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10 Questions with ... Lou Brutus
January 7, 2020
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1) What was your first job in radio and who were your early influences and mentors?
I began professionally via an internship at WMMR/Philadelphia.This was thanks to my work as a theatre soundman at Six Flag's Great Adventure in Jackson NJ. In a stroke of blind luck, the station's Rod Carson stopped by the sound booth to ask about the multimedia Rock N Roll show he'd just seen. After a brief conversation, he gave me the number to call about internships as I was then on my college radio station. I landed the internship and worked for over a year for free. I was later at the request lines for Pierre Robert when the then new morning guy John DeBella came into the studio. In another stroke of blind luck, his producer called in sick that morning. When John told Pierre he needed to find a better producer I jumped up, shook his hand, and told him I was the guy. I got the job. A week later, I quit school and moved to Philadelphia. To add to my (meager) income, I was given the Saturday overnight shift where I ran pre-taped shows. A few weeks into that, in yet another stroke of blind luck, the Sunday morning jock Larry Richman called in sick. When I reached out in a panic to APD Joe Bonadonna he calmly told me, "Sounds like you're getting your big break. I'd tape it if I were you." Then he hung up. When I played the tape the following day for PD George Harris he liked what he heard and started giving me regular air shifts. Pretty much the entire staff from WMMR in those days acted as mentors to me. Having grown up in Central NJ, where we got both NYC and Philly radio, I was influenced by the many incredible DJs I heard. However, my favorite as a kid was Dan Ingram. He's still the best music radio host I've ever heard. Dan Ingram! Go! Go! Go!
2) You have quite a varied background of Rock Radio experience. Can you give us a quick list of station's and on air/titles you held at each station prior to joining hardDrive?
After WMMR I had a brief stint as morning show producer at WPLJ/NY but by that time knew I should be doing my own thing. I then went to afternoon drive at WHJY/Providence as well as part-time at WBCN/Boston. I then went back to WMMR for nights before Dave Richards lured me out to WRCX/Chicago. It was while in Chicago I picked up the hosting for hardDrive. From Chicago it was mornings at WHFS/DC followed by XM Satellite Radio where I've been since 2000.
3) How long have you been the host of hardDrive and how did you initially get involved?
hardDrive debuted over the 4th of July weekend in 1996. SW Networks launched it. Corrine Baldassano and Fred Jacobs had key roles in picking me as host. At the time Dave Richards good-naturedly told me these shows typically have a shelf life of about a year. Fortunately, it's gone a bit longer! That the shows continue to see such enormous success and growth this far along is gratifying. I think it comes down to the fact that the program is by music fans, for music fans. It's why when I'm asked for my job title I usually just say, "I'm a professional music fan." I don't put myself on a pedestal; I'm nothing more than a fan who went pro... and got lucky. Whenever I'm out at festivals/shows I spend every moment I can in the crowd. At an event like Rock Fest Wisconsin I literally speak with well over a thousand people during the week, one-at-a-time. It's one of the things I love to do most, talk to other people to whom music is important. The thing I hear from them most often is "You're just a fan like me." That makes me feel really good. Finally, it may sound kinda lame, but I still think it's exciting to be on the radio. It's what I wanted since I was a kid. It's a fun way to make a living.
4) You worked for many years with longtime Producer Roxy Myzal. How was that working relationship helping in the success of the show?
I have been very fortunate that there has always been a strong team of people around me for the show. That continues to the present day with our producer Paul Spagna and content producers/engineers Zak Tranese and Bill Powell. Andy Denemark has been Executive Producer these many years and is a wonderful person to work with. Finally, bringing in Randy Hawke for Music Programming has been a masterstroke. There is no one better than Randy. Plus, he's a good friend.
5) There must be a lot of work in putting together a weekly and nightly show. Describe a typical production week with hardDrive and hardDrive XL.
I'm a firm believer in the old adage "Be meticulous in your preparation so that you may be chaotic in your work." I am a creature of habit when it comes to production schedule as the structure keeps things on track. Although I constantly generate notes and ideas, I generally write content for each week of shows on Sunday. I then track on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. However, there are always interviews, both on phone and in person, so things get bumped every which way. Plus, as news hits, things need to be updated and/or replaced. Essentially, I've been working seven days a week for a few decades straight. I'm not complaining though. I am constantly around creative and interesting people, which is one of the great blessings you can have in life.
6) The show features great interviews. I know there are many, but what are some of the best interview moments in hardDrive's history?
I first think back to interviews with guys like Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington and Paul Gray. Wonderful conversations with people I greatly miss. Of course, any interview with Corey Taylor is fun. We've known each other a long time and I've traveled quite a bit with both Slipknot and Stone Sour. There have also been countless interesting talks with both David Draiman and Dan Donegan of Disturbed, Phil LaBonte of All That Remains, and Maria Brink of In This Moment. Others to mention are Ben Burnley of Breaking Benjamin, Dustin Bates of Starset, OTEP, and Sully Erna of Godsmack. So many smart and interesting people! There are at least 50 other names I should mention. I apologize in advance! I should also include having been backstage to cover every Rock On The Range/Sonic Temple. On some of those I've done close to 20 interviews per day. Grueling, but rewarding and enlightening.
Lou Brutus with Starset!7) Now let's talk about the Active Rock format as a whole. What's your take on current Active Rock music and the format overall?
Anyone who actually believes ROCK IS DEAD is woefully misinformed. You need only look at the strength of recent and upcoming album releases to know. Add to that the fact that hard rock and metal sell the lion's share of concert tickets and you understand reality more fully. It causes me to resent much of the rest of the media who fawn over marginally talented entertainers in other genres, often in Pop, while ignoring the incredible men and women in Rock. Is there really anyone in Pop or Country with a better voice than Lzzy Hale? Not bloody well likely, mate! I find the disrespect especially acute with the Grammy Awards. Why the hell is Rock so poorly represented when it comes to the televised awards? Now I know plenty of Rock people who say to just give up on the Grammys. I say F THAT! Why should we give up important airtime seen by hundreds of millions of eyes? I believe that maybe the Rock members of NARAS, along with other marginalized genres like Jazz, Blues, Classical and Folk, should sue the organization for not fairly representing all of its dues paying members. It's BS and it needs to stop. Time to rattle some cages. Go straight at the buggers and give them a taste of the chrome!
8) I hear you are an author with a new book coming in 2020. Give us the scoop.
It's a memoir entitled "Sonic Warrior: My Life as a Rock N Roll Reprobate (Tales of Sex, Drugs & Vomiting at Inopportune Moments)." Each chapter is a standalone story with titles like "The Time Our Tour Bus Ran Over A Guy on the NJ Turnpike," "The Time Snoop Dogg Got Me So High I Drooled in My Own Lap" and "The Time I Went to the Arctic and Got in a Mosh Pit with a Bunch of Kids in Polar Bear Fur While Metallica Sang About Sodomizing a Goat." It's all crazy but true stories from my decades of being around this music thing of ours. Corey Taylor has written the Foreword and there is an original illustration for each chapter by my longtime graphic artist Alan MacBain. Rare Bird Books of Los Angeles will publish it on April 14, 2020. Pre-orders are available now via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the publisher. My publicist Amy Sciarretto and Rare Bird's publicist Julia Callahan are currently putting my book tour and other appearances together. I encourage folks to reach out to them to set up interviews or let them know if you want me in your town. I certainly do NOT intend my book appearances to be mellow affairs. There will be insane contesting to support the book's release, too. Plus, my lit agent Robert Diforio is already getting inquiries about film and television rights. I'm really excited for the whole thing to finally see the light of day!
9) You are also quite the photographer. How did you get involved with that hobby or has that always been a passion of yours?
Thank you. I got my first real camera in the late-'90s, as I wanted to take pictures of lighthouses. I still travel to as many of those as I can and have had lighthouse images published. I find it very relaxing to be alone on a deserted cliff along the seashore after being on a tour bus or locked up in the studio for weeks! As the years progressed and I got more opportunities to shoot music and sporting events, I invested in professional equipment and am glad I did. It's given me a rich fount of online content that other folks with positions like mine don't generally have. I've also had a number of bands use my shots although I never charge anything or even ask for a credit. I feel it would be taking unfair advantage of the artists. I primarily shoot music subjects and Major League Baseball. However, I also dabble in astrophotography and was proud to have my images of the Great American Eclipse of 2017 used by National Geographic as well news services worldwide.
Lou Brutus Photography shot of Mick Jagger10) Finally, you've made Darla the Wonder Dog a big part of your Social Media presence. Since she can't speak for herself, how is she doing?
Darla is living her best life! One of the most delightful things for me is seeing how much love she brings to people around the world. Her "terrier tantrum videos" are especially popular. She's so damn cute she can get away with anything. Of course, when people say she is "adorable" I remind them that she's "aDARLAble." Even her frenemies like Venus the Meowing Pussycat have fans. Anyone who pays close attention to my online content realizes I almost never make reference to politics or religion. People come to me (mostly) wanting music-related content, so that's what I give them. As for my personal life online, I keep that to talk about Darla. She actually gets a steady stream of fan mail. People love collecting her pins, stickers, Topps baseball cards, and challenge coins. I mean, I have all those things for me too, but Darla's are more popular than my own. It certainly helps keep one's ego in check! LOL
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