-
10 Questions with ... Shane German
June 10, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. By introducing audiences to new voices and ideas on stage, screen and over the air, we enhance community engagement and create connections with our West Michigan residents. Our mission is to build community through media with the goal of providing all area residents platforms to participate in free speech, strengthen civil society and advance a strong democracy
-
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I started my music career as a Singles Buyer for Tower Records in Richmond in 1995 at the age of 19. I then went on to be a corporate buyer for Circuit City stores nationally, and then went to Plan 9 Records, and independent record store while I played in indie rock bands and toured throughout my 20s.
I relocated to Washington, D.C. in 2004 and started working for the Performance Rights Organization SoundExchange, which collects and distributes royalties from digital streaming services directly to artists and record labels.
I served on The Board of Governors for the D.C. chapter of the Recording Academy for a couple of years before moving to New York City to be Head Of Artist & Label Relations for Believe Digital - a European-based music distribution company from 2012-2015.
I moved to Grand Rapids in 2015, started as a volunteer at WYCE in 2016 and became MD here in 2018.
1. How did you become interested in radio?
I won a Culture Club picture disc from a station in Kansas City in 1984 by being the eigth caller and have been hooked ever since. I became obsessed with Casey Kasem and Top 40 countdowns which then led to studying charts. I then did some college radio in the '90s and eventually landed here in Grand Rapids a few years ago. I started as a volunteer and then worked my way up to MD.
2. Who were/are your mentors?
Working at Tower Records in the '90s taught me a lot about the industry. I also got a lot of experience being an Artist & Label Relations Rep at SoundExchange in Washington, DC. My colleagues there taught me lot.
3. WYCE is a community-supported station, so how does that differ from most other stations?
We are completely listener funded. No money from a Church, University, or Corporation for Public Broadcasting. We also rely on volunteers to program music 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
4. How many volunteer hosts do you have on the air?
We have about 85 volunteer programmers.
5. How would you describe the music on the station?
We play "A World Of Music" -- Rock, Folk, Jazz, Blues, World, Hip-Hop and all sub-genres in between.
6. Tell us a bit about the Grand Rapids Community Media Center.
Grand Rapids Community Media Center (GRCMC) provides a multitude of media resources for the West Michigan community including the public access TV station GRTV, Community Radio WYCE, the historic 400-seat Wealthy Theatre and community journalism platform The Rapidian.
By introducing audiences to new voices and ideas on stage, screen and over the air, we enhance community engagement and create connections with our West Michigan residents. Our mission is to build community through media with the goal of providing all area residents platforms to participate in free speech, strengthen civil society and advance a strong democracy.
7. Tell us about Grand Rapids and the Western Michigan area.
Nestled in between Chicago and Detroit, West Michigan boasts many breweries, live music venues, and the beauty of Lake Michigan. There are about 200,000 people in Grand Rapids proper. Home to Founder's and Bell's Breweries, there are also great live music venues like The Pyramid Scheme, Tip Top Deluxe, The Listening Room and 20 Monroe Live. There's also great theatre, ballet and opera in this town.
8. Tell us about the Jammies.
We just celebrated our 20th Jammie Awards celebration. It is our way to support the Michigan music scene and honor the best of our local and regional music community. The War & Treaty and Tunde Olaniran took home top honors this year.
9. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Grand Rapids is growing quickly with new live venues opening and a booming live music scene. I hope to still be curating the sound of WYCE as MD and contributing to our growth as a city.
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ...
... coffee!
Bonus Questions
Last non-industry job:
I worked as a receptionist at a hair salon in the '90s.
First record ever purchased:
She's So Unusual by Cyndi Lauper
First concert:
I saw Weird Al Yankovic play at an amusement park when I was a kid, but Fleetwood Mac was my first real concert experience in 8th grade.
Favorite band of all-time:
Hoo-boy! That's a loaded question.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?
I do a lot of community theatre productions around town so if I'm not at the station, I'm in rehearsal.
-
-