10 Questions with ... Alisa Applegate

NAME:Alisa Applegate POSITION:Associate Director Rhythm COMPANY:Universal Republic Records BORN:Tarzana, CA RAISED:Grover Beach, CA

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Worked at Network 40 for seven years while going to college here in Los Angeles. Go Bruins. Started answering the phones and before I knew it I was there full-time working in the Crossover Department. After the doors were slammed shut there, I started doing independent promotions at the mix show level (thank you Paula Tuggey and Andrea Kline for giving me my first gigs). Then I went on to work with Paula Tuggey full-time at Sanctuary Records and before I knew it another door opened and it was at Universal Republic.

1. What was your first job in the business?

NETWORK 40- The golden years. GARY BIRD, KARMEN BECK, KRISTEN GUARINO, KRIS PETERSON, MICHELLE JACOBS...they were the ones who tainted my poor young mind from becoming a teacher to doing promotions.

2. I can't live without my ____________?

crackberry

3. What's the biggest way that your job of record promotion has changed over the last 2 years?

I think we now more than ever have to treat each record individually. Records take longer than ever now to get off the ground. Coming from a background of working records like Ray J's "One Wish," I understand that you have to maintain and build records over a long period of time. That is not a scary thing to me. Timing is everything as we all know. Not only that, but listeners are getting music at a much quicker rate now and from other avenues. Ringtones, downloads, Internet research all of these things are HUGE factors when breaking records. You can not solely rely on call-out and phones stories in the age of the Internet. We had a perfect example of that with Baby Boy's "The Way I Live."

4. Which Rhy-Crossover PD or MD have you been working with the longest?

Big Bear at KCAQ, who in my opinion is one of, if not the best programmer out there today. Not to mention I grew up in the 805 so it feels like home to me. But pretty much everyone on the West Coast...E-man, JB, Mikee Mike, J.Reed, Big Mike, Tony Tecate, Sherita, Rico, Mambo, Bootz, and K-Smooth. All of whom I have known since the Network 40 days and really have always been there for me along the way.

5. What's the first job related thing you do in the morning?

Don't we all do it?! Checking spins!

6. If you had to pick one market to make a 2 day promo run to, which would it be?

I gotta say I do luv the Phoenix, Tucson, Vegas run. Joey, Karlie, Fred Rico, Rico, Sherita and J Beezy. Good times, always.

7. Who do you consider to be your mentor(s)?

Paula Tuggey (aka Peg) and Andrea Kline. Paula really has been the driving force in pushing me to continue in this business. Daily, she would tell me that I was nuts and needed to stick with it rather than going on to teach. And yes, she would yell this daily. Seriously, Paula has been an amazing example for me. She is a TUG boat and more than anything I admire the way she deals with her staff and radio. Andrea has also been a driving force for me as well. Andrea always pushed me to up the anti and reach out and talk to other people at radio. I think the key for me was seeing these two women in key positions of power and realizing that it is obtainable. Both of these ladies also introduced me to Mr. Gary Spangler (aka. Go Nads), who really has been a great partner in crime and I learn from him daily.

8. After a long day in the office what do you do to relax?

I would love to say that I go to the gym on a consistent basis, but usually, I am out and about with friends. And well if you know me you know what the means J

9. What songs are you feeling right now?

I love the Lil' Mama record "Lip Gloss," Sterling Sims "Nasty Girl", Candy Hill "Juicy," I've always loved Yung Berg's "Sexy Lady," and my favorite record right now is the Sean Kingston record "Beautiful Girl."

10. What's on the way from Universal Republic?

Candy Hill a new R&B/Rap group out of Compton, CA. These ladies are talented beyond belief and will be coming to your market in the next 2 weeks. Their first single "Juicy" is going to be the female anthem of the summer. The new Nina Sky record "Clothes Off" is another monster. EVERYONE is ready for that. Blak Jak "Ball Out" featuring T-Pain another great up-tempo record. Baby Boy is still grinding it out with "The Way I Live" and "Naw Meen" AND he has many more to go. Rob G. "Reppin My Block" great male record coming out of Texas.

Bonus. If you could be on any TV reality show, which would it be?

Bad Girls Club. I would seriously kick all of their asses!

Bonus. SAVE THE RECORD REP...SAVE THE WORLD. What two programmers would you trust to get the job done and save you and save the world?

Big Bear and JB King