10 Questions with ... Drew Cage

NAME:Drew Cage TITLE:MD/Metal Director/Nights STATIONS:WBYR 98.9 The Bear MARKET:Fort Wayne, IN COMPANY:Federated Media BORN:New Haven, IN RAISED:Ft. Wayne, IN

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

WBYR (98.9 The Bear)/Ft. Wayne, IN. April 2002 - Present

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

I always wanted to be involved in music somehow. I used to want to be a singer, but once I realized that the chances of that happening were slim to none, I had to look for other routes to take (that and I am completely lacking in musical talent). In high school, my girlfriend got to know a couple local radio guys, so eventually I got to know them as well. On a job shadow day, a few of us decided to follow these guys around on their morning show. I went in saw them screwing around for four hours, playing music and being done with work by 10a. I said this is the job for me! Ever since then, radio is what I've wanted to do.

2) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?

I would love to be a chef. Just recently I've started watching a lot of the Food Network and it's made me want to learn to cook. Sadly, I'm a fat, lazy guy who would rather just hit the drive-thru and sit on the couch than actually learn to cook anything.

Or maybe a pro wrestler -- just for the entrance, though. I'd love to have my own theme music and pyro; I can pull off theme music in radio, but the pyro just doesn't work in our small studio.

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

I see that question as being a little backwards. I think satellite radio needs to play catch-up to us. Everyone will answer with the obvious "terrestrial radio is local and that's important," which is true and a big reason involved, but there's a lot more to it. First off, with the rising prices of EVERYTHING, people will realize, "Why am I paying for something that's free?" Secondly, I feel that the terrestrial radio has more creative personalities than satellite radio does. Not saying that satellite jocks aren't creative, but they don't have to be. They can get away with anything they want, where we have to find a way to do the same thing, but make it fly with the FCC and still keep it funny and entertaining. We are always looking for something new to push the line a little bit, where they don't have to because there's no line. I mean, how many times can you listen to a porn star ride a sex toy before it gets boring?

4) Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?

Don't say doin' your wife, Don't say doin' your wife (Family Guy). Sorry, had to do it.

I hope the industry is like what I used to see in the movies. I hope that some of the FCC regulations go away and the government decides to let people decide for themselves what they think is "indecent" and to change the station accordingly.

I hope to be like Joe Mantegna's character in "Airheads" -- jaded and angry, doing shots of Pepto-Bismal with a Jack Daniels chaser at the backstage at a concert I don't care about.

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

A real "decade" station, there are formats like that, but they stick to one kind of music from a certain time. Like a station will position itself as, "All the Hits form the '80s and '90s," but they stay to the pop stuff. I would like to see a real "all the music from the '90s" station -- everything from Alternative to Gangsta Rap to Dance to Pop. I listened to every kind of music growing up; I want to hear Bananarama go into N.W.A, if that station is out there, CALL ME!

Would it work? Depending on the city I think it could ... at least for a little while.

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?

In my car right now:
1. 30 Seconds to Mars "Self Titled"
2. 30 Seconds to Mars "A Beautiful Lie"
3. 5 Finger Death Punch "The Way of the Fist"
4. Mindless Self Indulgence "If"

I don't know what it is about 30 Seconds to Mars; it's just one of those bands that I love and have always loved since the first song I heard from them. People in my office will say that I have a man-crush on Jared Leto, which I don't, but if I were gay I think I could do a lot worse. (Call me Jared, we'll go pick up "chicks")

5 Finger is just loud and angry, but very melodic at the same time. I think Ivan Moody (the singer) is one of the most versatile singers in music today. I've been a fan of his throughout all of his bands, and if you don't think he can sing ... I mean really "sing" ... check out his other band Ghost Machine, then tell me he's not a good singer.

MSI is a band I used to absolutely hate, I saw them open for Insane Clown Posse one time (yes, I like ICP, too) and thought it was the worst crap I had ever heard. Then I saw them open for Korn and was pissed that I had to sit through their set again. Them one day out of the blue I had a need to hear them again. I drove all around our city looking for one of their CD's and found a little 3-song EP-type thing and wore it out. Been a fan ever since.

7) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

Things can always change. Five years ago I never thought I would be where I am right now. I went from stunt boy and weekends to morning show producer and overnights, then back to just weekends, then suddenly to nights/MD/metal director. This business can take you up really fast and back down even faster. So if you don't like what you're currently doing, wait a month, it'll probably change.

8) What's the closest you ever came to getting arrested for an on-air stunt? Or did you actually get arrested?

I was the morning show stunt boy for a while, and my first big stunt was to celebrate "National Mariachi Day," which I think is actually real, but we just picked a day and called it that. I put on a big Three Amigos-style sombrero and took an acoustic guitar to IHOP at 7 in the morning. I went in and started playing random notes (I can't play guitar) and singing random songs to the customers. I did the "Spiderman" theme and the theme to "The Love Boat," all with a horribly bad Spanish accent. Eventually the manager asked me to leave, so I just went to a different part of the restaurant and started up again. Finally he had seen enough and physically pushed me out of the place, while I begged him to let me stay (in song form, of course). I was escorted from the property and not allowed at that IHOP for quite a while.

9) How do you keep tabs on the competition? When your competition attacks you on the air, how do you react?

We're lucky because in our market we are basically the only Rock format. There are some Classic Rock stations here, but they don't really compete with us anymore. When there was a "competing" station here and they called us out, I always found it funny. I was told not to mention it and to ignore it by my bosses at the time, but I always thought it would be funny to go right back at them with something better if you can. Obviously, you don't want to start an on-air fight if you know you're going to lose, so I see the point of ignoring it. I just remember listening to radio growing up and loving when they did something you know they shouldn't be doing. It's like a team sport, us vs. them. It's funny.

10) Over the years, we've had the "British Invasion," "Disco," "New Wave," "Rap & Hip Hop," "Boy Bands," and many other genres & sub-genres of music take off. What do you think is the next emerging music trend?

I think we are at the beginning of it right now; I see a lot of metal bands that can cross over into the mainstream. Bands like Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, 5 Finger Death Punch and others are paving the way for a resurgence of mainstream metal acceptance.

Who would be your dream guest on the show?

Maynard James Keenan or Trent Reznor, I'd love to just turn on the microphone and let either one of them just go.

Name the artist/act (living or dead) you'd love to meet and why?

Justin Timberlake (oh yeah, I like JT) Think about it, what can this guy not do? I would want to hang out with him; he's arguably the most talented guy in the world, all around, and from what I've been told he's really nice, too. Plus, I want to see if he could make that "Dick in a Box" thing work on a girl.

You're stuck on a deserted island and you get to pick one artist to be stuck with you. Who would it be and don't limit it to our format?

Avril Lavigne. Let's just say I have my reasons...

What's been your biggest disappointment in radio today?

I was promised hookers and blow and have yet to get either!

What do you do with a song you don't like?

Usually play the hell out of it because it's a big hit. I have a great way of picking a hit song: If I can't stand it, that means it's a smash

Who is the most amazing talent you've worked with?

A guy named Chadd Pierce, who is out in Sacramento. This guy was hilarious and could put together any bit of imaging you needed in about five seconds, start to finish, even if it was a one-minute commercial ... and it was always brilliant.