10 Questions with ... Scott Register

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Graduated from Auburn University in 1991, worked in marketing and advertising where I met programmer Dave Rossi and began "Reg's Coffee House" specialty show on WRAX/Birmingham in 1997. Hired by Don VanCleave to be the Marketing Director for the Coalition Of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) in 1999. Currently work for Junketboy Distribution (CIMS sister company) and still host" Reg's Coffee House" (Sundays 10a-2p) as well as help program WWMM (Live 100.5 )/Birmingham. I also host the morning show on the station.

1. How did you get in the business?

It was pure luck -- right place at the right time. I graduated with a Journalism major and a Marketing double minor. After taking a job with an advertising firm that handled a local music festival, I hooked up with Don VanCleave on the festival's programming committee and then with Dave Rossi at WRAX. Dave offered me a specialty show that we named "Reg's Coffee House" and it is still going strong 13 years later. In 1999, Van Cleave offered me a marketing position with the Coalition of Independent Music Stores and eventually I crossed over to its subsidiary, Junketboy Distribution, where I currently work. In 2008, Citadel decided to launch a station in Birmingham inspired by "Reg's Coffee House. " Rossi was brought in to be PD and away we went. A little over a year later, I somehow became the host of our morning drive "The Morning Blend With Reg" (our morning drive host, The Critic, had to leave town unexpectedly for personal reasons back in March) and then I became the music guy (I've never considered myself a PD) at the station in August when Dave Rossi had to leave for personal reasons too.

2. Who are your mentors?

Obviously, Rossi and VanCleave were huge influences on me ... and both opened the doors to the music world for me, so I will always owe them for that. But my mother is my original mentor. She loved music and constantly surrounded me with it growing up. Many of my childhood memories have music related to them and she instilled a love for diversity of artists and the power of a song that remains a part of my musical DNA.

3. You hold down two jobs -- one at WWMM and one at Junketboy Distribution/CIMS. How do you balance the two?

I work all the time. Ha ha! No, I'm the kind of guy who has always liked to wear many hats. The two jobs feed off of each other and they keep me sharp and on my toes. Thankfully, I have bosses who respect my abilities and trust me to get both jobs done without dropping any balls or slacking off. Also, I have great teams around me at both jobs. Without them, there is no way I could make it.

4. For those that have never heard WWMM, how would you describe the sound of the station?

That's a tough one to nail down. Technically, we are a Triple A station that blurs the lines between Alternative, Indie, Pop, AC, Classic Rock ... but I've always told folks that "Reg's Coffee House" (and now WWMM) reflects a vibe I have inside me, something that I can't explain. I just follow it.

5. What are some of the biggest challenges for independent record stores today?

Wow, that's a big question that I could do a serious dissertation on. Independent retailers, not just in the record business, are feeling the pinch of our economy combined with unfair business practices that cater to giant corporations. All this threatens the very life of the independent retail community, the same community that built every town in this country. We risk losing the fiber that made this country what it is by creating the United States of Generica, where every town looks the same. The Mom-and-Pops that shaped our great nation are shut down and shut out of the game completely. But, here's the deal: These indie retailers are smart and nimble; they know how to diversify, to be flexible, to superserve their customers and how to survive. When the walls collapse on Corporate America, as they have already begun to in many industries, the little guys who survive will still be standing strong, paving the path for new generations of indie retailers.

6. You showcase a lot of new music on your specialty show "Reg's Coffee House." What new bands are you most excited about?

This Canadian band, Oceanship, has done really well for the show (and the station) this year, as has Diane Birch and Joshua James and most recently Lissie. My personal favorite is Portugal, The Man, "The Satanic Satanist." WOW! What a record! Under 35 minutes long and full of great songs and a vibe that mesmerizes from start to finish and keeps you coming back time and again.

7. What do you like best about your job(s)?

I like that every morning, when I wake up, I can't wait to get to work. I love what I do and feel lucky to be where I am. I wore the creative noose they call a tie around my neck for several years and dreaded going to the office. The other thing that means the most to me is that I have the power to make a person's day just by playing a song. Nothing humbles you faster and makes you feel better than having a listener tell you that. One of my mottos is, "A song can change everything," and I get to see that every day. It's a beautiful thing.

8. How do you stay in tune with your audience?

We use a text messaging system on the computer called MSNAP. It allows the station to get instant feedback and communicate with listeners on their terms. We have a Text Club you can join and get texts from us directly about shows, tickets and concerts. We also are big on other social media (as most everyone is these days). Our Facebook account is extremely active and we use our Twitter account every chance we get. We love to put tickets and prizes around town and then Tweet a picture of the prize in a location to our listeners so they can go find them.

Advertisers don't care about ads these days; they care about traffic. This modern-day scavenger hunt pushes listeners directly into the stores. At the end of the day, my favorite way of staying in tune is face-to-face, talking to listeners at shows and events on the streets. We live in an interactive world these days and it is important that the listeners are an active part of what we do.

9. What are music meetings like at your station?

Speaking of interacting with the listeners, our music meetings take place live, on-air on Tuesday nights at 6p. Started by Dave Rossi soon after the station came on the air, it's called The Tuesday Night Music Club, and it has quickly become one of our most popular specialty shows. The on-air staff brings music and we do a little "song pull" where we play the tunes we're thinking about airing, discuss them with each other and with the listeners via texting and make a decision whether or not we will use them in rotation.

I have to admit, I look forward to this hour each week. We have a lot of fun with it, it's good for morale at the station and the listeners seem to eat it up.

10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ...

... a listener telling me that they no longer use their iPod in the car or that they've cancelled their satellite radio subscription because of Live 100.5.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?

I try to spend every second of it with my two incredible little boys, Griffith and Mitchell, my muse and best friend Dr. Shae Hicks, DVM, and our two crazy puppies, Albert and Aubry.

Last Non-Industry Job:

Ad wxecutive for Townsend, Barney and Patrick Advertising and PR

First Record Ever Purchased:

The Eagles "Greatest Hits"

First Concert:

Alice Cooper with ACDC, BJCC Arena, June 26, 1978. Tickets were a whopping $6.50 and yes, I saw Bon Scott.

Favorite Band Of All-Time:

The Beatles