If for some accursed reason you happen to wake up at 4 a.m. on a Friday, you might be interested in turning the dial on your radio to our esteemed campus broadcasting station, KWVA 88.1 FM. If you do, you might hear a voice that is tired yet fast-paced, like a speed freak about to crash after a 48-hour Benzedrine trip. High on punk, free jazz and a self-deluded perception of his own cleverness, this DJ has been dutifully playing one of the most awful shifts on the station’s schedule, without pay, for more than two years.
This DJ is, of course, myself. I can’t really explain why, in terms that make sense to anyone, I do the show at the time I do. I took it at first because it was the only slot available, but I’ve never taken any opportunity to switch. At this point, it has been simply compulsory.
The time slot does have its
advantages though, such as the unmitigated freedom to play whatever I feel like. I could spend two hours vomiting onto the microphone and it wouldn’t change the show’s listenership by any significant amount. As it is, I play mostly rock.
Working at a free format radio station is an eye-opening experience. It really brings to light the stifling control of normal, everyday corporate radio. Sticking to a well-regulated playlist, the larger stations cater
exclusively to popular tastes. Which is fine, of course — good luck to them and all. The problem is that not everyone prescribes to the popular tastes of the time, meaning a lot of people are left out in the dark. And trying to get a large station to play what you like by making requests is about as effective as attacking a Sherman tank with a spork.
Requests don’t make much difference anyway, since DJs at larger stations have little, if any, say about what gets played. While even the largest corporate broadcast companies create playlists at a semi-local level, these lists reflect more of what is popular nationally than locally. Requesting a song that isn’t on the list will yield little success.
All formats of corporate radio stations work the same way, with heavy emphasis on popularity but little attention paid to quality. Of course this makes sense from a business perspective, playing it safe and all, but it makes for pretty bland entertainment. This is the real issue at hand for all the anti-corporate rhetoric out there, which is why smaller stations exist. As long as there are people out there broadcasting outside of mainstream tastes, then there is probably some hope for radio as a medium.
Which is why I think free format radio is such a positive influence. Why stick to just country or rock or jazz? By only listening to what makes you feel safe, you limit yourself and the range of your experiences (college radio DJs are as guilty of this as anyone, and I don’t make any claims at being completely inclusive). Specialization should be for insects, not people.
This is something I try to keep in mind when doing my show — though practical considerations do pop up. It is at four in the morning, so it might not be in my best interest to play droning Glenn Branca tone experiments or elegant Miles Davis trumpet solos. A little Motorhead now and then helps the cold coffee go down easy. I do have my listeners in mind, all three of them down at the Eugene City Bakery.
At that time of the morning, most people are either trying to wake up or trying to stay awake for a couple of hours longer. I try to provide the appropriate soundtrack. Drinking songs are popular, for obvious reasons. Garage rock, speed metal and funk also go over well. I’m not too sure about the free jazz, dada rock and music concrete, but I haven’t gotten any complaints.
So like I said, if you’re ever up at that hour, give my show a try. I’ll try to keep you awake.