Alternative Famous Firsts
Christen Limon
Music Coordinator/On Air Personality
KYSR (ALT 98.7)/Los Angeles
Phone-Op for Mornings With Carson Daly
N*SYNC at the Gibson Amphitheatre (Britney Spears opened for them!)
No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom
Rita Ora
I wasn't able to take my usual pre-shift nap before my weekly overnight board op shift from 12a-6a. Audio Vault was the system used at the time, I didn't clear and reload the carts and ended up falling asleep for 1 minute and 48 seconds. I spent the rest of my weekend in agony waiting for Monday because I knew I would have to explain. Every once in a while, I dream about that night, it always ends in me waking up in a panic.
Joe DeTomaso
Program Director and Middays
WAQX (95X)/Syracuse
Intern and promotions tech. It was right here working for the same stations I work for now.
I’m not entirely sure because I went to several all right around the same time, so it was either Reo Speedwagon, Bob Dylan or Brother Cane. I’m not sure which was first. My friend’s Dad ran the Grandstands at the NYS Fair so he used to let us hop the counter and see whatever shows we wanted. That’s how I saw Reo and Dylan. Brother Cane was at a club.
If we’re talking about vinyl, it was probably Silversun Pickups “Swoon” but if it’s just albums in general it was probably Run DMC “Raising Hell” on cassette. Too long ago to remember for sure.
I used to host a metal show on Saturday nights and my first interview was with Max Cavalera of Sepultura/Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy. I was pretty nervous but he was really cool and easy to talk to.
I was board oping for our PM drive guy at the time. He was on location at a concert we put on and it was my first time running the board on my own and everything that could have gone wrong did. There were several moments of dead air. 20 seconds of dead air feels like an eternity lol.
Miranda Daniels
APD
WRIS (The Resistance 106.7)/Madison, WI
Weekend overnights at WJJO.
Third Eye Blind and BoDeans at the MN State Fair in 1998. I was 13 and tried to pretend I wasn't there with my mom.
I bought 3 at the same time... The Offspring "Smash", Limp Bizkit "Three Dollar Bill, Y'all", and Korn "Follow The Leader". My older brother said he was my guardian so I could finally get CDs with the parental advisory on them.
Red Line Chemistry. It was live on the air and I had no idea what I was doing. Super awkward. They were great though. Very kind.
I was working at my full time job when I got a call that there was dead air and my name was on the schedule. Horrible, horrible feeling.
