10 Questions with ... Moose

NAME:Moose TITLE:Middays STATION:KQRC MARKET:Kansas City COMPANY:Entercom BORN:6/21/70 RAISED:Nashua, IA. (a real small town)

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KYYS (1993) spring internship and board op
KQRC (1993) part-tIme air
KQRC (1994) morning show producer
KQRC (1995-2001) overnight
WARQ (2001-2003) middays
KQRC (2003-2005) nights
KQRC (2005-present) middays

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

I was the kid who always had the radio on. When I was maybe six years old, my mom let me borrow her tape recorder. I would get the music off the radio and insert my own breaks. I'm sure it was godawful, but I thought it was cool as hell! (And so did my mom!) Fifteen years later, I started to make money doing it ... and I'm still going!

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

Hell, yeah! Even with all the quirks of the industry I could not imagine, even knowing now, doing anything else. Our job is to play music and talk on the phone. It is like being a teenager for a living!

3) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?

I think we will always win the war over sat and Internet just from the relationships we have with the listeners. Music is the hook, then it becomes important to have the personality on the air to make friends, piss off people, or give the listener a reason to hang out! Doing that locally is the major plus because they can run in to you when you are out to eat, at a bar, or going to the gym. You just can't get that with the other outlets!

4) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?

There are so many. I guess the one that sticks out the most for me is probably Lou Brutus. While I was in college, a bunch of my friends and I took a road trip to Chicago just to drink and were listening to him. I was in awe at the way he did his show. He had that right attitude and came off like he was just hangin' out with you over the air. I think that was a big turning point for me to hear that. As a college broadcaster, you don't really have anyone telling you to talk to the listener -- and not at them!

5) What format does not exist that should? Would it work?

I love the '80s hair metal, man! There is a serious gap for all the good music from then. Would it really work? Probably not. But for now I can still get my big hair fix from the local strip club!

6) Tell us what music we would find on your car or home CD player (or turntable) right now -- and what is it you enjoy about that particular selection?

You can find mostly guitar-driven rock in my systems as of right now from the new Saliva, new Kid Rock, new Alter Bridge ... and waiting patiently for Airbourne! Why this selection? Saliva has the wind-down and pump-up music it is a full-service disc. Kid Rock makes me want to jump in the truck and go get my "neck" on. Alter Bridge just flat-out kicks ass! Airbourne is kind of the same as the Kid; it screams party! For me, music is all about escape!

7) How often do you do remotes and which work best for the station?

I'm out quite a bit for us and the obvious ones that work are the bar gigs. With the huge appeal now of Guitar Hero (if you can tie a remote to it), you can even make a car dealership remote work. I know! I've seen it happen!

8) How do you market your radio station?

As "talent" for the radio station, I try to market the station by being approachable. I will hang in the crowd during a show, take pictures with the fans, shake hands, and talk to them. They are the driving force of the radio station; without them there is no 40,000 at Rock Fest or 40 at the next bar gig!

9) What led to your station's recent ratings increase?

Bob Edwards knows his stuff!

10) What is the best advice you would give to young programmers and air talent?

Don't be afraid to make mistakes and trust you gut once in a while. You are never going to get the experience and learn if you always take the safe route. If you hear a song and your gut tells you to play it, but there is not enough "research" out yet, give it a shot! You can always drop it! Same with promotions. Sometimes you have to fail to learn!

You just won the lotto and you have your boss on the line. What's the first thing that you would say?

"Dude, gas up the bike and take a week off! We are going for a ride ... by the way, I am going to need a week off, too!"