2019 ZINE
KJHK’s Content Staff sat down with KJHK General Manager Mike MacFarland to ask him some questions about his job, french fries, breakfast for dinner and a myriad of other topics. Mike has been General Manager for 2 years as of this publication date. Kyle Wernimont: Let’s start with an easy one. What do you do here at KJHK? MM: *laughs* That is not at all an easy question! I oversee all of the operations of the radio station. I oversee the budget, I make sure the bills get paid, I make sure that people are communicating with each other properly. Whenever there’s any kind of “fire” that needs to be put out, I am the one who has to go put it out. I am also the Liaison between KJHK and the KU Memorial Union. Basically, my job changes on a daily if not hourly basis. It is quite literally completely different every single day. KW: What do you DO here? MM: I am a professional enabler. That is, I enable people to do all the myriad of crazy things that they want to do related to FM broadcasting or multimedia and content creation. KW: How did you hear about the position of General Manager? MM: Well, one of the previous General Managers named Tom Johnson, who is a fantastic human being, said that I should apply. I think that everyone should sit down and talk with Tom for at least 10 minutes. I was teaching at the time, and he thought that my skills there might translate over here, and after some thought I applied for it, and now I’m here. KW: What’s the most stressful thing that’s happened to you at KJHK so far? MM: Oh God, this week or?... *laughs* One of the things I did not anticipate about this job was how many stressful things there would be. Because you look at it from the outside and think your just going to be hanging out and talking to cool people about cool music. There’s one event that sticks out in particular, and it’s not something I think I would consider stressful by today’s standards, but walking into this job there were so many things I didn’t know. I remember I was about 4 days into the job and the phone kept ringing and I kept getting email after email after email. When I started, I didn’t have a sense of which ones to ignore and which ones were super crucially important. I had no idea which ones were more or less important, and I didn’t know what order to try and accomplish these tasks. And then I have students coming in and asking me why the production room isn’t working, which is easy for me but there was a lot of stuff I didn’t know. I sat in my office for like 3 minutes and had like a mini-panic attack because I didn’t even know where to start. But then I said “ok, I’m gonna start going through all of these (emails) one-by-one and figure out what’s important and deal with it right now, and if I didn’t know how to do something I would let that person know that I was working on it”. There have been a lot of different moments of abject terror, but they’ve all worked out and every one of them has been a great learning experience. Grace Needham: What’s your favorite number and is there a reason? MM: 42. GN: Is there a reason? MM: It’s the answer to life, the universe and everything....A close second would be 13. GN: Taylor Swift’s lucky number. MM: Oh, well then 42 definitely. GN: What’s the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to you? MM: I’ve been very very lucky in a lot of ways, my whole life. I’m very lucky to have met my wife, who’s awesome
and puts up with a lot. I fe e l like I’ve be e n e xtre me ly fortunate to be able to have interacted with a lot of people who are inspiring, whether it be through teaching or through this job. GN: Who’s your favorite on the KJHK staff? MM: I don’t know, I don’t deal with people in that way. Like, I don’t have a favorite color, because it all depends. If it’s super rainy or gray out, I might like a brighter color because everything else is gray. There are some people on exec staff that are super high energy, and that’s great on a day where you need that energy. But if you’re in the middle of a gazillion things, that may not be what you need. Secondly, I wouldn’t be at this job if I didn’t like the people I was interacting with. I like all of them. If you come to college in 2018-2019 and you decide to dedicate your time to a college radio station, you are already in a different category than most of your peers and that already puts you in a stratosphere of the kind of person that I am going to get along with. David Castroblanco: Do you have a favorite DJ set that you’ve heard on air? MM: I’ve heard a bunch of ‘em. But I remember I heard one of Kris Rawls’s DJ breaks when I was in my car one day and I remember thinking, “He is covering some really sensitive topics on-air, and he’s doing it in a way that as a general manager does not make me uncomfortable”. That doesn’t mean we should shy away from covering difficult topics, but sometimes I can hear trouble coming. I can hear the email or phone call i’m going to get. I could tell he had an opinion and feelings about the topic, but he wasn’t preaching or cramming it down anyone’s throat. He was just discussing, and I was really impressed by that. I’ve heard so many good sets. My first two weeks here, I spent more money on music than I had in probably eight or nine years. I would hear a song and be like, “That’s really cool!” and buy it, but I would do the same thing with the next song and the next song! I really have to give props to our Music and Programming Directors this year, because the selection the DJ’s have to choose from is really exceptional. DC: Do you have a favorite year? MM: The late 90’s was really cool. I think 1999 was really the icing on the cake, because I got to go to France and play a music festival. DC: Thoughts on breakfast for dinner? MM: I’m a huge fan. We do that at my house fairly often. If you have a problem with breakfast for dinner, you have a problem.
Emma Miller: What was the first album that you bought for yourself? MM:...Men at Work? The first albums I remember holding and having were Men and Work and a Duran Duran record. I liked Journey when I was a kid, of course you have to remember this stuff was new back then. Then I went a whole 80’s metal kick, but I don’t want to discuss that. *laughs* EM: Which fast food restaurant has the best french fries? MM: You know, I kinda liked those nacho fries from Taco Bell for a while. Among like the hamburger places?....I don’t know...Burger King?...oh wait!! Five Guys, for sure. EM: What’s one city that you’d like to visit that you’ve never been to? MM: There’s a lot...Beijing maybe? When you look at world history, China has been a power for so long. We like to look at Europe and Medieval history and talk about that as being old, China has been civilization since the dawn of humanity. I would love to go there and figured Beijing was a good place to start. I would also love to go anywhere with a beach. Barcelona maybe? KW: What’s the most heartwarming thing that’s happened in your time at KJHK? MM: Again, that’s pretty hard to pick because people here are pretty good to each other. I think when I watch people who are a part of KJHK talk about the station and start to get emotional that tells me something. That it’s not just a station and it’s not just a room with a bunch of stuff, it’s an emotional experience and a life experience for a lot of people. Watching them react emotionally to this place, that’s the most heartwarming thing. It makes all the stressful times worth it, because you realize that you’re not just keeping the lights on, you’re doing something that’s really important to a lot of people. KW: If you could give any advice to the KJHK volunteers reading this, what would it be? MM: You should, even if you think that someone has been annointed or ordained to the next executive staff position, you should apply and try for those positions whe ne ve r you have the opportunity. Because every one of those positions is a great opportunity. Eve n the inte rvie ws are a gre at le arning experience. You should get involved as early as possible, because the #1 thing I hear is always “I wish I would have started doing this earlier”. So anyone who picks up this zine and is not volunteering yet should go out and volunteer for KJHK, because we’re like a family.
Memories Be
K J H K ’s s p o r t s s t a f f r e f l e c t o n s o s e e n— a n d c a l l e d— a s p a r t
“I ventured into a sports staff meeting one evening after never having broadcasted anything before in my life. Talk about a life changing experience! I’ve fallen in love with broadcasting since then and it has now consumed my life as a career path. I’m not sure I can even single out one single experience to highlight any more than the others, but every time I put on a headset it drives my passion for what I do. I’ve gotten to travel all over the country and meet some of the coolest people, from sportscasting greats like Jim Nantz and Holly Rowe to celebrities like Sister Jean and Red Panda. A wise man named Andy Bernard once said, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in ‘the good old days’, before you’ve actually left them. These experiences through KJHK are some of the best I may even ever have including the professional field and I will always remember my time with the station fondly. For that I am grateful.” -Jack Nadeau “Covering Kansas basketball in the 2018 Final Four was by far the most fun thing I’ve ever done with KJHK. Being able to witness something as special as that with friends, all while developing my skills as a broadcaster is something I’ll always be grateful for. This station provided me with so many memories, but it would be hard to top this one.” -Jackson Schneider
hind the Mic
o m e o f t h e b e s t m o m e nt s t h e y ’ v e o f c o v e r i n g K U at h l e t i c s .
“After broadcasting the KU vs. Duke Elite Eight game in 2018, credentialed media was allowed on the court for the post game celebration. As confetti fell from the rafters, we walked around snapping pictures and interviewing the players moments after they had just clinched a Final Four berth. Pure jubilation and happiness. A moment I’ll never forget.” -Jared Lenz
“One of the cooler experiences for me while working at KJHK happened at a women’s basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse my freshman year. KU was playing Texas Tech, and it was a relatively uneventful game. What happened before the game is what I’ll always remember. An older man, wearing a Texas Tech polo walked up while I was getting ready for the broadcast and asked if I was with KJHK. When I replied, “Yes”, his face immediately lit up. He told me he had worked for the KJHK sports staff many years ago and how much of an incredible experience it was for him and that KJHK helped propel him into the sports radio industry for over 40 years. It was a really cool moment to meet someone who had worked for KJHK so long ago and for him to still remember it so fondly. I think it speaks to the spread and influence that KJHK had, has and will continue to have. It’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to get all the hands-on experience that we get as college students at the station. And even 40 years later it still impacts alumni as well. Meeting that man is probably something I’ll never forget, and perhaps one day I can be in his shoes meeting young ambitious college kids working at KJHK.” -Nick Springer
MUSIC STAFF
It has been a great year of tunes at the station and your music staff is a huge part of that. Besides just wormin’ around, we have been writing reviews and discussing what sound we want for KJHK. Enjoy everyone’s cute drawings and some lyrics that represent their years. Chris Cummings
Jamie Martin “My face is the front of shop”
Ray Bennett “I need to start a garden”
Patrick Kennedy “Smoke and mirrors are good for barbeques and vanity”
Wyatt Hall
Nick Simpson “Got a lot to not do, let me kill it with you”
Quinn Leyda “I’m not suicidal just idling insignificantly”
Amy Fallat “To say that you are cute / Would be like saying that a strawberry is sweet Because a strawberry has secret flavors / That are sharp, and tart, and red, and deep” Megan Kiser “Not in this life to be a wife, I make my own little religion”
Madeline Connor “I’m a millionaire and I don’t know how to read”
Caroline Mccone “Like a motherfucking chainsaw / what!”
Griffin Lowry “Death it leaves a sour taste”
Brendan Casey
Tricia Drumm “I remember I was so afraid, doubting myself in every way. Riding round and past my old house, I really see how far I’ve come.”
Erin Bugee “Watch me fucking get it playing tennis on the wii”
Jaya Chakka “The simplicity of solitude is a hard thing to perfect / Stealing happiness from loneliness is not a simple theft”
Amy Shea “I’m just North of New Mexico”
Fabian Rosales “There go the police man knocking at my door / Do I leave out the back grab my wallet and coat / or do I leave answer real confuse like ‘I don’t know’”
Sasha Arteaga “I’ve been wasting all my time”
Mae Fisher “Please, don’t wake me, no, don’t shake me leave me where I am, I’m only sleeping”
Claire Monroe “Hahaha, bitch!” Kade Schoenfeldt “I am living uncontrollably”
David Thal “It’s like water under bridges that have already burned”
Miranda Roberts
Dmitri Smith
“We’re gonna go to a show and then come home and probably die”
“It’s not the end of the world (even as we know it)”
Bailey Tredway “looking back, how did i keep moving? didn’t know that half of me was missing”
Cole Billings “Who does the dishes after the revolution?”
Multimedia Gang 2019 “I will forever be grateful for the many experiences KJHK has brought to me. My favorite part is just coming together to make Live@'s. There is so much that goes into the preparation that no one ever sees, and it's really just a big combined effort to make things run as smoothly as possible! I have learned so much about doing live production and working with bands through this awesome job that also allows me to just hang out with some really awesome people, and I couldn't be more proud to be an audio engineer for KJHK!” -Oliva Huels
“Jo MacKenzie is a 15 year old singer-songwriter who came into the studio in February. This was my favorite Live @ for a couple of reasons. First is that she had to be driven there by her parents and her dad had a camera like such a proud parent and it was touching as hell. You could see the family dynamic striving to help her to success. Her sister was the bassist too so it was a real family business. Secondly it's the first Live @ we used the fish eye for handheld shots and it really made for a good video for their pop sound. Lastly once all was said and done they asked for a group photo with the multimedia crew (rarely happens) and it ended off an amazing set with a sense of appreciation. I won't be the least bit surprised if she keeps it up and blows up.” -Dakota Behrman
“I had the pleasure of working with so many new people this year. Our multimedia staff is so easy to get along with, I can truly say that everyone there is my friend. I’m sad to be leaving such a great organization like KJHK, and I know the level of quality will be exceptional for the future. One of my favorite memories from this year would have to be Pain Games. Volunteers would strap a shock collar to their arms and play games like operation and jenga. Along with this, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to shoot people with a nerf gun as they played the pain games.” -Abe Lopez
“My favorite live @ from KJHK has to be the band, ‘Royal Chief.’ All of the band members were really nice and made great conversation with the multimedia staff members. The lead singer was always in high spirits and had a positive impact in the room. They also played fantastic music and were my favorite performers out of my year of being at KJHK. I would say one of my favorite memories was filming ‘Pain Games’ and watching multimedia members eating one of the world’s hottest barbeque sauces. Reactions from both concepts are something I will not forget. My favorite thing about KJHK is that everyone is very welcoming. I remember when I was new and the multimedia staff treated me like I had been there for years. They included me in conversations and brought me up to date with whatever was in post-production. They will make you feel like family.” -Tara Wiegers
“Being a sound engineer is a lot of work with constant changes and new knowledge always being dropped. That being said, I do not have a specific memory that I can go back to. But, every Live@ always has a single moment that I really enjoy. It is the moment when the whole band is mic'ed up and the DJ puts them on air. You can see the entire band fall in line and live in the music. It makes every live@ worth it and keeps me coming back each week.” -Sebastian Dutton “My favorite memories of Multimedia Staff were taking videos and photos of UnionFest, the Live@ of The Greeting Committee, and participating in Pain Games. UnionFest was fun to experience for the last time as a senior, filming The Greeting Committee was a dream come true, and Dakota Behrman’s idea of Pain Games was just overall hilarious to participate in and watch. My favorite thing about KJHK overall is that the organization is full of amazing people who are not afraid to be themselves and we are so loving towards one another. Getting to know the other staffs truly helped make me feel so welcomed into KJHK. Everyone is such a goofball and just knows how to love well. Coleman Connolly killed it as the Multimedia Staff director this year, and I am super excited to see how Dakota Behrman takes the lead for the staff next year and he is going to freaking kill it as well. Keep it real, KJHK. I’ll miss ya but I’ll definitely make a visit.” - Mariel Ramos
“To pick a favorite Live @ KJHK would be to pick a favorite child. Each artist offers a unique personality and zesty passion only to be discovered in the heat of the action. Filming for Live @ KJHK has given me first-hand opportunities to work with artists I love and others on the steady come up. DMVU is an example of a well-known electronic bass music producer who blessed the KJHK airwaves with his first ever live in-studio recording. Here, I worked directly in the presence of a god to capture a one-time experience, making it available online for fans far and wide.” -Taylor Withers
“I started with Multimedia staff later into the year than most people, so I don’t have as many stories yet. But everyone else on the staff has been super helpful from day one with getting me up to speed on how everything operates. I’ve learned a ton about camera work, and I love having the opportunity to work with live music every week. I’d have to say Tokeback Mountain has been my favorite Live @ so far, just because their level of stage presence and intensity was completely unexpected.” -Jordan Doss “Working as the Multimedia Director this year has been a truly life changing experience. I’ve been able to spend every week working with different music artists with the help of KJHK’s multimedida GANG and my good friends. I’ve been blessed enough to record some of my favorite musicians, while discovering new artists every week. Being able to create brilliant content from nothing is a feeling that will never get old to me. The friends that I’ve made here are some that I will never forget. I could not ask for a better group to work with. Favorite Live @’s: Moon Hooch, JackLNDN, Y God Y.” -Coleman Connolly
A C R U & T L S T U R E
Cam
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Did ya know that we make podcasts? That’s right, scan those QR codes and listen to our favs from this semester.
How am I supposed to make time for studying when I’m too busy making up conspiracy theories about synthpop artists and their contact with extraterrestrials?
Chri
s Co nde
By wading into the cultural scene, you’ve stumbled across our little zine. If your ears envy your eyes, try our polypodcast pies. Listen local.
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Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics.
Are you telling me it didn’t record!? vor Tre ison r r Ha
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Your parents moved to Kansas because their car broke down?! K a t e M a y s
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uh hello.. these are some places in lawrence that we enjoy
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Dylan Fox
Parker Freeman (u can’t tell but this is a tree in a cemetary----------------------->)
STRFKR in 2017 at the Granada was A NIGHT TO DANCE. We stood in the very front row. We danced, we sang, the dancing astronauts took a video with my phone on stage, there was confetti and crowd surfing, and the lead singer gave my roommate a hug in the middle of the show.
Ellie Closen
Taylor Worden
My favorite concert I’ve ever been to in Lawrence was a Panic! At the Disco concert at the Bottleneck last year. The concert was a last minute popup concert that they sold the tickets for the day of. My roommate also touched Brendon Urie’s hand and even though I didn’t, I feel as if she did it for the both of us.
My favorite show I’ve been to in Lawrence is without a doubt Kyle back in 2017 at the Granada. This was my first time seeing him and the third concert I have ever been to. He is to this day the best performer I have ever seen.
Kayla Jarrett
Brian Locascio
The most memorable concert I have been to in Lawrence was Jon Bellion at the Granada on Halloween. It was great because I had been listening to his music for 4 years and I finally got a chance to see him for the first time. Additionally, I got to go to the concert with my best friend who also shared my love for his music. It was a night I will never forget.
Alisa Agostinelli
My favorite concert in Lawrence was the With Confidence/Broadside co-headliner when they took their Love & Loathing in Paradise tour here last December. They brought up the energy in the crowd so well and put their all in the performance from beginning to end. They had great production, played a great set and overall gave a really interactive and fun experience.
Olivia Jones
My favorite concert in Lawrence was my first: Whethan at the Bottleneck. Whethan had been on my concert bucket-list ever since I had heard his remix of “Falling” by Opia, and seeing him perform it live was better than I could’ve imagined. Of all the shows I’ve been to, Whethan is still a stand-out and top 5 show. The most memorable concert I’ve ever been to in Lawrence would have to be Odd Future way back in the day at The Granada. I’ve been to lots of rowdy shows over the years, but the energy in the building that night was unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. I’d seen them the year before without Earl, but seeing the whole group back together was amazing.
Elliott Boog-Scott
Austen Romstedt
My favorite concert in Lawrence this year was Action Bronson. It was my first big show being on Live Music Committee and it was something I’ll never forget. We had been preparing basically the whole year after it got rescheduled and so it was really nice to see it all come together.
Ally Brunner
My favorite Lawrence show I’ve been to is probably Knucklepuck and Homesafe at the Bottleneck in 2017. The energy was amazing and I’m in love with Ryan Rumchaks so seeing him on stage twice in one night made my life.
My favorite Lawrence show I’ve ever been to HAS to be Princess Nokia back in 2017. Seeing her was a literal dream come true, and the energy she had on stage was unreal. Also, (not to flex or anything) she grabbed my hand during the show and I think about that every waking moment of my life.
Emma Hopkins
Benji Bloom
(Besides Action Bronson) My favorite concert in Lawrence was Flatbush Zombies at the Granada in 2016.We truly moshed the night away. The rap trio is a major reason for my investment and dedication to hip-hop and music in general. If it wasn’t for them, I probably wouldn’t be here booking shows today.
Closing Remarks Letting go of something that played such a significant role in my life will be hard. I think of it as leaving someone I thought I was destined to be with, but having to let go despite the heartache, because I know it is only the beginning,, only a stepping stone in the path to becoming who I am meant to be. It is difficult to put into words all that KJHK means to me and did for me. Since my first year at KU, KJHK has been a refuge for my soul, a safe space, a home. It is a place of exploration and joy, A place to push boundaries, take charge and go against the grain, A place to connect with people through (good) music, A place that welcomes being different without the need to apologize. It is a place where the stresses of college and life became bearable. For me, KJHK is more than a college radio station. It is a family and a community. I always joke that KJHK was my major. Although it wasn’t, my involvement in KJHK benefited me just as much, if not more, than either of my majors. KJHK gave me the skills, opportunities, and network necessary to get my foot in the door and pursue a career in the music industry. It truly helped me make my dreams a reality. KJHK allowed me to explore and develop my identity; It empowered me. Although I didn’t know it at the time, KJHK was my lifeline and kept me going when nothing else could. KJHK helped make me unapologetically me. It gave me some of the best friends I could have ever asked for. If you still have the privilege of being a part of KJHK, my advice would be to pour yourself in and let it all flow, because you really get as much out of it as you put in (so experience as much as you can). Never underestimate the power of college radio, the power of music, and the power of art, for its beauty will amaze you. It’s been real KJ~
Lorena de la O, 2018-19 Station Manager