somethings you may not know about me.
Well Im listening to some Switchfoot on my headset, and Im thinking back...to how I have a whole bunch of songs on my old computers hard drive...which I have yet to move over and how I miss those songs. Im in one of those moods now while listening that I feel somewhat invincable...like the best mood ever.
When I listen to Christian Rock radio...I am brought back to my one main passion in my life, outside of Marcie. I dont mean Praise and worship stuff, which although I love...Im not totally into listening to it on the radio...I want something with a little edge.
(flashback!)
A long time ago, probably about 9 years ago or so...my Mom went on a missions trip to Mexico, where she met one of my classmates and his mom, who were also on the missions trip. My friend, Ben...(didnt really know him at the time)...told my mom about how he is working at a Christian Rock radio station, and my mom ended up telling them about how I pretended a DJ on my boombox at home. Id set up a blank tape, record in one of my many radio voices and would put in various tapes and make a radio show. Well, Ben told my mom that this was a new station, that I myself had never heard of before. He told her that they were always looking for some DJ's. When my Mom came back, she told me about it and I went out with my resume (I was like 15 at the time, lol) to the station...KADU Radio up there in Good ol Hibbing, MN. It was known as "Real Radio."
Around the same time, I was switching from my catholic church background to Pentacostal and I was increasingly becoming more interested in Christ, but didnt know how to feel closer to him or get closer or what to do with the gifts he gave me.
I went to the station and Jarel (JP) and Steve (Dr. Drees) were there at the time, we talked for a while and next thing I know...they told me to get on the air and have some fun...and they left the station, locking me in...yes....they were able to lock me in...as the lock itself was broken on the inside. They went off to lunch at Hardees, and next thing I know...I was on the air, not knowing what to say.
Soon after, I was working Saturday Mornings, and enjoying it all, from 6-10 am. Loads of fun...I had a great time. After a while...Ben and I ended up co-hosting with Dave, a Christian Metal show on Saturday nights. I came in, in the morning and came back at night. After about a half year or so..Dave quit the show and I ended up taking over the reigns as host. Host per se as Ben and I both worked it...he just sat across the room in a chair on the other mic and I controlled the station...greedy little me. I was having more fun...soon...we had started a webpage at Geocities...and ended up transferring it to animalhours.8m.com. According to JP, Ben and I had been offered to host a Christian Metal video top 10 on a christian satellite station I had never heard of before. We declined as it would be too much...then again...Im not sure if it would have gone far anyways...but wow.
We ended up going to Cornerstone and taking the reins over their pirate radio station they had down there...broadcasting to 20some odd potential listeners on the farm where the concert festival was.
The station had during this time, changed from Real Radio to The Rock, to Revolution Radio, another name I have forgotten at this time, and finally The Fringe. We kept getting edgier and I loved it. I loved watching the station change and grow as we became better known...becoming the first Christian Rock station in the country to score in the Top ten on the local radio charts. We were geographically the largest Christian station in the world and one of the first stations of any kind to provide its broadcast online.
I had gone from a simple DJ to a DJ in charge of a half day of programming every day, along with recording and adding new music, producing the show, recording Christmas music, making promos, recording daily broadcasts of special programs (New Beginning), and recording the Sunday morning broadcast line up. I hosted the afternoon drive and became more obsessed with radio the more I did it.
Now, granted, I know nothing about actual radio stuff as far as wiring, and all that technical stuff...but I loved the job and responsibilities with it. I felt alive.
I soon went to Brown college in Minneapolis MN where I got a degree in Radio and TV broadcasting. I soon then came back to Hibbing and tried working on commission at the station...which I knew was hopeless but I wanted to do more still. I sucked at it, and gave up after that summer. I cant do sales as well as my Dad. I still worked at the station...but soon had to go out to Moorhead to attend college. During that time, the station struggled because it didnt have anyone to get new underwriters to help pay the bills so the station ended up going under for a year or so until Dr. Drees was able to buy the station from JP. He has since brought it back to life, broadcasting on the air in Hibbing (instead of the entire range...but it costs alot for each additional trasmitter the station uses), and online at Wejustrock.com.
I miss the station, the people I worked with and the good times that I had. I hope to get back into radio because that is where I really feel I belong. I felt so energetic, so different and so blessed to have that chance to spread the message of Christ to all those who did not believe. I wasnt there to preach...and never did. But I played the music and I talked in such a way that nobody would feel uncomfortable...but at the same time, would know that this is God music. Christian Heavy metal. Can you feel the power of the Animal Hours?
I still want to go back there...not sure exactly what I want to do because there is so much. I like how there are a couple of programs that are aiming towards teens like Zjam and...some other guy. I want to do the same thing...maybe make it a little edgier so I can get on secular stations as well. I like to talk, and I can do it pretty well talking about any subject is pretty easy for me. I want to make a heavier style Christian Rock show where, like Zjam and others, we take calls...but the show is unique on its own too, so we dont look like the others. I want it to be a show that makes you think about many things...and try to change your life for the better.
I dont know if I helped save any lives as far as turning non-believers in to followers of Christ. I was told that my show was the most popular...which I had a hard time believing because it was such a heavy metal show...but i was always live, never recorded and played the good stuff. I talked on the radio about serious stuff and hopefully I did make people think and hopefully did change some lives. That is where I want to be again. I dont know how, or when, but I know that is where I want to be. That is what I feel called to do.