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10 Questions with ... Randy Hawke
November 17, 2009
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1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
Rocket 101 in Erie, PA. Influences include Rick Rambaldo, Ron Kline, Mojo McKay and Natalie Massing. They taught me 90% of what I know today. Special props as well to Garrett Hart, Willie Davis and Tom Walker. They helped me grow along the way and hopefully will help me more tomorrow as well. I hope I am never done finding people to learn from.
2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?
I can think back to being seven years old, and playing radio with my GI Joe turntable and knowing that this is what I was going to do or die trying. My friends would play trucks and I would sit on the floor and pretend to be their radio station. They will all attest that I did not take requests then, either.
3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?
Yes. Outside of my wife and children, it defines me. It is my passion, my job, my creative outlet. Working everyday on the radio is amazing. That is why I still do a shift. I dread the day I do not get to be on the radio anymore. For nearly 20 years in four different cities in the U.S., tens of thousands of people have made the choice to listen to me on the radio. Think about that? They make the choice to spend their time listening to me talk and play songs for 'em. If you are on the radio and do not understand what an honor and privilege it is that people choose to let you do what you love by giving you their time, than you are taking what you do for granted and should go stock soup cans. We are all lucky. Artists and jocks alike.
4) What career path would you be following had it not been for this industry?
Firefighter. Believe it our not, I am, or I should say was, a really good one 20 years ago. I almost left college to do it, but again, radio was in me so it did not happen.
5) Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?
We need to live in real time. It is amazing to me that radio use to be the only medium in real time. TV, newspapers ... everything was delayed. We use to rush to get the phoners on the air. Now as the world is more in the "NOW" than ever, radio is voicetracked. Tape delayed. Research takes months to recruit and return. We need to live instantly again. I hope that is where we are in five years. Living in real time.
6) What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
On a programming end it is, without a doubt, performance royalties. The industry is NOT paying attention to what Bono and Music FIRST are trying to do to it. Everyone reading this should Google MusicFIRST and make themselves very aware of this organization. FIRST is an acronym for Fairness In Radio Starts Today. If this goes wrong, it will be HORRIBLE for new music, up-and-coming artists, radio and jobs. Please educate yourself on it. I can go on for 7,000 pages on this topic.
7) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff?
Howard Stern is still the god of radio. It was here before him, but will forever be different because of him. The appliance he comes out of now may be different but he still gets up at 4a and still does a great job. Also, I grew up listening to WCMF in Rochester, NY. Brother Weese, Dave Kane and the man who will forever be the greatest overnight jock in the history of Rock radio: The late Uncle Roger. A tragic loss for the great city I grew up in.
8) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market and why?
93X in the Twin Cities. It is executed flawlessly. My amazing and insanely too-hot-to-be-my wife is from there. We visit often and I listen often. They are the total package. The branding, the execution, the jocks. It is consistent, well defined and well executed. JJO and 93X are the same format, but very different. It is really cool to hear someone doing what I do differently.
9) Besides your own, what is your favorite radio format?
Triple A. I have always loved that type of music. I did the college metal show on Saturday and then on Sunday I hosted this show called "Radio Free Edinboro." (I went to Edinboro University of PA) At the time it was called a "post-Modern Rock" show. I played bands that, at the time, no one knew -- Bodeans, Replacements, Soul Asylum, The Goo Goo Dolls (who were considered a punk band at the time). Triple A still has a lot of that vibe. Wilco-type stuff. I have a huge punk side to me as well, so I like Faction on, dare I say, Sirius. Great radio station. Red Dragons. Triple M in Madison is a great Triple A station. Those are my decompress get out of the Active Rock world outlets. Faction, Howard 100 and Triple A. How much shit am I gonna get about picking Sirius and a station I compete with? But again, radio is radio. We are obsessed with the appliance not the product.
10) 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?
It is crazy. In the late '80s I was obsessed with the Minneapolis music scene. My wife grew up there and had no idea it was going on. The upstate New York guy has to teach her. It is a big part of the music I like and I was listening to The Replacements "Don't Tell A Soul" one day in the car and my four-year-old daughter fell in love with it. I take her to school every morning and the two of us crank it. She can sing "I'll Be You" word for word. You know how cool it is to put her in my truck every morning and hear her beautiful little voice say "Put on the Replacements, Daddy." For me it is not about my kids loving my music, but loving music. My son is a hair metal guy. He jams the Cinderalla. "Don't Know What Ya Got Till It's Gone" BABY!
For myself, "Billy Boy On Poison" is really cool. Ironworks puts out good music from great musicians. Player/Kommander is a trippy Southern band. In format: How cool is it to hear Alice In Chains again? I also love the new Chevelle. It has a real Howard Hughes vibe. Lol. Foo Fighters got themselves a really good Tom Petty song out right now as well. That Greatest Hits package RULES! Cavo sticks to my brain. I am really looking forward to the new Sevendust. And the Mudvayne guys are producing the new Nonpoint. That is going to be amazing. The PM5K song and video "Super Villian" ROCKS!
Bonus Questions
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?
Lemmy. Have ya read his biography? He rules. The most recent issue of Rolling Stone sucks and is a sign that the thing is dying -- Madonna retrospective and war exposes that have already been reported on in millions of other places? What happen to being relevant? Anyway, wipe your ass with everything but the ode to Lemmy Kilmiester. A great read. And rest in peace, Rolling Stone magazine. Much like Ace Frehley. You are, but a shell of your former self. Did get off subject there? I shoulda picked a chick, huh? Damn. I hope Lemmy is not gonna try and touch ma wiener.
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