-
10 Questions with ... Daryl Norsell
November 23, 2021
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. It’s hard to underestimate the challenges of the past year and a half. From trying to give the listeners clear and correct information while staying out of the political aspects, to the tough revenue issues all stations were dealing with, to trying to keep the studios safe for the air staff, it has been a series of almost daily adjustments to what we have in front of us. We’ve had a few isolate cases that required remote shows, but we’ve somehow managed to keep the jocks in the studio for most of the pandemic.
-
1. What was your first job in radio and early influences?
I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, listening to legendary stations like KHJ as a kid and then KMET as soon as I was old enough to realize what rock was. KHJ instilled the idea of radio being really fun and full of energy. And man, did "The Mighty MET" reach down deep inside and grab me. It was listening to them that made me understand that radio wasn't just somebody playing music and talking, a great station can be the center of a community that you feel a part of and even fight for. I knew I had to be a part of that somehow.
My first radio job was on a cable radio station in Chatsworth in 1982 right out of high school. If you're old enough to remember when cable companies had a guide channel that told you what was coming up and other info channels, we were the place that provided the background music for them, and we actually did shows. Amazingly we had people that listened to us every day. That still freaks me out! Anyway, that was experience enough to get a demo together and convince the rock station up in Ventura (KKBZ, "The Buzz") to hire me. I started on the air there when I was 19.
2. What led you to a career in radio?
I was lucky enough to have a couple of great teachers in school. One taught a public speaking class and gave the me the confidence to throw myself out there. The other taught audio/video in high school and taught me how to do simple editing and let us put together any kind of project that we wanted to. As soon as I cut into my first bit of tape I was hooked, suddenly I had a creative outlet that I loved and I knew I could be really good at it.
3. How long have you been the PD for KCAL and what makes this station unique?
A couple of years after I started in Ventura the station went Top 40 and fired everyone and I ended up taking the all-night gig here at KCAL on New Year's Day 1985. That quickly turned into nights, and a couple of years later, Afternoons, where I've been ever since. I was Production Director for KCAL and then for the KCAL/KOLA combo for 17 years. Then I switched over to APD/MD for about eight years and ultimately took over the PD gig a little over nine years ago. I've been incredibly lucky to not only work with some wonderful and talented people, but to have worked with many of them like my General Manager, Jeff Parke, for decades now.
What makes us unique? We are a throwback in many ways here. Like the last of the independents. We've had one owner for the vast majority of my 35 + years here. The company consists of us and our sister station, KOLA (Classic Hits). It really is a family atmosphere in the building, and I think that is why so many people have stayed here for so long, including air personalities, salespeople, and traffic and office staff. The best part of the job is being able to have an idea, take it down the hallway and bounce it around with my GM and have it on the air later that day if we want to. We are able to react and turn things around incredibly fast. It is so cool to be part of the story of this Class A signal that has managed to rock Southern California for the last 50 plus years. Because of that longevity, we have a deep connection with generations of listeners that have grown up with us and make us part of their day.
4. You have the dual role as PD and Afternoons on KCAL. Do you do any special bits or music features in the afternoon?
When Jeff and I first talked about me taking the PD job, one of my biggest concerns was that I might have to give up my show. It had been an off-air position for a lot of years, but I felt with the surrounding group of people around me coming together as a team I could find a way to pull it off. Yeah, it makes for some long days, but I still love those four hours I'm on the air every day. Special bits and features? We're very active promotionally, so I'm always looking for fun ways to do the giveaways and be interactive with the listeners. I've done many music features over the years, but lately I've been doing the "4:20 Binge" where we highlight a different band or artist every day and put together a block based on phone or text requests.
5. How would you describe the Rock music mix on KCAL? Do you consider KCAL a Mainstream Rock station?
Over the years we have shifted in just about every direction you can think of to fit the music and vibe of the time, from almost a free-form AOR on vinyl when I started, to Mainstream, Active, and Classic, but we have always had a rock soul. About 5 years ago we evolved the station pretty drastically and are based in the 90s/2000s rock world now. Core artists are Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Sublime, Metallica, Green Day and the Grunge crew. I guess you could call us a next generation Classic Rock station, Mediabase does, but we are playing some currents and especially recurrents.
6. While KCAL is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino market, it’s also part of the Inland Empire of Los Angeles. How much do LA Rock stations like KLOS or KROQ and KYSR affect your market or influence any of the music you play?
Not nearly as much as they used to. Our position is not ultra-close to either the traditional Classic Rock or the current Alternative lanes, although we share some library with both, so we have the luxury of being able to focus on what sounds right for us and the unique listener demographics we have in the IE.
7. What's your take on current Active Rock music and the Rock format overall?
It seems like we are on the edge of a pretty creative period in rock. The pandemic has given artists an unexpected break from touring (and making their money) so they have just experienced a period that let them write and create in a different way than they have been used to in the past. Hopefully that results in stretching the styles we hear and a renewed passion in the rock audience. I think we’re just starting to get some of those results in the mix.
8. Since we are getting close to the end of the year, what are three of your favorite Rock albums in 2021?
Really been enjoying the Ayron Jones stuff. I think Seether and Volbeat are bringing some really cool stuff to the mix as well.
9. How did KCAL cope with the Covid pandemic over the last year or so? Are most of the air talent back in the studio or are there still some rocking remotely?
It’s hard to underestimate the challenges of the past year and a half. From trying to give the listeners clear and correct information while staying out of the political aspects, to the tough revenue issues all stations were dealing with, to trying to keep the studios safe for the air staff, it has been a series of almost daily adjustments to what we have in front of us. We’ve had a few isolate cases that required remote shows, but we’ve somehow managed to keep the jocks in the studio for most of the pandemic. We made it to the end of 2020 with our full staff intact, but finally were forced to furlough several people at the beginning of the year due to the huge financial hit we were taking. Our midday personality, Promotions Director, and the whole weekend airstaff. I’m incredibly proud to say that, as of the end of September, we once again have all of our people and positions in the Programming and Promotions Departments back in place. The company really did keep its promises there.
10. Finally, what do you like to do for fun and relaxation when you’re not in “radio work” mode??
My wife and I love to travel, so we try to explore as many places as we can. We live in the heart of Downtown Riverside, which has a lot of great restaurants and shops, so we do a ton of walking around on the weekends. I started making wine as a hobby after taking some enology and viticulture classes about 12 years ago, so there’s always something happening there. That also gives us a good excuse to check out different wine regions in our travels. We’ve been to a lot of them!
-
-