Brody Ramone is someone you should never take lightly, or with a grain of salt. You should take her with glitter. Dirty Glitter to be exact. And Dirty Glitter is the name of her show. This lady has really taken the independent and unsigned genres by storm and transformed herself into a voice for the underground.
Having recently been crowned as the winner of the IRF 2013 “Best US/Canada Campus Radio Contest”, Brody has since proven time and time again that she can not only put the best of the best in unsigned music in your ears but fill it with Dirty Glitter as well.
By no strange coincidence, she is up for the award again this year. You can vote on her by going to:
http://www.mixcloud.com/onlineradioawards and do the following:
1:Type in your name
2:your email address (don’t worry, they are not going to spam you!)
3:click on the indie category and enter the following url: http://mixcloud.com/djbrodyramone
With her show, Dirty Glitter, airing on JammerStream One every Wednesday and Saturday @ Noon and 9PM US Eastern Daylight Time beginning July 30th, we thought it would be a good time to get to know Brody and all things Glitter.
JammerZine
So Brody, tell us how you got your start in Radio?
Brody Ramone
I initially got my start in radio when I was fresh out of high school. I got a gig at a prominent broadcasting company here in the state and worked in their advertising department and also did voice work for commercials as well as promotions. Music has always been a passion of mine and having that gig for six years further confirmed I wanted to work in the industry.
JammerZine
How did you come up with the format for Dirty Glitter?
Brody
Format…ugh I loathe the meaning behind that word! True, I play new and vintage indie, punk and electro on my show but it changes from broadcast to broadcast. One week it may be more indie rock oriented and the next may be more mellow and laid back. It really depends on my mood when I make the playlist!
JammerZine
How are you able to keep Dirty Glitter so fun every week given your schedule?
Brody
My schedule…ugh! Being syndicated in three markets, freelancing as a Music Contributor for an online magazine, working on voiceovers for movies and commercials, as well as, maintaining and updating my weekly blog, all while working a full time gig definitely can be hectic. Hell, I’m just tired and overwhelmed thinking about it as I described it to you, haha! I use my shows as an outlet and focus all of the crazy high strung energy into making each show the best it possibly can be! I like being able to connect with my listeners and know that I am delivering a quality broadcast each and every time they tune in! Afterall, Dirty Glitter is where people tune in to find their next favorite band, so I have to make it good!
JammerZine
It looks like you tailor your show for the station. If there is any, what will be the difference between the JammerStream Dirty Glitter from the other editions?
Brody
The JammerStream edition of Dirty Glitter is going to stay somewhat the same but will have an exclusive feature of JammerZine bands and artists. This is where I will feature bands and artists that can be found on Jammer Direct’s jammerzine.com.
When I created the concept of Dirty Glitter, the concept was, and still is: to create a show that would liberate your ears from the tyranny of processed pop.
For me it’s all about having a bit of an edge, laced with some attitude. Music will always be a creative culture where people can express how they really see the world. I allow under-represented bands a way to blast their voice and to start a worldwide revolution. I want to get in the people’s faces in the best possible way and remind them exactly what these bands are capable of.
JammerZine
Who are the best bands you’ve ever had on your show and why?
Brody
Imagine Dragons…BEFORE they became a household name. I interview bands on my show often and have recently decided to feature future interviews on my blog as I really want my show to be more on the music. If listeners dig the music they can go to my blog and learn more about the artists and musicians that way.
JammerZine
I love how animated you are on the show. How much of you is in the show versus a character?
Brody
Character?! Baby, it’s all me! I am naturally goofy and outgoing. I don’t believe in being something I’m not. If you like me, great. If you don’t…well, ya know.
JammerZine
Thank you for thinking Jammer Direct was a good fit for Dirty Glitter. What exactly did you see in us that you liked?
Brody
I like how Jammer Direct represents the music. The overall presentation and drive of the on air staff is something that really hits home for me. I like genuine, passionate people and only surround myself with who are as driven and dedicated to the cause as I am.
JammerZine
Last September you won the International Radio Festival (IRF) in Zurich, Switzerland. How did that come about and what did you learn from being in the competition?
Brody
It was a mere coincidence that I discovered the contest in the first place. The year before I was at CMJ in NYC and heard about it but missed the entry date by a day! The following year I randomly saw a tweet about the opportunity and signed up for it immediately! The competition was based on not only listener votes, but also by a panel of industry professionals who judged on presentation, content, level of engagement, how you marketed the program, and etc. It was pretty intense!
Having the opportunity to produce and broadcast Dirty Glitter in a room full of a few hundred industry professionals was a little un-nerving, but holy cats what a great time! Not only did I learn various ways to market my show and build my listeners, but I also walked away with a syndication deal with a station out of the UK! I am forever grateful for my listeners, who helped me by voting and getting the word out there on the competition. THEY make Dirty Glitter what it is. If it weren’t for them NONE of what I have accomplished in the past year would have been possible!
JammerZine
What was it like being in Zurich and being, not only nominated, but being recognized as someone to respect amongst your peers?
Brody
It was such a surreal experience. The event was hosted at the Schloss Silhberg castle, (yes, a freaking castle!) in Zurich. There were Grammy award winning DJs as well as top music executives to syndicated DJs at the event…and then there was ME! Having executives and other influencers in the industry compliment me on my show was such an amazing moment. The event definitely allowed Dirty Glitter to be seen and heard by people who normally wouldn’t have given it a listen. But by winning, this was a way for me to make as much noise as possible and giving them no other reason but to listen- IT.WAS.GREAT.
JammerZine
You could very well be nominated again! How can people get the word out and vote for you?
Brody
Voting for me to appear again at the event is SUPER simple and takes less than 10 seconds! All you have to do is visit my blog at brodyramone.blogspot.com for full details.
If you love indie music and are as passionate as I am about it I encourage you to vote and spread the word on Twitter as well as Facebook! Voting officially ends on Tuesday, July 29th at 9p EST!
JammerZine
Being on both terrestrial radio as well as internet based stations like JammerStream One, what do you feel are the fundamental differences between the two formats and how do you think both have changed over the last few years?
Brody
Great question! Terrestrial radio, in my opinion, is limited in the kind of content you can present and is also subjected to advertisers and etc so sticking to a “time clock” can sometimes kill a mood when cutting to a 5 or 6 minute commercial break. Online exclusive based programming allows for more creative freedom not only in content but on a time matter as well. Broadcasting online allows for more exposure in the sense that stations like Jammer Direct will not get lost among the static of a larger platform that hosts millions of radio stations that are mainly terrestrial based.
Don’t get me wrong, I admire both types of broadcasts and both have equally evolved over the last few years. With technology it is easier than ever to take your favorite DJ with you and jam out while fighting ninjas during your morning commute, while doing laundry, at the grocery, and etc.
JammerZine
With terrestrial stations making the leap into streaming and internet based radio getting more and more into on demand content, how do you see the industry as a whole from a DJ’s perspective?
Brody
First things first- I LOVE this industry. There is so much potential for innovation and growth. I’m a firm believer innovation is the key to evolution for anything. It’s all about creativity and connecting with your fans. There are a gazillion radio stations you can tune in to at any given moment…and it is the job of the station and its on air talent to entertain you- leaving you breathless and wanting…almost craving for more. That’s what every station and on air personality should strive for- at least in my opinion.
JammerZine
Jammer Direct’s official tagline is “The Evolution of Revolution”. What is the next step in your evolution of revolution?
Brody
If I told you that, I’d have to kill you.
Haha!!!
LINKS:
http://twitter.com/brody_ramone
http://www.facebook.com/BrodyRamone
http://www.brodyramone.blogspot.com/
http://www.mixcloud.com/onlineradioawards/
http://jammerstream.com
PRESS:
Radio World Online: http://bit.ly/Tr7yqT
All Access: http://bit.ly/16c99ab
International Radio Festival (IRF): http://bit.ly/1aXlbqS
CMJ: http://bit.ly/16mp6wx
College Broadcasters, Inc. (CBI): http://www.askcbi.org/?p=4085
RadioFlag.com: http://bit.ly/GK1JTo
BGSU: http://bit.ly/SGjALO
