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10 Questions with ... Whip
June 16, 2009
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
No briefs, Commando. Worked at a Christian station, mostly with preachers with bad breath. I was at the original KTCL/Ft. Collins when it was cool and nearly free-form. I started bouncing around KEDJ/Phoenix; Sluggo of KROQ heard me and dragged me to KROQ. Then KOME to bring down the original Live 105. I was on WXRK when it first flipped to Alternative way back when. Also worked at The Buzz in Houston, afternoons and mornings at 99X in Atlanta, sheesh, now at Indie in Denver
LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:
I broke up with radio for 6 months and sold insurance. Don't ever do that.
FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:
U2 "Boy"
FIRST CONCERT:
Black Flag at the Mercury Café in Denver
FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:
New Bomb Turks, Jesus Lizard, Cows (yes, I'm stuck in an era and a sound)
1. How did you become interested in radio?
I was a lonely, pale child with no friends. Radio was my best friend as I played alone in my room.
2. What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?
Umm...it was an AM station. This is totally showing how ancient I am. KIMN-AM Denver. When I was 8 I'd call and win gift certificates from London And Engleman for answering sports trivia questions. They called me that "one annoying kid." I was a prize pig before I had pubic hair!
3. What is your biggest challenge at the station?
The biggest challenge here is overcoming everything. The signal is an issue, finding a sales manager who gets it (we have now one), and getting the attention of labels and getting their support has been an arduous task but it's all coming together.
4. What do you like best about your job? Least?
Building something from the ground up that hasn't really been done yet. I love trying to create a story for a local band to graduate to the next level. The least? The general paranoia that all radio people seem to have, sadly, of not knowing whether I'm going to have a job next month
5. How would you describe the station?
That we're nearly a one man operation. That we're far more mainstream than the industry's perception.
Our music is healthy mix of '90s Alt that wasn't beaten to death by the Top 40 Alternatives that sprung up in that era. We play old school punk ("Richard Hung Himself" by the Adolescents!) that was over looked when it was new, goth, industrial mixed with familiar enough Gold. Our new music isn't real chart-centric. A good song is a good song. I don't care that KROQ added it. They're in LA, we're not.
The imaging is smart-assed, snarky stuff that positions us as the station that knows are listeners are smart and don't need a fart reference to get it. We also make fart jokes.
6. What is your typical day like for you at the station?
Rise and shine at 4:30 AM, scratch, contemplate a shower, say "nah," go do mornings, fight with record companies, promoters, and sales people. I love each and every minute of it.
7. What are you most passionate about?
I don't think this is the proper forum to discuss that. But know it involves Miracle Whip (no mayo, ever).
8. What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?
That I've changed and I no longer think it proper or acceptable to kung fu kick the imaging director in the face. Sorry Jim P.
9. What has been the biggest highlight of your career?
1. Working at KROQ 2. Starting Indie 1015.
10. What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
I don't know. I guess the cliché in our biz is "real estate." So because I feel safest swimming in the cliché... I'll say Real Estate.
Bonus Questions
What are your hobbies?
Throwing batting practice to my 11 year old son and nurturing my 9 year old daughter's artistic lean
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