10 Questions with ... Dave & Mahoney

Dave's Email: Dave@x1075lasvegas.com.
Mahoney's Email: mahoney@x1075lasvegas.com
Website: www.x1075lasvegas.com

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Dave: Started in Columbia, SC at WARQ (Alt Rock at the time) in 2000 as a part-timer, and worked every job until I left as APD/MD/afternoons (thanks, Gina Juliano).  Got the call to move to Vegas in 2005 to take over afternoons on KXTE (thanks, Chris Ripley), and launched Dave & Mahoney in AM drive in 2009.  Moved to Houston, TX (thanks, Charese Fruge) to take over AM drive in 2015 on KHMX (Hot AC)...that didn't work quite as planned...so we returned to Vegas in February of this year to re-launch Dave & Mahoney on KXTE (thanks, Ross Mahoney). 

Mahoney: KCFV/St .Louis (Alternative) 2002, WKIO/WLRW /Champaign IL (Oldies/Hot AC) 2003, KXTE/Las Vegas (Alternative) 2004-2008, XTRA/San Diego (Alternative) 2008-2009, KXTE 2009-2015, KHMX/Houston (Hot AC) 2015-16), and KXTE 2017- Present.

1. Congrats on returning to mornings on KXTE (X107.5)/Las Vegas. After 10 years together in Vegas, what did you miss most about working at X107.5?

Dave:  I missed A LOT about Las Vegas.  I've spent the majority of my adult life on-air in Vegas.  We've grown up with this community and been though a lot together.  The economic crash, the resurgence of the city, and a lot of other incredibly high and low moments.  That's not something that you can replace.  The city speaks for itself as far as being a global tourist destination, but the amazing, vibrant, community often gets overlooked.  I'm proud to be a Las Vegan; this city has been very good to me and my family. 

Mahoney: I missed everything about X1075 and I seriously mean EVERYTHING!!!  There is a reason I keep coming home to Las Vegas and X1075.  There is no other city or station quite like it.  

2. What was your biggest takeaway from hosting morning on sister Hot AC KHMX (Mix 96.5)/Houston?

Dave:  It was a shot that we had to take.  We were fortunate to work with and meet some incredible people during our time in Texas.  I don't regret taking the chance - if we hadn't, we always would have wondered "what if."  That said, sometimes external forces have other plans, and we were ok with that.  We feel very lucky that we were offered the chance to come home to Vegas.  

Mahoney:  It was a pretty big departure from what I was used to doing for the vast majority of my career but I adapted to the surroundings and learned how to be compelling in ways that I hadn't before.  I'm also more aware of how I present myself depending on what time it is during the show... (All the kids get dropped off at school at 8:00a!) 

3. What is your daily schedule for putting the show together?

Dave:  I pretty much do everything and Mahoney shows up, drinks, and disrupts everything...and that's what makes our show fun. 

Mahoney:  I'm the workhorse of this show, some call me the "Show Sherpa" because I do so much of the heavy lifting but I don't let that bother me.  A nice craft beer or a glass of single malt usually helps take that edge off during select broadcasts.

4. Your bio describes The Dave & Mahoney Morning Show as a fast-paced daily radio program designed for a progressive Las Vegas audience, featuring breaking news, top sports highlights, and a slew of celebrity pop culture lowlights. Explain your position.

Dave:  That bio sounds pretty good for a sales kit, but most reading this are in the industry and know what it takes to make a show tick: chemistry and fun.  Mahoney and I have been fast friends since 2005, and we didn't put a show together until 2009.  We have a genuine friendship with each other, and I feel like that translates to our listeners too.  When we take callers; the vast majority of them join the show by joking with us, picking on us, and treating us like we treat them: like degenerate friends.  

Mahoney:  We're the Drunk Uncles your Mom won't let come over on Thanksgiving anymore. 

5. When do you arrive at the station and what is your regular routine before the morning show hits the air?

Dave:  We do most of our prep the day before - all pulling stories of interest from the happenings of the world, and lobbing topic suggestions from things that occur in our lives.  But once at the station we pull audio, refresh stories, go over promotional items, and make sure our rundown is airtight.  We are almost always over prepared, and many times that goes out the window when an interesting topic or caller arises, but we prefer to have a cache of content at the end of the show instead of scrambling for more. 

Mahoney:  Sleeping as late as humanly possible is my goal every day, so I like to do the majority of my prep for the show and myself (SHOWERING!) the night before.  As soon as we get in I scour my sources for anything new and breaking that HAS to be talked about after that's done I mostly bitch and moan about something trivial or a minor inconvenience going on in my life before we go live to really set the tone for the day. 

6. How would you describe your on-air style?

Dave:  Mahoney and I have very clear roles.  I'm the play-by-play guy.  He's the color guy.  When we make each other laugh, I know we are doing our job - but we don't get it crossed:  I'm the one who sets, he spikes.

Mahoney:  Loveable but Detestable.  Everything I do on the show I do to create an emotion.  There is nothing worse than to be bland or middle of the road and I'm able to be all over the place because Dave is the glue that keeps it all together.  Without him the show would be in shambles.  I've tried his job before and I seriously hope that nobody has heard those shows when he was out.  Neither of us are the stars of the show, we've always put the show above all else and that has been the secret to our success. 

7. What is your favorite part of the show?

Dave: The listeners are awesome in Vegas.  Like I mentioned earlier, we've grown up with a lot of these people, but daily we get something that we totally don't expect from a listener.  It's a unique city, with a lot of unique people and that makes for some awesome stories (and prison letters) that is just gold. 
Mahoney:  When we all can just build and build to some absurd and hilarious punch out. Nothing makes me happier than being able to amuse our team. It really is such a blessing to work with someone who is a lifelong friend.  Also I love it when listeners will call in to say "I hate that I am agreeing with

Mahoney..." on whatever subject we are discussing.  That's when I know the show if firing on all cylinders.  

8. What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Dave:  Giving back to the community has been a big part of our show and our mission statement since day one.  We work hard to not take what we've been given by the community for granted, and there is nothing better than seeing our listeners rally for an important cause. 

Mahoney:  Like Dave said, the community.  Las Vegas is an amazing city with amazing people and I hope that I can work here as along as the people of Las Vegas will have us.  Coming back home has been one of the best moments of my life because of the people here.  They couldn't have been more welcoming and kind.  

9. What has been your biggest show highlight?

Dave:  Getting “The Best Of Las Vegas” numerous times was an unexpected surprise, but for me the highlight has to be when I kicked Mahoney's ass in a boxing fight back when we first launched the show.  Oh, look, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZADWrYhjss 

Mahoney:  Getting hired by KXTE 3 times now would probably be a pretty big highlight, I don't know many people who have been hired by the same station 3 separate times over the years!  Besides the ratings, awards and all of our charitable efforts my biggest highlight would have to be that after all these years working day in and day out together with Dave, I am incredibly proud that we have only become closer as each year goes by. 

10. What would surprise people to learn about you?

Dave: That I've been a wannabe radio host since I was a kid.  I used to have a karaoke machine with two mics hooked up to it and my friend Rick and I would host a fake show for hours on end with our racks of Van Halen, Metallica, and AC/DC tapes.  It was called the Scooter and Doo Doo Show.  Beyond that, I used to call the night DJ (Ron Marsh) at WARQ when I was 16 and wait to hear him play me back on air during his show. I loved that station so much I just kept bugging them until they gave me a job.  This is what I've always wanted to do, and I still love it every day. 

Mahoney:  I wanted to be a lawyer growing up but then I realized how much school that would require so I found a job where I can talk without having the $200,000 in student loans! I was also one of the best "Warcraft 2" players in the world in the mid ‘90s.  I can also smoke Dave in any version of Mario Kart or Street Fighter. 

What do you love most and living in Las Vegas?

Dave:  Now that I have a one year old; it's the family my wife has here and the lifelong friends - sometimes Mommy and Daddy need a night all to themselves. All the awesome restaurants and legal gambling.  And no stupid blue laws like they had in Texas.  

Mahoney:  The cost of living. Seriously not to have STATE TAX and VERY LOW PROPERTY TAX makes every penny we make here goes even farther.

What are weekends like for you?

Dave:  I own a production company (Farra Productions) that does a lot of filming in the MMA/Poker/Fantasy Sports space - so a lot of times I'm either filming for that or traveling. If I'm not doing that, I'm probably chasing my daughter around a park during the day and chasing my drunken friends around Topgolf at night. 

Mahoney:  I love spending the weekend with my girlfriend and family (my parents live here also!) and whatever we do usually involves eating at some of the world class restaurants we have here in Las Vegas, if I'm not doing that either I'm golfing, napping or playing computer games. 

What music do you enjoy listening to when you’re not at work?

Dave:  I've always loved alternative music, so that's my go to.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not mad at some Rob Thomas or Ed Sheeran, but KXTE is my preset #1 when they have and haven't been my employer - also really enjoy streaming KROQ, KYSR, and WKQX. 

Mahoney:  Alternative Radio is why I got into this business; I love the whole gambit, from 1990s to Today.  Personally I think KXTE is sounding better than ever thanks to our amazing PD Ross Mahoney (no relation) so outside of work I listen quite often.  When I'm not listening to my station I have ALT Nation & Lithium are on my presets. I also love personality driven shows like The Woody Show at KYSR, BJ & MIGS at KISW and Kevin & Bean at KROQ, I love to hear what they're doing and how they're doing it. I also listen to podcasts every single night as I go to bed; "The History Of Rome Podcast" and "Dan Carlin's Hardcore History" are my two current favorites.