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10 Questions with ... Jay Michaels
January 20, 2009
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NAME:Jay MichaelsPOSITION:Mix Show DJ (former on air jock)STATION:WXKS and SuperadioMARKET:BostonOWNER:Clear Channel
Please outline your radio career so far:
I started my career back in 1991 as a producer at WZID for their love songs program. In 1994 I went on to do produce afternoon drive at WJMN/Boston. Also at that time I did overnights at WJYY/Concord, NH. In 2001 I headed to Orlando to do mix shows and on-air work at WPYO. In 2003 I crossed town to WJHM for similar duties. In 2004 I was offered mix show and programming duties at Superadio for their New School Mini Mixes. In 2005 I landed nights/APD/MD at WSEA/Myrtle Beach. In 2006 I headed back to Orlando to WJHM for on-air/mix show duties, and I also took on mix show duties at WXKS/Boston. In 2007 I added more programming and mix show duties for Superadio's Supermixx Mainstream Brand. Currently, as of December 200, I am at Superadio, programming and mixing for their Urban mini-mixes as well as their Mainstream mix show called Supermixx Mainstream. I also program and mix two mix shows on WXKS/Boston, as well as WBLI/Long Island and many others.
1) How would you describe your first radio gig?
Overwhelming. Things were so different back then. Splicing tape for reel-to-reels. Pulling CDs and carts (wow, am I old).
2) What is the most challenging part of the job?
Balancing all the mix shows I do (approximately 20 hours a week) and being a full-time daddy ... I have the luxury of working from home, but my two-year-old takes up a ton of my time.
3) What artist would we be surprised to find on your iPod?
Barry Manilow and Billy Joel. My mother used to burn Manilow into our heads when we were kids. Those damn 8-tracks ... I hated them ... LOL.
4) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?
I play piano. I write my own music. I've been playing since I was two years old.
5) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff and why do you like them?
Julian On The Radio at B96/Chicago. Not only a class act, but freakin' hysterical!
6) What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?
I grew up on Long Island. It was WBLI and Z100 for me.
7) Do you have a favorite hobby outside of radio?
I'm a huge baseball fan, whether it's heading to the batting cages or going to a game. It is a little tough be a Yankees fan in Red Sox Nation (damn, I am going to get my ass kicked now).
8) What music do you listen to when you're not working?
Pretty much everything. On my iPod I go from Jay Z to Nickelback to Billy Joel to Paul Oakenfold.
9) What is it about our industry that keeps you wanting to do it for a living?
My passion for music.
10) What would you like to do to save radio from its "dying-industry" image?
That is hard to say. It is really sad to see that voicetracking has taken over. A ton of great talent is out of work. It is the reason I have not been behind the microphone in two years (I am looking for my on-air comeback ... hint, hint). I have been lucky enough to have a talent behind the turntables to stay in this industry. If I had money, I would buy a radio station and put my dream team together.
Bonus Questions
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A radio DJ. I pushed hard to be in this business when my parents told me I was crazy.
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