouquet of red, white, and blue flowers topped with a Pabst Blue Ribbon six-pack to a PD with my aircheck and resume sticking out of it. The e-mail I got back from him said "thanks for the beer, but it probably wasn't the best thing to send to a recovering alcoholic." I didn't get the job.

7) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?

Doesn't everybody want to work at a Rock station near a beach?

8) How are you finding the "courtesy level" at places you've applied? (Callbacks, e-mails, rejection letters, etc.)

I think that we all know what to expect in this industry, but when I do actually get an e-mail or call back from a PD, I gain a lot of respect for them.

9) Are you finding salaries/benefits lower than you ever thought, about the same, or have you seen some pleasant surprises?

The salaries are about the same. We work in radio; we know what we are in for. You're not going to get rich, but you get to play on the radio for a living. Honestly, it's a pretty fair deal.

10) Are you spending as much time listening to radio as you used to?

No. I can't stand to hear lazy, unentertaining, unfunny radio. You can be fast while being clever, funny, or entertaining.

Uh oh ... now you're on your own for getting new music. If applicable, name your three most recent purchases since leaving the biz.

I have become addicted to buying stuff from Third Man Records. I think that anything Jack White touches is gold ... except for that ICP thing. That thing is awful.