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10 Questions with ... Maverick
May 21, 2007
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NAME:MaverickTITLE:MD/Geeky Afternoon Dee-JaySTATION:LIVE 105.5 (KFYV)MARKET:Ventura/Santa BarbaraCOMPANY:Gold Coast BroadcastingBORN:Boss AngelesRAISED:Torrance, CA
Please outline your radio career so far:
I was recently the night jock at 92.5 THE WOLF in Denver, where I also did weekends across the hall at KIMN (MIX 100). Before that, I was the morning jock on WAY FM, Denver.
The list is pretty long after 26 years. During my days as Kidd Kelly, I worked not only in the LA area, but in Phoenix, Vegas, Sacramento, Tucson, and Stockton as well.
When I became the APD/MD/afternoon jock of KDON in Monterey/Santa Cruz, I changed my name to Maverick and was there for two years before crossing the street for the same gig at CD93, later moving to Reno to eventually program MIX 95.5.
1) What was your first job in radio...early influences:
Growing up in Southern California, I listened to some of the greatest DJ's like The Real Don Steele, Big Ron O'Brien, Jack Armstrong, London & Engelman, Hollywood Hamilton. And some of the greatest radio stations in the world like KHJ, KMET, KFI, and KROQ. But the biggest influence was MG Kelly on Ten Q. He not only was, to me, the greatest night time jock on the air on what is my favorite radio station of all time, but he was always kind and patient with me when I called him up to be a part of his show. And we all know how annoying a 14 year-old kid can be when they call up a request line. In fact, because of The Gunner and others like Charlie Tuna, who 'dealt with me' back in the day, I take that with me when I now get those calls. LOL.
My first radio job was an intern at KWST (when former KHJ PD, Chuck Martin took over), and I worked with Bobby Ocean, Pat Garrett, Benny Martinez, Andy Barber, China Smith, etc...But my first paying job was as the over night jock on 93.5 KFOX. At the age of 16, I was LA's youngest DJ at the time.
2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?
When I was six years old, living in Carson, CA, my mom and dad bought me a plastic record player for my birthday. Just as all my little friends began to sing, 'Happy Birthday', I took the turntable and walked into my bedroom, plugged it in, put on the 45, "Sugar Sugar" by the Archies, and talked up that eight-second intro like the Real Don Steele. That was it for me.
3) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
I would have probably spent more time writing. I would have become an author, or a photographer.
4) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?
Every market is different. Even within a market, there are several different lifestyles and demographics. In my lifestyle, Ventura is a surf community. To someone else, this is a farming community. The truth is, it's both. But I've learned a lot while working in Monterey/Santa Cruz where it was much the same.
I must tell you that I've always wanted to work at LIVE 105.5 because of the unique style. I loved how OM Mark Elliott has programs outside of the box. You listen to LIVE 105.5, and it's not your cookie-cutter Hot AC. It's a hybrid of a Hot AC and Top 40. Playing the best of both worlds with a touch of alternative that really fits the market.
When I heard LIVE 105.5 for the first time, the station sounded like the soundtrack to a drive up the 101 freeway on a warm, sunny afternoon in Southern California. It's as SoCal as In-N-Out, palm trees, and sandy beaches.
5) Describe your weekly music meeting ... a) what is the process when you listen to new music? b) approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video play, and chart position when determining the status of a record?
Throughout the week, Mark Elliott and I both look over EVERYTHING!!! A day doesn't go by when we are not talking about music for LIVE 1055. And everyday I listen to everything that comes in and write notes. Sometimes I'll take the CDs and play them for others while driving, in the office, at events, on the streets, etc.
But I do my homework. Which is the one thing that most MDs or PDs don't have time for. Don't just look at the charts or what some major market radio station is dictating to the smaller markets. I'm always out and about asking questions or just listening to what people have to say. Everywhere I go, online and on the phones, I have listeners fill out questionnaires about the music. I do my own top of mind research, familiarity research, group and individual music test research. Then we have THEE weekly meeting where we present to each other our thoughts on the adds, rotations, etc...
6) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?
Satellite Radio is there because there's a format that someone wants to hear that's not being done in their market for whatever reason. Sometimes it's because the market can't support a format such as a Standards station for an example. Old Time Radio shows like the Jack Benny program are great to listen to, but I don't think it'll work on terrestrial radio. Not a big deal.
But I was recently visiting another market here in California and was shocked how many people had XM Radios. And the number one reason they said they had them was because they simply wanted to hear, 'the hits'.
7) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?
There's way too many to mention, but I'm a HUGE fan of some of the former KZZP/Phoenix staff of the 80's that are simply creative, unique, funny jocks. Sluggo and Kevin & Bean on KROQ and Phil Steiner on MIX 96.9 in Phoenix.
8) Tell us what music we would find on your I-Pod right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?
Ha! I'm such a music freak. I have over 4000 songs on my iPod, with anything from Standards to Punk.
9) Please describe the best promotion you've ever been part of?
Sometimes taking the same ol' promotion and being creative is all you need to come up with something memorable. One that Doug Parker came up with while working at KWIN in Stockton was a take off from a infamous WKRP in Cincinnati TV episode. We went on the air for a week saying that we were going to do a live turkey drop. Fly a helicopter over the city and drop free turkeys. People protested. When the event happened, we dropped certificates for free turkeys at some grocery store.
The one I came up with while at CD93 in Monterey was another, 'car give-away'. But it was 1999 and everyone was scared about the Y2K Bug. So we said that we were going to download a Y2K Bug into your computer. If the graphics of the Y2K disk we gave you blew up on your screen, you won the Y2K Bug...a 2000 VW Beetle.
10) Describe the relationship you have with your fellow co-workers?
At CD93 in Monterey, we had a great family. We all truly loved each other, lived [and worked] together. I never thought it could ever be that good again, but I'm beginning to see the same thing here at LIVE 1055. Our morning girl, Trace Nealy, and I have been buds for years. We worked together at MIX 95.5 in Reno. We often hang out, and we take that relationship to the airwaves. And the friendship with the others on staff is developing nicely. I love that.
Bonus Questions
1) How did you get your on-air name?
For the first half of my career I was Kidd Kelly. I took on the last name of MG Kelly, who used to call me, "the Kid from Torrance." In '95 I started using the name Maverick. My parents actually named me after the TV character Brett Maverick. So that's where the name came from.
2) Favorite artist you have met?
Smash Mouth. I love those guys like my brothers.
3) Do you have any good stalker stories?
I was working at KNCI in Sacramento, CA. This woman would call me up almost every hour on the hour, for a month, ranting and raving about how our music director was programming music with a secret message for her during my show.
One night I got off the air and headed home. Right away I knew there was someone following me home. Just to make sure I wasn't going crazy, I drove down Business 80 like a mad man switching lanes rapidly. Sure enough this person was tailing me. I got on my cell phone and called 911. I jumped off the freeway and made a u-turn back on...and this person didn't miss a beat as I drove back to the radio station, running red lights.
I got to the parking lot and ducked as this woman pulled over and the cops got her. There's more to this story, but I'll save it for that book I'm writing.
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