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10 Questions with ... Ben Harvey
April 11, 2005
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NAME:Ben HarveyPOSITION:Night DJ (6-10pm weeknights)STATION:WXRK 92.3 K-RockMARKET:New York City (#1)COMPANY:Infinity BroadcastingBORN:PhiladelphiaRAISED:Swarthmore, PA
LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:
folding pants
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Started as Seth Resler's intern at WBRU/Providence while at Brown University. In my senior year I became APD at WBRU. Started doing weekends at Y100 in Philly after graduation, moved up to nights in September 2001, and then started doing nights at the almighty K-Rock in September 2003.
FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:
B-52s
FIRST CONCERT:
Tori Amos at the Tower Theater (with my dad)
1. How did you become interested in radio?
My uncle works as an engineer at ABC News radio in New York. One day he took me to work with him and let me loose in a radio studio all by myself, where I became fascinated with microphones and faders and reel-to-reels. I bought some equipment and started WBEN (no relation whatsoever to the new Ben-FM in Philadelphia) in my attic. I also built a transmitter with one of my friends so I could broadcast WBEN down the street.
2. What do you like best about your job?
Waking up late! I hope I never have to have a 9-5 job. Knock on wood. Seriously, though, being a DJ brings out the goofier, adolescent side of me. My favorite part of the job is interacting with my listeners. I was a pretty serious student in high school and college, so it's refreshing to take time out every night to connect with the stoners and the alcoholics and the mental patients of the world.
3. How did you land at K-Rock?
Former Y100 APD Suzie Dunn had put me in touch with Rob Cross (aka Chuck Roast) when he was at KROQ. My goal had always been to end up at KROQ or WXRK, so I kept sending him tapes. I guess it paid off because he remembered me when he became OM at K-Rock and asked me to audition for the night gig. I was nervous as hell for the audition, but I think the Xanax did its trick and a few weeks later I found out I got the job.
4. What are the benchmarks of your show?
I like to interact with my audience as much as possible, whether it's through phoners, listener e-mail that I read on the air, or even reading letters from prison. I've always hated DJs who only talk about themselves, so I do my best to get the listeners involved in my show.
5. Who are your mentors in this industry?
I'm a radio addict - whenever I travel I make people shut up so I can listen to DJ breaks -- so there are too many DJs to name, but a few that come to mind are Storm from his days at FNX, Nik Carter at BCN, Fook at Q101, Electra at Y100, and Stryker at KROQ. I also would not be where I am today if it weren't for the help and guidance of Tim Schiavelli at WBRU, Jim McGuinn, and Suzie Dunn at Y100, Pierre Robert at WMMR, and Rob Cross at K-Rock.
6. Biggest highlight at K-Rock?
My on-air feud with Fabrizio from the Strokes. At the Dysfunctional Family Picnic this past summer, I was on stage wishing the crowd goodnight when Fab came up to me, grabbed my microphone, and threw it into the crowd. Apparently he was pissed that we had Jay-Z as a special guest at the show and decided to take it out on me. So when I got back on-air I decided to boycott playing the Strokes. When they were scheduled I would start playing the song, then take out the CD and throw it across the room. This continued for a couple weeks. The label and management got so freaked out that they made Fab call in and apologize for his actions. It was one of the most "fake" interviews I've ever done, but we made up -- and boy was it gratifying.
7. Favorite on-air moment ever?
When I first started doing nights at Y100, I played the Afroman song "Because I Got High" for two-hours-straight as a stunt. It was the most requested song in the history of the station at the time, so it seemed like a good idea, and my PD Jim McGuinn agreed to let me do it. Listeners started calling in asking if I was high, even some interns stopped by the station to make sure the "new guy" was not going off the deep end. After two years at Y100 I still got calls being like "are you the douchebag who played Afroman over and over that one night?"
8. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?
My paxil.
9. Besides your own, what is your favorite radio station and why?
KROQ. After the recent changes in Alternative radio, I can't help but respect and admire what KROQ has accomplished. Every time I'm in L.A. I'm impressed by how ahead of the game they are musically, plus KROQ jocks are cool by virtue of being KROQ jocks - and they lack the egotism of a lot of east coast rock jocks.
10. If you wanted to completely change careers today, what would you do?
I achieved my dream job by age 24, so everything from here on out is just icing on the cake. I'd love to edge over into MTV or FUSE as a VJ. Short of that, I'd like to follow Tim Schiavelli's lead and travel the world.
Bonus Questions
What do you enjoy doing for fun?
I'm very fond of whiskey. I'm also an avid reality television fan: Real World, The Bachelor, Nanny, 911 - you name it, I'll watch it.
How will your night show change now that K-Rock has switched to a broader more gold-based rock format as 92.3 K-Rock -- Great Rock. Period?
Mandatory Metallica every night, baby!
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