Alternative Famous Firsts
Sophia John
PD
KIWR (89.7 The River)/Omaha
KTGL, 92.9 The Eagle, Classic Rock in Lincoln, NE. I worked overnights and the first song I played at 11:56pm was Carly Simon “You’re So Vain”. Second song I played at 12 midnight was, Carly Simon “You’re So Vain”! I wasn’t about to go off the log, it was my first gig!
INXS (Original Sin Tour) It was like a movie, there was smoke all over the room and INXS was everything you could ever dream them up to be. It was a perfect first show.
(New Order/Low-Life) Ok, I need to confess, my first record purchased was Eddie Grant’s “Romancing The Stone”, but that isn’t as cool as New Order which was actually my fourth purchase!
Live -Ed Kowalczyk made it a point to correct me when I said “The Live”…there is no “The” in the band’s name. I’ve never done that with another band since!
Too long ago for me to remember. Is that a good thing?!
Alex Mac
Evening Host
WWDC (DC101)/Washington, D.C.
I started as an intern at WRXL in Richmond, VA knowing nothing about radio - just a huge music fan. I worked under Dustin (the artist formerly known as “Fletcher”) Matthews, and look what happened! The band is back together at DC101.
I remember seeing ZZ Top with my dad when I was super young, but the show that I saved up for with my first job, ice cream scooping money was My Chemical Romance with MUSE as the opening act at William & Mary in 2007 - which totally tracks.
I bought Led Zeppelin III on cassette at a flea market because I thought the cover was cool. I remember playing it in my mom's minivan just being blown away hearing the “Immigrant Song” for the first time.
Oof it was Glass Animals at the National in Richmond, VA. I was only a month or two into my first gig doing nights on WRXL, and let's just say it was not my best work... Nice guys though!
Most recently, I turned the board over for my first live shift on DC101, and the station went off IMMEDIATELY. Dustin, Tamo, if you're reading this - I swear it wasn't my fault!
Marci Wiser (Marci’s Playground)
Mornings 6am-10am
KITS (Live 105)/San Francisco
Overnights on KISN in UT (unless you want to count my college radio days)
Def Leppard with The Kingsmen (because I refuse to admit it was Vanilla Ice)
Depeche Mode- Speak & Spell
It’s all a blur, but I know one of my firsts was Will Smith. He was late to the interview so he brought my morning show partner and I pizza. *Fun fact* We were in NYC so the pizza was superb, as was the company.
I miscalculated the length of my bathroom song and the effect the 7-Eleven nachos would have on me. 😬
