10 Questions with ... Malcolm Ryker

NAME:Malcolm Ryker TITLE:Creative Services/voice guy/radio entrepreneur SHOW:Skratch N Sniff BASED:San Diego COMPANY:Westwood One/Clear Channel/Good Company BORN:Wiesbaden Germany - USAF BASE RAISED:All over military family

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Rock and Alternative Ol Skool Gangster; 10 years at 91X; the last MD/Production Director at KNAC (Pure Rock); worked Z-Rock back in the day. Currently, voice and produce over 20 stations; Creative Services Director for Clear Channel/San Diego Star 94-1 and KGB; TV voice over work through Atlas Talent Agency.

LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:

Sold some bud back in college a long long time ago. I am a radio lifer.

FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:

KISS - Destroyer

FIRST CONCERT:

KISS/Black Sabbath

FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:

Korn, Sublime, Nirvana, JAY-Z, and N.W.A.

1. How did you become interested in radio?

Got a degree in radio and TV at Arkansas State. The first rock station I worked at was KWLN/Memphis. Now I am dating myself ... lets just say Dr. Feelgood was huge at the time.

2. What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?

I used to listen to Z-Rock/Dallas. It was crazy, heavy, and freaky. Lee Abrams believed in true theater of the mind in a hard rock satellite format.

3. What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?

I am a member of La Jolla Lutheran Church. I find Christ gives me some balance to this whack Rock N Roll/Hip Hop close to the fire world we live in.

4. How did Skratch N Sniff first originate?

Livin' life here in San Diego in the surf skate SRH/Suburban Noize scene going to parties where all the hottest chicks were rockers that are into hip hop. All the homies grew up on all kinds of tunes from NOFX to NWA and everything in between. I had a vision to make a radio show that would mix, blend, and mash up both worlds into one. I met my partner DJ Mike Czech, who was working at Z90, the hip hop station in San Diego, when I was at 91X. We started doing a one hour mix show. Over 50 stations later and 5 years in the making, here we are...

5. Give us a brief rundown of the show and how you put it together each week?

It's the only show that remixes your radio. Two hours of mash ups, remixes, and sick ass tunes you won't find anywhere else. Mike Czech is the chief mix master. I do all the voice and production work. We both host the show. I also work on mix ideas, concepts, and station affiliates.

Mike comes from the hip hop world I come from the hesh rock world.

6. What make the show special?

It is a challenge on the brain. We take rock songs and hip hop joints and combine them and put together a true musical journey. It's perfect for Friday or Saturday night; there are no boundaries. We are truly alternative in that matter. We also bang a lot of crunchy ol skool jams. -- Not afraid to put Helmet and Lil Wayne together or Pantera and 2Pac. We also take the hot new shit and twist it too like Saving Abel and Lil Wayne -- Addicted to Lollipops. We also run hot jams that don't really fit on other so called radio formats. Like Yelawolf, that guys the shit, or Rehab, or the Kottonmouth Kings.

7. What would surprise people most about the show?

How well rock and hip hop go together. Also, the fact that Mike and I pretty much do everything ourselves. W still answer our own listener emails and are very connected to what we do. We even answer the phones.

Also, the fact that some record labels don't realize what we are doing. Hello! Anybody there?

8. What has led to the rapid increase in Skratch N Sniff affiliates?

The show is just fricken good. It's different; radio is in need of fresh new content. Skratch N Sniff is exclusive and you can't get it anywhere else. We have listeners wanting to buy our mixes, but they can't, so they have to come to our radio stations to get our stuff.

9. How do your station imaging duties impact Skratch N Sniff?

I've always had a whack style that has combined rock and hip-hop elements and made radio fun and theater of the mind style.

10. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

Work hard, long hours, be yourself, be on the fresh tip, stay honest, be humble, have an open mind, and surround yourself with good people. My partner DJ Mike Czech is a hell of a good guy. He amazes me constantly with his mind and what he stands for is compelling to be around.

What are your hobbies?

I am building a Spanish colonial house here in La Jolla. It's a passion and a challenge trying to find all the old world antique building materials. Also, enjoy going to the beach with my wife and eight year old daughter, Coral.