10 Questions with ... John Perry

NAME:John Perry TITLE:PD STATIONS:WIIL MARKET:Chicago COMPANY:NextMedia BORN:Burlington, WI RAISED:Burlington, WI

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

WBSD 89.1 FM - Burlington, WI - High School Radio Station (81-85)
WJZQ - 95.1 FM - Chicago, IL - Rock (85 - 87)
WMIR 1550 AM - Lake Geneva, WI - News/Talk (87 - 89)
WQFM 93.3 FM - Milwaukee, WI - Mainstream Rock (89 - 92)
WIIL 95.1 FM - Chicago, IL - Active Rock (92 - present)

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

My first paid job in radio was working with Terry Havel right here at this station. Iit was WJZQ back then; he was the PD at the time, in addition to working as the broadcast instructor at the high school I attended. I owe everything I have to him; he is responsible for helping so many people get started in this business, including my morning show host Tom Kief and our morning show stunt monkey Duco Buttafuco.

2) 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?

Our music meeting consists of my music director, Steve Salzman, fighting with me over what record is great this week and which one sucks. He is a bit more conservative, but has a great ear. I think my musical taste is wider than his; I like everything and would probably play more crap if I didn't have him around to talk some sense into me.

Of course, we watch what everyone else is doing and we both talk to the label reps to find out what music is coming out. Most of what we do is from the gut and how a record is performing on the chart. We don't do any research or music testing. and we don't really look at record sales.

3) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?

KROQ. I listen online a lot, that station's attitude is great. The jocks are great; everything about the station is awesome!

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

There is so much great music out right now! I love Fair To Midland, Hurt, 12 Stones, Operator, Three Days Grace, Stone Sour, Flyleaf and White Stripes. The new Velvet Revolver record is amazing!

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

Buckcherry blew me away this year; I've never been a huge Nickelback fan, but they put on the best show I've seen in years!

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?

Breaking Benjamin -- Phobia (Love it!)

7) What was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you at a remote?

I was at a concert at Austin's Saloon and these hot girls kept coming up to me asking for my autograph, so I'm signing all of these autographs thinking I'm cool -- only to find out the owner was paying the girls $10 each to ask for my autograph! I'll get him back one of these days.

8) You're stuck on a deserted island and you only have five CDs with you. What are they?

AC/DC - Back In Black, Incubus - Make Yourself, Incubus - Morning View, Godsmack - Awake, John Mellencamp - Human Wheels

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

95 WIIL ROCK morning show host Tom Kief. He has great ideas; he's incredibly smart and works harder than anyone I know in the business.

10) What type of features do you run on the station?

Rock N Roll Nooner - All-Request hour
Rock N Roll Car Pool - All-Request 5p hour
4:20 Hit Of The Day - New song feature; listeners vote on the songs
Open Phone Thursday - The morning show takes calls all morning
Ticket Tuesday - We typically give tickets away every hour all day
95 WIIL ROCK "WIIL CALL WINDOW" - Ticket Giveaways

Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?

Mark The Shark TK101 Pensacola, FL! Dude!

What do you do in your spare time?

Play ice hockey, play guitar in the band Mellencougar and hang out with my kids.

What has been the best performing record on the station so far this year?

Breaking Benjamin - Phobia

What's the best liner you've ever heard?

"Whip it out and write it in the snow."