10 Questions with ... Twisted Todd

NAME:Twisted Todd TITLE:MD/Afternoon-drive personality STATION:WTPT New Rock 93.3 the Planet MARKET:Greenville/Spartanburg, SC COMPANY:Entercom BORN:August 4, 1976 in Simpsonville, SC RAISED:Simpsonville, SC

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

WTPT/Greenville, SC March '99-August '03; WNNX/Atlanta September '03-August '04; WTPT/Greenville, SC January '05-present

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

In high school, I wanted to be a math teacher, but I shadowed a local AM station because I found it more fascinating than following a school teacher all day. My first day of classes in college, my math professor bored me to tears rambling on about exponents, so I dropped the class like a bad habit and took an interest in the upcoming college radio station. The rest, as they say, is history.

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

Considering I suck at doing anything else except retail, absolutely! Even though it took me eight years to finally land a full-time gig, I wouldn't change it. I moved to Atlanta for a part-time gig to simply build my resume, only to get fired less than a year later, but I followed my heart throughout it all and never sold out to work for a different format.

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

I'm a musician, so if I wasn't doing radio, I'd be doing something in the rock industry.

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

Easy, we give our audience the local involvement that the other forms cannot.

5) Describe your weekly music meeting ... a) what is the process when you listen to new music? b) approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video play, and chart position when determining the status of a record?

When we hear a buzz about a new song or see something new moving on the charts, we listen to it to see if it sounds like a fit. Core artists usually get shuttled in first unless it's just a terrible song, but with newer bands we use about 30% gut, 30% research, 30% chart position and 10% sales and other factors.

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

I don't think music today holds a candle to the music of years past. I think it's getting better because a lot of bands are acknowledging their roots. For instance, a majority of kids are wearing shirts sporting old school bands like Zeppelin, AC/DC and others and you see those everywhere from Wal-Mart to Hot Topic.

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

Unfortunately, I miss a lot of great shows because so many skip Greenville and it's hard to travel to Atlanta or Charlotte on weeknights, but I caught Skillet one weekend in Charlotte. An amazing band that's huge in the Christian market and deserves more mainstream attention. They put on great live show that's been well documented in their new live CD/DVD "Comatose Comes Alive."

8) 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?

Right now, Black Stone Cherry's new CD "Folklore and Superstition" is in my CD player in my car for a few reasons. First, our Roadrunner Records rep Darrin was in yesterday playing us some new tunes. He was also giving us advance notice of the next BSC track "Please Come In," which he did not yet have a copy of, so I pulled it up on my iTunes. This got me in the mood for their CD, which I had worn out a few months ago, so I popped it in my car since the battery on my iPod had died.

9) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this year?

"Never Enough" by Five Finger Death Punch, "Psychosocial" by Slipknot and "Devour" by Shinedown.

10) In today's world of multi-tasking and wearing many hats, how do you find time to show prep and what sources do you use?

Honestly, I listen to our station while in my office until I go on the air and play off that while I check our weekly tip sheets from Jacobs Media and "ARF" on Premiere News and Prep.

Favorite artist you have met?

I met Ozzy ... can YOU top that?!

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

I bought Cinderella's "Night Songs" on cassette for two dollars from some kid back in middle school using my lunch money!

What type of features do you run on the station?

Tons! Free Form Lunch, 4 O' Clock Double Shots, The Rockin' Ride at Five, The Grunge Plunge, The Cage Match, The Top Nine at Nine and Mandatory Metallica during the week. On weekends, there's Planet X (metal show), Fire Xscape (Christian rock show), Rock 30, Harddrive and Upstate Unsigned (local rock show).

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A rock star! Still working for it, but this works for now! LOL!