Haley Brown
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For those of you who don’t keep your car radio left of the dial, KCPR 91.3 FM is
Cal Poly’s completely student-run radio station. Perched on the third floor of Graphic Arts (building 26), we broadcast music and talk radio 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
With a staff of more than 90 students and a rich history of innovation, creativity and an unorthodox approach, we serve as a unique outlet for expression on Cal Poly’s campus.
Around campus, I’m a hot mess running between work and class and the Tacos-To-Go stand, but in Studio A, I am Lady Ladie and my main concern is picking out the perfect Tuesday afternoon tunes. In my three years at the station I’ve had the opportunity to play some cool music, haul around heavy equipment, meet some of my favorite bands and argue with just about anyone who will listen on the value of college radio. Somehow, these activities have qualified me enough to write the introduction to KCPR’s new column in Mustang News — The Audio Files.
Since this is the inaugural article of The Audio Files, this radio face feels a certain responsibility to turn the next 600 or so words into a heartfelt monologue on the beauty of music, community and sharing that runs through every KCPR DJ’s head when asked to describe their love of radio. And while music, community and sharing are, in fact, very beautiful, the passionate words of one fanatic tend to fall deaf on the ears of most, because most everybody already likes music, community and sharing.
However, while people might benefit from these concepts, they may not necessarily choose to integrate them one experience — at least not yet. That’s where KCPR comes in.
Our goal is to produce high-quality content while cultivating a culture of sharing. We chose radio as our medium to share ideas and music with our community members. It is for this same reason we host open mics and record nights and give away tickets to concerts. We try our best to bring our listeners into creative communities and share these experiences.
Throughout these columns, we look forward to sharing our tips, tricks and opinions for getting the most out of your audio adventures — because why waste your ears on subpar content? Here are a few basic suggestions to improve your listening.
1. Engage: Step away from the Beyoncé Pandora station. Is she fabulous? Yes. Is she Queen B? You best believe it. Everybody can appreciate a good 90s throwback, and while you don’t want no scrubs, you should also stay relevant and knowledgeable about the noise hitting your ears on a regular basis. The rising popularity of online radio services such as Pandora and Spotify brings a new wave of ignorance. As they randomly select relevant tune after relevant tune, you aren’t able to invest yourself in a particular artist or genre. Stay a second and take some interest. Investing some time and really getting to know what you’re listening to is rewarding!
2. Discover: Regardless of how badly Buzzfeed may have ruined your GPA, the Internet is actually a really awesome place to learn things. It has so many free resources for you to discover your next favorite band. Sites such as Bandcamp or Soundcloud serve as socialized platforms that make it easy to find new and upcoming artists. Soundcloud’s “like,” “comment” and “follow” features make finding a killer artist you’ve never heard before as easy as ending up on the Facebook page of your ex-boyfriend’s aunt’s dog groomer. The musical black hole is real, you guys, and it is wonderful.
3. Share: The mix tape may be a bit outdated, but the sentiment is not. Make a playlist, invite a friend to a concert, or sing that song stuck in your head from the rooftops or your Facebook page or your car stereo. Music is meant to be shared, and its universal qualities make for some killer small talk on the bus, in line for coffee or on a date. Sharing your jams can bring you closer to people you wouldn’t have otherwise connected with. I know KCPR has introduced me to people and opportunities I couldn’t have dreamt up if I tried.
So stay tuned! Each column, a different KCPR DJ will share something new with you. To start things off, we want to share our Soundclash Spotify playlist featuring some of our favorite tunes and KCPR staples, such as Mac DeMarco, Badbadnotgood and Flume. What are you listening to? Give me a call during my show, Tuesdays 2-3 p.m. at (805) 756-5277, and let me know.