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10 Questions with ... Suzy Cole
April 14, 2009
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NAME:Suzy ColeTITLE:APD/MD of WRIF, PD of RIFF2MARKET:DetroitCOMPANY:Greater Media DetroitBORN:Yes ... in Grand Rapids, MIRAISED:A lot of hell? (In Grand Rapids, MI)
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
WKLQ - 1998-1999
WGRD - 1999-2000
WKLQ - 2000-2001
WVAN - 2001
WWDX - 2001-2002
WGRD - 2002-2005
WRIF & RIFF2 - 2005-Present1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
I went from being an intern to being a part-timer pretty quick ... I loved it; I lived at the station (WKLQ). I was picking up every shift and every little thing that I could do so they had to figure out a way to make me full-time. (I really messed up the part-time hours. HA HA.) When WKLQ made me full-time, I did the local part for the Howard Stern Show, then Programming Assistant, Music Director Assistant and Promotions Assistant. It was great. (I used to skip school and drive around listening to Stern, so getting paid to do it was amazing.) Walking in and learning from Steve Brancik, Tony Gates, Tom Stavrou and Mark Feurie made everything fun and easy. It really was a dream job and I knew from day one that this is what I wanted to do for ... well, ever! (I would say that all of those guys were big influences on me early in my career)
2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?
It was an accident ... I wanted to go see The Descendents at the Vans Warped tour when I was 17 and I didn't have the cash because I worked at a movie theatre. I went to WKLQ's "Summerfest" and ended up getting the tickets from one of the guys there (Steve Brancik). After that I would always hook him up with free popcorn when he went to the movies and we'd chit-chat. One day I called him up and asked for a job. He told me I could start as an intern. Like I said before, I just knew from day one. It felt right ... like this is what I was supposed to do. Some people get a calling from God; I got mine from Motley Crue.
3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?
Absolutely! I can't imagine my life without radio. Plus, who wouldn't want to go back and get a "do over" with extra future knowledge? I would totally be Biff from "Back To the Future"!
4) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
I really wanted to be an actress. I probably would have followed it, but chances are I wouldn't have made it.
5) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?
Detroit is unlike any other place I've ever been to. It has a vast make-up of people who are passionate about music and very loyal to everything that is Detroit. It's part of your make-up here. Once you live here, it seeps in. I may be from Grand Rapids originally, but I'm now a Detroiter through and through. No place is like Detroit ... and no place really compares.
6) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?
I was a big fan of both Steve Jones' and Henry Rollins' show on Indie 103.1 and was bummed to see them go. I've always been a Stern fan, though I haven't listened in a few years.
7) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?
I've always liked KROQ in Los Angeles and KXTE in Las Vegas. But I REALLY liked Indie 103.1. I thought that they had really interesting entertainers and programs with a great selection of music. Seriously, hearing Rollins trip out on some old soul records and then playing a Fugazi demo right after was pretty amazing!
8) How do you stay in touch with the latest music trends?
I spend a lot of time online searching for music. I try to listen to everything. I read magazines, I talk to friends, I scour MySpace (since that's all it's good for anymore), look up music played in TV shows, commercials and films and am constantly going out to shows. A lot of my friends are also big into music and are also in bands. It's pretty much all that I do. It's everywhere. Ha ha.
9) How do you feel terrestrial radio competes with the satellite radio and Internet these days?
There are a lot of options out there for people to listen to music, but I feel that terrestrial radio pulls at the strings of what's going on locally. The jocks live the lifestyle, go to the same bars the listeners go to, see the exact same shows that the listeners were at and are experiencing the same things that are significant to the listening audience -- all at the same time. I also believe that HD Radio adds a lot to backing up the station. RIFF2 compliments WRIF not only by adding a completely different music library, but by aligning itself with more artists, shows, events and air talent. It makes it easier to cover more of the bases of our listeners. Satellite and Internet are much more impersonal.
10) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?
I am always looking to improve ... There is a sweet quote from Faulkner who said, "Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." That has always kind of stuck with me and I feel really lucky to be able to work with someone like Mark Pennington at WRIF. He is such a great boss and will always go out of his way to help. Improvement is a definite when you get to work under someone like that.
Bonus Questions
Who would be your dream guest on the show?
Robert Pattinson - because he's hot.
What is your favorite TV show?
Lost ... Team Jack and Team Ben all the way (seriously ... I don't really like Sawyer and Locke at all)
Favorite artist you have met?
David Bowie - He's my god.
Motley Crue - They are my favorite band
Frank Black - He's the coolest dude ever.In your opinion, what is the greatest song ever that never made it as a hit?
Anything by the band Remy Zero. That band was amazing.
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?
Electric Six - they are one of my favorite bands and they are really good friends of mine (Detroit, bitches!) plus they are all absolutely hilarious!
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if it has to be one person ... then Robert Pattinson. I would never get sick of looking at that dude. Plus, from what I've heard, I think he's pretty talented musically!
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