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10 Questions with ... Lance 'Lancer' Hale
October 1, 2019
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
WVJC (College Rocker), WRBT (under the great Bill May), WRAY (an AC station, doing overnights & weekends), Rock/Storm 106 (Ft. Myers, FL/Hurricane Shane & Michael Sharkey took chances on me), 99X/WJBX (thanks to Stephanie Davis, Lee Daniels, Alan Sneed, Matt Mangas, Annrae Fitzgerald, Kurt Shriner, Chad Chumley, John Rozz & Jeff Zito/it was this station where I got to see first-hand how cool radio could be), WLRS (Louisville/first programming gig/JD Kunes was the man), WRQC (back in Ft. Myers), 96 Wave (Charleston, SC... too short an experience... bad timing... but I got to work with Wendy Rollins), WOTT (and other Community Broadcasters properties/last 11 years/Northern NY/I think Bill Jacobs and I share the same brain. We rarely disagree/plus I'm very lucky to have couple of good bosses in Jim Leven/Bruce Mittman)... seems like a lot, I know.
1) What was your first job in radio and any early influences?
I did the college radio thing at WVJC. But first actual job was for WRBT, a Mainstream Rocker in the Evansville market. I worked under Bill May, who was always generous in dropping some knowledge on me. Was cool getting to reconnect with him in Vegas this year and share stories. As for early influences, I learned so much from Lee Daniels (WJBX), Hurricane Shane (WROC) & Shark (WJST) in Ft. Myers. Also, have to thank JD Kunes for giving me my PD stripes for the first time in Louisville (WLRS), Alan Sneed for nudging me into programming and Bill Jacobs for helping me navigate through the last 11+ years. I've also been blessed to work with some of the great women in rock radio, Annrae Fitzgerald (WJBX & WLRS), Rosy Acevedo Medlin (WRQC) & Wendy Rollins (WAVF). But it was the Joe & Stan show out of Ft. Myers that turned me onto how a show could sound big and local at the same time. They connected and interacted with listeners in a way that made me want to never forget the people that are on the other side of the radio.
2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?
I love music. I've loved music since I was a little Lancer and discovered the Beatles, Kiss... then Zeppelin... Prince. I was in bands for years, trying to get signed. Juggled both the band and radio for the early part of my career before getting offered to program WLRS in Louisville at the "World Famous Walrus." Made a decision to bail on the band and head to KY. But no real "this is it" moment.
3) How long have you been at WOTT (94 Rock) and what makes this station so unique?
I've been here for almost 12 years now and there are a couple of factors making it unique. First is Fort Drum. The signal for this station was specifically designed to cover Fort Drum. Between soldiers and their families, they love the rock. We're also on the Canadian border and have many listeners out of Kingston. So the music can be a bit more varied. We'll take chances on artists not doing well in the states, but blowing up in Canada. We were playing the Glorious Sons back in 2015, with Heavy, before anyone stateside knew who they were. Have several songs still in rotation. Psyched about new album... but go back & listen to 'The Union', their first album. This band is a keeper.
4) You have the dual role as PD and Midday/Afternoon host...plus you are also programming the Country station (WEFX) in your cluster. How do you balance your time so all your roles are effective?
It takes time to balance the schedule, making sure that each station gets the attention they need without sacrificing the other. I have my routine, which of course now includes my other markets. Between meetings, prepping, voicetracking, programming, production, promotions & social media (did I leave anything out?)... I make it work.
5) Besides your duties in Watertown, you are also Director Of Rock Programming for Community Broadcasters. Tell us what these new responsibilities entail?
It's a mix of old and new responsibilities. I was already designing the databases for our rock properties (music, clocks, imaging). But now I've got a more hands on approach to what happens at the stations. I make sure that sonically we're on target, everything is flowing properly, that we're maximizing our resources in getting the message of the station out there and establishing the brand. Between on-air, online and on the streets... we need to be as live and local and interactive as possible. Lastly, it's coordinating with our PDs that are already in place to ensure everyone is on the same page.
6) You are running The Bob & Tom Show in morning drive. How does that show work with your aggressive Active Rock format?
It works better than what you might think. We utilize them in cross promoting other dayparts, the music, and promotions. They are fully integrated throughout the day. And even though Bob Kevoian is gone, I like the changes. Josh Arnold is a great addition to the show. He brings more of a contemporary flavor and I think, brought a spark to the rest of the cast. If I had one wish, it would be to incorporate more interviews with bands that aligned with our playlist. (You need to work on that, Josh). As far as Active Rock goes, we're more on the conservative side. We cheat the edges a little on new music with Alternative and Canadian offerings, without going overboard. And we're cautious with some of the more agro stuff out there as well.
7) Tell us a little about your owners Community Broadcasters? Who are their principals and what is it like working for them?
Two guys, Jim Leven and Bruce Mittman. And they, along with Bill Jacobs, are the reason I'm here. Jim used to own Pilot Communications, with 95X in Syracuse as his flagship station. And Bruce was GM at WAAF in Boston for years. These guys know their business and I wanted to work for them. They're rock guys. They get it. And being able to work with Bill Jacobs, who suggested the gig in the first place, just puts more people in the circle of trust that get it. I also appreciate their candor. It's refreshing to get straight answers in this business. That isn't always the case.
8) What's your take on current music at Active Rock and the Rock format overall?
I think this is a debate that will never end. We're not immersed in the hair band or grunge era... nu metal isn't new... and CHR doesn't play rock anymore. But it doesn't mean there isn't great music out there. It's just that the landscape has changed and there are so many different avenues to explore to find new music. Streaming and digital downloads, have changed everything. I remember a great conversation with Zach Myers of Shinedown a while back on this. Artists and labels are catering to a different audience. It's a different era. You have to move with the cheese. But no, Rock Is Not Dead. You have established artists like Tool, Green Day. Metallica, Slipknot, KoRn... releasing relevant and compelling music. You've got newer bands like The Glorious Sons, Highly Suspect, Badflower, Royal Blood, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Greta Van Fleet, Fever 333... that have people excited for the future. (Everybody has a different list; this is my list). Post Malone (with help from Ozzy) & Ed Sheeran (who should have gotten help in not writing such a cliché song) trying their hand at rock music. And hell, we have an unsigned band at number one with Dirty Honey! I would say things are trending up.
9) Changing the subject .....What's it like being a Miami Dolphins fan nowadays?
Look, you have to have perspective on the whole thing. For the last 20 years, the powers that be have approached every season like they're a player or two away from being good. Truth be told, they've been a team, system, coaching staff, act of God away from being better than mediocre. They hit the reset button. Time will tell whether it works or not. But having survived the same thing with my Chicago Cubs... and then seeing them win a World Series (the Astros did the same thing)... I know it works. But we'll see. I'm cautiously optimistic. Phins up... or at least down this year. The tank for Tua is on.
10) Finally, What do you like to do to relax when you're not in radio mode?
I'm a sports geek. So I'm always surfing blogs of my teams (Cubs/Dolphins/Bulls). I like to write. I wrote a book, which was published in 2017. It's a thriller called The Obituary Journal. You can find it on Amzaon.com, BTW (hint/nudge). Also, working on music with a new band out of San Diego called Our Mother of God. My old guitarist (Jimmy Fitzgerald), brilliant songwriter, has been working on this project and asked me if I had anything to contribute. Has been a blast, writing & singing on demos. Haven't done the band thing in 17 years... so that's been extremely cool. The rest is about family... chilling with my wife. Lots of kiddo time (getting shot with Nerf guns/playing dolls with my daughter/I have no shame). And always up for a good game of chess with my 11 year old son, who keeps me on my toes. Life couldn't be better. My time is well spent.
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