10 Questions with ... 'Dangerous' Dave Nelson

NAME:'Dangerous' Dave Nelson TITLE:PD STATION:WHBZ 106.5 The Buzz MARKET:Sheboygan, WI COMPANY:Midwest Communications BORN:St. Paul, MN RAISED:Inver Grove Heights, MN

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

WTCN/Stillwater, MN 89-91 ... KGCH/ Sidney, MT 91-93 ... KYYZ/Williston, ND 93-96 ...KKCK/ Marshall, MN 96-98 ... KRRO/Sioux Falls, SD 98-05 ... WHBZ/Sheboygan, WI 05-present

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

I was influenced by many people growing up in the rich radio environment of the Twin Cities -- Steve Cannon on WCCO as a very young child, then later Hines and Berglund on WLOL. For Rock it was Wally Walker on KQRS.

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

I remember radio at a very early age and would play DJ in my room. growing up with a kid's record player and Mr. Microphone.

3) What is the biggest change that you'd like to see happen in the business?

I know this probably won't happen, but bigger air staffs! More warm bodies in the studio. There are some awesome voicetrackers out there, but nothing beats live radio.

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

Well, up until a few years ago I probably wouldn't have had an answer for this, but recently I've really gotten into video and very amateur filmmaking. I do stuff for the station's website and got my own thing on YouTube. In another life I'd be on a film set.

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

Sheboygan is in a very interesting place geographically. We're halfway between Milwaukee and Green Bay, so there's a constant battle between us and all of those bigger market stations. The Buzz has to be a Classic, Mainstream and Active Rock station all in one because those are the formats we're up against. You'll hear a WIDE variety of rock and our tag line is "Over 4 Decades of Rock," but we try to stay as Active as possible. It's one of the most interesting stations I've worked at.

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?

Lately I've gotten back into '80s New Wave, especially the British stuff ... Pet Shop Boys, Animotion, Nena. I know it doesn't rock that hard, but it takes me back to my childhood and the good memories from then.

7) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?

Chuck Diesel from 93X in the Twin Cities. Some of the best pipes in the business, plus he's a good friend.

8) What is the biggest change that you'd like to see happen in the business?

I know this probably won't happen, but bigger air staffs! More warm bodies in the studio. There are some awesome voicetrackers out there, but nothing beats live radio.

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

I HAVE NO IDEA! The world is changing so fast that it's hard to predict anything anymore.

10) What can we be doing with our station websites to better our stations as a whole?

Lately we've gotten on the Twitter thing. That can really keep your radio station on top of stuff, especially if you're heavily voicetracked. Some big music story breaks over the weekend and nobody is there to talk about it. I can Tweet from my phone and it goes directly onto our feed on the website's front page.

What is your favorite TV show?

It was "Battlestar Galactica," but now that's done so I'd have to say "Lost." I'm kind of a sci-fi geek.

Name the artist/act (living or dead) you'd love to meet and why?

Kurt Cobain. Not only because he was the front man for one of the most influential bands in the history of rock, but we were both born on the same day in the same year.

Besides your own, what is your favorite radio format?

Alternative. Makes me feel a lot cooler than I am when listening to it.

Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without...

Coffee. It's one of my only vices since I quit drinking and smoking.