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10 Questions with ... Darren Mcpeake
June 7, 2005
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NAME:Darren McpeakePOSITION:APD/MDSTATION:KBBY (B-95.1)MARKET:Oxnard/VenturaCOMPANY:CumulusBORN:Orillia, Ontario CanadaRAISED:Orillia, Ontario Canada
1) Please outline your radio career so far: (station/date, station/date, etc.)
I worked at CFOR (1570)/ORILLIA, CN from 1988-89 as an intern from 1995-1999, then (100.3 The Q)/VICTORIA, BC CN. I have been with KBBY (B-95.1)/VENTURA since 2000.
2) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
I was a newsroom intern, then started doing music shows...my earliest influence was John Derringer at Q107 in Toronto. He taught me to love Led Zeppelin and set a great example of how to be yourself on the air. He has a great capacity for one on one and making you feel like a friend. He was the first person I ever heard on a music station voice an opinion too, and I think that has been key to his continued success. He is proof that you can be on a music station and be witty with something interesting to say. He never had to be shocking or crude when I was able to listen in the 80s.
3) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?
Music was the initial factor, but Q107 made me realize this was the career path for me. We always had music around the house, my dad and brother can actually play instruments rather well. I never picked it up as easily as they did, but I was always listening to music and reading about it in Circus or Hit Parader and building a cassette and record collection. In the 8th grade we had to do oral presentations, which was a pretty big deal because you had to get up in front of the class and talk for 5 minutes about a topic of your choice. I was the only one to use a topic that had to do with music. I did my entire presentation on Van Halen. Radio didn't occur to me though until I became a habitual Q107 listener in high school.
4) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?
Either Bill Handle or Phil Hendrie, for completely different reasons...I just like Bill's honesty, he's smart and can be shocking but he's not stupid...I feel if you are shocking, but not an idiot, it's ok to me. I guess I don't mind it from him because he doesn't have to rely on it. Phil Hendrie is just genius, he makes me wonder, "how?" How does he do his show? It's pure magic to me..
5) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?
KLOS/Los Angeles. Not necessarily because of the music, but I just always liked the vibe. The on air staff is cool, and they have great people on the air like Kelli Gates, Gary Moore and Jim Ladd who all bring something to the table. It just sounds like it would be a fun place to work.
6) Besides your own, what is your favorite radio format?
I really like Public radio - KCRW is great, I really feel like I can learn something by listening. Outside of that, I listen to Talk and Rock/Alternative stations
7) How do you stay in touch with the latest music trends?
I try to listen to KROQ as much as possible and read whatever Robert Hillburn has written in the LA Times. Reading Spin and Rolling Stone helps too.
8) What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?
It would have to be U2 at Staples Center. They covered a lot of material. Songs like An Cat Dubh and Electric Co., that I have never seen them perform live. It was a real event, they are the kind of band that we will be going to see years from now like people do today with the Rolling Stones. A U2 Tour will always be relevant, anticipated and there will always be a sense of urgency around it. They are a voice of compassion, as JJ Jackson once said and they are thrilling to see live. Another great show was NIKKA COSTA at the ROXY. She brought up CRAIG ROSS, guitarist of LENNY KRAVITZ and she had the crowd in the palm of her hand.
9) Tell us what music we would find on your car or home CD player, I-Pod, turntable) right now and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?
"Def Leppard's Definitive Collection" for songs like "High-N-Dry" purely for nostalgia. Imarobot, they opened for Duran Duran in February and they were great. I have also been listening to the new Dave Matthews Band disc, because we play them and I do love that band. Soon enough I will be spending most of my time listening to the new Coldplay CD, I'm sure.
10) What was the biggest gaffe you've made on air? (dead air ... forget a mic was still on ... etc.)
I blanked out on a name...a famous name I was dropping and I was doing a segue and I could not remember it to save my life. At the last minute I changed my mind on what I was going to talk about...some other angle came to me at the last minute that I thought was better and it went horribly wrong. Since I was in a song sweep, I had no time to recover. I will never go on without it written down again.
Bonus Questions
Who would be your dream guest on the show?
Any member of Pearl Jam or Eddie Van Halen...if I worked at a rock station.
What is your favorite TV show?
The Daily Show, The Simpsons and The Sopranos or anything else on HBO.
What gets you upset at work and how do you channel your anger?
Limited playlists frustrate me sometimes, because there is so much more out there to play...but I know what we're trying to accomplish here, so I am over it. I channel my anger by listening to public radio or paying more attention to my own CD collection. If I want to play something from my Judas Priest box set followed by Jamie Cullum, I will.
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