10 Questions with ... Derek Madden

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

• 1995-97: WVBR/Ithaca, NY: PD
• 1997-99: WNNX/Atlanta: Weekend DJ
• 1998-99: WRXR/Augusta, GA: PD/Afternoons
• 1999-2000: WXZZ/Lexington, KY: PD/Afternoons
• 2001-2002: KLLC/San Francisco: MD
• 2002-2009: KITS/San Francisco: Nights, Middays
• 2010: KSJO/San Jose: PD/Middays
• 2011-2013: KSAN/San Francisco: PD/Afternoons
• 2013-2015: KLOS/Los Angeles: PD/Middays
• 2015-present: KXXR/Minneapolis: PD

1) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?

I found radio in college at Cornell. I was hoping to get on "Sportscenter", and my campus was lucky enough to have a student-run, fully commercial station. A bunch of guys at ESPN, including Keith Olbermann, had come through there, so I worked in the sports department and hosted a talk show. One overnight, they couldn't find anybody to DJ, and being a music fan, I volunteered.I had such a good time that I wound up as the Program Director in about 6 months. Very suddenly, I had a new career path, and I've been forging it ever since.

2) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now, what you didn't then, would you still do it?

I got into radio at a pretty damn crazy time, just before the Telecom Act kicked in. At the time I loved music, I loved the idea of turning people on to new favorite bands, and I loved the intimacy of the medium. And I somehow had the idea that I could do this thing I love, make a good living, and not have to live this completely corporate existence. And of course these big companies started buying up stations immediately. Now I've learned to adapt and to see a lot of the advantages of working in that environment, but I didn't see that change coming, and I certainly wouldn't have predicted the way technology and the internet have revolutionized music and the media. Having that knowledge might have seemed pretty daunting to 19-year-old me.

But we've reached a point where being in radio is like other careers in the music business. Maybe you wouldn't recommend it to someone else, but it's the right thing for you because it's what you feel like you need to be doing. Personally, I love a career that offers new challenges constantly. And it still gives me some of the same thrills I had in the beginning

3) Before we talk about KXXR, you programmed KLOS/Los Angeles before taking over at 93X. How was that experience for you?

Excellent! I've been lucky to work at some great stations, but it was an honor to take the reins of a station that had meant so much to so many for so long. I mean the logo is iconic, you see bands co-opting it in merch and things! Those four letters have always meant "ROCK" in Los Angeles.

I got there at a point when KLOS was figuring out not just what it was, but what it was going to be for people. Forging a new course was made easier by all the talented people in that building every day. When you have total pro like Stew Herrera to work on creative, a funny and supremely motivated show like Heidi and Frank and walking music encyclopedias like Gary Moore, Melissa Maxx, and the Late Bob Coburn at your disposal, then you've got assets to highlight.

We wanted to showcase our team, be a hub for all these incredible bands who really grew up with the station, and have a ton of fun on the air every day. Since I've been gone, it's been really cool to watch Keith Cunningham extend the station even further in that direction. Moves like bringing in Jonesy were really smart

4) How long have you been at KXXR (93X) and what makes this station so unique?

I'm about 6 weeks away from my 5th anniversary at 93X, and it's absolutely flown by. In terms of what it makes it unique, well it's certainly had a unique history. To go from The Edge which was at one point the highest rated alternative by share in the U.S., to what could be really be described as the loudest station in the country, to the more nimble mainstream rock position today, I'm not sure there are many stations that have had that many successful incarnations

But the main thing that makes this station unique is this state. I know everyone says their market is different, but Minnesota is a singular place. We're pretty far away from the next big city in any direction, and most of the people who are here have been here for their entire lives, and have no plans to go anywhere. It's an area with a ton of pride and identity, its own language, and food culture, and rich history of supporting music and local artists in general, and rock music in particular.

If you've seen The Wire (and if you haven't, you should stop reading this and start binging), there was a term that was repeated on the show, "natural police", meaning a guy who was just born to be a cop. Well, our jocks are "Natural Minnesota." They get what this place means and it's not something we need to spell out for them.

5) Tell us about the Half-Assed Morning Show on KXXR. Who are they players and how is the show doing in the market?

You know what else helps in the ratings? A #1 Morning Show! The Half-Assed Morning Show is led by Nick and Josh, who've been doing the show for 20+ years now. Last year we added Trista, who was new to radio, but is definitely "Natural Minnesota" with the accent to match. The show is rounded out by producers and talents Ross, Wappel, and Ashley. And honestly you could really add our fans, known as The Brotherhood, as a 7th member of the team. We get tremendous audience participation in the show every day, and it's not uncommon for the audience to fire off some of the best lines of the day.

As a PD it's been a joy to watch this show grow. They work really f***ing hard, and despite the name, are super-prepared to do a topical show with a ton of audio that brings planned and unplanned moments of joy every day. People are truly invested. I believe 2020 will be our 4th straight year at #1 25-54, competing against some really big shows. And if the Marconi people are reading this, you might want to take a look at these guys, because they win against a lot of shows you've been handing awards to for years...not that I'm bitter. Ok I'm a little bitter.

6) Let's talk about the music on KXXR. Lots of Cumulus Rock stations play a nice balance of Active Rock along with Alternative. How would you describe the music position on 93X?

We play rock records people like. A lot of people make this complicated, and I can certainly go on about our music philosophy, but at the end of the day that's it. We're gonna play rock records people like and we're gonna play as many of them as we can.

We're aware that rock is a niche in our current culture, but we believe in its power and we believe there's a bunch of really cool types of music that can fit in that umbrella. Every music consumer has the entire music world in their pocket, and people grab what they want now, they're less concerned with genres and tribes, and so we try to respond accordingly.

7) What's your take on new Active Rock music and the format as a whole?

Over the last year we've been able to take some of the 93X brand and intellectual property to Indianapolis and Kansas City, and we've seen some really great success with that. Each of those stations shares some DNA with us but takes a musical approach that's tailored to their market. You can take the bones of our approach and lean it in any number of musical directions. So I think that's really promising. There are still a number of ways to approach this format and have success. I love what stations like WMMR and KISW do, and that's different from us, and different from a KUPD or WXTB or The Hog in Milwaukee.There are still great stations and still a number of paths to success.

But I also think as a format, we need to understand that major labels are not investing much in rock music and they're not signing a lot of rock bands. And as a group of radio stations we really need to address why it's so expensive for labels to work this format and what kind of ROI they're getting for that investment. Because that current situation isn't sustainable. If you're not going to play any music that isn't being consumed by the masses in large quantities, you're going to have a tough time building stars.

8) As we enter a New Year and decade, give me three new Rock bands (from the last year or so) you think have a bright future at the format?

Much like Pod Save America, I got out of the prediction business after 2016. So I don't know about future at the format. The stations will do what they think will be right for them.

There are plenty of exciting new bands out there. We've got bands like White Reaper, Blue Stones, and Falling In Reverse on our playlist right now who have their best days ahead of them, and a lot of bands with heritage who've shown a desire to reinvent themselves

9) What do you think will be different about the Active Rock format, if anything, five years from now?

I'm not necessarily predicting this, but it wouldn't shock me if the charts for Active, Alternative, and AAA merged into "Rock" chart down the line. Rock radio has always had a lot of traditionalists, I just hope we're able to continue adapting to the changing habits of our consumers.

10) Finally, what do you like to do to relax when you're not fully in radio mode?

When is that, exactly? I'm a fan of the Atlanta Falcons and Braves, Arsenal Football Club, and the Golden State Warriors. So I guess I like to learn lessons about grace in the face of adversity? Also, I'm into new restaurants and old whiskeys.