10 Questions with ... Joe Calgaro

1) What was your first job in radio and early influences?

My first pro gig while still in college was a weekend show in 1989 on AM Country 1350 WXCL/Peoria, IL. The first song I ever played on the air was "Tear In My Beer" by Hank Williams Sr. My first Rock radio gig and where I spent most of the 90s was at WWCT Rock 106. That's where I really started to learn the business, working with super-talented people like Rick Hirschmann and Jamie Markley. My friend and Prod. Director at the time Paul Bahr referred to it as the "Animal House" of radio ... and it was some of the most fun I've ever had in my career.

2) What led you to a career in radio and why did you ultimately chose this as your career?

Simple. I loved music and I loved performing. My parents gave me my first drum at the age of two-and-half, thinking it would break in a couple of days. (It didn't.) I was handed a mic at the age of six and asked to emcee our little grade school talent show. The lesson here is "Be careful what you put in the hands of children at a young age." (laughs) I grew up in Illinois listening to guys like John Records Landecker, Steve Dahl and Gary Meier, Ken Johnson and Jim Tofte, Larry Lujack ... these guys were like rock stars to me. I owned the soundtrack to "American Graffiti," which included all of the DJ raps from Wolman Jack that George Lucas used in the movie. I would sit and play those albums over and over-imitating The Wolfman as I prepared for my future career.

3) You spent quite a few years in the state of Wisconsin programming WAPL-WZOR/Appleton-Green Bay and eventually WHQG/Milwaukee. What are some of your best moments from those programming gigs?

Wow ... that's like trying to pick your favorite song. The amazing success of the first ever Rockin' Apple Christmas Bash with Cheap Trick in '99 after being told all of the reasons it wouldn't work. (I believe they're up to year 20 this year) Signing on Razor 94.7 in 2000 and watching it survive all of the attempts to kill it over the years. Though it was one of the nation's darkest moments, I couldn't have been prouder of the work we did around 9/11. Nineteen seasons as the on-field public address announcer at Lambeau is a time that even this Bears fan will always treasure. Crafting and executing the afternoon shows with my various partners (John Jordan, Borna, Mitch, and Lana) that I was lucky to have been a part of over the years. My favorite moments though have always been watching those around me achieve success. Whether that's winning a couple of Marconi Awards as a staff at WAPL ... celebrating 30 years of absolutely dominating the Milwaukee market with Bob and Brian ... or watching guys like Elwood and Borna get the PD gigs upon my departure at WAPL and WHQG respectively ... there's nothing like watching the people you care most about pursue and achieve their goals.

WAPL Wins Marconi Award for Rock Station of the Year in 2008.
left to right - 105.7 WAPL's Ross Maxwell, Elwood, John Jordan, Roxanne Steele, Joe Calgaro, Scott Stevens, Len Nelson, Borna, and Rick McNeal.

4) Congrats on your new PD position at WAAF. While you've only been in the seat for a short time; how would you assess the station and the market competition?

Thank you for the kind words. In just my first few weeks here, I've confirmed what I thought to be true coming in. We've got an amazing group of people, a terrific company in Entercom that believes in those people, and a station with a storied history as the brand for rock in Boston. That being said, this city offers a number of options to our audience, including our very own legendary sports station WEEI. The passion for both rock and sports in this city is truly unlike just about anything I've ever seen. Our challenge is to make sure everything we present to the WAAF fan is at the top of our game and lives up to our brand promise of being the only station in Boston that really rocks.

5) I'm sure having heritage air talent like the Hill-Man Morning Show and Mistress Carrie on WAAF is quite a luxury to have as a PD. How important is the personality quotient for WAAF?

I honestly believe it's the single most important thing about the station ... period. Greg Hill has been a fixture on WAAF for something like 30 years. You add the brilliant and snarky Danielle with news, former Boston Bruin and epic storyteller LB for sports (though his facts aren't always the most accurate), and music expert, Star Trek nerd, food pornographer, and 19-year WAAF veteran Mike Hsu to the mix ... and you've got a unique and entertaining show that can't be duplicated or mimicked in any way. Mistress Carrie just celebrated her 20th anniversary with the station and simply is the heart and soul of WAAF. She unapologetically lives the lifestyle of a true rock fan and has been unwavering at letting me know who's really the boss here in Boston. (laughs)

6) Boston is such a unique music market because of the major college influence in the area. How does this influence the type of Rock WAAF plays?

Boston is definitely not a one-size-fits-all market. It has a unique cross-section of music fans which opens up the lane a bit and allows us to take a chance on some artists and titles that you wouldn't necessarily hear on other "typical" Rock stations around the country.

Joe, his afternoon partner Borna, and 102.9 The Hog's Rock Girl Vanessa hanging out backstage with Def Leppard at Summerfest in 2016.

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

My take is that it's constantly changing and evolving. It was a huge year for bands like Ghost, Shinedown and Godsmack. It's been great watching a band like Pop Evil go from playing in front of 20 people at a bar in Green Bay to headlining a stage at Summerfest and selling out The Rave. Artists like Dorothy and The Record Company who have brought back a rockin' bluesy grass roots sound to the radio. Or a band like Fever 333 who simply explode off the stage during their live shows and bring the audience along for the ride. And then you've got Metallica, Foo Fighters, Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Green Day ... all still putting out great new material and filling stadiums and arenas at the top of their game. The naysayers always like to sing a different tune ... but I think rock is just fine.

8) As 2018 comes to a close, who are some of the new Rock artists you think might break big in 2019?

Well ... I've heard that some band named Tool might be putting something out in the new year. (laughs) Seriously ... it's almost impossible to make predictions like that. What I do know is that somewhere ... right now ... there is a band crammed into some crappy van ... looking for a place to stop and buy batteries on their way to some crummy bar gig ... who are ready to catch lightning in a bottle, explode onto the scene, and shake things up. At least I think I know that. And I hope that lightning strikes for them in 2019.

9) You started at WAAF right around the time the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. What's up with that?

You left out a very important part. The Brewers were steamrolling through the playoffs, having first defeated the Cubs in a one-game playoff to win the division. They then went on to sweep the Rockies in three in the NLDS. It was at that point that I accepted the gig at WAAF ... just as the Brewers were beginning the NLCS against the Dodgers. With the series tied 3-3, I left Milwaukee for Boston on the morning of Game 7. As I was pulling into Erie, PA to stop for the night, I listened to the Crew drop game 7 to L.A. on the radio. The only thing that makes any sense is that I clearly must have taken all the good baseball mojo with me out east. The Sox opened the series at Fenway on my second night in town ... and the rest, as they say, is history.

Joe singing "Roll Out The Barrel" with Will Ferrell during a Sunday night Packers game at Lambeau Field in 2012.

10) Finally, on a personal note I'm sure 2018 has been a great year for you. What do you look forward to both professionally and personally as we enter 2019?

That's the easiest question of the 10. Professionally, I'm looking forward to popping the hood on this amazing WAAF machine and getting to work. Personally, I'm looking forward to my family joining me here in Boston this summer. You see, if this was just a career move, I would have put it off for a few more years while my youngest son finishes high school. The reality, though, is that this was a move that my wife and I had talked about making for quite some time, but not until all three of our sons were out on their own. The thing is, you simply can't control when and where life is gonna present you with the right opportunity. With so many factors aligning making it, in our opinion, the right move, we knew we were gonna have to make some family sacrifices for the greater good. To quote the great Steve Perry, "Being apart ain't easy on this love affair..." So personally, having Carrie and the boys finally join me here in Boston is what I'm looking forward to the most. And yes, I now have both a wife named Carrie and a Mistress Carrie. Life's a trip... que no?