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10 Questions with ... Rock
December 10, 2019
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10 Questions with ... Rock
This week, we look back at 2019 with the best answers to some of our best questions.
Borna Velic
PD/Afternoons
WHQG/Milwaukee (1/8/19)
"I just hit my five-year anniversary back in November. What makes our station stand out is a strong roster of personalities and a company that supports our talent. Bob & Brian have dominated mornings for decades. Our midday host, Mindy Novotny, is one of the best jocks in the country. I'm also part of a three-person afternoon show that does personality radio for the drive home. I'm fortunate to work for a company in Saga that believes in people doing great local radio and gives them the resources to succeed."Gabby Canella
PD
Music Choice Rock & Metal (1/15/19)
"Rock is always evolving and remaining relevant in the world of music. Rock and Metal have the most loyal and passionate fan bases. For the fans, myself included, this is not just a genre of music -- it's something we eat, sleep and breathe. For that reason, Rock will never go away. Rock tours are continuing to sell out around the country; just look at bands like Ghost and Greta Van Fleet, who are both selling out headlining shows around the country".Steve Walker
#HAPPENS & Contraband Company (1/22/19)
"We have looked at expanding our environment to include all rock genres since the inception of our company and looked at some incredible options to move forward with the concept. The timing was perfect to team up with Todd, Ken and CO5 Music and the results have been phenomenal. The growth is exciting and although a bit overwhelming we look forward to presenting a new, fresh perspective to our event."Bobby Duncan
PD
KGON/Portland (1/29/19)
"When I interviewed for this gig, our Dir./Rock formats, Dave Richards asked how I would leverage the heritage of the station. I told him we'd go a step further and weaponize it. Stay tuned."Sara Parker
MD/Afternoon producer
WMMR/Philadelphia (2/5/19)
"I studied Music Industry at Drexel and took a Radio 101 class taught by Jim McGuinn. I didn't recognize his name at first, so I totally geeked out when he told us on the first day of class that he'd been the PD of Y100. I loved doing my final project, which was creating a business plan for an imaginary station, with clocks, promo budget, on-air lineup, everything (and I got an A ... not too shabby). I was intrigued by all of the different components needed to create a successful radio station, and decided to pursue it."Rob Baldwin
Land Shark Promotion Studio (2/12/19)
"If I've learned anything from being involved in as much as we are here at Land Shark, it is ... know your projects, know your stations, and know your people. The relationships that you forge with the visionary guys and gals who program radio that you deal with every day is the cornerstone to your effectiveness and success."Chasta
Morning co-host/middays
KSAN (107.7 The Bone)/San Francisco (2/19/19)
"Touching base with my Bonehead family is absolutely essential. They get to know me and my family and my life. They relate to me as a real person instead of just "a voice on the radio." I honestly think that is the key to the success I've had over my career. I have lived every single part of my life on the air ... I even left a voicemail message to be played on the air as I was being driven to the hospital to give birth! LOL! My listeners are a major part of my life. If people feel connected to you as a human, then that's the reason they listen to you."Kurt Steffek
President
Kurt Steffek Promotion's (2/26/19)
"Launching your own company is challenging to say the least. I'm going to be wearing a lot of hats beyond just promotion ... business development, artist relations, accounting, etc. The nice part of this job is I can spend a lot more time talking with radio and nurturing relationships. I get to do what I truly love and that's helping to further artist's careers and partnering with radio stations to achieve that goal."Don Davis
PD
KEGL (97.1 The Eagle) & KZPS (Lone Star 92.5)/Dallas (3/5/19)
"I'm optimistic about the current state of the format. Is it the format darling it once was? Likely not, but what format hasn't experienced some change and transition? Tastes and listening habits change as we age, but unlike most other formats and musical genres, I'm confident there's a few kids in a garage somewhere in Arlington, TX, or in Detroit or Toledo, etc., playing some form of rock music that will carry the format and the overall appetite for rock music well into the future."Garner Goin
PD
KBPI & KRFX (103.5 The Fox)/Denver (3/12/19)
"Both are heritage stations here in Colorado. I have been lucky enough to be a part of/witness the evolution of KBPI since 1991.When I first started with KBPI, we were at the 105.9 frequency. Since then we have been moved to the 106.7 frequency and we today we live at 107.9. Tim Hager and JoJo Turnbeaugh's vision of truly Rocking The Rockies became reality in 2018. We now can be heard up and down the front range at 107.9 from Northern Colorado to Colorado Springs. 103.5 The Fox's approach is a pretty simple. Rick Lewis in the morning, timely/topical/attitude in-between the records/repackaging the music/ Denver Broncos. Both can be heard everywhere with the iHeartRadio app."Gino Flores
OM/PD
KKBA (Rock 92.7)/Corpus Christi (3/19/19)
"I had the pleasure of launching Rock 92-7 on Labor Day weekend 2015. I was a fan of rock music but extremely disappointed in the way Corpus radio was approaching it. As a fan, I knew what was missing. I knew we could do it better. In my opinion, we are doing it better and harder four years later. Our station slogan is "We rock harder." Any fan of rock music will realize the difference within 15 mins of listening."Jimbo Wood
WRTT (Rocket 95.1)/Huntsville, AL
PD/mornings (3/26/19)
"I knew all along I belonged on the air. There wasn't anything that came close to the feeling of walking up an intro and hitting a post. My mom says as a young guy, I used to point to the car radio and say, "I want to go in there." I was so young I thought all of the bands and the announcers were somehow actually "in" the radio."Scot Fox
APD/MD/Afternoons
WCPR/Biloxi, MS (4/2/19)
"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."Mistress Carrie
APD/MD/Middays
WAAF/Boston (4/9/19)
"Boston is unlike any other city, and the staff members of WAAF are a product of that city. We are so interconnected with the area and the audience. It's a very special relationship, and I am very lucky to be a part of such a great team in such an amazing city. And if you are a transplant like our PD Joe Calgaro, we make you a Bostonian pretty quick. It's an intensive program that includes learning to love Tom Brady and the Red Sox. Joe is a work in progress on that front. However, when it comes to reestablishing our Rock credibility with our audience and the industry, he knows full well how to do that. Adding currents back where they belong on WAAF has brought back our edge and the feedback has been immediate and positive!"Bob Hathaway
Promotion Manager
FM Music Management (4/16/19)
"Rock music is as alive and as healthy as it ever was. I get so tired of people always talking about the demise of Rock, and then others to proclaim it isn't dead. Face the facts; there are people out there who really like to listen to Rock music. It is probably the most consistent genre of music there is. All one really needs to do is to look at the big summer shows, and you will see the majority of them are Rock based."Jade Springart
MD
WRIF/Detroit (4/23/19)
"Detroit is still very much a rock n' roll town and it's evident by the number of local acts we have. Detroit's musical history is on another level compared to other cities and we definitely work at keeping the scene alive through our playlists on WRIF and Riff2."E Curtis Johnson
PD/Afternoons
KKBZ (105-1 The Blaze)/Fresno (4/30/19)
"Thank you for your kind words about sounding "great" on the air. As for your opinion, I can neither confirm nor deny any knowledge of Russian involvement or collusion making me sound "great" again. I also have no knowledge of any influence, or payments, that my ultra-wealthy parents may have had on your opinion of how I sound. But I do appreciate the compliment. I am truly excited to be back in the game. By my choice, I've been out for four years, but it's all coming back to me quickly."Mark Morton
Guitarist
Lamb Of God (5/7/19)
"Between performing live and being in the studio, both have pros and cons for me. I'm definitely more of a studio rat; I love the endless possibilities you have in the studio. The fact that you can try anything you want creatively and see how it works, and there's really no risk in trying an idea in the studio. Whereas live you're performing and you don't want to make mistakes, so it's more of an execution thing live. But there is the connection with the audience, which is the plus live. You get to really see the faces and the joy the music is bringing people, which is very powerful as well."Allison Smith
National Dir. Promotion
Big Machine/John Varvatos Records (5/14/19)
"Developing new bands at the format is critical. Clearly there's still an appetite for this genre and we have been able to develop a younger band like Badflower and create excitement. We need more bands that solidify the relevance of the format. Both Rock and Alternative have challenges on the streaming platforms and we need to nurture more bands that have broader importance to the masses."Twisted Todd
MD/Afternoons
WTPT (93.3 The Planet)/Greenville, SC (5/21/19)
"I have been playing bass for nearly 26 years. I have played in numerous local bands and have opened for a handful of national acts but nothing compares to actually sharing the stage with Skillet back in August of 2014 to perform their "Monster" hit with the band in my hometown of Simpsonville, SC!"Chris Chaos
Dir. Corporate Programming/Mornings
WCLG/Morgantown, WV (5/28/19)
"I grew up listening to a clock radio always wanting to be a DJ. At age 10 I was DJ'ing neighborhood summer dances for $20 in different neighborhoods, which turned to weekend gigs. Since I didn't dance, and was shy when it came to girls (I was the skinny glasses type), I quickly learned girls came to you when they wanted to hear a song... some hung around ... then more and ... well ... that was the beginning!"Jave Patterson
OM/PD
KDOT & KOZZ/Reno (6/4/19)
"Lotus believes in the power of 'touch marketing' over traditional radio marketing vehicles such as billboards or expensive television campaigns, so we put that money into providing jobs for the local market with a talented on-site remote department. We excel at being the most visible radio properties (according to perceptual research) in the market despite not having a single billboard up in well over a decade."Curtiss Johnson
SVP/Programming
iHeartMedia Sacramento (6/11/19)
"I think Classic Rock the way KYRV (93.7 The River) is programmed will be quite healthy and popular for years to come. For one, many of those iconic '60s/'70 titles generate far more passion among people who weren't even born when they were released than among the people who heard them played on the radio as currents. Two, because of the younger audience appeal the format has become less artist-driven and more song-driven. The audience is less distracted by an artist's original image and in some case, baggage and more about great songs. It's allowed us to put artist and songs on The River that may not have fit perceptually together 20 years ago."Greg Beharrell
Evenings Host
KLOS/Los Angeles (6/18/19)
"Rock Radio in Southern California is special because the produce is so fresh. It's a benefit when you have this many tomatoes thrown at you."Jessica Johnson
Music Director Promotion/Rock Formats
In2une (6/25/19)
"For years it seems we've pushed this weight on Alternative stations to be the only tastemakers and place where we discover new rock music. Well, it's time for Active Rock to claim part of that crown. With many Alternative stations (seemingly) having a tough time playing many guitar-driven rock songs, It's an exciting opportunity for Active Rock stations to step up and be the purveyors of new ass-kicking artists. Alternative will still be a gateway to hear left-of-center, "risky" hybrid sounds and celebrate the changing landscape of rock music, but let's lean on our Active Rock pals to open up their rock and roll arms and invite some new kids to play."Sam Hill
Brand Manager/PD
Ex-KQMT (99.5 The Mountain)/Denver (7/2/19)
"I would say the biggest thing for me was being able to host middays for 13 years on Alice; you could've never told me the day I rolled into Denver that I would get to do that show for so many years. The opportunity to put people in front of live music has always been a priority of mine and my work with Alice let me do that. I remember this listener showing up to a showcase once with her boyfriend in tow and she said she'd never heard of the artist playing, but she told her boyfriend "If Sam Hill says we have to hear him live, WE HAVE TO HEAR HIM LIVE!" That was awesome."Mark Devine & Paul Marshall
Morning Hosts
KSLX /Phoenix (7/9/19)
Mark: "Our tag line is "Smart guys acting stupid." That sums it up pretty well. Jokes, ball-busting, being okay with being the butt of the joke, lots of stories, lots of listener stories, and lots of musical knowledge that neither one of us has to fake."
Paul: "It's intended to make a mockery of pretty much everything. We deliberately and vociferously avoid politics. It's a no-win situation here in Arizona. More often than not, we find ourselves lamenting our own feeble attempts to avoid working. It's a fun show. And I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to do it every day."Wes Styles
Brand Manager
WIHN (Rock 96.7)/Bloomington-Normal, IL (7/16/19)
"I think there's a solid influx of new bands with a great sound -- Glorious Sons, Badflower, Rival Sons, just to name a few. While it's different by market, the format needs to grow its sound. Our audience's taste is growing, so why aren't we? Yes, your vocal P1's will have something to say about it, but how else are we going to welcome in and grow the audience?"John Cooper
Lead Vocalist
Skillet (7/23/19)
"I'm continually stunned at the success and lasting success of the band. Never dreamed we would hit these numbers. Nor did I ever believe we would be around for so long. I feel honored that the fans are still listening. I'm humbled at the impact we have had and have an adoration for the beautiful fans we see every night."Lorraine Caruso
VP/Promotion & Marketing
Mascot Label Group (7/30/19)
"Promotion is similar across most formats. I believe if you are a good programmer you can program any format; if you are a good promotion person you can promote any format. Doing National promotion is strategic; I have always equated it to the game Stratego. You have to think ahead, know where you want to be in advance; know which benchmarks you need to hit to get to the next level, and ultimately try to win the flag."Terry Boyd & Brian Shannon
Morning Hosts
KGON/Portland (8/6/19)
Terry: "It's two somewhat dysfunctional guys trying to get through life and not hiding all of our flaws. Which is pretty much the same thing as all of our listeners. It's one giant bar stool discussion about the day and what's going on Portland."
Brian: "Guys, their lives and shortcomings, while having a beer. The show sounds like you're hanging out with your friends. Making fun of each other and wondering with all the stupid stuff we've done, how we get through the day without hurting ourselves. It has to be relatable and funny."Debbi Calton
Middays
WMGK/Philadelphia (8/13/19)
"Being on the air as the events of 9/11 unfolded was perhaps the most humbling day of my career. Trying to make sense of what was happening while trying to maintain composure on-air while the whole time, I was trying to get hold of my son's school to make sure everything was okay there. Whew. In the days that followed, we all felt a tremendous responsibility to help reassure our audience that even though this senseless and mind boggling event had happened, that we were in it together."Mike Jakubow
VP
Sumerian Records (8/20/19)
"I was fascinated with everything music-related, from the first time I tuned into a cool radio station or first picked up the guitar. I wanted to know about the "behind the scenes" side of things. I got even more curious about radio, record labels and the music industry once high school and college hit. I DJ'd on both my high school and college radio stations. My first internship was with Interscope Records at their Chicago/Itasca location. I had two great bosses during that period who encouraged me. They didn't mind exposing me to the realities of the business and the ins and outs of working with artists and industry folks."Robyn Lane
APD/MD/Middays
WRAT/Monmouth-Ocean, NJ (8/27/19)
"I have been at the WRAT since its inception in September 1996. We have the most recognizable jocks in the market because the majority of our air staff has been here since the beginning, which is rare in this day and age. Not a single station in our market can make that claim ... no revolving door here."Steve Gorman
Host
Steve Gorman Rocks! (9/3/19)
"The Classic Rock format has shown quite clearly that it's here to stay. The challenge with Classic Rock isn't to radically update the playlists necessarily, but to keep what we do on-air around those playlists fresh and interesting. The music itself is eternally rewarding to every new generation. Music played with human hands on real instruments connects in a way that synthesized pop music simply can't, so that's no surprise."Jon Ballard
Morning Guy
KOZZ/Reno (9/10/19)
"Steve Slaton once told me, 'A good jock can say it in nine words, but a great jock says it in three.' The same goes for snark, A couple of well-chosen words can get your point across more effectively than ranting and raving until you're foaming at the mouth. I love words. I always have ... and, I'm thrilled that I was able to find a way to use them for fun and profit."Doug "Sluggo" Roberts
APD/MD
KLOS/Los Angeles (9/17/19)
"I've always admired KLOS and have always had it in the back of my mind that I'd like to come play the hard stuff. It's what I have often defaulted to for listening to music on my own, whether it be sitting in traffic or alone on the couch at 2am. I grew up with Sabbath and The Stones in my mix of music, so to be able to be part of this particular team is very exciting."Axel Lowe
PD/PM Drive
WNNX (Rock 100.5)/Atlanta (9/24/19)
"I love radio and the art of connecting one on one with the listener. Playlists are great, but well programmed radio is LOCAL, topical, entertaining, engaging and did I mention LOCAL? Done well, it will always have an audience."Lance Hale
Dir./Rock Programming
WOTT (94 Rock)/Watertown, NY (10/1/19)
"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!"Bob Edwards
OM/PD
KQRC/Kansas City (10/8/19)
"I feel very fortunate to say I've been at KQRC for 16 years. What makes the station unique is our relationship with the listeners. KQRC's founding Program Director, the late Doug Sorenson, started the station with a commitment to serve the listener, being connected at eye level, and never bullshitting them. The station has always had the philosophy of treating the listener as an equal, serving the community, and making sure they know that we are truly one of them. KQRC is more than a radio station, were the portal for all things rock or rock related in Kansas City. Before listeners make their weekend plans, they check with us!"Anthony 'Roach' Proffitt
PD/Middays
WXNX (93X)/Ft. Myers (10/15/19)
"We still are SW Florida's Rock Alternative and yes we still play some really great Alternative rock, however the core of the station leans in the Active Rock world more today than it has in the past. I think those ALT records that we do play separate what we do in comparison to the "other guys" in town. I will also say that that when people want to hear music throughout their day, they know they can tune into 93X and hear rock and some alternative music."Valorie Knight
OM/PD
KQRA (Q 102.1)/Springfield, MO (10/22/19)
"It's been a fun last two years to return to rock radio! Not only have several new artists broken, but there's a lot of return to guitar based rock- which is perfect for the Midwest. Seeing the success of bands like Greta, Black Moods, Dirty Honey as well as unique sounding artists like Badflower, Rival Sons, Glorious Sons and the mix of strong alt tracks from Black Keyes, Cage, 21 Pilots etc....helps us keep more broad than narrow. It's been fun to see artists like Gary Clark Jr., Stapleton, and even Ed Sheeran get exposure at the format as well."Chili Walker
OM/PD/PM Drive
WYBB (98 Rock)/Charleston (10/29/19)
"I love the fact that straight ahead "dirty" rock is back!! Bands like Greta Van Fleet, Dirty Honey, Rival Sons and so on...I can't get enough of this style of Rock!"Andy Hall
Ast. Brand Manager/MD/Afternoons
KAZR (Lazer 103.3)/Des Moines (11/5/19)
"Corey Taylor mooned my mom. This was more than 15 years ago now, but all the parties involved remember the incident like it was yesterday. Mom and my youngest brother Nick were in town visiting - they didn't know it at the time, but Corey and I had become really good friends. So I decided to swing by his house. I got within a couple blocks, and called Corey to let him know I was in the neighborhood. 'Let me know when you're out front,' he said. 'OK, I'm driving up now,' I replied. Just as we caught sight of his front door, a bright white figure appeared in the doorway. It was Corey...or, more specifically...Corey's naked ass. Mom screamed 'OH MY GOD!' Corey heard the commotion and yelled into the phone 'WHO IS THAT??' 'That's my mom, Corey.' I should write a book."Barry Lyons
Owner
Rent A Label (11/12/19)
"I started RENT A LABEL with a very basic principle: that artists or managers or independent labels operating outside the major-label plantation system should have access to services of the quality that was once the exclusive domain of the majors. I wanted to be involved in ALL aspects of the careers of the artists I was working with - touring, press, radio, video, and sales - just as I had been at Island or Polydor or I.R.S. The details have changed dramatically in the 18 years as virtually all dynamics of the marketplace have undergone radical change. But the guiding principle remains unchanged."Coe Lewis
Afternoons
KGB/San Diego (11/19/19)
"When I moved to San Diego, I worked as an Office Mgr for a law firm and hated it. I would listen to the crossover between Sue Delany and John Leslie and they sounded like they had THE greatest jobs in the world. I told the girl I worked with that I would work at KGB one day, and mind you I knew NOTHING about radio. I am sure she thought I was insane, but I just knew I wanted to work at KGB more than anything in the world. With two sisters 7 and 9 years older than me, I was literally raised on rock and because I love rock, I taught myself a lot about it just for fun."Ryan Castle
APD/MD/Middays
KISW/Seattle (11/26/19)
"KISW has a long, rich history with Seattle music that goes back to the early '70s. According to Jimi's sister Janie, KISW was the only station allowed on in the Hendrix house because we played Jimi's music. We're fortunate to have so many great bands here and to have those relationships with them. It's not unusual to have Mike McCready come by to talk about a charity event in town. He's played benefits for us before too. So have Queensryche and Duff McKagan. Duff, Sean Kinney and I did a radio show a few years ago just for fun. As far as programming goes I suppose we probably get away with going a little deeper on those band's catalogs than most. No shocker, we play A LOT of Nirvana. Next big thing from Seattle: Ayron Jones. Watch out!"Tommy Vext
Lead Vocalist
Bad Wolves (12/3/19)
"John had a name called Eye of Tongues and I didn't like the name - and everyone had their own name ideas, and everyone agreed we needed a new name. So John and I went out for pizza to figure out this name situation and we were talking about a concept for a music video that was a mix between thriller and teen wolf which we haven't done yet, but are hoping to do one day. And this scene stuck out from a movie, called Interstellar with Matthew McConaughey. In the scene, he's telling his daughter a story about wolves - and says that in every person there's a good wolf and a bad wolf and his daughter asks, 'Which one wins the fight' and he says 'Whichever one you feed.' That always stuck with me, and so we decided on Bad Wolves."
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