Welcome to Cool Jobs for Cool People! The purpose of this section is to provider readers and those interested in various entertainment careers an opportunity to hear from the horses mouth how the industries work and how to get your foot in the door! Several individuals in a selected industry or position will give you their view of the industry plus some tips on how you can build a career.
This month's cool career is the Radio Disc Jockey. Just how does one get such a cool job? DJs get to control what people listen to! It makes them almost nigh invulnerable!!!
Each DJ interviewed was selected because they represented the diversity of the radio industry. Each comes from a very different background in regards to music, education, and experiences. Holly C works as a DJ at a small corporate radio station. Taylor Marshall-Green, is a DJ at a University, while DJ Kenny Scan is the founder and DJ of an Internet Radio Station. The one thing they have in common is that they are DJs with an interesting perspective on the industry.
YBFREE.com would like to thank DJ Holly C, Taylor Marshall-Green, and DJ Kenny Scan for their participation.
Holly C show is aired on WLNG Oldies 92 Monday thru Friday 6pm to Midnight. WLNG is independently owned by Rainbow Broadcasting. The station has been airing tunes since 1963.
YBFREE.com: How many years have you been a DJ at Oldies 92?
Holly C: I've been with WLNG since 1991. I started co-hosting a show once a week, went overnights for a while and finally ended up in the shift I am now, which is best.
YBFREE.com: When did you decided you wanted to be a DJ?
Holly C: I subconsciously decided at age 9 when I played DJ into my first tape recorder. But I probably didn't even know the term "disc jockey" at that age! I was just pretending to be on the radio. When I was about 16, I seriously started being curious about where all these "numbers" came from that Shadoe Stevens and Rick Dees were counting down. I started calling radio stations all the time for contests and asking questions about why they were or were not playing certain songs.
YBFREE.com: What are your DJ responsibilities? What types of duties are you required to do as a DJ?
Holly C: My responsibilities are giving accurate information, getting people in a good mood no matter how crummy I may be feeling, living up to the reputation of our radio station, and being helpful to my listeners.
YBFREE.com: How did you obtain your job at Oldies 92?
Holly C: I got my position through persistence, from badgering the general manager when I was a teenager and showing him I was serious; that it wasn't just a lark or a passing interest.
YBFREE.com: Describe your educational career. What in your educational career inspired you or has helped you with your current position as a DJ?
Holly C: There is nothing in my educational background that could account for what I am doing now. I did not go to college for this.
YBFREE.com: How does one become a radio DJ?
Holly C: Any person with a gift for expressing themselves, who has a decent voice, who can articulate well, and who has an "Alive" personality, can become a radio DJ if they don't get discouraged easily.
YBFREE.com: Are there any special classes or tests one has to take to become a Disc Jockey?
Holly C: Classes, Shpasses. Don't waste your money -'Cause in this field, friend, you'll never recoup those fees anyway!. I remember when Ethel Merman died. I read someone told her early in her career to take voice lessons. And her friend said: "Ethel! No! It will ruin you!" This can be applied also to radio, acting, whatever. This is not a dance, where you learn the steps 1-2-3 and now you can do the achy-breaky. You start with YOU and YOUR personality and you grow in your own direction and hone and chip and refine, accentuate this, tone down that, and shape yourself.
YBFREE.com: How competitive is the Radio DJ market?
Holly C: Imagine the Miss America Pageant, the Olympics, Broadway auditions and tryouts for Who Wants to be a Millionaire, combined. Now multiply by ten and you'll have some idea.
YBFREE.com: Did you experience any hardship because you are a female DJ?
Holly C: As a woman, I've found just a lack of peers to commiserate/collaborate with, discouraging. Some stations have lots of female air talent. I'm the only full-time woman at WLNG (although I can't promise that some of our guys aren't part-time women on their own time. But that's another story.) I've been bothered, yeah. Not exactly sexual harassment, but I've been hounded and received un-welcomed attention from ex co-workers.
YBFREE.com: Any suggestions for females aspiring to be Radio DJs?
Holly C: Women, I'd suggest you don't let yourself be used as "fluff", or a "token". Some stations just want a token woman co-host for their male morning star. Make sure your intelligence is valued and recognized and that you have a boss who will look in your eyes, not your chest or at his watch when you are talking to him. And don't give male listeners your phone number. I have a Radio Divas (http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/radiodivas) club at Yahoo, for women in radio to support one another and exchange advice and encouragement.
YBFREE.com: With software like Napster and the current boom in Internet radio, how do you think the radio industry will be effected?
Holly C: There's a difference between people just acquiring music they want to own and listening to radio. Where do they hear the songs they want from Napster in the first place? Plus, people like to hear personalities on the radio, to stir them up, make them laugh, or piss them off. Whatever...
YBFREE.com: What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of being a DJ?
Holly C: Favorite thing about being a DJ: the immediacy of it. Instant gratification. Instant release. Worst thing: the salary-if you call it that.
YBFREE.com: What are some misconceptions good and bad about DJs?
Holly C: Misconception numero uno: We look like you imagine us in your fantasies, whether rated PG or rater R or triple X. No, no, no. "I thought you were blonde!" "You sound taller on the radio!" Shut up.
YBFREE.com: Any advice for aspiring DJs?
Holly C: Be a pest. Make sure radio programmers and VP's know your name. Record yourself and listen objectively, if possible. If you can't stand to listen to the sound of your own voice, something's wrong. Make sure you're a clear speaker and that you don't talk in a monotone voice. Be prepared to answer questions like "Why do you want to do this?" Don't copy other people you think are cool or popular.
YBFREE.com: Who have been or are your inspirations?
Holly C: Shadoe Stevens and Rick Dees. Not too many women that I look up to, other than for their voices. It's more about content, entertainment, and style with me.
YBFREE.com: How does a song get on the radio?
Holly C: Our station does not have a program director. We play oldies and a spattering of new hits. Each DJ does his/her own show. Some choose not to play any "currents". I'm in charge of these. I compile a top 20 and do a count-up show on Monday nights. I try to represent all genres of music. In a typical hour on WLNG, you're bound to hear the Beatles, Dean Martin, the Eagles, Madonna, Herb Alpert, Santana, the Everly Brothers and James Brown!
YBFREE.com: What can independent artists do to get their local stations to play their music?
Holly C: A few independent artists get play once in awhile at WLNG. A very select few. For instance, the Thunderbird Sisters, who are from the Shinnecock Indian reservation. We have a lot of listeners on their reservation. I think more stations should set aside a little slot of time for local talent. It would actually boost ratings, I believe draw in new listeners.
YBFREE.com: What are your favorite songs?
Holly C: My favorite oldies are "Will you Love Me Tomorrow" by the Shirelles, "Runaway" by Del Shannon and "Save the Last Dance for Me" by the Drifters.
YBFREE.com: Who are you listening to right now?
Holly C: I love contemporary country! I love Sara Evans new CD "Born to Fly". Jo Dee Messinas "Burn". I like Mary Chapin Carpenter a lot. Mainstream this year, I liked "Everything You Want" by Vertical Horizon and "Feel so Good" by Sonique.
Ken Darby Jr. aka DJ Kenny Scan is the founder of SimplyRadio.com. He currently is the station's manager, music director, and one of its full time disc jockeys.
YBFREE.com: Do you own and operate this Internet station?
DJ Kenny Scan: I started SimplyRadio.com in 1997. I operated and owned the site until July 2000. When a media group, Digacast acquired the website, and hired me full time.
YBFREE.com: Are there any other DJs besides you?
DJ Kenny Scan: Yes, currently we have four other DJ's and we are in the process of developing a complete line up of Live DJs from the hip hop scene.
YBFREE.com: How did you get the idea to set up an Internet radio station?
DJ Kenny Scan: The minute I heard that Internet Radio existed, I got my idea to set up an Internet station! I have been a DJ since 1985 and I have always been interested in music in general. I attended a trade school and studied Recording Engineering, and Broadcasting. Then in 1997 I started SimplyOutThere.com and began broadcasting using Real Audio part time.
YBFREE.com: Why an Internet DJ and not a radio DJ?
DJ Kenny Scan: The Internet opens up a whole different area that regular radio can't imagine. With regular radio you are very limited in knowing who the audience is and what they want. You are also limited by the most obvious geographic (boundaries). I have listeners in just about every country and most of them I interact with in some fashion. Also, with Internet radio you have the ability to know exactly how many people are listening and for exactly how long. All radio ratings are based on estimates. Plus (with Internet Radio) we can play a more obscure underground style of music.
YBFREE.com: Did you ever work in a bricks and mortar radio station?
DJ Kenny Scan: No, I have played on different radio stations locally in NYC, but I have never held down a job with one. I have always been primarily an underground Hip-Hop DJ playing local clubs, concerts, and mixed tapes.
YBFREE.com: Is it easy or hard to run an Internet station compared to a bricks and mortar radio station?
DJ Kenny Scan: Well I have never run a brick and mortar station, so I can only speak from the Internet radio perspective. It is a very complex process and it takes a lot of dedication. It is difficult to keep everything up and running on the technology side. I also play records still (on) good old fashion vinyl 70% of the time, so it is difficult and time consuming to make sure I am delivering the best possible content I can, BUT its not hard if you love it!
YBFREE.com: How did you get this job?
DJ Kenny Scan: I crafted it for myself over the past fifteen years! No, seriously I started the station, built the web site and promoted it, gained some recognition and finally hooked up with a company that shares the same ideals and goals as me.
YBFREE.com: Describe your educational career. What in your educational career inspired you or has helped you with your current position as a DJ?
DJ Kenny Scan: My DJ education comes from my youth, growing up in Brooklyn, New York City during the infant stages of Hip-Hop, as we know it today. I was always attracted to the Break Dancing scene and to the music. I would say most of my DJ education comes from listening to the early Hip-Hop records like Afrika Bam Bata, Newcleus, MC Shan, and Marley Marl. I also listened to local (New York) radio shows by Red Alert, Chuck Chill Out, Mr Magic's Rap Attack. Al helped mold me into a DJ. I did however attend a trade school in 1990 called Center for the Media Arts. Here I studied recording engineering, music production, and broadcasting. I attended classes her from 1990-1991. I then switched to Five Towns College-with a concentration in Recording Engineering and Music Theory.
YBFREE.com: What special equipment do you need to set an Internet radio station?
DJ Kenny Scan: Well, it depends on the scale really. Here I have four PC's running 24/7. A full DJ set with turntables and two mixing boards, tape deck, microphones, headphones, CD players, mini discs, DATS, and content.
YBFREE.com: Are there any special classes or tests one should take to be an Internet DJ and or operate an Internet radio station?
DJ Kenny Scan: Well, not that I know of. But it is a good idea to have a good understanding of how studio equipment works. Also, good knowledge of computer and networking doesn't hurt. The most important thing you will need is the love for the music.
YBFREE.com: Are there any Federal Regulation like those for bricks and mortar stations?
DJ Kenny Scan: Yes, we have similar regulation to follow, and of course you have to pay or have permission to play any recorded music. We pay ASCAP, BMI, and RIAA (royalty) fees.
YBFREE.com: How many hits or listeners visit to your site to daily?
DJ Kenny Scan: Wow! In total we are talking over a million easily. On a daily basis I get between 1000-6000 different listeners each day.
YBFREE.com: How competitive is the Internet Radio Market?
DJ Kenny Scan: It is very competitive. There are over 50,000 Internet station and the numbers grow everyday.
YBFREE.com: With software like Napster and the current boom in Internet radio, how do you think the radio industry will be affected?
DJ Kenny Scan: Well, I feel that the (Internet Radio) industry is still very young and any exposure and advancement we (the Internet music community) get will help to shape the Internet radio industry as the new standard for listening to music.
YBFREE.com: What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of being involved with this type of project?
DJ Kenny Scan: I guess my favorite part of this job is the music. I really have a love for Hip-Hop and being able to dedicate my life to something I love is the biggest reward I could ask for. Plus, I get to open people up to new music, which is a reward all in its own.
The least favorite (aspect of being an Internet DJ) is constantly monitoring the technology to make sure the station stays up. Now it's 5 a.m. here in NYC and I just received a call from 7th Foul over in Amsterdam, informing me my feed went down. So here I am resetting everything at the crack of dawn.
YBFREE.com: What are some misconceptions good and bad about operating an Internet Radio Station?
DJ Kenny Scan: I would say just underestimating the resources it takes to run the station full time. A lot of people contact me asking for help in setting up a station. I always help out, but the first question I ask is "What are your bandwidth limits?" A T-1 connection can only handle fifty listeners on a 22K Mono Stream. You really need to have a ton of resources to run a station. Also a lot of people don't realize that you have to follow regulations.
All (the) bad misconceptions I can think of are on the impact we (the Internet Radio community) have, which I feel comes from the radio industry and until recently the Recording Industry as well. The traditional radio industry fears that Internet radio will replace them, and the Recording Industry fears that they will not get their fair share.
YBFREE.com: Do you have any advice for operators and/or Internet DJs?
DJ Kenny Scan: The best advice I can give is to know your listeners and know what they want to hear. It is always a good idea to open up lines of communication to your audience. Also, you must do something different-be creative and you will get your share of listeners. There are tons of choices out here, so in order to stand out you have to bring something that can't be found anywhere else but your station.
YBFREE.com: Who have been your inspirations?
DJ Kenny Scan: All DJs, MCs, Producers in Hip-Hop from day one. I have always been inspired by the Hip-Hop Movement. DJs like Marley Marl, Pete Rock, Stretch Armstrong, Red Alert, and producers such as 45King, Clark Kent, Premier, and RZA. I also get my inspiration from unknown dedicated underground Hip Hop MCs and DJs.
YBFREE.com: How does a song get on an Internet radio station?
DJ Kenny Scan: Well, basically I can only speak for my station. I get my music from everywhere and anywhere. I spend a good ten to thirty hours every week listening to new music. I am a member of a Local Urban Record Pool, and on a few promo lists with the labels. I get a lot of music sent in by Independent artists, which is always welcome. Basically if the track is good it will get play.
YBFREE.com: How is a song's rotation determined?
DJ Kenny Scan: I currently determine rotation in a few different methods. If a song gets good feedback and a lot of requests I will up its rotation. We are a unique station. We have a lot of tracks in our play list-over 10,000. So we try never to kill a song. If it is getting fair airplay on traditional radio we will rotate it less. In some aspects it's (the) reverse of the traditional radio. Our play lists are built, and based on good music, not on Billboard sales charts.
YBFREE.com: What can independent artists do to get Internet radio stations to play their songs?
DJ Kenny Scan: They can contact the stations and the DJs directly. I always listen to music I receive from independent artists and approximately twenty-five percent of my play lists is made up of unsigned artists. I support them they support me. We indirectly work together to cross promote each other.
YBFREE.com: What are your current favorite songs?
DJ Kenny Scan: This is a very difficult question for me. I have never been able to quite narrow it down.
YBFREE.com: Who are you listening to right now?
DJ Kenny Scan: 7th Foul-Amsterdam.
Taylor-Marshall-Green is the current Station Manager and Loud Rock Director of WUSC 90.5 FM at the University of South Carolina. He hosts Hard Time Loud Rock Radio, Monday nights from 10 to midnight.
YBFREE.com: How many years have you held these positions?
Marshall-Green: Four Years DJing (three with Hard Time), three years as Loud Rock Director and Station Manager since last April.
YBFREE.com: When did you decide you wanted to be a DJ?
Marshall-Green: When my detention supervisor in high school told me I had a radio name.
YBFREE.com: What are your job responsibilities?
Marshall-Green: As a DJ I am responsible for operating the board tightly, abiding by all FCC and WUSC policies and following WUSC's music policy, non-Top 40.
YBFREE.com: How did you get this job?
Marshall-Green: (I) Trained for four weeks and worked hard to get the opportunity before other people-I still ended up at the 4-6am on Friday mornings, go figure?
YBFREE.com: Describe your educational career. What in your educational career inspired you or has helped you with your current position as a DJ?
Marshall-Green: I musically educated myself not to fall for mainstream shit. And brought that with me into the studio.
YBFREE.com: How does one become a radio DJ?
Marshall-Green: Different stations have different policies for obtaining a job as a disc jockey. Some you apply for with experience, some want you fresh-mainly University stations.
YBFREE.com: Are there any special classes or tests on has to take to become a DJ?
Marshall-Green: Each station has different methods of training a DJ and or testing a DJ. Some are FCC (Federal Communications Commission) oriented. Most are equipment oriented-sitting with current DJs-but all are unique to the format that the station broadcasts by.
YBFREE.com: What classes would you recommend for a person aspiring to become a DJ?
Marshall-Green: Radio classes. Audio classes. Music history classes. Life's classes.
YBFREE.com: How competitive is the DJ market?
Marshall-Green: Commercially it is competitive-given the market. At a University the competitiveness falls under the rating of the station, 1-6, but is not NEARLY as competitive as commercial radio.
YBFREE.com: What are your suggestions for those who want to be DJs?
Marshall-Green: Passion for the medium as an art, musical knowledge, having something to say and diversity in the format; talk or music.
YBFREE.com: With software like Napster and the current boom in Internet radio, how do you think the industry will be effected?
Marshall-Green: Napster is a whole new ballgame. The technology of MP3 may kill the mainstream label promotion area of radio. Underground promotion will blossom because of this convenient way to access ANY music.
With Internet radio, smaller universities will have the ability to have radio stations that the FCC wouldn't have licensed because of FM clutter and corporate greed.
YBFREE.com: What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of being a DJ?
Marshall-Green: Favorite: personal expression of music, ideas and personality. Least Favorite: Ditto.
YBFREE.com: What are some of the misconceptions good and bad about being a DJ?
Marshall-Green: They (DJs) pick all the music and they also like everything they play. They're (DJs) running the radio stations by themselves when they are on air-That's a good one.
YBFREE.com: Who has or have been your inspirations?
Marshall-Green: Past radio staff here at WUSC. Musicians that make your show sound great-Anyone who supported me, regardless of my aspirations.
YBFREE.com: How does a song get on the radio?
Marshall-Green: Labels or promoters send it to the station. Some add it to rotation as soon as they get it-educational (radio stations). Others wait for it to chart in trade magazines before adding it-commercial (stations).
YBFREE.com: How is a song's rotation determined?
Marshall-Green: Up to the station. Usually the program director at commercial stations has the day's playlists for the DJs already set up so that he/she can track the spins quicker.
Our station is liberal with playlists, letting the DJs choose their own music. But half have to come from the studio's rotation for that week, with over 180 CDs to choose from. Then there is our massive library as well.
YBFREE.com: What can independent artists do to get their local stations to play their music?
Marshall-Green: Work hard at promoting your CD as well as your live show. If a kid checks you out live, he/she may call the station for a request. This could greatly help you chance of getting played.
YBFREE.com: What are your current favorite songs?
Marshall-Green: Gosh...Songs are too plentiful...too many to choose from.
YBFREE.com: What are you listening to right now?
Marshall-Green: Brujeria, Violent New Breed, Quench, Dying Fetus, Nothingface, Pissing Razors, Add N to X, and many others.