10 Questions with ... Violet

NAME:Violet TITLE:APD/MD/Middays STATION:KVGS MARKET:Las Vegas COMPANY:Riviera Broadcast Group BORN:Rochester, NY RAISED:Rochester, NY

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

'95-'98 WBER/Rochester, '98-'99 WNVE/Rochester, '01-'03 WZNE/Rochester, '03-'05 KWOD/Sacramento, '05 KRXQ/Sacramento, and KVGS/Las Vegas

LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:

Worked at an amusement park called Seabreeze in

the games department, where I got paid to play with toys -- life has been rough.

FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:

What's a record? Aerosmith "Toys In The Addict."

FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:

Soul Coughing, The Doors, Radiohead...I can go on...

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

WBER was the first station I was really excited about listening to when I was younger. They had a lot of different types of programming and it didn't sound like the same cheesy jock yelling at me every time I turned it on. CFNY in Toronto too when I could pick it up...I felt all cool angling the antenna on certain nights and picking up (gasp) a Canadian station.

2. What's the first thing you do when you walk into your office?

Hope that the ceiling is still standing (we've had some um...flooding issues lately).

3. What are you most passionate about?

Music and entertainment which is why I love what I do so much. Anytime you can take what you love and actually make a living from doing it you're lucky, and need to recognize and appreciate that.

4. What would an outsider find most surprising about the Las Vegas radio market?

Besides the slot machines in all the studios? Probably that there's a LOT of radio for the amount of people that actually live here. Vegas has a ton of major shows going on all the time which I think makes some people think that the city is bigger and full of a lot more music hipsters than there really are. Everything else in Vegas is for the tourists. The radio is for the people that live here, or your station isn't going to be here for long.

5. How has Area 107.9 changed over the past year?

We've changed a lot over the past year everything from a name change (from Area 108 to Area 107.9), to music, to new staff, to our new website, to about 50 thousand other changes. It's been busy, but I'm one of the weird people that thinks busy is fun. I came here right as the station started up which has been a great time in rolling up the sleeves and digging in there and getting to work. It's great to see where we've came from, where we are, and what we're evolving into.

6. What is the toughest part of your job?

Like everyone else's lately I think, finding to get it all done.

7. Is there anybody you would like to give props to for helping you along the way?

Loaded question time! Haha -- I will probably forget a couple here so forgive me -- but Mike Danger, Kevin Legrett, Ron Bunce, Joey Guisto, and Curtiss Johnson. All five are amazing people, each totally different, each fantastic leaders, and each taught me something that still sticks with me today. Also JJ Jeffries, Larry Mac, and Ken Christiansen for hiring me.

8. Favorite artist you have ever met?

I'm still bad at favorites, so there's a 3-way tie here between Kenna, Carolina Liar, and Low vs. Diamond. You will never meet three nicer or "more awesomer" peeps. Yes, I did just say more awesomer.

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

There's always going to be change. Accept it. Learn to be flexible and to take that time to grow instead of holding yourself back.

10. Biggest highlight of your career?

Turning 30 in August. Now I can say "oh yeah I've been in this business half my life" just like the other people that use phrases like "you young whipper snappers."

When you are not playing video games, how often do you hit the casinos for gambling?

They have casinos here? No seriously, you seen that new tower they built over at the Palms? That was me!