(Photo: http://www.krcx.org/)
A little-known gem lies in the basement of Clarke Hall: KRCX, our college radio station that plays music all day, every day, on the quad and athttp://www.krcx.org/. The KRCX team consists of the honorable sponsor and esteemed leader Dean John Hickey, Co-General Manager and Chief Music Director, Connor McNeir, and Co-General Manager, Web Editor and Marketing Lead, Natalie Doggett. I conducted interviews with our Senior Staff members to give Regis students a look into the personalities of KRCX.
Why did you want to become the faculty leader for KRCX?
John Hickey: “I guess for one, I was asked. The chair of the music department needed someone and asked me. I've always been passionate about music so it was an easy choice.”
How has the stations changed since you time as Faculty Leader?
J: I’ve been with the station 20 years and through the years there's been leaps since its started. It used to have hardwire directly to the dorms, that how we reached the students, then we got an AM antenna, then a FM antenna, then streaming and now we’ve in the new station, it's all been big leaps. And I'm waiting for the next; which is getting an antenna built and use our FM license to broadcast.
With that said, is that what you’d want to leave with KRCX or what do you want to leave as your legacy at KRCX?
J: “Since I've started I've had the dream of KRCX to be the voice of Northeast Denver and to have a station that is the voice of the neighborhood not just the campus.”
What’s your fondest memory with KRCX?
J: “That's a tough one after 20 years. Each year brings a new staff and I would say my best memories were with the staff at those times.”
College radio is, sadly, a dying tradition, but in your own opinion, why is it still relevant and crucial?
J: “People may not be listening to college radio as much as they used to because they have so many options available in their pockets. But working in the station and having a radio show for an hour, to use the microphone. You could be sitting a room with no one there and right when you flip that switch on, you get nervous, you're under pressure. It’s live.
How long have you worked at krcx?
Natalie Doggett:“This is my fourth year, I was hired Freshman year.”
Connor McNeir: “All four.”
What motivated you to join the station?
N: “I have a love for music, [it’s] always been a hobby, listening and sharing music with people. I remember my grandad would blast Good Morning Vietnam to wake everyone up.”
C: “I think when I was on my tour, in highschool, I heard it our side the caf, I think it was James Blake, and I had a family friend work on the station and asked her about it, so I interviewed when I got to schooland got the job.”
What’s your favorite part of the job?
N: “Having my own [DJ] show, you’re able cocoon yourself in the music and get lost in the station, the staff is also a great support system which is really important for a work space.”
C: “Getting all the new music right when it comes out. I think that's what really cool about college radio ya know, that doesn't happen with terrestrial radio really.”
What’s been your greatest accomplishment with the station?
N: “Freshman year I organized my interview with Sheer Water and taking on the responsibility as a Freshman; and as a Senior teaching new people how to run the station.”
If you could create one new addition to vamp up the station, what would it be?
N: “I just want to see more girls on staff, there's the notion that KRCX is a boys club and I want to debunk that. We need to encourage girls to apply and retain applicants.”
C: “That’s a tough one, um I feel our biggest challenge has been interacting with the student body and getting new listeners…that’s just kinda the uphill battle.”
Ok, these next questions are going to be like a pseudo-Lightning Round. Spotify or Soundcloud?
N: “Spotify.”
C: “Spotify. [It’s] not free though which sucks, but the five dollars is worth it.”
J: “Neither”
What’s your alternative?
J: “KRCX. I’m not kidding. I listen all the time, I even use it at home. I like listening to new music, I don’t need to listen to music I’ve already heard.”
Folk or Bluegrass music?
N: “Tough one because it's a little bit of both, the Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack is a good mix of both.”
C: “[I’d] go folk probably.”
J: “Folk.”
Ambient or Instrumental music?
N: “Ambient, because I can listen to it while I do homework or to go to sleep.”
C: “Um, instrumental. More like Explosions in the Sky.”
J: “Neither,.”
The alternative?
J: “ Ya know rock, alternative music”
Vinyls or CD’s?
N: “I have more of a CD collection than a vinyl, I only have the Good Morning Vietnam record haha, I also want some classic beastie boys which would be dope.”
C: “I don't have a use for CD’s anymore so I'd go with vinyl because you get the poster and the download with it too.”
J: “Oh that a tough one vinyls are nice. They're nostalgic but they're not as easy to use and I’m sad to say my stereos not set up to my turntable. But I'm thinking about cracking it out. But vinyls are nostalgic, there was room for notes and it allowed artists to be creative more than a CD does .”
Lizzie Brown Staff Reporter