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10 Questions with ... Scot Fox
April 2, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. In today's radio, it's all about balance. You really have no choice if you want to work in radio these days. The days of full staffs are long gone. Fewer employees mean more duties for everyone. Sometimes, I'm the station mechanic working on the vehicles, other times, I'm the engineer's assistant! LOL. You do have to prioritize your days, though. I usually start my days scheduling music. Next, I'll check the charts and listen to new music, then music calls, and finally my air shift. The system isn't perfect, but it works
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1) What was your first job in radio and early influences?
WTIX/New Orleans, The Mighty 690 (Oldies). This station was one of the first Top 40 stations in the country and an amazing first gig. The history at this station is incredible and I really had no idea how fortunate I was to land a gig there. I was just an overnight board op but during my shift, I would pot down the satellite jock, use his name, and pretend to be him on the air... ha ha ... and I never got busted! Early influences were Weerd Wayne Watkins, Terry "The Motor Mouth" Young, Jack Da Whack, Skinny Tommy Chaney, Walton and Johnson, and of course Casey Kasem.
2) How long have you been at WCPR and what makes this station so unique?
I am proud to be one of the founding members of WCPR. My claim to fame: Coming up with the call letters WCPR. In 1994, I was working at the Country station US98. In '95, we wanted to take the station in a new direction, so I convinced the owner to bring in a friend from New Orleans, Kenny Vest, as our new PD and as they say, the rest is history. We flipped the format to Rock and became WCPR. Our uniqueness comes from keeping it live and local ... and our edgy/comical imaging. Kenny writes all of our imaging and it really sets us apart from other stations across the country.
3) You have the dual role as APD/MD and afternoon host. How do you balance your time so both roles are effective?
In today's radio, it's all about balance. You really have no choice if you want to work in radio these days. The days of full staffs are long gone. Fewer employees mean more duties for everyone. Sometimes, I'm the station mechanic working on the vehicles, other times, I'm the engineer's assistant! LOL. You do have to prioritize your days, though. I usually start my days scheduling music. Next, I'll check the charts and listen to new music, then music calls, and finally my air shift. The system isn't perfect, but it works.
4) Your afternoon show is called the Scot Fox SuperShow. Do you do any benchmark features on the show? How "Super" is the show?
Ha ha! The super part is the fact that I've been able to stay employed here for so long! That name was Kenny's idea many, many years ago and it stuck. It's like a third name now. A ton of people will just call me SuperShow these days. As far as benchmarks, I'm the one with the odd news, odd holidays, and requests. I also have the 5 O' Clock Road Rage for the drive home. We kick off the 5p hour with a RATM tune and keep the energy elevated for the hour. I'm also bouncing around the idea of an all-request type segment called Happy Hour very soon.
5) Now let's talk about the music on CPR. Approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video play and chart position when determining the status of playing a record?
I would say 50% is gut, 30% chart position, 20% everything else. We've never been afraid to step outside the lines and add songs by gut. We've helped break many bands through the years by jumping on early. Our formula is simple: Play good rock tunes without overdoing it on the screamers and you'll win. So far, it's worked wonderfully.
6) You recently attended the #Happens Rock/Alt conference in Las Vegas. What did you take away from that event that is still resonating with you now?
I like scouting the new bands at these events. One thing I really enjoyed about #Happens this year is the addition of the Alternative format. It's so great having exposure to some really good upcoming artists in both formats. The artists that stand out are Bones, Royal Bliss blew me away, Amigo The Devil, and The Score. I'm not sure about the prospect of airplay on ATD but he was fantastic to watch. On the Alternative side, The Score put on a phenomenal show and will be making some waves.
7) To add to the previous question, what's your take on current Active Rock music and the Rock format overall?
It seems like the rebirth of Active Rock is taking shape in a great way. We have some really great artists making the scene over the past couple years and hopefully they will prove to have lasting power. Sometimes, it's still a tough sell for clients so you have to be careful what you play. The Rock format in general seems like it's coming out of the fog in the past couple years with newer artists like Greta Van Fleet, Badflower, Asking Alexandria, Fever 333, and a host of veteran artists delivering some killer music.
8) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this year so far and why?
- Greta Van Fleet ... Every song is a smash!
- Badflower ... This band is so good! My pick for artist of the year in the format. They are in for great things this year.
- The Glorious Sons ... I found "S.O.S". about a year-and-a-half ago and started playing it. I knew immediately it was going to be a huge hit. I'm over 1,000 spins on this song and I'm glad they finally listened to me and worked it as a single! Can't wait to hear their new stuff.
9) I know you're a huge New Orleans Saints fan. Are you still stewing about that non-call in the NFC Championship game??
Hell yes, I'm still stewing about it! LOL We were robbed! That was the most ridiculous travesty I've seen in pro sports ever. I think the Saints will be right back in the hunt this year and they will be pissed ... watch out!
10) Finally, with your hectic schedule, what do you like to do for fun and relaxation when you are not in "Radio" mode?
A lot has changed in the five years since my last 10Q. I have three small kiddos now ... a four-year-old son and fraternal twin two-year-olds (boy/girl). So, most of my time away from radio I'm chasing kids around, wrestling, kissing boo-boos, practicing T-ball, and giving baths. We like to be very active with the kids so we visit zoos, museums, and parks all the time. I also love to travel and will be taking the whole fam to Disney World next month ... wish me luck!
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