Michael Hallisey – An Xperience Interview

By Rob Smittix.

RRX: I’ve been doing this thing where I talk to DJs from other radio stations across the region. I knew that you started doing a show over at 88.3 WVCR The Saint, so I thought it’d be a great time to chat. How long have you been there?

MH: At a year this month.

RRX: How’s the experience been so far?

MH: It’s been a learning experience. I’ve never done radio. I didn’t do radio in college either. This was just an opportunity that was presented to me last year. It’s been a great experience so far.

RRX: That’s pretty cool. I’ve been in radio since 1994. I worked at most of the companies that are around here in some shape or form at one point in time. I find it very interesting when new people are coming up, when people are brand new to it. Here at RadioRadioX, I mean … we have Jimmy Barrett, he’s got more experience than anybody. He’s been at it for almost 60 years with Kaleidoscope, and we have others who also have a lot of experience. But … there’s nothing like throwing somebody new into the mix that has absolutely never done it before. Just seeing the energy and attention that they give it for the first time around. That’s why I’m excited for you. It’s a good feeling to be on air.

MH: It absolutely is, and you make a great point. I’m a rookie. I’m an amateur. This is volunteer work. I don’t get paid for it. It’s just something that I do because I grew up loving the magic of radio. Right?

RRX: For sure.

MH: John Garabedian, Open House Party …  in our market, I think he came on the air Sunday nights, when I was a kid.

RRX: Sounds about right, yeah.

MH: I would listen to that every Sunday night. I just loved that energy. I think there’s a kid out there now that has rekindled that spirit of his and is doing a show. It’s beautiful to just hang out in your bedroom, listen to the radio, and have the DJ select a song you didn’t realize you needed to hear, right? It’s a song that you either pulled out of your memory, you didn’t remember it until just that moment, or you’re feeling a feeling and this song just speaks to you at this hour. It’s just fate, and it’s beautiful, and that’s why I like doing what I do. The folks you talked about, Barrett and yourself … so many of the folks that have been on the radio for so many years … these are the people who I try to not necessarily emulate (because I can’t), but I at least try to listen to the radio, and it’s like homework for me now. It’s like … when did they say this? Why did they say this? What are they saying before the break, or how are they doing the segues? I’m paying attention to all the nuances because I didn’t go to school for this, not professionally, so I have to do it in some way or form just to play the part and do something that appeals to our listeners when I’m on the radio. So that’s just the mindset that I bring to it.

RRX: Well, one of the things that I tell people when they’ve never done it before is … I stole this from the Reese’s commercial, but there’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s. Like, it does not have to necessarily have to be structured in a way that other people are doing it. You just have to be yourself is the absolute main thing. I’ll tell you this, too – I’ve only been on commercial radio, but even when I was on those stations (with the exception of just monitoring what we were doing), I always only listened to college radio. It was always WVCR, WRPI, and WCDB. The unique thing that college radio DJs get to do, and fortunately, I get to do that here too … but on regular FM/AM stations that are owned by the big corporate conglomerates, none of those DJs get to play what they want.

MH: Right.

RRX: Getting to pick your own music, that’s a wonderful luxury that a lot of DJs don’t get.

MH: Oh, it’s great. I think the win for me is, I’ll hear it from my wife, or I’ll hear it from Darrin Scott (Director). They’ll be listening to the show, and they’ll be like … is this guy local? Or is this band local? Yes, they are, and to your point … I’m preaching to the choir here, but we have one of the best music scenes in the country. It’s full of talent and resources, too, to support them. The music that comes out of this scene is incredible, and to be able to share it on a radio station that’s also on the iHeartRadio Network, that’s great. And so it gives me the opportunity to share some music that the audience hasn’t heard yet and introduce them to a band that has immense talent. And so, like when they say, “Oh, I don’t listen to the radio,” or “I don’t like Top 40, it sounds like it’s a formula,” well then listen to your local music. I mean, these folks are out playing the small venues, the bars, and you’re talking over them while you’re hanging out with friends. Pay attention to what they’re doing because they’ve got good stuff to listen to.

RRX: They sure do. I think sometimes the musicians around here kinda forget how vibrant it actually is here. Albany, the Capital Region, has always had a kind of complex because we’re the Capital and New York City is our big brother, so people have always tried to compare. There’s no comparison to New York City. I don’t care if it’s Chicago or LA. New York’s comparable to Hong Kong. It’s an entirely different monster.

MH: You and I grew up here, so we both recognize the inferiority complex that we have, where some people call it Smallbany, right? 

RRX: I hate that!

MH: And I remember still the marketing video that they still circulate online when Crossgates Mall first opened. “We’re in between New York, Montreal, Boston, and Buffalo.” Like that’s the selling point. Like we’re here in the middle of these four larger cities, and that’s the only selling point that we have. No, it’s not, come on now.

RRX: Here’s the thing that I always tell people: go travel throughout the United States. You’ll come back with a better appreciation of what we have right here. Well, we’re getting close to time. Is there anything else you’d want to add?

MH: If you are tired of the Top 40, if you’re tired of the formula that you recognize in contemporary music today, you really got to give the local music scene a shot.

“On The List” with Michael Hallisey.  Thursdays at 6 p.m. on WVCR 88.3 FM