The Misadventures of Eddie Turner AKA DJ LiteBrite #2
-Finding Your Name
Week Two of this journal for class, and the second story from the radio station. This is going to be about trying to find my DJ name. It might sound like an easy task, but it’s pretty much like giving yourself a nickname…and that can be a daunting task, because this will be who you are on the air and how everyone will know you.
It was Wednesday, the day of my show. I showed up early to look through the stacks and to plan my show out. I was in the Music Library staring at the wall when James walked in.
“Hey, Eddie how’s it going?”
“Oh, hey James, it’s going good. I am just looking for CDs. What are you up to?”
James walked over and began to inspect my stack of CDs I’d made, “I’m on air right now, and I saw you in here.”
“So you’re the DJ before me? Cool,” I said pulling a They Might Be Giants album off the shelf.
“Yep, I didn’t know you were after me. I think Matt is after you as well, so it should be a pretty awesome couple shows of music.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it will be, I think your song is ending there James.”
“Damn it. See you in a minute.” James ran into the studio.
As I watched through the window I saw James grab the mic.
“Hey everybody, James Walters here, and you’re listening to KDSK. It’s about three in the afternoon and we’ve got some great music coming your way. Coming up at the top of the hour, my good friend Eddie will be taking over the mic,” I heard through the speakers.
I finished grabbing CDs and walked into the Studio and sat down with my whole stack of about twenty albums.
“Eddie, have you picked a DJ name yet? James asked.
I was sorting through the CDs, “No, do you think I need one?”
“It couldn’t hurt. I’ve been working on one for myself without much luck.”
“Well do you have any ideas for one?”
“You got to come up with one yourself, dude.”
“Fine, I’ll think of something, how much time do I have before I go on?”
James looked at the clock on the sound board, “About five minutes.”
“Alright I’ll put my first CD in and line up an ID.”
I slid They Might Be Giants into the top CD Player, and turned the knob to select the fourth track.
“Well Eddie, this is my last song so get ready.” James said moving to another chair in the room.
“Aren’t you going to leave?” I said as I found the ID I wanted on the computer.
“I will. I just want to see how you start it off.”
“Fine, just stay quiet.”
I sat down and waited for the song to come to an end and played the ID, featuring some artist saying the call letters and city. I’m not sure who they are but it works for me. I pull the mic in front of me, “Hello everyone, DJ LiteBrite at your service, and we’ve got three hours of great music coming your way. Call in any requests you may have and I’ll do my best to get it on the air. We’ll be starting with They Might Be Giants as well as some other good stuff.”
I pressed the CD 1 button on the sound board and the music started playing.
“DJ LiteBrite is the best you could come up with? What’s wrong with you?” James was laughing so hard he almost fell out of his chair.
“What? It was the first thing I could think of, I’ll change it later but for now I’m DJ LiteBrite.”
After that James just sat there for a bit, watching me, and looking at his phone.
The light on the wall indicating a phone call was coming started flashing. I picked up, “KDSK.”
“Hey, great start to the show. I’ve got a quick request.”
“Sure thing, what is it?”
“Could you play something by Husker Du?”
“Yeah, I can get that on for you.”
“Thanks anything would be great.”
“No problem.”
“Have a good day.”
“You too,” I hung up the phone and looked at James. “Who’s Husker Du?”
“Really, you don’t know who they are?” James got up and walked to the wall and pulled off a CD. “This is Husker Du, did they ask for anything in particular?”
“No, he just asked me to play something.”
He looked at the back of the case, “Here play number two, Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill.” He handed me the album.
I played his suggestion and it was pretty good. I ended up asking my listeners if they had a better suggestion for my DJ name, and no one called in this time. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect DJ name.
Signing off,
Eddie, DJ LiteBrite