Well, You Asked...
by Jeff Raspe

This was one question that I had to answer as part of an interview in Virtually Alternative (alternative radio trade mag) in August 1997...yes, 1997.

Where do you see our format heading?

Straight down the toilet if they keep doing to it what they're doing.

Modern Rock should not be treated as Top 40. Some songs may be IN the top 40, but it's not Top 40. Modern Rock radio shouldn't be handled like '70s AM radio, but like '70s FM radio.

This is NEW music, stuff people haven't heard before. We should be much more daring and creative and informative than we're being.

What happened to being adventurous? What happened to taking a chance on an indie record? What happened to playing an import every now and then? What happened to thinking for yourself and not just doing what some consultant reading the back of R&R says should be added? Why wait to add a good record just because some record company geek wants 120 adds on the "official" add date?

Something's not right when every Modern Rock playlist across the country is EXACTLY the same. Modern Rock radio is now boring. Just ask any band that has to listen to us as they drive across the country. They hear the same 35 songs over and over again, and it doesn't matter where in the country they are.

Where's the creative, adventurous programming we had just a few years ago? For now, on the specialty show.

©2001 Jeff Raspe