Recently I was able to get in touch with a recent Loyola graduate and WLOY alum, Rich Rodrigues, host of Rich on the Radio Program. Want see how the former Program Director/Music Director is faring in the harsh post-gradute world? Read on!
WLOY: You’re a Loyola Maryland University alum. Are you missing the college life or are you glad to be out in “the real world”?
Rich Rodrigues: As much as I love being in “the real world” and being a so called grown-up, a part of me does miss the college life. Being in the “the real world,” for me, essentially has become like the movie Groundhog Day. I just do the same thing every day – Work.Eat.Sleep.Repeat. There’s none of those spontaneous late night trips to random local Baltimore hot spots (you know what I mean) or staying up to the odd hours of the nights with your friends doing God knows what. I don’t really have that opportunity any more in the real world because I always have to be ready for the next work day. So all in all, it’s great getting that paycheck and slowly starting a career but sometimes I do miss those college life moments.
WLOY: It’s great to have you back on the WLOY airwaves. What is your recording experience like at home?
RR: Well, going into the summer I really wasn’t even considering or thinking about recording a show at home. Tim ended up mentioning it to me since the station was about to start up for the semester and said he would try to get John to send me some recording equipment. I was totally down for it and a few weeks later I get a pack from John with a mixer, amp, and microphone (thanks again John 🙂 ). [Editor’s note: Hey Rich, there’s something brown on your nose!] Shortly after a package arrived and after a quick trip to Guitar Center for some cables, I started recording. I usually record the show on the weekends and then send it on over to Tim and then it airs on Tuesday afternoons. I use audacity to record the program and that’s pretty much it. Simple stuff.
WLOY: You spent upwards of 118 hours in the station per week. I may have exaggerated a tad with that number, but you were in there a lot. What do you miss most about being the king of WLOY?
RR: Okay, I didn’t really spend 118 hours in the station. That’s Kyle Sluder-like numbers. He slept in the studio. I spent more like 50 hours a week. What I miss most is everything. I miss having a live show, doing the Top 20 every week, going to all of our events, DJing random school things and just hanging out with the WLOY Staff. We did so much and I loved just being there and being apart of the growth and the success of the station. It essentially became apart of my life and I am so grateful and appreciative of being able to spend my four years at Loyola as a part of the WLOY family. And no, I wouldn’t consider myself the King of WLOY but if you want to give me that title, I’ll gladly take it.
WLOY: The Rich on the Radio Program features an eclectic mix. We’re talking about going from 30 Seconds to Mars to B.o.B. How would you classify your taste in music exactly?
RR: My taste of music is essentially anything that doesn’t suck and that’s not country (sorry country music fans…I’m not into that stuff). I know that may be too broad but after spending my time at WLOY I opened my ears to more music. I started just listening to more indie and unknown bands that the station got each week and found stuff that I enjoyed. I also started to back into the hip hop world and found stuff that I really loved. Before WLOY, I was all about the mainstream rock and wouldn’t dare try new things from new artists but after being MD at the station, I opened up to the music world. I also love just going on random music blogs and looking at what’s up and coming in the music world whether it be mainstream bands or artists or someone who’s trying to make it big. I sort of take a listen and if I find myself bobbing my head and enjoying what I am hearing, I usually take a few more listens on my way to work and ultimately some of them make my show. So all in all, my tastes in music range from rock to pop to hip-hop – old school, new school, and middle school.
WLOY: I just noticed that, as a WLOY DJ, WLOY Staff member and an Evergreen, I’m pretty much shadowing your life. Did you ever think that when we met (so many moons ago!) that this would happen?
RR: Shadowing my life? Hmm. You’ve essentially become the female version of Rich the DJ. But in all honestly, I never would’ve thought that when you came into my summer orientation group that you would essentially do almost everything that i did. You took on a DJ role, then an Evergreen, then a staff spot, and now you took over the hosting duties of the Top 20 Countdown (which was my baby, my creation). I always had the feeling that you would be a great asset to Loyola in many ways but I never would have thought that you would follow my footsteps. I always loved it when any of my shrubs became DJs but to have 2 of them (you and Alex Fili) become staff members and follow in my footsteps is just amazing. It makes me proud to have been the evergreen to both of you and the your first connection with WLOY. [Editor’s note: Awww, Rich, you’re making me blush!]
WLOY: What advice would you give to a new DJ?
RR: My advice to a new DJ is to first off: have fun. The show is yours and have fun with it. Also, make an attempt to connect with the staff. Go to the events, show your WLOY colors, and get to know the staff. In the later years of my reign as MD/PD, only I knew all the DJs because I trained them. Most of the staff were clueless to who the other DJs were. When I started my freshmen year, the entire staff new who I was because I went to the events and got to know the staff one by one. Yes, that did help me get a job, but it also made me really feel apart of the WLOY family. I think that the DJs should definitely take advantage of the late night events, or the top 20 countdown, and offer to help out so that they can really feel like they are apart of the family. Also, I think the staff should definitely start interacting with the new DJs too. I remember when I started, I had both Rik and Dickie (senior staff members at the time) jump in sometimes during my show and that made it more fun and made my more connected to the staff. I know that work if first but obviously it wont hurt taking a break sometime to connect with the DJs.
Another piece of advice is for someone to really tick off John by playing a lot of Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, and then follow it up with a block of bad 80s songs. Ha!