Meet the ladies of Radio 1190

May 22, 5:47 PMWomen of the Web ExaminerBrit Horvat

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Tucked away in the basement of the University Memorial Center on CU-Boulder’s campus is the home of a 10-year-old, student-run nonprofit known as Radio 1190. Beaming with new faces and Boulder/Denver metro listeners daily, this non-commercial radio outlet relies on student staffers, volunteers and community support to continue spreading what keeps 1190 unique to the radio: independent music.

Year after year, Westword names 1190 as the “Best Radio Station,” and almost always recognizes a few notable DJs. Not only are those big voices behind your small speakers what keep the wheels of this radio revolution turning, but there’s always a tight group of staffers and volunteers to be found working their little indie butts off.

1190 experiences constant transition and turnover due to their student-only staff (well, bad ass General Manager Mike Flanagan is a professional exception), but some recent changes within the station are worth recognizing. Two gals are moving into big-time positions, two gals just graduated and two gals have been volunteer DJs for years.

Get to know these awesome ladies with some fun bios and Q&As. They truly rock.
 

Meet Samantha Sacher – Radio 1190’s new student general manager

Samantha Sacher began volunteering for 1190 three years ago. She led a rotation radio show for almost two years and took over Chunk of Funk, the go-to show for funk, soul and rare groove. After two years of being employed with the station, she’s made her way up to student general manager, making her the third woman in 1190’s history to take on the position. She plans to graduate from CU in the next two years and has already been recognized by the university’s Women’s Resource Center as a “Woman Who Makes a Difference.” Random fact: Sam can make balloon animals and can do some mean handstands.

What made you get involved with 1190?
I started listening to independent music in high school and realized that a lot of it was way better than the nonsense I heard on corporate radio. So when I came to school at CU, I saw a flyer in the dining hall and decided to go to the orientation meeting.  The first time I came down to Radio 1190, I realized that it was where I needed to be.

Thoughts on leading Chunk of Funk, which focuses on genres that are primarily male-dominated:
There are definitely guys that are surprised/doubtful that I'm into that kind of music, but after they realize that I know what I'm talking about, they're generally pretty okay with it. And the reality of funk and soul is that there are a lot of women that were saying a lot of empowering things back in the 60s and 70s. Brandee and I actually subbed Chunk of Funk once (before I was officially a part of the show) and we did a full female-fronted two hours of funk and soul.

Three best things about 1190:
 

1. The music. Radio 1190 has so much music -- it's unreal. So many different genres, over 18,000 CDs, plus a huge vinyl section. What more could you want?
2. The people. The station has so many people who know so much about music in so many different genres. There is so much knowledge floating around that you can learn so much by talking to just about anyone.
3. The community. We get to do so many really awesome things because we are a part of Radio 1190. Whether it is going to concerts and meeting people, DJing out or playing kickball, we get to be a part of the Boulder/Denver music community and meet tons of people who are working toward similar things.

Thoughts on being 1190’s new student general manager:
I'm definitely excited. It's a big responsibility, but I have lots of ideas to not only keep Radio 1190 going strong, but for the next 10 years and beyond. Many of my goals are centered around making Radio 1190 more visible in the Boulder/Denver community.

Future plans:
Getting through school.

Thoughts on women in the music industry:
I think women are becoming a bigger and bigger part of the music industry. In the independent music scene, there have been more and more women writing and producing or working in booking, promotions and other jobs in the music industry in general.

Funny 1190 story:
One time when I had first started DJing, I had planned my break, back-sold the songs, announced some concerts, and then gave away a pair of tickets. I was so overwhelmed getting the next song and answering the phone that I left my microphone on. I then announced that "Wow, that person REALLY wanted those tickets! Freaking crazy!!!" I then realized that the mic had been on and I had done the worst possible thing. Insulted a listener. Over the air.
 

Meet Katherine Peterson -- Radio 1190’s new music director

Katherine Peterson has been involved with 1190 since September 2005. She started out as a rotation DJ, then quickly kicked off her own specialty show, Pop Quiz, a twee pop/indie pop show, and is now the lady behind the Local Shakedown. She’s been the membership director, promotions assistant and is now tackling the title of music director. She plans to graduate from CU in December 2009 with an applied mathematics degree. Random fact: Katherine plays the accordion.

What made you get involved with 1190?
I just started discovering indie music in high school and wanted to learn more about it. I also thought it would be really cool to be a dj and go to shows for free with street team. When I first came to the station I was really intimidated by everybody there since they all knew so much more about music than I did, but I stuck it out.

Three best things about 1190:
 

1. The wonderful sense of community amongst everyone there -- all my closest friends are from the radio station.
2. The satisfaction of supporting really great independent artists that you wouldn't hear anywhere else and the great local scene here.
3. Going to shows for free!
    

Thoughts on being 1190’s new music director:
I'm nervous about maintaining the incredible sound that 1190 has had for the past 10 years and wins awards for. But I'm mostly excited because this is like my dream job, getting to listen to so much music. I want to continue finding music that brings diversity to our programming and challenges the listeners.

Future plans:
Getting a job with my applied mathematics degree. What kind of job I still don't know... I probably won't work in the music industry but I still want to stay very involved in the music scene wherever I end up and go to lots of shows.

Thoughts on women in the music industry:
I think that in the independent music industry women are on the same level as men. There's none of the sexism/objectification that seems to occur in the mainstream music industry. When I dealt with the business side of the music industry as the promo assistant, there were just as many females as males that I worked with and they were equally empowered. I guess when I used to think of the classic image of a music snob it was usually a guy with lots of records, and when I first came to the station, the staff really was dominated by males. Now there are lots of female managers around and my image of someone who's really into music doesn't depend on their gender.
 

Meet Brandee Castle – Radio 1190’s veteran volunteer DJ

Brandee Castle has been DJing for 1190 for more than six years. She’s been rocking a weekly rotation show since 2002 while promoting and subbing for popular radio shows Basementalism and Chunk of Funk. She plans to graduate from Metropolitan State College of Denver in May 2009 in Journalism Magazine Production and Digital Media-Still Media. She’s leaving us for the summer, as she’ll be tackling an internship opportunity at Wax Poetics in the Big Apple. But don’t worry. She’ll be back. She loves Denver entirely too much. Random fact: Brandee was born six weeks early and people are often shocked to find out she’s a nanny.

What made you get involved with 1190?
I had what was called a "senior project" to do for high school in 2002.  We were supposed to discover something we loved, and I happened to love music, voice over and radio, so I hit up 1190 and they told me to come on down.

1190 awards/recognition: There have been a couple features done on me for various Boulder publications. Manager Mike told me I'm a "radio addiction" the other day and that's about it. 1190 has helped further my career in music journalism.

Three best things about 1190:
 

1. DJing is the only time I know exactly what I'm doing.
2. Walls of music 
3. The people -- I firmly believe that music brings people together in ways few other things can. 1190 is really a family of genuine music enthusiasts. Not only have some of my best friends come from there, but also my significant other of many years. I have learned more from my time at 1190 about people and life through music than I ever anticipated. The amount of support 1190 gets from the community is incredible. If the rest of the world worked like that, I think we'd all be pretty lucky.
    

Future plans:
I have a lot of hopes and plans.  My main focus in life is love. Just love in general. I want that. I am looking forward to graduating and figuring out what to do! I have so many things I want to do -- my head spins just thinking about it! If my life in the future includes any of the following, I'll be happy:  music, radio, performing, educating children, design, magazine production, hip-hop.

Thoughts on women in the music industry:
I get very excited when I hear a really kick-ass woman performer.  I’m happy that more and more females are making themselves known -- especially young women! For example, the kids in Care Bears on Fire and Smoosh -- among others -- give me great hope for the future.

Funny 1190 story:
I look fondly on the early days when I got asked out by a new listener every other week.  It boggles my mind. I could be, well, a man, for all they know … but I'm not.  Also, if someone could please let Alisha know that I don't like Tiger Army, that'd be great. 1190 is amazing.
 

Meet Alisha Sweeney, Radio 1190’s lady veteran DJ

Alisha Sweeney, aka DJ Alisha -- Denver’s Radio Sweetheart, has been with 1190 since 1999. She left to host a radio show in London from 2002 to 2003, returned to the states to work for another radio station, but wasn’t into the music and politics of corporate radio and was quickly drawn back to 1190. She graduated with honors from CU in 2002 with a double major in journalism and English. She’s hosted, co-hosted and subbed a variety of shows since being the station, including the weekday and weekend morning show and afternoon rotations shows including goth, French pop, twee, to soundtrack and mixtape shows. While attending CU, she was DJing for 20 hours a week while getting two majors under her belt.

She’s been recognized with many awards including Westword’s “Best Radio DJ in Denver for 2001-02, Citysearch.com’s “Best Radio DJ: Editor’s Choice” and “Best Radio DJ: Listener’s Choice” and placed in the Denver Post’s top five list of “Best Club DJs – Eclectic.” Random fact: She has two kitties, a baby due any minute, and if it weren’t for 1190, her and her love of six years/baby-daddy probably would have never met.

What made you get involved with 1190?
When I was in high school in Fort Collins, I took a journalism class that made us go and interview someone in a career-field that interested us, I chose "Radio DJ" because I was so in to music and learning more about it and talking about it, so I went to KTCL (this is the mid-90s mind you, before they went corporate) and interviewed this guy named Bret Saunders (you may have heard of him) who was a DJ at KTCL at the time. Once I got to college in 1997, I didn't know we had a radio station, nor did 1190 exist yet, but a girl in the dorms down the hall from me started DJing at KUCB and knew I loved music so she took me along with her to host her show. After the first time, I had so much fun that I went back the next day to apply to be a DJ. I kind of got the brush-off from the people there, so I didn't go back after I heard no response to my DJ Application. Then in 1999, the station was now 1190 and I was determined to be a DJ. When I went into the station in 1999, there was a whole different feel to the place, the volunteers/staff were excited to be there and totally welcomed me! Turns out, I knew the music director and she got me in quickly so that I didn't have to do a lot of volunteer time and they really needed a DJ, so I trained for one shift and was on-air two days later.

Three best things about 1190:
 

1.  The music -- its all about the musical freedom.
    
2. The people -- it doesn't matter if its 1999 or 2008, the staff and volunteers are always great and wonderful and are all at the station because of the music.
3. The listeners -- they are so awesome and I love that they can access the DJ (me) to let me know what they think, what they want to hear, win tickets, be a part of the musical community
    

Thoughts on juggling pregnancy and DJing:
Well first of all, I haven't talked about it at all on-air (not until my last show before my "maternity leave" on May 7). I chose not to do this for a few reasons...
 

• Some people listen just for the music, and I didn't want to talk about my personal life -- which could make the listener lose interest, so I made the personal decision to just keep listener engaged solely talking about the music and other 1190-esque things.

• Some listeners are REALLY dedicated to me and I didn't want to affect our relationship on-air together for those that tune in every week for a dose of Alisha. I am very much myself on-air and I think this is why I have a dedicated fan base, because I am passionate about music on-air and off and I am sometimes goofy on-air and off, I'm flirty, I'm smart, I have fun BUT even though I am these things on-air and off, I am also SO MUCH MORE off-air, but I've chosen not to talk about/be some things on-air... like reveal my relationship status or talk about being preggers.

• I wish I would have revealed that I was pregnant a little earlier on-air because there are the long-time listeners that are just awesome and I know would be really excited, but it just felt right to keep my growing baby bump to myself and those closest to me. And you never know if there's going to be complications with pregnancy, so then you have 60,000 listeners rooting for you, and something bad could happen...

What do you plan to do after you have your baby (in terms of DJing)?
I'm taking the Summer off of 1190, but want to be kept on the "sub list" just in case I'm feeling up to it. However, I will be back in the fall to host Wednesdays 4-6 p.m.

Future plans:
I'm going to be a stay-at-home mom for a few years, while maintaining fun side-projects like being a DJ. I've been fortunate to be able to work in the music field for all of my professional career, so when it’s time to go back, I'm sure it will have to do with music.

Thoughts on women in the music industry:
Wow, I listen to a lot of music and while I think the music industry is completely changing right now, I'd like to give a shout-out to a few artists both big and small. Props to awesome girls like Feist and MIA who I adored while they were considered "underground" and are still wonderfully awesome even though their music is now consumed everywhere! How awesome is it that everyone and your grandma know Feist's "1-2-3-4?" Or that MIA is a model for Marc Jacobs?  The "indie" world is tricky because us "true indies" love our music and like it less once "everyone else" knows about it, but I'm at the point in my life now, where it’s awesome to me that someone as cool as MIA can now play dress up and take cool pictures with designer Marc Jacobs. I don't think they're selling out.

Also, shout out to every teen girl in the late-90s' high school saviors Ani DiFranco and Tori Amos who I've interviewed while pregnant and were uber sweet to me and offering parenting advice. These women have mastered the music industry and have been able to continue to have the most dedicated following despite what they do in the business.

Performance-wise, Beth Ditto brings it! Which is pretty awesome since she's a "FAT GIRL!" No man or woman in the audience at a Gossip show is judging her body size (unless you're an a$$hole), you're mesmerized that she's cast a spell on you while she performs.
 

Meet Jenny Bergen – Super 1190-dedicated CU graduate

Jenny Bergen has been with 1190 for three years and just graduated this May from CU with honors in journalism with a certificate in technology, arts and media. She started out doing a rotation show for four semesters, then took over A. Side//B. Side, a mixtape show with a weekly music theme, with co-host Sierra. (To see past A. Side//B. Side playlists, go to myspace.com/asidebside1190.) She was office manager for three years, then quickly took on traffic director status and moved up to volunteer coordinator.

What made you get involved with 1190?
I initially got involved because I had a friend who was ahead of me by one year in school and she had been DJing there. She told me about it when I was a freshman, but I was kind of intimidated by the thought of being a DJ. After I realized that it wasn't as scary as I thought it was, I decided to attend the fall volunteer orientation, and I immediately was hooked.

Three best things about 1190:
 

1. I love the community that surrounds 1190. We may be just one little college radio station tucked away in the basement of the student center, but outside of that, the people of Boulder and Denver are really supportive of us. Whenever I go to shows, which is at least a couple a month, someone comes up and talks to me about how much they love 1190. When you're sitting in the basement talking into a microphone, you often think nobody is actually out there listening, but when you meet face-to-face the people who listen to your show and to the station, it's a very powerful and affirming experience.
2. Besides the community outside of the station, the group of volunteers and managers who make up 1190 are simply amazing. Everyone is so different. Some people listen to metal, some listen to free jazz, some listen to hip-hop –- everybody has a different taste. But the one thing everyone has in common is their love for music. Radio 1190 attracts like-minded people: people who support independent music and independent culture, people who are open to new music, and people who are willing to help keep a volunteer-run station going just for the shear fact that they love it.
3. The variety of music at 1190 is truly unique. We'll sit around the station, hang out on the couches and just talk music. Sometimes it's about a band or genre I know nothing about, but that's how you learn. You learn what you like –- I for instance got more into electronic music, although I knew absolutely nothing about it when I started. And you learn what you don't like -– I tried to like metal, I really did, but I just can't do it.
    

Future plans: I will continue to be on Street Team for the summer, but after that, I'm gone. I'm planning on moving out of Colorado, since I've been here for almost the entirety of my life. I would like to get a magazine or newspaper job somewhere, but my plans are somewhat up in the air as of right now. I haven't even technically graduated yet! I would like to move to New York, but we'll see where the world takes me.
 
Thoughts on women in the music industry:
I think women in the music industry are great. I was inspired to learn bass after watching Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth totally rock out. I also wanted to start a band when I saw Sleater-Kinney. Although I didn't stick with the bass, and I'm therefore very far from starting a band, I think powerful women musicians are essential in music. As for women in the music industry, outside of musicians, I think more women should get involved in music promotions. I know of a few great women working in promotions, but I feel like it's a little dominated by men.

We're having a huge turnover right now with seven of our managers graduating, but the new managers are the future of 1190 and I am really excited to see what they bring to the station. New blood is always a good thing, and the new managers have shown they're dedicated to 1190 and the independent mind. Radio 1190 was hands down the best part of my college career. I only regret that I didn't start my freshman year and wasted one year away from 1190. If I could spend the rest of my life at 1190 and share it with the genuinely special people I've met through the station I would, but it's time to move on. I'll always hold 1190 in a special place in my heart. It was my home at CU, and kept me from wanting to transfer to another school early on. Radio 1190 is truly a unique place where people who feel lost in CU's huge sea of students can find a home and a family who really care.
 

Meet Joan Oexmann – Super 1190-dedicated CU graduate

Joan Oexmann has been with 1190 for three years. She graduated from CU with a degree in communication and is moving to Australia. During her time with 1190, she's DJed for a countless number of rotation shows, helped DJ Boom Operator on the soundtrack show, volunteered her little heart out, worked on the street team and air board and led the station as the promotions director. Random fact: She was once interviewed for an article on strange pets, as she owned two hedgehogs at the time.

What made you get involved with 1190?
I transferred from the University of Kentucky and wanted to meet some new people. I had a friend who was involved with WRFL there, and I would go with him to the studio sometimes and it seemed really interesting.

Three best things about 1190:
 

1. The music
2. The people
3. Being able to be participate in the Boulder/Denver community -- there are so many different things going on in the area that I would never have known about if it weren’t for 1190.
    

Will you stay involved with the station now that you’ve graduated?
I will continue to support 1190 and tell people about the station. I am moving away so I won’t be able to be physically involved.

Future plans:
Just to stay happy. I plan on living/traveling abroad for the next few years. Nothing is set in stone, which is the way I like it.

Thoughts on women in the music industry:
Most of the promoters I worked with on a regular basis were women (probably somewhere around 60%). They are all extremely hard working and it is obvious their jobs are very important to them. I’ve developed a few relationships that are closer than others, and almost all the women I know in the industry were more than happy to offer professional advice when I needed it.