10 Questions with ... John E. Kage

NAME:John E. Kage POSITION:APD/MD STATION:KQKS KS 1075 MARKET:Denver COMPANY:Lincoln Financial BORN:Eau Claire, WI RAISED:Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Intern/KDWB/Minneapolis
Late Nights - XL93 Grand Forks, ND
Middays and Nights WKHI/Ocean City, MD.
Afternoon Drive, Morning Drive - KCLD/St. Cloud, MN
Middays and Afternoon Drive - KKSS/Albuquerque, NM
MD/afternoons - KSFM/Sacramento, CA
APD/MD/Swing - KQKS/Denver, CO

1) Why Radio...initially?

I was a mixer at gigantic night club in Minnesota. The emphasis there was on being an entertainer, not a mixer so I was comfortable on the mic. Also, I used to keep a tablet of paper in the booth and as I wrote down my playlist, I'd put a number of stars next to the title to track how many people danced to songs so I could strategically play music later to keep the dance floor packed. I had them ranked by those stars and broken out into different genres. I was basically creating music flow like we do in RCS. A radio DJ came in one night and said, "You do realize your music directing like we do in radio? You should come down and see what we do." I went down to the station, watched an hour of an airshift and started applying for internships.

2.) Has a career in Radio been everything you thought it would be when you started?

More actually. I have driven this country from Coast to Coast, lived in states and amongst cultures I normally wouldn't have been exposed to and have met literally hundreds of thousands of people. I have also found that each stop along the way there seemed to be that father figure or strong person who always helped me along in life with things I had to learn or just made me a better person. When you look back at things, these number one books we have at KS 1075, and ratings success, sold out concerts etc, are what we strive for and I take great pride in being a part of the team that achieves these things, but its also the friendships I have had in the past or here with this staff or just sitting down with Cat and talking about life sometimes. Radio has given me a lot both professionally and personally.

3) How has having a son affected your life in regards to your career?

Wow, where to begin. Well, a prominent programmer said to me when my son was born, "For the first time in your life you will care about something and love something more than yourself. " That is accurate. Do I do 5 am benders and have Tylenol next to me when I am on the air any more? Nope. I am completely focused. When you have a child you learn to work on a schedule and you don't have time to waste. I noticed a long time ago that radio people tend to spend 7 hours being busy and 7 more talking about how busy they are. Before bed at night I write out a list of what needs to get done and I systematically go after it each day. That doesn't mean you lose creativity, it means you stay focused and get things done. I have always been an organized person anyway. So I would say an acute sense of focus and organization are how it has affected me most.

4) How do you start your day in the office?

I bridge the morning show to middays by doing a quick hour on the air each day from 10-11am. So I arrive in the morning and begin scheduling the next day's music. I do it all by hand, every single song. I get the Powers and B's down and separated properly before that airshift. After the airshift I finish the log by filling in all the recurrents and schedule in all promos, sweepers and finish it off. I also check www.newmusicserver.com to see what new songs have shown up, and check email. But I like to start that music with a clear focused mind before the days issues come up.

5) You're regarded in the business as having a great set of ears. What do you look for in a hit record?

First of all, if that is true then, thank you. I can only speak for me, but I think before any MD looks for anything in a record you need to have your priorities in order. My agenda isn't to break records first, be the record labels favorite, or anything else.

I say that because I need to be in step with KS 1075 and we may not be in step with everyone else at the same time. So to begin with, I am understanding the sound that works for KS 1075 and what resonates with this audience at this moment. We are a Rhythmic Top 40. Urban, R&B, Pop, and all the rest of the musical styles are accepted here in different ways and at different times in the lifetime of a record. I truly believe that the failure to understand WHEN a record is ready for a particular station is why many records fail. So my priorities are clear, I know our audience's tastes, and I have an understanding of the timing of the different records I am about to hear as they pertain to KS 1075. Now, I am looking for melodic, hooky records that can appeal male, female, and across all ethnic lines. Next, I email about 10 MDs and PDs who I trust, and ask there thoughts.

I have to add, to me, a good MD isn't someone who thinks that only he/she knows the answer or is capable of knowing the answer. If I were a PD and was looking for an MD, I would want someone who has good ears, of course, but who can also admit they may be wrong and can pull back, be patient, or check with respected people. The end result, your track record of successful music choices are to me, what makes for a good MD.

6) Every once in awhile we come across a record that sounds like a HIT but doesn't become a HIT. What could slow it down?

First off all, we have to define HIT. I have seen many a record go top 10 or even top 5 that I thought got there because everyone drank the kool-aid at the same time. I have also seen great success with records that went top 25. But many things, some of which we'll never know. Madonna "4 Minutes" featuring Justin Timberlake is an example. I initially heard a slam dunk for Rhythm. But I chose to wait. Why? I detected something wrong. Has Madonna gone past the point of relevance? I don't know. Would another artist with JT on that record have made it bigger? I tend to think so, but that's just me. So artist choice is a factor. Some markets accept R&B at different times or Pop, or Urban and the record takes off at 20 stations but the other 50 come in later. So the texture of a record is a reason. I think those are reasons a record's growth can be "slowed down," as you mention. But those records that everyone agrees are great and never call out. I'll never know. It is a mystery.

7) Who do you consider to be your mentor(s)? Anyone outside of the industry?

I have learned something from every person I ever worked with. Even the bad ones...particularly the bad ones, because through them I have accumulated a mental list of things NOT to do. But as far as mentors...and I mean this in all sincerity, Cat Collins, my PD here at KS 1075 is one of the smartest human beings I have ever met. I have worked with some high profile names and I have never seen someone get into the fifth level of problem solving like this guy. I walk out of the research studies feeling like I know what color socks the competitor's PD will wear next week. Anyone can deal with the obvious. Not everybody can surgically break things down and create five different outcomes. I think Cat would have been great in politics, drafting NFL players, anything with a lot of variables. These aren't just ways of tackling radio and ratings, These are things you can apply in life. I am grateful for all of my time here. As for outside the industry, I'm a big fan of financial gurus such as Robert Kiyosaki. While I don't know them, I like to collect the thoughts of smart people and consider them all mentors.

8) Let's play job/person name word association. I say record label VP...you say?

Gary Marella

9) Any advice for someone starting out in their first MD gig?

Make your priority the radio station, learn the timing of records to your station, network, you don't need to be first, and if your not sure, wait for proof. Do what is right for your station and not you and you'll find success. Even though you don't always find immediate gratification that way.

10) What's your favorite thing about living and working in DENVER?

Blue Sky, Amazing night life and outdoor life. Great sports franchises and venues. Great diversity with the people.

Do you have a favorite moment in your broadcast career?

I have never had one of those moments where a world changing event occurred while I was on the air, or even a local one. But when I recall a moment that is a favorite. The first time I was flown in for an interview, I sat in my seat and looked out the window and I was going over the Great Lakes. I thought of all the times I made tapes, and fetched coffee and I was in awe that someone flew me somewhere. I was grateful, appreciative and proud all in one moment. That was a moment where I knew I was walking through a door to the next level.

You are chosen to be on the cast of Big Brother, where you'll be living with a dozen or so other people with cameras rolling virtually non-stop. If you could pick one actress, one anchorwoman, one singer and one athlete to be your female "roommates", who would you pick?

Actress - You know, after all this time I still have a Sandra Bullock thing
Singer - Natasha Bedingfield
Anchorwoman - Denver's own Libby Weaver
Athlete - Candice Parker