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10 Questions with ... Scott Lowe
August 17, 2021
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. The Postmodern show is music intensive. I rarely have interviews and there's no benchmark features. The listeners want to hear the music and I deliver that along with some personality. Occasionally, I'll provide context to some of the songs or share stories from personal experiences I've had with the artists I play.
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
A strong background in Imaging Production and On-Air. Career highlights include: WPST/Trenton, WAEB (B104)/Allentown, WXPN, WPLY, and WYSP/Philadelphia; KCXX (X103.9)/Riverside, CA; KLYY (Y107)/Los Angeles; WHTG/Monmouth-Ocean; and recently back to Philly at WTDY.
1. How did you first become interested in radio?
My interest in radio coincided with a deep love of music and records, since age two. Also, in the mid-70’s, my family lived a few blocks away from Top 40, WEEX in Easton, PA. I became glued to my transistor radio at that point.
2. Let’s flashback to your days working for Tom Cunningham at WPST/Trenton, NJ and how “Postmodern PST” came to fruition?
Tom took a chance and hired me for weekends at WPST when I was a high school senior. At the same time, I was doing some college radio and I wanted to get my favorite Alternative music played on commercial radio, so I put together a demo for a new music show. WPST had also just hired Mel Toxic Taylor, who once worked at the short-lived Rock Of The 80’s outlet in Philadelphia. The station put us together to create "Postmodern PST" and threw us on in primetime, Friday nights from 9p-Midnight. It just blew up! The demand for the music and club appearances was so huge, at one point every jock on the station was hosting a Postmodern club night somewhere either in South Jersey or Philly. WPST (a CHR) broke a lot of big Alternative songs over those four years between '89-'93.
3. What led to your long-time running Postmodern With Scott Lowe landing on Audacy’s Alt platform on Sunday mornings from 7a-11a?
Mike Kaplan is another WPST alumni, who was there during the initial Postmodern show. In 2019, I had been looking for an opportunity to work with Mike again and he approached me with the idea of creating a retro-Alternative show for ALT 92.3. We had conversations about music and some of the classic songs that have disappeared from the format. Then, he let me run with it. We started with two hours on Sunday mornings and it quickly grew to four. It was Mike's idea to bring back the Postmodern name. It went national, along with a few other ALT specialty shows last September.
4. Give us the 411 on your show and how it covers the history of Alternative.
The music is mainly focused on the 90’s, such as: Oasis, Fatboy Slim, The Cure, Nirvana, Depeche Mode, and The Cranberries. Plus, plenty of "oh-wow" favorites from the likes of: Peter Murphy, Bjork, Luscious Jackson, and They Might Be Giants. You can also expect to hear some 80’s (Echo & The Bunnymen, Talking Heads, The Smiths, New Order) and even an occasional 70’s (Ramones, Sex Pistols, early David Bowie).
5. How does it feel to be on a national platform and how much has your show changed?
As a self-proclaimed radio geek, to be heard on some legendary signals in several Top 20 markets is mind blowing! Since going national, the playlist is little tighter and more focused to better suit multiple markets. The shows for WNYL/New York and KROQ/Los Angeles are customized with local oriented breaks and content that is specific for their markets (including lifestyle topics, listener texts, concert info). The national version of Postmodern is heard on the remaining dozen or so Audacy Alternative stations. All three versions of the show use the same playlist.
6. Take us behind the scenes on your show prep each week?
I often use Facebook, Twitter, and Google Trends. Sometimes, I'll have a snarky comment about a local or national trending story. Otherwise, the Postmodern show is music intensive. I rarely have interviews and there's no benchmark features. The listeners want to hear the music and I deliver that along with some personality. Occasionally, I'll provide context to some of the songs or share stories from personal experiences I've had with the artists I play.
7. How much research is involved in handpicking the songs and how do you deal with currents from Postmodern artists?
In hand picking the playlist, the only research comes from my years of working in the format. Each week, I try to come up with a few "oh-wow" favorites, with occasional songs not typically found on a corporate playlist. I don't play any current songs on the show.
8. What is your process on curating a four-hour Postmodern weekly playlist?
The Postmodern playlist is truly free form. There is no music clock or category slots. I pretty much go with my gut, but I still use my MD skills, keeping track of tempo, sonic texture, genre, and familiarity.
9. What do you love most about doing the show each week?
I love celebrating the legacy of Alternative radio by playing the best songs and artists who helped make the format what it is today.
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?
A hot cup of Earl Grey tea.
Bonus Questions
What are weekends like for you?
When I'm not working on the radio show, I'm hanging around New York City, or going record shopping (I have 15,000 vinyl discs). Sometimes, my wife and I are involved in various D.I.Y. projects around the house.
Tell us about how you worked with the band Ween?
The first ever Ween concert was at my house. I was the one who introduced Dean and Gene to each other. I've known Deaner since the sixth grade. The three of us jammed, wrote, and recorded songs in high school. Later, I was a side member on a few of Ween's albums in their days on Elektra Records.
Favorite food?
Joe’s Pizza, New York
First concert?
Local Philly fave, Robert Hazard & The Heroes
Favorite band of all-time?
The Beatles
Favorite new band over the past year?
Sam Fender has been a huge favorite. I also need to mention Aldous Harding, a singer-songwriter from New Zealand who is amazing. Her music and videos are otherworldly.
Anything else you would like to add?
Just want to shout out to Bryce, Miles, Christine, and Mike who all help get Postmodern on the air each week across all of our stations. Also, a quick plug for my own Audacy Exclusive Station: "Scott Lowe On The Go's Postmodern Music Box."
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