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Best of 10 Questions... Rock
December 14, 2021
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As part of our year-end special coverage, we look back at 2021 with the best answers to some of our best questions.
Borna Velic
PD
WHQG & WKLH/Milwaukee (1/5/21)
“I recently passed my 7-year anniversary at the The Hog. We win because of our air talent. A veteran staff that are committed to their craft and want to deliver a strong performance every day. Nowadays, it so much more than solely being great when the mic is turned on. It’s digital, video, social media, community involvement, and finding new ways to connect with our audience when there is so much competition out there.”
Randi Scott
Middays
Former KSLX/Phoenix (1/12/21)
“KSLX is special because it’s the station I grew up listening to with friends, musicians, and in between classes at ASU. KSLX is part of our valley community, at work, in the car, at the gym, hiking, poolside, and of course, ‘Nights With Alice Cooper,’ the valley’s ultimate companion on the radio.”
Andy Biersack
Lead Vocalist
Black Veil Brides (1/19/21)
“We have always been a band that has a deep love for big anthemic rock and roll. Our heroes growing up were the bands whose songs made you want to join in and sing your heart out. That has always been our mission statement, we want to connect with people and give them a moment of joy and power within the context of our music.”
Fish & Heather
Mornings
Former KAZR/Des Moines (1/26/21)
Fish: “We met shortly before The Fish & Heather Show began and we jelled well!”
Heather: “More important than chemistry, I feel that we’re compatible. I’m grateful to everyone at Saga for matching us. I’ve already enlisted the team to NOW work on finding me a boyfriend, since they’re so skilled at pairing strangers.”
Bob Hathaway
VP/Active Rock Radio Promotion and FM Music Management Partner
The Artist Cooperative (2/2/21)
“I generally look at the radio tracking on singles. I look to see what is moving up or down the charts, but more importantly why. I look to see what a song’s dayparts look like and what stations are playing as well. That will tell me a lot about what programmers are thinking about a particular song. I then will look at streaming numbers to see what is or isn’t happening.”
C.C.
Morning Host
Former KFMW (Rock 108)/Waterloo-Cedar Rapids, IA (2/9/21)
“I’m NOT the only female doing a solo morning show in Rock Radio, but it’s def not the ‘norm.’ Usually, women are #2 as a co-host, which is awesome as well. It’s just not as common to have a woman doing a solo morning show in this format. This was also a big reason I wanted to work at Rock 108. Granted, I do have the mentality of a dude, but try to offset it by wearing dresses.”
Mindy Novotny
MD/Middays
WHQG (102.9 The Hog)/Milwaukee (2/16/21)
“Milwaukee is a unique market. Based on the requests that I receive, I believe we are serving our listeners well. Not only are we already playing what they’re requesting, we’re also introducing them to new music and surprising them with nostalgia.”
Jesse Hasek
Lead Vocalist
10 Years (2/23/21)
“It’s always kind of difficult to sum up our sound in a few words but I’d have to say we are a melodic band with heavy elements and lyrical content that tries to provoke deeper emotion and thought. Sonically I guess I’d compare us to bands like Chevelle, Nothing More, A Perfect Circle, and Deftones.”
Dave “Kane-O” Kane
APD/Middays
WCMF/Rochester (3/2/21)
“Sadly, when there’s a death of a musician, especially one that’s been integral to the rock format, (and they’re increasing) I have become the de facto ‘Rock & Roll Eulogist,’ providing info and usually a few hours of the artist’s work. The death of Tom Petty, and more recently, those of Neal Peart and Eddie Van Halen warranted five, six hours of their music.”
Kevin & Sluggo
Afternoons
KLOS/Los Angeles (3/9/21)
Kevin: “When we were at KROQ, we did a thing called the Party Machine. People loved blowing off the format and just playing party music. Not our boss, Kevin Weatherly, but everyone else. So now we do the Kevin and Sluggo All-Request fest on Fridays at 5. Some of the stuff is super weird to hear on KLOS.”
Sluggo: “It’s an ‘anything goes’ party starter to kick off the weekend, and so far we’ve spun William Shatner’s version of “Sunshine of Your Love,” Eddie Murphy’s “Boogie in Your Butt,” and the Foo Fighters pretending to be the Bee Gees and covering “You Should Be Dancing.” It’s – insanity.”
Jacoby Shaddix
Lead Vocalist
Papa Roach (3/16/21)
“Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - The Better Noise years is a collection of songs that we as a band feel really connected to the past 10 years moving from a major label to the indie world and we loved that. Our songs are like children to us so it was difficult to narrow down the selection, but we added some new remixes and a great feature from Asking Alexandria vocalist, Danny Worsnop, that ‘elevated’ this second Hits collection.”
Sid Black
APD/MD/Afternoons
KILO/Colorado Springs (3/23/21)
“The only adjustment to MD is sitting down and scheduling. Music conversations are had with everyone on the staff, programming or not. All of us are music geeks so that conversation is had naturally. From my experience over the years, I know what does/doesn't work with our station. It’s smooth sailing from there.”
Taryn Daly
Assistant Brand Manager/Nights
KISW/Seattle (3/30/21)
“Every weeknight around 7:50, you can catch Taryn’s 12 Pack on KISW, which is 12 songs in a row in the ‘no blah-blah zone!’ You must also know that Ryan Castle has a Morning 12 Pack weekdays at 10am, however, it is well known that mine is the superior 12 Pack. Imagine that Taryn’s 12 Pack is like riding The Zipper at the county fair, and Ryan’s is more like a rusted merry-go-round.”
Brian Orlando
NY Morning Host
WWSK (94.3 The Shark)/Long Island, (4/6/21)
“Long Island is a top twenty market that acts as a gateway in and out of market #1, New York City. Long Islanders are passionate about their own identity, their own connection with sports and music, and determined to stand out as their own section of NY. Our listeners are extremely knowledgeable and never in 15 years have I been corrected so many times than in my seven years at the Shark. I love it!”
Twisted Todd
MD/Afternoons
WTPT (93.3 The Planet)/Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (4/13/21)
“I have been playing bass for over 27 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!”
Rob Cressman
PD
WDRV (97.1 The Drive)/Chicago (4/20/21)
“In honor of The Drive’s 20th Anniversary, we rewound to the inaugural broadcast from March 15th, 2001 and mirrored the playlist from that date, song for song. WDRV’s original morning host, Steve Downes, joined The Sherman & Tingle Show to reflect on the past twenty years. Bob Stroud, Seaver & Janda and Chicago’s rock fans shared memories throughout the day. The station’s evolution was uniquely captured and the rich nostalgia of the past two decades was highlighted and celebrated.”
Drew Murray
VP Promotion
Amplify Entertainment (4/27/21)
“Another label that we’ve been the ‘field staff’ for over the years has been Red Bull. Credit has to go to Joe Guzik when he was there for his passion and drive in getting Beartooth onto radio’s radar. To coincide with the radio success, the band built a strong fanbase through touring, and with this new album we feel that they are about to break big. Joe, when discussing Beartooth with us over their previous releases, always said ‘Rock radio NEEDS new superstar acts.’ With their upcoming album, we believe Joe’s dream is about to be realized.”
Scott Jameson
PD/Dir. Programming/VP/National Content
WRIF & WCSX/Detroit (5/4//21)
“Rock radio was founded on fun and irreverence, so whenever we have a chance to take the audience along for a ride with storytelling by celebrating our Rock heroes, we do. Artist ownership delivers P1 expectation and provides RIF and CSX with a content rich competitive edge. Music is available everywhere, in many cases commercial free, so we need to context the music, add more engagement, and always find new ways to connect emotionally turning listeners into fans.”
John Lassman
Ops Dir./Morning Host
WHMH (Rockin’ 101)/St. Cloud, MN (5/11/21)
“I figured, if a celebrity agreed to an interview and the D.J. was an idiot who didn’t know anything about them, that might make a good character. Everyone from Carrot Top to Shirley MacLaine to Tone Loc have been interviewed by The CHUCKER.”
Kevin “Meatball” Kerr
PD/Afternoons
KICT (T-95)/Wichita (5/18/21)
“When I was working in Oklahoma, my morning co-host, Jimmy Green, just… randomly started calling me that. And I didn’t really get it at first. But then it evolved to him singing Adam Sandler’s “I Love you Meatball” song to me, that Adam used to sing to his bulldog named “Meatball.” And the more he used it, the more I liked it, and thus… Meatball was born. I really wish there was something more to that story, like I won a meatball eating contest or something… but nope. It all started from a song Adam Sandler used to sing to his dog. I am literally named after Adam Sandler’s Dog.”
Munsey Ricci
President
Skateboard Marketing (5/25/21)
“It's mainly my relationships, I have them and I use them. It's one of the most important tools you can have. It’s also your contacts and how you organize the info that you relay to Radio and Records. It's not rocket science at all. As any experienced promotion guy will tell you, use what you have and figure out a way to make it happen.”
Paul Spagna
Manager, Promotion & Administration
Mascot Label Group (6/1/21)
“I’m beyond excited to be working a 10 Years record! I’ve loved the band for so long, and I have a good relationship with them, so to be able to work closely with Jesse, Brian and Matt is an honor. We have great research on “The Unknown,” as it was top 10 in Rate the Music, has great numbers from Octane, and we’re heading to Top 25 in the charts. The band is also announcing Summer and Fall tour dates, including a run with Theory of a Deadman!”
Ayron Jones (6/8/21)
“I really can’t say enough about the impact my hometown of Seattle has had on me as an artist. There’s a whole laundry list of reasons I can mention, but in a nutshell, Seattle, it’s sound and it’s music community is what helped shape the recording artist I am today. I’m not sure I’d be in the same place I am today if it weren’t for the support I continue to get from my home town.”
Mistress Carrie
Afternoon Drive
WWFX (100.1 The Pike)/Worcester, MA (6/15/21)
“It’s been interesting introducing myself to a new audience that never heard me on the radio before, either because they are a Classic audience or live outside of New England. I need to win them over, so I work hard to do that. Radio is all about loyalty from the audience and your relationship with them. I just hope I can win them over and entertain them during their day! The response so far has been great!”
Lance “Lancer” Hale
Dir./Rock Programming
WOTT (94 Rock)/Watertown, NY (6/22/21)
“I’ve loved music since I was a wee little Lancer and discovered the Beatles, Kiss… then Zeppelin… Prince. I was in bands for years, trying to get signed. I juggled both the band and radio for the early part of my career, before getting offered the opportunity to program WLRS in Louisville, the “World Famous Walrus.” I made a decision to bail on the band and head to KY.”
Beatrix Danko
Managing Partner/CEO
#Happens/The Contraband Company (6/29/21)
“We got lucky last year and were able to pull off one of the last ‘hurrahs’ before Covid hit. I still have conversations with people about how great it was to get together one last time. The plan for 2022 is to have an amazing, even bigger comeback and celebration of MUSIC.COMMUNITY.DISCOVERY. Stay tuned for some exciting announcements in the coming months!”
Tommy DeBenedictis
VP Promotion/Head of Rock
The Orchard (7/6/21)
“You have to have a story whether it’s streaming, a major tour, a sync etc…something has to drive streams and excitement around a band. Social media plays a huge roll in marketing the band and song once it is out there. Now that touring has started back up again, keeping your band out on the road and face to face with audiences is a sure way to brand and build those relationships and keeping your band at the forefront at all times.”
LA Lloyd
PD- KLBJ/Austin
Host- LA Lloyd Rock 30 (7/13/21)
“Austin is the best city I have ever lived regarding music even though it’s changed dramatically since I moved here in 1995. The live music clubs on 6th street are pretty much non-existent but there are still some local venues that survived COVID that have begun booking shows again. Anyone who has visited Austin for SXSW or Austin City Limits Music Festival knows there is music on every corner of the city, and I’m always looking to help break that band by giving exposure on my nationally syndicated show LA Lloyd Rock 30.”
Decker
MD/Afternoons
WZOR (Razor 94.7/104.7)/Appleton, WI (7/20/21)
“It’s always intimidating taking over something like a radio station and it’s even more so when that station is the one you grew up with and is now a nationally recognized brand. Being able to work with Cutter literally has been my radio dream for around 15 years, but don’t tell him I said that. He is an amazing teacher. It’s been great though, because both he and Kaytie are fantastic to work with and it’s been a wonderful experience.”
Gary Jay
Studio Owner
Land Shark Promotion (7/27/21)
“First, it has to inspire us – cuz if we don't believe in it...then, we can't sell it. Certainly, we try to take in account a band’s streaming metrics and profile, along with their social media footprint and activity, and touring schedule…although, that went by the wayside for most of 2020. Ultimately, we will ask ourselves if we believe that we can add value to what they're already doing... and if we can, and we feel that we can inspire other people to engage with ‘em and give their music an opportunity to be heard, then the juice is worth the squeeze, and we're ready to take the next step forward.”
Jeetz
Morning Co-Host (of Terry Boyd’s World)
KGON/Portland, OR (8/3/21)
“My real first name is Joe. And my longtime buddy Aaron used to give everyone goofy nicknames. For some reason he started calling me Jeetz. When I got offered an on-air gig at KISW, Ryan Castle looked at me and said ‘What are we going to call you. Joe is too boring.’ I wasn’t expected to be offered an on-air gig that day so I spent exactly zero minutes on what my radio name would be. I stuttered out ‘Ummmm….my buddy calls me Jeetz?’ Castle snapped his fingers and said ‘Jeetz. I like Jeetz. I can market that.’ I’ve been stuck with this name ever since.”
Bram Teitelman
Marketing Manager/North America
Napalm Records (8/10/21)
“Everything I’ve done in my career has led up to what I’m doing now. From chronicling the changes in all aspects of the radio and record industry via journalism, I’ve gotten to interview and know some of the key people on all sides of the industry. Writing about trends in radio and music before or as they happened gave me an outside-looking-in perspective that went beyond being in the thick of things.”
Pat Martin
Morning Host
KSEG (96.9 The Eagle)/Sacramento (8/17/21)
“I was feeling a bit of melancholy leading up to my last day, as I had worked there for more than half my life. I had a lot invested in that station. I got engaged while working there, got married, had kids, bought houses, all those wonderful things, and all because I had this great job. I’m very grateful. Thinking back now that I’ve moved on, I’m very proud of the success that KRXQ has had all these years, and proud to have contributed to that success with my little part of the deal.”
Ryan “Elwood” Bjorn
Brand Manager
WQLZ (97.7 QLZ)/Springfield, IL (8/24/21)
“There’s so much great music out there! Part of the difficulties for the format, in my opinion, are the lowered barrier of entry for musicians and the diversity of choice. It’s become infinitely easier to produce and release music independently, meaning more choices for the audience. Fans can dive deep into their own niche of the rock world, while broadcast radio still needs to be broad. It’s an interesting balance, and I worry that we don’t do enough as an industry to attract younger audiences. But I think there are a lot of ways we can target those narrower audiences through side channels and digital content, bringing them to our brands in new ways.”
The Immediate Family (8/31/21)
“Danny Kortchmar – We are all thrilled with it and we're very proud of it. And that's not something that comes easy. I never listen to stuff that I've done, that I've played on, or the old records of mine. I'm not really interested in the past. But this album, every time I put it on, I go, "Man, I'm so proud of this." It's rocking hard. Everyone in the band is just at the top of their game. The people in this band are my brothers, who I've known for many, many years. And it's a deep thing that we're doing here. It's not just about the music, it's about brotherhood. It's about family!”
Edie Lundeen
National Director/Promotion
Epitaph (9/7/21)
“I played roller derby for over 11 years – 4 years of flat track and then 7 years on banked track. I retired for a few years, but my feet missed my skates. I’m now back training for a local flat track league and I’m also a ref for them! My alter-ego is Vodka Toxic with my jersey number of 100 proof!”
Shadow White
APD/Middays
KQRA (Q 102.1)/Springfield, MO (9/14/21)
“Being a former Program Director and listening to local rock radio is interesting. You hear EVERYTHING, and I don’t think you’ll ever listen to radio the same again. I remember listening to a local Fayetteville station and hearing an outdated weather report and just screaming at the radio. I got mad at DJs if I didn’t hear anything local in an hour’s span (I call this type of DJ’ing ‘That was, This is’).”
Chasta Michaelis
PD/Morning Co-Host/Middays
KSAN (107.7 The Bone)/San Francisco (9/21/21)
“I am a HUGE believer in the power of social media to connect with our Bonehead family. It's a way we can hear how they're feeling, what's on their minds, what do they like/dislike and have direct contact with them in real time. I spend a lot of time interacting with our Boneheads online and I think it's time well spent. I'm also a podcast lover and I'm thrilled Cumulus is really focusing on the importance and power of podcasting.”
Rey “The Razor” De Carlo
APD/Middays
KFMA (Rock 102.1)/Tucson (9/28/21)
“I was sitting in the studio at KNAC and a listener kept calling requesting a local band called Razor's Edge. After about the fourth time I said, "That's it! Razor Rey!" I refined it to The Razor. To me it's always evoked that image of the razor blade on the cover of British Steel from Judas Priest. It was especially fun when I was introduced as Razor to Slash, as well as The Edge from U2. "Edge, Razor. Razor, Edge." Good times! I'm just glad we weren't a hippy-dippy station eating trail mix. I could have been The Raisin!”
Elias Chios
Senior Director, Promotion
Concord (10/5/21)
“This staff works extremely hard, are wildly passionate about our artists, are very respected by radio programmers, are super creative, master strategists and are simply great people. We all work tremendously well together. Every record we impacted at Rock Radio this year, went to #1; 5 total and currently working on the 6th!”
Brann Dailor
Drummer/Vocals
Mastodon (10/12/21)
“Bill and Brent came up with the name. Bill has a tattoo of Boba Fett (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back)…Boba has a symbol on his shoulder pad of a “Bantha Skull”, which looks like a Wooly Mammoth. Brent kept asking him what it was…“is that a Mammoth? Is the cousin of the Mammoth a Matador?”, and someone said “Mastodon” and we knew that was the name of the band. We always knew we wanted a one-word band name, so it made perfect sense. It sounded big, heavy, beastly and hairy.”
Hal Fish
VP/Programming & Operations
WRKZ (The Blitz)/Columbus (10/19/21)
“Legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes said, ‘You win with people. And that’s the ‘secret.’ They come for the music, but they stay for our people. When I coach young announcers I tell them, ‘I’m just trying to get you to sound like yourself.’ I’m sure there are successful announcers who have an ‘act’, but I think ultimately, listeners want to walk away from an encounter with an announcer telling others, ‘She sounded just like she does on the radio!’ We have people like that at The Blitz and they tend to stick around for a while, which also helps maintain relationships with both listeners and clients.”
Claudio Sanchez
Lead Singer
Coheed and Cambria (10/26/21)
“I like to think of us as a progressive band, but not really as the specific genre, but more in the way that we don’t put musical limitations on ourselves and we’re always evolving.”
Carlota
Middays
KRXQ (98 Rock)/Sacramento (11/2/21)
“I was a little eight year old sitting in the back of my dad's car when the DJ on the radio said, after playing Andy Gibbs "Everything,” …"there's Andy Gibb with I just want to be your underwear.” I knew at that moment I wanted to be your underwear (and the voice that came out of that box in the car).”
Matt Pinfield
Host - ‘New & Approved’
KLOS/Los Angeles (11/9/21)
“The current state of rock radio is the most exciting and thriving format in my opinion. Rock radio is a lifestyle, sells tickets and remains the most proactive listener fanbase. Rock radio helps nurture and build careers and is the most loyal to its artists. There is so much good music right now, that it keeps it very fresh for me. I love so many things.”
Geordie Gillespie
Owner
Unleashed Music (11/16/21)
“In 2006 I decided to strike out on my own and start a future facing marketing consultancy. Drawing on my experience building artists’ careers, many from their very first albums, I was determined to maintain a small and credible roster of talented clients who would benefit from our focus and commitment to true artist development.”
Daryl Norsell
PD/Afternoons
KCAL/Riverside-San Bernardino, CA, (11/23/21)
“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.”
Spencer Charnas
Lead Vocalist
Ice Nine Kills (11/30/21)
“We originally started as just ‘Ice Nine’, which is a reference to a fictional substance in Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle. Around 2006, in an effort to differentiate ourselves from another band out at the time with a similar name, we added ‘Kills’. I liked that the acronym ended up being ‘INK’ which I had never heard of another band doing.”
Tommy Delaney
Owner
Lucky Man Promotions (12/7/21)
“I think what sticks out to me as of late is just how competitive it is. The Rock format boasts a ton of successful independent artists right now. There is a constant stream of Top 10 tracks from this well. Records are sticking around longer, taking more time to develop, and that is a trait heavily relied on with independent labels.”
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