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PRISON BREAK RADIO
INTERVIEW WITH LOUIS RAIO
This is the third interview I did for this radio/internet radio show, the first being for the college paper and the second being Good Times magazine out of Long Island, NY, USA. I have talked about this show to such an extent I feel I know it inside and out. Most of the music on this show's format is mainstream-oriented post punk and the like, but very often there will be a band that people into underground metal can appreciate like Suffocation or Satyricon, both of whom have had regular rotation. Old school bands such as Megadeth, Exodus and Metallica (Kill 'Em All/Ride The Lightning era) have been featured on this show as well as The Clash and Ozzy Osbourne. What I like about this show is that it's a by-the-fans-for-the-fans program where the dj's play what they'd want to hear if they were listening themselves, and it is not afraid to take chances mixing punk, metal, thrash and ska music. They did something right since Prison Break Radio began not even a year ago, and has reportedly caused quite the stir in college radio and mainstream radio to the point of giving such stations as K-Rock a serious run for its money.
What was the inspiration for starting Prison Break Radio? What were the objectives?
Joe Sacco along with a couple of other former staff members created Prison Break in order to change up the sound of 88.1 a little bit, from a mostly metal sounding station to all different types of rock like punk, emo, metal, industrial,garage rock, etc... The objectives are to keep it sounding fresh and edgy. The format is cut up into Hard aggresive music, other not so aggresive rock, a more melotic sounding rock and then theres experimental stuff. We try to fit all types of rock music into the genre.
Where is Prison Break based? Who are the people on the staff?
Prison Break Radio is Based out of WCWP. You can hear Prison Break on Webradio (webradiowcwp.org) From 7-10pm eastern time and 4am-7am eastern time as well 7 days a week. Prison Break Radio is also on 88.1 FM WCWP from 10pm-1am mon-friday. The Staff for Webradio is as follows- Monday Ann-Marie whos is also the Coordinator for Prisonbreak radio, Tuesday Ken Brenner, Wed Marc Melton, Thursday Beverly Koondel, Friday Jamie Mazzo, Currently considering its the summer Saturday and Sunday on webradio WCWP are open but once the academic semester begins again in the fall those spots will be taken before classes even begin. The 88.1 FM WCWP shedule is only Mon-Friday- Monday is Joe Sacco, Tuesday Billy Houst, Wed is ME! Lou Raio I also am the current Program Director, Thur Marc Melton and Friday Mike Lopez who is also the Music Director.
Before Prison Break, WCWP had a metal program since the 80s. Why the change and the decision to have a show with metal and other styles of music outside the norm of radio?
We wanted to be original by creating a completly new format of music in order to kick start the radio waves! Normaly college radio stations have no format, but in the real world all radio station are formated and the jock has no say it what he/she plays its all picked and chosen for them they just add their personality to an already scripted show. We want to give the jock a chance to put his opinion in what gets put on the air and also know what the listener wants to hear and we mix it all up tune it up and put it on the air and you have Prison Break Radio.
How long has Prison Break been on the air? How widespread has the listenership grown?
Prison Break Radio has been on the air for one year. The listenership has grown quite rapidly, over the past few months we have aquired an international audience. Webradio WCWP is not just local, b/c it is on the internet it is an International radio source. We have recieved Instant messages from as far as Germany, Russia and other countries in Europe and Asia. 88.1 FM WCWP is mostly local, Glen Cove, Greenvale, Port Washington,etc... but 88.1 is also international b/c it too is accesable on the internet. Webradio WCWP is on WebradioWCWP.org and to listen to 88.1FM WCWP on the internet if you can't get it in your car you can log onto PrisonBreakRadio.org. Each media has its own screen name WebRadio is WEBRADIOWCWP and 88.1FM is PrisonBreakWCWP just send and I.M. and you can talk directly to the jock who is on the air as you are listening.
Describe the format Prison Break followed since it began. How did it differ from college radio?
The format we have been following is simple. We have taken all the music we recieve and added all the hardest metal, hardcore, punk, rock, and anythign else that rattles the mind. We all so put stuff in that is kind od new and experimental for example we added "The KILLERS" into rotation around march. And we also have a section of rotation for more mellow slower rock, but still good stuff. Prison Break radio differs from college radio simply because we have created a format and limited what does and doesn't go on the air, just as commercial radio does, but we use the music that commercial radio will not play or we jsut play it months before they do. We are the cutting edge of new music we lead and all opther follow!
What is the general target audience of the show? How often do they get to hear it?
The target audience is basically who ever likes harder rock and any fast rising local bands or basiclaly anything with visious guitars! We want to blow you away! and keep it fresh at the same time. I guess the general age range would probably be any where from 15-35. I fell its safe to say alot more people listen than we think or try to attract due to the fact that Prison Break radio is not only on 88.1FM WCWP but it is aslo on WEBRADIO WCWP which gives us a national and international audience.
On which radio formats can Prison Break be heard? On which has there been a greater response?
Prison Break can be heard on 88.1FM WCWP and also on WEBRADIO WCWP at www.WEBRADIOWCWP.org, because of the broad reaches of WEBRADIO i would have to say WEBRADIO has the greatest amount of listeners.
Since Prison Break began, what effect did it have on college and mainstream radio?
Well as far as college radio is considered we aimed to thinking outside the box by creating formated radio but still ahving that new frech sound of regular un-formated college radio. As far as the impact we ahve on commercial radio all i can say is that what we played in february, march, and april is what you are now hearing and going to hear this summer on stations like KROCK.
How does Prison Break operate in an environment that is not friendly toward radio catering to punk and metal?
As far as i know we are operating quite well!
How to the jockeys at Prison Break go about choosing what songs go on the air? How do the DJs regard the listeners compared to other shows?
Well the Prison Break Coordinator Ann-Marie Cagnazzi actually goes through all our new music we receive and if the jocks want they can and do ahve a say as to what is picked for new rotation and waht is jsut not good enough, but most bands and genres are given a chance. Then once rotation is picked and new music is added the jock has a playlist and he/she picks from rotation what he/she wants to play for their 3 hours on the air and they also get one cut and hour of their choice fromt he prison break library, and we also take requests from listeners.
Much of the metal programming on the show has included bands like Prong, King Diamond, Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All, Satyricon and Suffocation. Will the show increase its inclusion of underground metal and hardcore in the future?
We will definatly continue adding new metal into rotation, whether or not we increase the amount is up to what music we recieve and what the listeners want to hear more of. Prison Break rotation consists of metal, hardcore, punk, industrial and many other broad ranges of hard rock that exsist in the music industry today.
The staff at Prison Break often have giveaways for shows at The Downtown in Farmingdale, Long Island. Which shows have you done this for and which of these were the most successful for you?
We have given away tons of tickets for shows at the downtown, like Hatebreed in january, Pat Trevors and Rick Derringer in April, and Oceansize in June to name a few. Our most succesful giveaway would have to the Hatebreed tickets we gave away in January. Alot of locals around the glen cove area were calling every night on 88.1FM to win the tickets it was cool, really exciting.
In what other ways has the internet contributed to supporting music that is normally not radio friendly?
The internet is great for non-radio friendly music only because the listening audience is so huge and broad from all over the world. The internet is nearly in every house on the planet or just that easily assesable to most people. That is probably the real reason why music you never hear ont he radio you almost will definalty hear it on any internet radio show.
Anything special the staff at Prison Break has planned for the future?
As of right now alot of fresh and new ideas are being bounced around by staff and management but at this moment the summer is jsut a time we are going to take to braoden our listener ship, and also keep prison break on the edge of the radio world.
Anything you want to end the interview with?
Of course! Log onto www.WEBRADIOWCWP.org and listen to Webradio WCWP 24 hours a day 365 days a week. Prison Break radio on 88.1FM WCWP is on monday- friday 10pm-1am and if you wanna listen on the web log on to www.PRISONBREAKRADIO.org
-Dave Wolff |
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