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10 Questions with ... Cousin Corey
August 2, 2022
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. We have a slot on the show called “The After Dinner Mint.” It’s our last song of every episode. This slot is dedicated to artists who send us their music for consideration. A show that can be heard all over the world, which gives unsigned and DIY artists from all over the world a platform for their music to be heard? It’s a pretty cool thing, especially in this day and age if you think about it.
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
KIWR/Council Bluffs-Omaha, Student, 1996-1999
KKCD/Omaha, Part-Time host, 1999-2000
KQCH/Omaha, Part-Time host (2000), MD/nights (2001–2008), and MD/Afternoons, MD (2008-2012)
KIWR/Council Bluffs-Omaha, Afternoon host, (2012-Present)
1. Aaron Zytle has handed over the keys to The New Music Food Truck. What led to becoming the new host of The Music Food Truck?
Aaron, Jim (Edwards), and Sophia (John) all felt like we were fitted to continue carrying the torch. A new challenge is good for me. My tastes for contemporary music tend to lean more Alt/Indie, so I felt it was a right fit.
2. What excited you most about being part of the weekly radio show?
Continuing the mission that Aaron and Jim began 4 years ago, which is to give exposure to some great artists/bands who aren’t necessarily getting exposure on the radio otherwise. Specialty shows are always fun to listen to. I love it when radio dares to slip away from the norm for an hour or two.
3. Explain your role on The New Music Food Truck.
As the host, I am obviously the voice of the show. Once Sophia gets me the song list for an episode, I show prep the episode so I can provide tidbits about the bands in my breaks. I’m involved with everything in the artist interview process except for the actual initial contact and setting up the interview. Sophia and Jim reach out to land the interviews. I create the interview questions for each artist/band, and then have Sophia or Jim send them off to the artist. Once we get their answers back in audio form, I voice my questions tailored to their answers and edit the interview into a 5-6 minute piece. I send the interview and my breaks off to Jim and he puts it all together into an actual show.
4. For those who are learning about The New Music Food Truck. Give us the 411 on the show.
It’s an hour long show spotlighting new music from Alt and Indie artists from around the world. Of course, you’ll sometimes get some bigger names on the show such as Jimmy Eat World or The Mars Volta, for example. But it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll hear artists on the show that you’ve never heard before, certainly if radio is your go to for new music. And we make it fun by combining music and food with the food truck theme. We present the show as if we’re serving up new music dishes from the food truck, which will be parked here for an hour a week. Each episode includes an artist interview, and we always ask them food questions in addition to music questions.
5. The New Music Food Truck serves up hot fresh new music from indie and unsigned alternative bands. What is the process of deciding what gets on the menu each week?
This is 100% Sophia. Of course, I can make suggestions, but she is the one gathering the ingredients for each week’s menu.
6. You have an interactive menu. Take us inside the kitchen and explain your show prep for each week’s show with Producer Jim Edwards.
Jim takes care of not only producing the show, but also the website and social media. The process works like this: Sophia selects the songs for each week’s episode. Once she puts out the playlist for an episode, I take a couple of days to listen to those songs in order to get the feel for each song. I’ll often take notes as I do about the sound or feel of each song. Then I’ll do some research on each artist, so I can provide some tidbits on them as I am frontselling/backselling each one. And then of course I put together that week’s artist interview, which I explained in an answer to one of your previous questions. After I edit together the interview and record my breaks for the show, I send them all off to Jim and he does the rest of the magic.
7. What does it mean to be the flagship station of The New Music Food Truck and how do you deliver the show each week and interact with your affiliates?
It feels really cool and special. When I was at KQCH I hosted and produced a 3-hour weekly countdown show that only aired on KQCH. That was my first taste of putting together a pre-produced show. It was a lot of work, but I remember how satisfying it felt to hear that show on the radio every Saturday. This is a whole other level. We’re now involved in the creative process of an already established show that can be heard all over the world. This is a first for me, and it’s exciting! Jim does all of the interacting with the affiliates. I’m not involved with that, personally. He sends out the show to all of the affiliates on Tuesdays. Each affiliate airs the show at different times, depending on when they have slotted it. It airs on our station (KIWR) Sundays at 5 pm
8. What are your goals to help grow the show?
Well, I’ve got to earn my keep first. Ha ha. I’m the new guy on an already established show. So right now, my focus is to try and maintain the energy and feel of the show that Aaron and Jim have already established. I still have my training wheels on, so to speak.
9. What may surprise people most about The New Music Food Truck?
We have a slot on the show called “The After Dinner Mint.” It’s our last song of every episode. This slot is dedicated to artists who send us their music for consideration. A show that can be heard all over the world, which gives unsigned and DIY artists from all over the world a platform for their music to be heard? It’s a pretty cool thing, especially in this day and age if you think about it.
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?
Me time, which oddly enough often involves pure silence. I wouldn’t call it meditation, necessarily, but it’s the closest I come to it. Ha ha. And more recently, an hour of exercise per day. That’s a habit I should have picked up years ago, but better late than never.
Bonus Questions
Favorite food?
I’m such a foodie, and I love so many different kinds of food. But authentic Mexican food owns my heart.
Favorite snack?
Nacho cheese Doritos. It’s my unhealthy obsession. I can’t have them in my house. It’s too dangerous. If I do, that snack will turn into a meal. So, on most days, I keep apple slices with me at all times instead.
Favorite take-out food?
Street tacos
Favorite meal?
Dinner, but where I come from, we call it “supper.” Ha ha. I grew up rural. if you’re looking for specifics, well there’s this dish called “Mayan Pork.” I can’t cook that level of awesomeness myself, so I have to get it from this fantastic restaurant in Omaha called Rivera’s. Here’s their mouthwatering description: “Pork shanks marinated with Yucatan spice rub, slow braised with Mexican beer and fresh herbs finished in the oven with a spicy almond mole sauce.” It comes with rice and beans of course, but I always opt for the black beans instead of the refried beans because refried beans are the french fries of Mexican food.
Favorite dessert?
Vanilla ice cream. And yes, vanilla IS A FLAVOR!
Favorite beverage when prepping for The New Music Food Truck?
Water, all day. Sophia and I need to have a water and vanilla ice cream party. Nobody would attend. Ha ha
Favorite new band indie band?
The Haunted Youth.
Favorite new band unsigned band?
Cut Worms
Anything else you would like to add?
I like pineapple on pizza.
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