10 Questions with ... Roxy Myzal

NAME:Roxy Myzal TITLE:Sr. Producer/Rock Programming STATION:hardDrive, hardDrive XL MARKET:Syndicated nationwide COMPANY:United Stations Radio Networks BORN:Before any of you RAISED:Gloversville, NY

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started running the Boston Record Pool in 1975, which was an organization of disco DJs in the Boston metro area. We would receive copies of 12" vinyl singles; the jox would let us know how they were performing in the clubs and we'd contact retail to see if the club airplay was generating sales. We helped to create a bunch of crossover songs like Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band and the Cate Brothers. As a result, I became friendly with the MD at WRKO-A, the huge Top 40 station in the market. (She turned me on to Bruce Springsteen.) Through my friendship with her, she recommended me for the same position at their sister FM station in NYC, 99X -- WXLO. After working there for a couple of years, and going through 2 PDs, I was offered the local Atlantic job twice in six months, turning it down the first time. (My best moment was working with AC/DC when Bon Scott was alive!) Worked at Atlantic until just after the Saturday Night Fever explosion subsided, as I was promoted after four months of local to National Disco Promotion, but in 1979, the job was wiped out.

So I went to work for an indie label, then to Carrere Records for one day (shipped out a Saxon album as I recall), and then Chrysalis Records contacted me to do National Album promotion. After nearly ruining my life being on the road with Michael Schenker and UFO (with the lead singer of UFO asking PDs if they knew where to buy heroin!)

I left Chrysalis, was hired by John McGhan and John Parikhal to do affiliate marketing for Rolling Stone Magazine Productions, where we had a show called "The Continuous History of Rock and Roll" that I cleared on 325 AOR stations at the time (yeah, in the '80s they called Rock radio "Album Oriented Rock.") After Jann Wenner decided he didn't want to be in the radio biz any longer, I went to work for DIR Broadcasting in 1983.

In 1985, I was offered a job by ABC Radio legend and programming genius Rick Sklar, who at the time was consulting a new 24-hr music video TV station outside of Boston called V-66. (One of my favorite jobs ever!) We didn't get big ratings, but we sure stirred things up and gave MTV a run for their money since we could be everything they weren't -- LIVE & LOCAL! Anyhow, moved to L.A. in 1987 with my radio pal Jay Thomas. Worked for Robert Kardashian at MCA Radio Network (Poor Bob ... if he knew what his daughters would be doing!) There I had the pleasure of working with Rick Carroll and Larry Groves, (RIP, boys) the dynamic programming duo of the early days of KROQ, on an alternative show we did, as well as launched a series with N.Y. radio all-around great guy Dan Neer!

Then Irving Azoff didn't want to be in the radio network business any longer, so I went to work for a pal from Boston who had a music video production company in LA. There we did clips for Kiss, Cinderella, Winger, Celine Dion and a bunch more. When that company went out of business, I was hired in 1994 by Corinne Baldassano who was at the newly formed SW Networks. At SW, I was put in charge of two shows: the heavy metal "Pure Concrete" and a hip-hop show called "Street Heat," where I worked with Russell Simmons of Def Jam. I interviewed the biggest stars in hip-hop (Tupac, Biggie and Snoop), but my love was the rock show. "Pure Concrete" needed to be morphed into a show that could have a wider audience.

Extreme Radio was signing on the air in Las Vegas, so I watched what they were doing with great interest. Hired Lou Brutus and the show became "hardDrive" in 1996. We just celebrated our 12th anniversary on the air in early July. And in February 2007, we launched the night-time daypart show, "hardDrive XL with Lou Brutus," here at United Stations Radio Networks where I have been for the last seven years working with the great Andy Denemark and my production team, Mike "Tiz" Tisdale, Zak Tranese, Bill Powell and Hilary Kaufman.

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

Music Director of 99X, a station where we played Chic and Van Halen, Meatloaf and Elvis Costello. That was in 1976 when you could do that here in NYC. We became the most-listened-to station in the nation with a 1.35 million cume!

2) What makes your show unique?

HardDrive has become synonymous with new music. No matter where I have worked, I always tried to find the hot new artists first. And I have always had the credo of "think like a fan." We pride ourselves on getting listeners the biggest artists and getting the most out of them. We have established relationships with bands that are unparalleled. Both Lou and I work really hard at keeping those relationships. Plus we love what we do and I hope it shows. I know our listeners appreciate us!

3) How is the relationship between programmer and record label changing .. for better or worse?

I don't envy the label folks. It's getting harder and harder to get new acts played. I just think that we as programmers have to give everyone a shot if we believe in the music and we are passionate in what we are doing here. I think listeners expect that from our show. They know we will turn them onto music they may not get to hear anywhere else. We hope they agree that we like to play what's GOOD!

4) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?

Competition that includes so many outside players. Everyone here saw the Bedroom Project that Jacobs Media did last year. It's frightening! We need to work to make radio compelling again! Make the listeners out there WANT to make us their first stop every day -- at home, in their cars and wherever they are! So many stations don't front or back-sell music! It's so important! Give out some info on the bands. We need to bring it back to basics.

5) What's your take on current music? Is it as good as six months ago, better, or about the same?

There are too many bands out there -- too many and not enough of them are good. Now with more people DIYing it, it just opens the door to more mediocrity. On the retail side, I think Trent Reznor needs to win the award for most genius artist to figure out how to do this and make a million dollars in two weeks! ON HIS OWN!

6) What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?

I haven't seen Projekt Revolution or Rockstar Mayhem yet, but I thought Rock on the Range was pretty great.Although Lou and I had to work through most of it, it was a spectacular lineup and the STP reunion was awesome! Can't wait for AC/DC and Metallica to tour later this year !

7) 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?

I never get to listen to anything I want to at home or in my car because my boyfriend Dwight commandeers everything! But currently my top favorite records are Foo Fighters, Slipknot and Disturbed. (and any Korn album)

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

This year alone, Lou has done special editions of hardDrive backstage at Rock on the Range, Projekt Revolution, RockStar Mayhem, Rock on the Range and WJJO's Band Camp. We like the listener to have the feeling they are accompanying Lou backstage to get a glimpse at what they big tours are all about.

9) If you are voice tracking shifts or syndicating for stations outside of your market, how do you get familiar with that marketplace/community?

On both hardDrive and The XL, we make sure to always mention call letters, slogans and towns. Whether it's to talk about a band on tour or do a listener's request, we always make it a part of what we do. We get a lot of interaction with listeners from all over the country (e-mail, phone calls, text messages) and it's a priority that even though we aren't in your studio, we make the listener FEEL like we are! Heck, we even have listeners all over the world who write in! It's great! And we also seem to know the names of hundreds of correctional facilities as well! ;)

10) As an air-talent, how has industry consolidation helped or hurt you? What effect has industry consolidation had on the way you program your station?

It has helped syndication. With everyone cutting back, we hope more people will look at hardDrive XL. Lou Brutus is an amazing and creative talent, and we are a solid product that gets great ratings wherever it airs. (Sorry, am I promoting again?)

What was the first song or full-length release you purchased?

Beatles "She Loves You" 45, when you could actually take the vinyl, go into a booth, play it, and then decide if you wanted to buy it!

What's been your biggest disappointment in Radio today?

That really great PDs aren't able to do what they'd like to do or can't get back at a good station.

What do you like best about working in this format?

The people. We are quite a bunch of characters, aren't we?

What do you like best about your job? The least?

Most: When an affiliate gets a great book and says we helped! Least: The hours

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

I am honest with everyone. If there's a song I don't think is right, I let them know. I am not always right. Sometimes I've missed some pretty big songs that I just didn't get a feeling about.