10 Questions with ... Carlota

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

K-100 Porterville, Ca playing elevator versions of "Under My Thumb" and Barry Manilow favorites. My early influences were Dusty Street and Doug the Slug both from KROQ.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize “this is it”?

I was a little eight year old sitting in the back of my dad's car when the DJ on the radio said, after playing Andy Gibbs "Everything,” "there's Andy Gibb with I just want to be your underwear". I knew at that moment I wanted to be your underwear (and the voice that came out of that box in the car).

3) How long have you been at KOMP overall and have you been the Music Director for that entire time? Give us a timetable/history of your roles and job descriptions at the station.

I joined KOMP in March of 2002 part time, then went full time and middays in August of 2002. I became MD in 2004 I believe.

4) Being that KOMP is in such a tourist based market like Las Vegas, how much does the Strip mentality play into the type of music you play on KOMP, or is the radio station primarily programmed for the rockers in the suburbs? Explain.

We do not program to the tourist. We program to Vegas. If the tourist digs it, great. But we are a local radio station and we are a big part of the local community. We are old school in many ways, and thinking of our market and only our market is about as old school as it gets.

5) KOMP seems to play a good balance of new rock mixed in with more of the classic/mainstream based rock. When you listen to new music, approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video, and chart position when determining the status of a record?

The biggest thing for us is does it sound good between the records we already play? Does it sound like KOMP? We don't care about chart position or how that song is working in Texas, or anywhere else. How does that song sound between Ozzy Osbourne and Godsmack? That's number one. Everything else is a distant second.

6) How much library music, if any, do you share with your sister Classic Rock station KXPT (97.1 The Point)?

I'm not really sure, but I'll go out on a limb here and say 10%? I think rock is killing it right now and if you still think it’s dead…prepare for the Zombie to eat your face.

7) What's your take on current Rock music and the Active Rock format as a whole?

I think rock is killing it right now and if you still think its dead…prepare for the Zombie to eat your face.

8) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this past year and why?

Ghost is a band I’m really enjoying…the new Hell Yeah record was amazing…and I’m always a Deftones fan.

9) How long ago did you start the web site Kilpop.com and tell us what’s it’s all about?

The web site kicked off around late April 2016. Kilpop is all about putting rock n roll back in people’s face. We got tired of being told that our music is dead and our artists and lifestyle doesn’t matter, so we created Kilpop to give rock it’s face and to give the fan base a look at their favorite artists from a different perspective. We go beyond asking the typical question…”how’s the tour and new lp coming? “

In the past we’ve taken Corey Taylor comic book shopping, played air hockey with Vinnie Paul, went Nascar racing with Megadeth and hung out at Jason Hook’s house petting his kitties.

10) Finally, what are some of the big highlights we should be looking for from Kilpop in the future?

Coming up fun with All that Remains, Deftones, Disturbed, Chad Gray and in talks with Slayer, Metallica, Mastodon, Beartooth, and Maynard!