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Rock 'n' Roll Radio - let's go!

  Play Now [1:04:48]

by Mary Lucia

March 15, 2014

rock and roll radio
Mary Lucia's programming notes for her new show, 'Rock 'n' Roll Radio'
MPR photo/Brett Baldwin

When I posted on my Facebook page last week that I'm launching a new show on The Current called Rock 'n' Roll Radio, people were really supportive and positive, with reactions like, "This is something The Current could really use" and "I think this is going to be a great time slot." That's encouragement to me; with the first show tomorrow night at 10 p.m., I'm glad people are excited about it.

But how stoked am I?

Like a crazy person. I'm probably too stoked. This has been in the works for months, and now that it's coming to fruition, I go to bed thinking about it, I wake up thinking about it, I'm constantly thinking about it. I have freedom here at The Current, let's face it, but this has been truly handed to me like, "Make this your show."

Every DJ is different; you can listen to a DJ and kind of get a feel for their taste and what they like and when they have a spot in the playlist to play whatever they want. I definitely tend to go for something that's a little more upbeat and a little rockier. Jim McGuinn, our program director, noticed that about me and he said, "Maybe you could really serve the audience by putting this in one place." And I said, "Hallelujah! That's exactly what I've been thinking for months." That's how the show came together.

There never was a specialty show on Friday nights at 10, so of all slots, I think this is perfect. Because whether you're getting ready to go out, or you're just hanging at home or you're in your car or you're sorting your sock drawer — whatever you're doing, I think this is a perfect hour to just kick off the weekend.

And because of my interests in rock, I want to make this show as broad as possible; I'm going to include classic rock and metal and punk and glam and hair metal and the best alternative rock. It's not going to be an hour of screamy jet-engine noise. It's going to be guitar-based rock n' roll. And there's so much to pick from: T-Rex, Slade, Bowie, AC/DC, New York Dolls, Sham 69, Warrant, Mötley Crüe, Motörhead, Weezer ... it's endless.

I've been combing through our library, bringing in my own CDs, and I've been buying CDs on Amazon and iTunes to fill in all the stuff we don't have. They're allowing me to program it as I want to — the freedom feels so good! It's a work in progress, and I think it's going to sound different in six months than it does right now as the playlist grows.

It's not like you can't hear "Highway to Hell" on another radio station, but here, coming out of your Current speakers is going to be the surprise and the wow factor. The thing I want the most is that I want you to turn on your radio at 10 p.m. and know immediately what this show is about.

So let's rock out together! Join me Fridays at 10 p.m. for Rock 'n' Roll Radio!