10 Questions with ... 'Neander' Paul Marshall

NAME:'Neander' Paul Marshall TITLES:Afternoons/Music Director/Super Genius/Disgruntled Raiders Fan STATIONS:KQRC 98.9 The Rock! MARKET:Kansas City, MO COMPANY:Entercom BORN:Southie! RAISED:All over Massachusetts

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Started in 1986 at WDJM-FM at Framingham State College in Massachusetts. From there (in order): Morning Show Producer - WZLX/Boston; Producer - WHDH-A/Boston; Weekends/Swing - WHEB/Portsmouth, NH; Weekends/Swing - WAAF/Boston; Nights/AMD/Afternoons/MD/Interim PD - WMFS/Memphis; Afternoons/MD - WCKW/New Orleans; Mornings - WEGE/Columbus, OH; Afternoons/MD - KRXQ/Sacramento; Afternoons - WAAF/Boston; Weekends/Swing - WBCN/Boston; Afternoons/MD/Super Genius - KQRC/Kansas City.

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

First gig was dubbing comedy bits from those syndicated red labeled records to cart for the morning show at WZLX/Boston, and I got to board-op the Friday overnight "Dead Ahead" (Grateful Dead) show for $5/hr. I grew up listening to amazing radio in Boston. WBCN was the premier Rock station in the U.S. back then. The Big Mattress w/ Charles Laquidara, Mark Parenteau in the afternoon, Billy West doing voices. Pretty friggin' inspiring. Plus, we had Lou Brutus on WHJY in Providence. Which was so close, we could get it in Boston. WAAF was great if you lived in the 'burbs. But it was really tough to get in the city. I also listened to the Godfather of Sports Talk; Eddie Andleman doing his weekly "Sports Huddle" show on WHDH.

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

I originally hoped to play for the Raiders, but Lyle Alzado (R.I.P.) didn't leave any steroids for the rest of us. Then I wanted to be the lead singer for Van Halen, but my friend Gary Cherone got that gig ... we all saw how that worked out. So, quite frankly ... I'm on my third strike.

3) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?

KQRC is a dominant Rock station during a time when so many are shells of what they once were. I think we do well because corporate stays out of the way and lets (Program Director) Bob Edwards do his thing with as little interference as possible. We're about to sell 40,000 tickets for Rockfest. Which I'm betting is one of the biggest crowds for any radio station festival in America. This isn't a "presents festival." Bob puts this thing together from scratch every year. It's a KQRC brand, and the listeners trust that we'll put together a great lineup. We pre-sold 18.5k before they even went on sale to the public. And we're VERY proud of that. We have the best morning show in America. We are the highest rated Rock station in America. KQRC does it better than anywhere I've ever been before. This brand took years to build, and that's why we believe it's as strong as any.

4) How have the recent FCC regulations impacted the way you program your music and the station's dialogue on the air? What are your feelings about these recent changes?

The FCC confuses me. I'm not sure what they do. They're woefully inconsistent. I don't understand how profanity is offensive to community standards, but parading corpses on the nightly news is OK? Breasts are bad, but I can have two women in my studio hit each other with baseball bats and as long as they're clothed, we're fine? I think we're all really tired of talking about this issue. Until something concrete is presented to us as a blueprint, we're all flying blind.

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

As much as I want to consider satellite a legitimate competitor, they have had so many issues for so many years, including what they're dealing with right now. I'm more concerned with what happens when mobile broadband becomes the norm. Satellite radio is a great concept that just isn't working. I'd like to see it work. I LOVE music and think satellite serves niche music lovers well, but misses the masses. There's just not enough available audience who crave what they do best. I think competition raises the bar (and potential salary cap) for everyone. I don't ignore it, but their penetration levels are so minute in the overall, that I just don't concern myself with what they're doing. That might change when people meter becomes the norm. And we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

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

I see the industry doing things a little differently. Music programming seems to be becoming a smaller part of what we do because it's not unique. A song is the same no matter where you hear it. Nothing differentiates us from the iPod/Internet/satellite station musically. It's those things that we control that make us different. And I think we're going to have to embrace, and cultivate those unique facets to maintain relevance. I hope to learn to shut up by then to maintain my involvement.

7) How is the relationship between programmer and record label changing? For better or worse?

It's getting worse. Record labels are becoming salespeople. Like the door-to-door vacuum guys of years past. How'd that work out for them? I think there's this aura of fear and looking over one's shoulder that just makes us all less comfortable than we were in years past. Like every move is under so much scrutiny that we all hesitate to do our best for fear of it being perceived as improper. That's not good for anyone. Makes it really tough to do the gig.

8) Describe your weekly music meeting.

Bob tells me what songs are good.

... a) what is the process when you listen to new music?

Bob pushes play on his CD player.

... b) approximately how important by percentage is gut, research, sales, video play, and chart position when determining the status of a record?

Bob has made it clear to me that we are the easiest add in radio. If we hear a good song that makes sense for the brand that is KQRC, and satisfies the listeners' expectations of what we are, we'll play it. Everything else is nothing more than a tool to help make us believe a song is better than we think it is. We know what sounds right for KQRC. We know what makes sense for us. And if we're wrong, we'll be gone and another "expert" will be making those decisions.

9) Besides your own, what is your favorite radio format?

Sports Talk. It's what I plan to do eventually. I have no idea how or when I'll make the switch. But, I can see myself doing that someday. It's almost like talk radio except you don't need to pick an agenda. In talk you seem to HAVE to be either liberal or conservative. You can't consider each topic individually. Whereas in sports, the landscape changes enough where your favorite team one year, can absolutely piss you off the next. Can't do that with political talk.

10) What was the biggest gaffe you've made on air? (Dead air, forgot a mic was still on, etc.)

I had just been fired by . I was working for their direct competitor PT and hoping to get on FT. I let "bullshit" slip through on a recorded phoner. The PD & GM were sitting in the PD's office monitoring my show. Oh, and it was ME who said it. I still feel bad to this day. Only time in 21 years I've ever messed up like that. Happened at the absolute worst possible time in my career too.

Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?

Mark Hamilton at WBCN in Boston.

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

I LOVE the new Dublin Death Patrol CD. Also digging on new Porcupine Tree, and think Tesla's Real-To-Reel is great!

Who would be your dream guest on the show?

Tina Fey. I think she's brilliant. I do miss Brother Dime (Dimebag Darrell) a whole lot. We never did the on-air thing. Always hung social.

What is your favorite TV show?

The Riches. Eddie Izzard rules!

What is your favorite TV commercial?

I'm a little pissed that Geico uses my image in their current series of commercials. I don't have much of an appetite right now.

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

Not on-air. But I did get arrested after having a dinner (read: drinkin' with Brother Zakk) with Zakk Wylde, which made for a GREAT on-air recollection the next day. (Tape available upon request.)