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10 Questions with ... Andy Chanley
August 5, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Radio isn't like that anymore. There's PPM, shareholders, the Internet, and everybody with their own opinion about how things should be. But at 88.5 FM, no one has ever come into the studio and told me that I shouldn't play a particular record. And no one has scolded me afterwards for being too careless with a music choice. It's radio that doesn't have to kowtow to the industry's metrics, and it's special to me. It should feel special to anyone who loves music
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I began my radio career at WKHY/Lafayette, IN in 1989, back when you still needed a license to be a DJ. In 1994, I joined WRZX-FM/Indianapolis, where I was the morning host within seven months. In 1997, I moved to Los Angeles and was immediately hired to do middays at Modern Rock Y-107 (by Steve Blatter, now head of programming at SiriusXM). In 1999, Keith Cunningham (now KLOS/L.A. PD) hired me to do mornings at Triple A KACD/L.A. "Channel 103.1." Thanks to PD Dave Beasing, I became the first live voice to be heard on (erstwhile Triple A) KSWD/L.A. "100.3 The Sound" in 2008, and the last voice heard when it signed off in November of 2017. That day, I got a call (from then-GM Sky Daniels) inviting me to sit in at 88.5 FM. I've been there ever since, and I love it.
1. How did you become interested in radio?
It's funny to think back now, but I did used to tape record "shows" with my brother when I was nine or 10. In high school, I listened to Casey Kasem every week and even made Top 40 charts to keep track of new music. I made mix tapes all through college. But then I did something silly: I went to Purdue to be a Mechanical Engineer. After two years, I realized engineering made me want to take hostages, so I switched into Communications and went to work for the University's 20,000 daily circulation paper, The Exponent, where I was Managing Editor in 18 months and President of the Indiana Collegiate Press Association. Then, one night around my 21st birthday, some friends took me to a Lafayette bar where local Rock station WKHY was doing a remote. One of my former desk editors had been doing part-time news there and was asked if he knew of a good replacement when he leaves. He pointed across the table at me, and I shrug, "I dunno ... maybe." That was 30 years ago.
2. You must be excited about having more input at 88.5 now as the newly named MD. Tell us about that.
Egad. Who wouldn't be? It's a tastemaker radio station that two Beatles still claim to listen to regularly. That blows my mind. When I thank artists I truly respect for coming by the station to perform, they often shoot me a sober stare and say, "No, thank you, guys for what you do." It's an awesome responsibility to be stewards of this music, but I know that I'm up to the challenge, and so is the rest of this team. We're going to have some fun. You watch.
3. How is your working relationship with newly named PD Marc "Mookie" Kaczor?
If you've met Mookie, you already know this answer. They don't come much more level-headed than Marc Kaczor. He's a good human being for starters, and he's a good team player at work. Mookie handles so many demanding tasks routinely, but he flatters me by asking my opinion, and that of others, on a regular basis -that's the sign of someone who has their ego in check for the benefit of the team. And he's got a pretty wicked sense of humor, which is great since I'm going to hell for mine.
4. In light of your storied career, why do you think 88.5 is such a special radio station?
I've worked at stations where I've had tremendous freedom. WRZX/Indianapolis PD Scott Jameson took a chance on me in 1995 and said to do whatever I want in the mornings as long as it was engaging - a very brave thing for him to do. If I rightly recollect, we jumped from nothing to an insane 11 share 18-34 the next book (second only to "Bob & Tom's" even more insane 33 share), and that was a heap of fun.
Radio isn't like that anymore. There's PPM, shareholders, the Internet, and everybody with their own opinion about how things should be. But at 88.5 FM, no one has ever come into the studio and told me that I shouldn't play a particular record. And no one has scolded me afterwards for being too careless with a music choice. It's radio that doesn't have to kowtow to the industry's metrics, and it's special to me. It should feel special to anyone who loves music.
5. What new artists are you most excited about?
On the spot, eh? Alright. This month, I really like this White Reaper track, "Might Be Right," and I'm looking forward to the new LP. That's a small sample size (though I've heard their junior label work), but I'm a sucker for post-punk revival stuff ... well, back in the early '80s, we just called it New Wave. And although he's not a "new artist," he's taking flight as a solo artist now - Dhani Harrison! I saw him open for ELO in L.A. last month and blow the roof off the place. I like this "Motorways (Erase It)" track that he closed his show with. I think that's enough ... I just made this Wednesday's music calls tough enough!
6. What do you view as the most important issue facing radio today?
The answer is the same now as it was the day after the Telecommunications Act of 1996 became law: Consolidation. Sure, maybe I'm bitter because it's cost me at least two radio jobs; but I'm convinced it's a force for the degradation of quality in radio.
7. What has been your biggest career highlight?
Musically, it's 88.5 FM. But if you're asking when I had the most fun, period, it was co-hosting with Mark Thompson of "Mark & Brian" on 100.3 The Sound's "Mark in the Morning" in 2015. Whatever possessed the Mormons of Bonneville to trust us to have that much fun (and do a lot of community good) for the first seven months of that show, I'll never know. Then it got bought and dismantled, and Camelot ended. But man, it's saying something when you can wake up at 3a and not be able to wait to get to work. I'll always love that crew, and I'll always love Mark and cherish his friendship. I can be honest because he won't ever read this. Seriously, if Mark Thompson is reading a trade publication, it's because he lost a bet.
8. What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/on-air hosts?
Study your Mechanical Engineering.
9. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Somebody told me once that I should do myself a huge favor in radio and always arrive an hour before my show. Well, if you have a content-driven show, you better be there earlier than that; but, I'll tell ya, I'd rather be an hour early than five minutes late.
10. If you wanted to completely change careers today, what would you do?
Completely? Can it still be music-related? If so, I've always thought that I'd love to be a music supervisor for film and TV. I'm always thinking when I watch shows or movies, "Oh! There's a Big Star song that would be great here!" or "There's a new track I just heard last week that would have been the perfect cue there." Who knows, maybe that's what I'll do when I grow up.
Bonus Questions
Last non-industry job:
I worked as a temp for a week when I first moved to L.A. in 1997. My job was to update a database for a prostate cancer research database. "Is Mr. Johnson there? Oh, he did? Ma'am, I'm so sorry for your loss." Eight hours of that a day will drive you to do radio.
First record ever purchased:
I was eight years old in 1976. It was, of course, KISS "Destroyer." Well, actually, I got it for a quarter at a yard sale in '77.
First concert:
August 10th, 1984. Market Square Arena, Indianapolis. The Cars' "Heartbeat City" Tour.
Favorite band of all-time:
Of ALL TIME? Come on. It's The Beatles! No one has done more with less.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?
Being with my wife, son and daughter. I won the lottery three times with them. And there's nothing wrong in my life that can't be cured by winning the California Lottery once. I'm a very lucky man.
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