10 Questions with ... David Herold

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started when I was 15 at a satellite syndicated station K-ONE -- Big Band Hits of the '40s '50s and '60s. Crossed over to the sister station KOZZ and began hosting the Grateful Dead hour on the station. Started at The X at 19 ... never left.

1. How did you become interested in radio?.

Watching "WKRP" and listening to Bruce Van Dyke with my mom in the mornings.

2. Who were your mentors?

Bruce Van Dyke, Harry Reynolds, Rob Brooks and Don Darue.

3. You have been at The X a really longtime. How has the station evolved over that time?

When I started we were still playing albums and our rotation was a box of cards. Of course, we have moved everything onto the hard drive and there is mow just 11 hours of free form left on the station. The one thing that hasn't changed is that the 90% of the music we play can only be heard on The X in Reno.

4. What has been your biggest career highlight?

Smoking weed with Chris Whitley behind the Fox in Boulder? No, it would have to be becoming the morning guy on The X.

5. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?

I get to play good music, but also play music I don't like.

6. What are some the station's key benchmark events?

Being brought back from death -- not once but twice -- by listener campaigns. And this was before the Internet!

7. How do you feel about the current climate of music?

Personally, I don't like the way Triple A is morphing into Alternative or Hot AC light. There is always room for those bands, but it smells of record companies manipulating the charts for money. Hockey gets on the chart while Lyle Lovett has his best album in years and it didn't get close to the chart. The loss of Americana in Triple A bums me out. All of our musical heroes seem to go Americana as they get older.

8. What has been the best performing record on the station so far this year?

One Eskimo

9. What is the best advice you would give to young programmers?

Learn every aspect of radio, from sales to engineering to being the receptionist. If you are there long enough you will do them all.

10. If you wanted to completely change careers today, what would you do?

Be a writer.

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

Gardening and epic hikes with my dogs Greg and Iris. If you can guess who they are named after, you win the bonus round.

Last non-industry job:

I think in the early '90s I was driving a forklift at JC Penny's. Had to get a full-time gig in radio or I was going to kill myself or someone else with that forklift. I did about $50,000 in damages in six months!

First record ever purchased: single:

Police "Don't Sand So Close To Me." Full Album: Kiss "Dressed to Kill"

First concert:

Ozzy Osbourne & Metallica (not proud of this). I was 16 and my date was 32 (that I am proud of) -- we worked together.

Favorite band of all-time:

Sonic Youth