10 Questions with ... Brody

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started out doing weekends and vacation fill-in on all day parts at WILI-FM/I-98 in Willimantic, CT the summer of 2000. I jumped on board part-time with Danny Ocean as my PD at WKCI, KC101 in New Haven for a few months in the fall of that year, when PD Kevin Palana from WQGN (Q105)/New London called me on the request line there and shortly thereafter put me in nights for three years. Then in summer of 2003, I took nights here at WDCG (G105)/Raleigh, where I eventually became MD, APD and now afternoons!

1) What led you to a career in radio?

I grew up listening to Z100 in Bergen County, NJ, almost religiously. However, I never knew I had an interest in pursuing radio as a career until college. My girlfriend at the time had a radio show on the campus radio station and it sparked my curiosity. I ended up with my own time slot, which I shared with my friend Karl, who I am friends with to this day. A hobby turned into a career goal soon thereafter.

2) What is your favorite part of the job?

This is a tough question because I love all aspects of the job, whether it's being on the air, helping decide what music makes up the playlist, creating fun and unique promotions, or taking advantage of the perks like free concert tickets and the opportunity to meet some of my favorite artists.

However, it's when I started working in North Carolina that I realized how much I loved to see listener's reactions to winning a radio contest (especially an experience you can't buy). Anytime a listener calls or texts the station and addresses me by name, then I know I've made a connection that goes beyond music. Getting any kind of communications from listeners "just because" makes me realize I've had some sort of impact on their life and that feels powerful.

3) What is the most challenging part of the job?

The most challenging part of the job is time management. We're all wearing multiple hats nowadays and it's the ability to keep all the balls rolling, without dropping any. Thank God for my PD, Zac Davis, who is there to remind me of the things that I may have overlooked.

4) What's the coolest promotion you've EVER been involved with?

Pick Your Purse is probably the biggest promotion I've ever been involved with, due to its fanatical popularity, thanks to its original creators Carly Laskey and Randi West. However, the G105 Listener Lounge is THE coolest promotion we do and it's ongoing, with some amazing top notch artists like John Mayer, One Republic, Matchbox Twenty, Train and more. It's an opportunity to see an intimate, acoustic performance with said artist, which you can only win your way into. Following the performance, winners get to meet them and get a picture to frame above their mantle. It always creates a lot of buzz on the air and in town, making for great content with recorded acoustic cuts and photos to look at online. It's just another example of an experience listeners can't buy.

5) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?

I'm a huge movie buff. Plus, I love to travel. I took some vacation time in Los Angeles this summer to visit family, friends, and be in the land of movies! I did all the touristy stuff, hitting Universal and all the other studios out there. I'll also go to some of these movie conventions (Monster Mania) on the East Coast, like the one I'm getting ready to go to in Baltimore for the weekend. I grew up wanting to work behind the scenes in movies and gave up on that dream in college, but never gave up my love for movies themselves. These conventions offer me the opportunity to meet some great old and new school actors that have been in some of my favorites, like "Sam Merlotte" of True Blood, Ernie Hudson of Ghostbusters, and this weekend, I'm gonna meet Anthony Michael Hall from Weird Science! It's a unique opportunity for a movie fan that gives me the chance to mingle with some cool stars, meet other fans, and get some hang time with my college buddy Karl. Traveling out of town is just the icing on the cake.

6) Could you give us a little insight into your on-air staff?

Our morning show Bob and the Showgram is a full-blown staple of the Triangle community and has been for close to 20 years now! Bob has the ability to piss someone off at the drop of a hat, keep them in stitches, or make them bawl like a baby with the right poem or story about his family, while never sugarcoating anything (making him controversial at times). Randi West needs no introduction as our former PD (and one of my best friends and mentors), having most recently moved to middays on G105 (to leave her more time to focus on her PD duties in Tampa). She is solid on the air and one of the smartest and most generous women I've ever known.

Seacrest takes the noon-to-4p slot, with myself following in afternoons, where I'm about just having fun. Geller has been with us for five years now doing nights and is one of the most creative and unique jocks I have ever heard. He's a killer imaging guru and just one of the funniest human beings I know. He also likes long walks on the beach, puppies and WWF wresting.

On our Rhythmic AC KISS-FM, Dave Kent kicks off mornings. He's also become a household name, having been here now about eight years (11 years in the market). He has totally mastered the art of doing a show without stopping down the music. Mysti is our midday girl and sounds so smooth on the air. My PD, Zac Davis is next in afternoons, much like me just having fun on the air and cranking out the phones. We work great together, but knew we would since we've been good friends for years. Rhyno, based in Nashville, is our latest addition at night and we're excited to have him!

7) If you could add one full-time position to your budget right now, what would it be?

If I could I'd have a full-time social networking person in house. I'd be ecstatic! It's certainly one of the toughest things to keep top of mind when you have a list of things that need to get done that never really seems to get shorter. However, it is a very important part of how we communicate with our listeners and if it wouldn't be for our Online Content Director, Rachel, who helps split these responsibilities with me, there wouldn't be much benefit to listeners to fan or follow us.

8) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff and why do you like them?

I always loved listening to Paul "Cubby" Bryant on Z100 when he did afternoons. He was quick, witty and just smooth. Plus, he's always been a super-nice guy to me! JJ Kincaid kicks ass now at Z, but Cubby will always be my fave.

9) Looking back, which years hold the best musical memories for you and who were your favorite acts at that time?

I love music from the '80 -- and I realize that's a generic answer, but my love for music in the late '90s is a little more artist and genre-specific. My perfect 2nd Chance Prom concert would include Smashmouth, Sugar Ray, Eve 6 and Vertical Horizon.

10) What advice you would give people new to the business?

Learn and continue to grow as much as you can, while showing lots of enthusiasm. Some people expect for doors to open for them and some make it happen. The people who really want it get noticed. Networking is an important part in one's success in this industry, too.

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

Some of my radio friends like Zac Davis (also my PD) and Jagger in NYC will appreciate this the most because they are just as much fans of Huey Lewis as I am! We just saw them in concert this summer (4th row center) and had a blast! No meet-and-greet, but maybe one day...