Elaine Erb, Music Director for KGNU Radio
KGNU (88.5 FM Boulder, 99.9 FM Fort Collins) radio is a rarity in the world. A community station with a variety of shows ranging from alternative to jazz, reggae to blues. The music director sets the example and is a guiding force for any radio station. Elaine Erb is that person for KGNU.
KGNU (88.5 FM Boulder, 99.9 FM Fort Collins) radio is a rarity in the world. A community station with a variety of shows ranging from alternative to jazz, reggae to blues. The music director sets the example and is a guiding force for any radio station. Elaine Erb is that person for KGNU.
FEMMUSIC: Your training was not initially in music. How did you end up as music director for KGNU?
ECE: It’s true what they say about how volunteering can get you into things you really love. I started at KGNU as a volunteer 15 years ago. During my involvement here I have done late-night radio, news tape shifts, worked the front desk, spent one year commuting from Ft. Collins to do a weekly show, been chair of the board, and chair of the programming committee.
After going to school for a Masters Degree in Urban Planning I looked for a job in my field. When I was finally offered a full-time job, it was for a swing shift in Aurora. At the same time I was asked to serve as the interim music director while KGNU performed a nation-wide search for the permanent position. It became obvious to me that my work at KGNU was impacting my search for a “real” job. For many years I managed to do part-time work so that I could always say that Wednesdays were already booked at another job, KGNU. This made it apparent that I should take the job at KGNU and by serving as interim music director, decide for myself if this was what I really wanted to do.
FEMMUSIC: KGNU is not a typical commercial radio station. Can you point out some of the major differences?
ECE: KGNU is not a commercial radio station. We are a community-based, public radio station. This is different from other public radio as we do not pay our airstaff. KGNU pays only five people on the staff as full-time, a few others are paid for work on projects or on a part-time basis.
KGNU’s programming is based on free-form radio. Our shows are laid out to have some intent, so that we hope when somebody tunes in at 9:30 one morning and finds music they like, then they will like it another morning at the same time when a different DJ is on. We do offer a good bit of specialty programming including shows in hip-hop, reggae, world, Latin, and other styles.
The other major difference between KGNU and many radio stations these days is that we use our playlist program to track what has been played. So what is in our top 30 is totally created by the DJs who find and play the music. When a record is outstanding, I try to point it out to people that I think will like it. That is as far as I ever get in telling people what to play.
FEMMUSIC: What do you look for in an artist or band locally? nationally?
ECE: I’m always looking for music that jumps out at me, locally or nationally. Records that sound truly different are the ones that work for me. If I spend too much time saying, “She sounds like….” then I question whether that is something that will work for us. As I listen to so much world music, I don’t always key in to the lyrics, but when something is well written and funny I appreciate it.
FEMMUSIC: What artists have attracted your attention recently?
ECE: This summer I was really into a rock group, Kivi, led by Cynthia Lamb. She managed to bring some surf style riffs to a sassy/punky style and make it work. Nice voice and good lyrics. I was thrilled by the recent visit of the California Guitar Trio. It’s so nice to meet amazing musicians and find them to be truly nice and humble people. For jazz vocals, I think Patricia Barber is great. She has assembled some fine musicians for her projects and chooses some great music to cover. Beth Custer is another artist whom I admire for having such a mix of interests. She used to play with the Clubfoot Orchestra and now, whenever I play something off of her album “In the Broken Fields Where I Lay” I always find myself engaged and surprised by the material.
FEMMUSIC: How do you decide which tracks get played?
ECE: I only decide on tracks when I am on the air. Normally when we decide to add an album, the whole release is open for play. As for when I do my shows, I try to get into a feel or a theme for a set which helps me to choose what goes next.
FEMMUSIC: How are you treated (as a woman) by your peers in the radio field?
ECE: I feel like this industry is very accustomed to women. The work I was doing before, in computer mapping, I noticed more of a gender difference. Obviously there are some big egos to deal with in the radio world but I think that as long as I show my volunteers, coworkers, and peers respect then they will show it to me.
FEMMUSIC: Have you experienced any effect with the recent emergence of internet and low power/pirate radio?
ECE: Actually the internet has been great for us. Of course it makes so much of my communication easier and I can solicit music from around the world. I frequently use websites to track down music and have received discs from Sweden and Argentina that I have found through the internet.
KGNU was able to get our signal out on the internet some time ago. When we started, it was once a week for our Electronic Air show, which may still have the most internet listeners per week. Not too long after that we were able to provide our broadcast online 24/7. Now we have listener member supporters in New York and Japan as well some of our Boulder residents who work in Denver and can only get the signal online.
Pirate radio has not influenced us much but it is something I believe in. I know of people who have done the micro-broadcasting and it shows their passion for sharing music and information. In an age where fewer and fewer companies own the big radio and TV stations, anything that helps get the medium accessible to those of us who actually own the airwaves is a good thing.
FEMMUSIC: What trends do you see developing in the music industry?
ECE: The biggest influence at the moment is the ability of an artist to burn a CD at home. Now musicians can produce great quality music and get it onto a format where a radio station like ours can play it without them going through a major record label. One friend has sent me a CD which we are playing and there are only three copies of that release that are available anywhere! It may mean more CDs for us to go through but it is worth it to find the gems in the piles and the new artists before they are discovered.
FEMMUSIC: What would you most like to see changed in the music industry?
ECE: There is so much consolidation happening that I am concerned as to how many people are able to hear music on independent labels. Between the major record labels and the radio station conglomerates, the average music consumer is being told that mainstream bands are alternative and jam bands are the most happening thing. But where does that listener go when they want to hear artists like Ralph Carney (who played with Tom Waits) or Zap Mama? These are fine musicians who haven’t made a dent in commercial radio. We have a lot of change ahead as we move into digital broadcasting which many people say will lead to narrow-casting, that is, stations that will play world music lite for you or whatever you choose. I hope that not only does KGNU remain vital during this time but that more people look to free-form, locally produced radio as an inspiration.
FEMMUSIC: What is the biggest challenge you face as music director every week?
ECE: With over 100 CDs coming in each week it’s always challenging to try to sort through the music. Thankfully I do have some DJs that help with the reviewing but I think some things can get overlooked. There is always so much to do here so it can be hard to stay focused and get tasks done. Also, because I work with over 200 volunteers (not all of whom are on the air) I do have people dropping in frequently so as hard as I try to plan a day, there are always changes.
FEMMUSIC: What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?
ECE: Play music from your heart. Think past being an artist in only one genre and let many types of music influence what you do. Be a good listener, both to your own music, other music, other musicians you may play with and how people react to your music. But you must also work up a thick skin, some people may criticize your music and I think it’s important not to get too caught up in that. Respect people’s differences but hold on to your belief in yourself.
FEMMUSIC: What else would you like to say?
ECE: Thanks for the opportunity. I hope people continue to listen to and support community radio and recognize this kind of radio as a good outlet for ideas and interaction.
Elaine C. Erb
KGNU Music Director
PO Box 885
Boulder, CO 80306, USA