10 Questions with ... Jay Hudson

NAME:Jay Hudson TITLE:MD/Nights STATIONS:CIMX MARKET:Detroit/Windsor (#10) COMPANY:CHUM BORN:Detroit, MI RAISED:Detroit Rock City!

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

After getting out of school, my first position in radio was as an intern at WRIF. I worked my way up to parttime on-air shifts during the weekends. Then, in 2004, I began driving to Saginaw (about two hours north of Detroit) to fill the on-air Saturday night position at WKQZ. I worked at both WRIF and WKQZ for approximately two years before getting the opportunity at 89X in December of 2006.

LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:

I did construction before I got into radio. When I was working at the station parttime I would DJ at some of the clubs around Detroit to make extra cash.

FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:

GNR - Appetite for Destruction and Beastie Boys - Licensed To ILL. My Grandmother bought them for me when I was only 8 years old. I have been corrupted ever since.

FIRST CONCERT:

When I was little I saw Janet Jackson at the Palace. I never needed Sex Ed in school after that.

FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:

Nine Inch Nails

1. How did you become interested in radio?

My Uncle Tom Samoray used to be on-air at a Country station in Nashville. We would to take family vacations down there in the summer to visit. And I would always hang with him in the studio.

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

My Pop always had Classic rock on in the car so I would listen to WCSX a lot. But as I got older it was 89X all-day.

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

I was an Amateur Boxer all through High School. I boxed out of KRONK GYM in Detroit and was able to train with some of the best.

4. What part of your job do you like best? Least?

My job has everything to do with what I love the most, the MUSIC!

Least? When I started working parttime there was always inconvenient hours, although I realized that was all about paying your dues. Now, there is honestly nothing I dislike about what I'm doing. Detroit is a blue collar city. I have family/friends that are doing hard physical labor inside the Auto Plants six days a week, so you will never hear me complain about what I'm doing for a living.

5. How do you keep up with all the new music and balancing your Can-Con requirements?

Keeping a good relationship with record people and being out and about listening to what other people are enjoying.

Show prep helps a lot too. I look at Myspace, AllAccess, Anti Music, Blabbermouth, MTV News, Rolling Stone, and Blender.

Can-Con was something that I definitely had to get used to. However, there is a lot of excellent music that comes out of Canada so we don't have an issue with it at all. It also benefits 89X because our listeners appreciate the exposure to Canadian bands that they would otherwise never hear on other radio stations.

6. What makes 89X unique?

89X is more unique then any other station I've ever worked at, let alone listen to. The reason for this is because 89X always brings new things to the table. I already mentioned the unique exposure of Canadian bands that we give are listeners a chance to hear. Also a couple months ago we launched "WORLD PREMIERE FRIDAY'S." Whenever there is a big release coming up, we play the whole album on-air before you can buy it in stores. We did it for LINKIN PARK, NIN, and THE WHITE STRIPES. So far none of us has been taken away in cuffs yet. I think the "FUN" has been missing from radio for a while now. We are doing different things for our listeners to make them enjoy radio again like they once did, and I think that is more important now because of all the other outlets people have for music.

7. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ________?

Red Bull and Monster

8. What music do you listen to when you're not working?

Hip Hop. But good hip hop, MC's like Nas, Pharoe Monch, Gym Class Heroes, Kayne West, Lupe Fiasco, and Obie Trice. I also respect producers like Timbaland who can make beats for any MC out there, but then turn around produce tracks for Bjork, Beck, Fall Out Boy, Coldplay, and Fall Out Boy.

9. Besides 89X, what is your favorite radio station and why?

WKQZ is a great station; Hoser is doing a great job programming it. The listeners up there are really into metal, I think that was the first I ever played bands like Lamb Of God, Atreyu, and Mastodon on-air.

10. What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?

Hard to say, but I know it would have something to do with music. Although I am really into Conspiracies, and trying to find out why and how they happen, So maybe a detective (laughing).

What are your hobbies?

I have a crazy music library on my lap-top, something like 60,000 songs. I'm always working hard trying to keep it updated. Besides that I live my job right now, I love going to concerts and being out and about meeting new people.