Seniors Emily Hochman, Kelsey Berger and Kathryn Lin

DJ of the Week: Alex Mathieu '15

Why did you get involved in WBOR?Alex Mathieu: One of my good friends, Jennifer Goetz ’15, had a radio show with another student so I thought I would give it a try.
Why is your show called “That One Chick Radio?”AM: Isn’t it obvious? It’s just me.
What kinds of music do you play?AM: I try to do a theme every week. Last week was R&B-themed, this week will be ’80s-themed. It varies week to week.
How do you choose which songs to play for each theme?AM: Just my own personal interest. I mean, I have a wide array of taste in music. I personally like the ’80s, so I play music from the ’80s and I also like R&B.
How do you want your listeners to feel while tuned into your show?AM: I want them to feel happy that they’re listening to my songs and excited that they’re finding new music.
If you could choose one lyric to define your life, what would it be?AM: It’s definitely going to be from a Fall Out Boy song. Probably, “Isn’t it messed up how I’m just dying to be him?” from “Sugar We’re Going Down.” A quintessential Fall Out Boy lyric.
What era would you travel back in time to for the best music?AM: I don’t want to go any farther back than the ’90s. It was a good mix of grunge, super pop with boy and girl bands, weird urban funk, and hip-hop making this really weird shift to electric but still trying to maintain its ’80s groove.
What is your favorite throwback song?AM: “Say My Name,” by Destiny’s Child.
If you could see any performer from any period of time, who would it be?AM: It would probably be Michael Jackson circa the “Thriller” album.
What do you think are the most important parts of having WBOR on campus?AM: I think it’s a great form of self-expression. I relate to music in different ways and it helps me sort through my feelings. It also introduces the local Brunswick community to different types of music, different styles, especially if mainstream pop isn’t doing it so much.
If you have one song that you know can always pump you up, what would it be and why?AM: There is a song that always pumps me up, but it’s weird because I like rap and hip-hop to a certain extent but they’re not my niche. For some reason, Ludacris’ “Get Back” always gets me pumped for anything. I don’t know what it is about that song but for tests, workouts, exams, presentations, it’s Ludacris’ “Get Back.”
What are your favorite aspects of music?AM: I listen to a lot of Japanese—Korean and bossa nova too—and I don’t necessarily understand all of what they’re saying but a good beat is important.There was a reason why, when I was 13, I listened to a lot of Evanescence and Fall Out Boy: I was a little angsty kid. The lyrics mean a lot to me, but it’s how [the beat and the lyrics] work in relation to each other. If the beat is good, then yes I’ll like the song, but if the lyrics are really good and the beat is so-so, I’ll still groove to that song.
Are there any genres of music that you won’t listen to?AM: I won’t lie. I refuse to listen to screamo. I would say that although I understand why some genres are just not for everyone, giving each genre a chance is not a bad idea as well. I wouldn’t say I enjoy country all that much, but there are some country songs that I like. I feel like there is a song for everyone in every genre. Maybe not in screamo for me, but that’s my personal preference.
What else are you involved with here at Bowdoin?AM: I’m an R.A. on Residential Life, I’m on the Judicial Board and I co-direct an a cappella group.
Alex Mathieu ’15 hosts WBOR’s “That One Chick Radio” on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to noon.

DJ of the Week: Eva Sibinga '17 and Nick Benson '17

How did Awkward Hour form?Nick Benson: Well, it was my idea last year. I was hitting on Eva, and I wanted an opportunity to spend an hour with her without other people around, so I forced her to do a radio show with me.Eva Sibinga: I was extremely nervous and I didn’t really want to speak. And I think the first day I probably said ten words. But after that it calmed down.
What’s behind the name Awkward Hour?NB: I’m awkward. Eva’s awkward. We’re both super weird.ES: We’re not that weird. It does a disservice to people who are actually really weird if we call ourselves very weird.NB: I’m weirdly straightforward.ES: I think the Awkward Hour is also nice because it gives us a lot of freedom. If you totally fuck up, you can just be like, “That was awkward!”
What do you guys do on the show?ES: Mostly we play music. We just have a little bit of conversation every few songs usually.NB: We fought for an hour today about whether or not I should wear a hair band. We play really sick music though. We’re probably really bad DJs, we’re probably really bad MCs, but we play great music.
What do you play on the show?NB: Literally everything.ES: Not literally everything. We don’t play contemporary country or contemporary pop. I’d say for the most part it’s classic rock, house, different forms of electronic music, low-key dubstep and soulful things like Ben Howard.NB: You can’t box us in like that. We’re a box without edges, an infinite box.
Do you plan the show each week?NB: That’s how we started, but now we just go in and do whatever comes to us.ES: There are some ongoing themes. And a joke about how I never wear colors.
Who’s your target audience?NB: My mom and dad.ES: Yeah, same.NB: My two friends who will actually listen to us. Crazy old people who live in the local area and call us up and say we are the heart and soul of America.ES: That did happen once.
Do you have a lot of callers?ES: We had two callers last year.NB: Two quite religious listeners.ES: And then some girl from his poetry class who said we were the best. That was pretty exciting.
Favorite moments on the show?ES: I can’t call to mind a date, but I remember leaving the studio feeling like, “Wow, that was an incredible show. We just put on an hour of really good music.”NB: Anytime someone texts me or tells me after that they were entertained for the whole hour is just a great time.
Favorite lyric?NB: I have a lot of favorite lyrics, but the one that’s coming to mind right now is in “American Girl” by Tom Petty when he says, “God it’s so painful that something that’s so close and still so far out of reach.” He says it really great, too, though. I can’t say it like Tom Petty. It’s a really great lyric.
Favorite artist?ES: Bach. He really informs the way that I listen to electronic music. It’s not reflected in the show though.
Favorite concert experience?ES: The National, June of my senior year of high school. It was at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn which is a pretty large, impersonal venue... But my friend and I were standing in the general admission, and Matt Berninger, who’s the lead singer, came down off the stage and walked right by us and we touched him and he reached out his hand. It was just exciting, and on top of that, I love their music.
Final thoughts for your audience?ES: When you’re chilling out, just put on WBOR and see what’s on. Even if you’re not listening for someone in particular, it’s really fun to just hear what people do on the radio.NB: If we have an audience, please text me. My number’s 207-449-9890. I’d really like to know that someone listens to our show.ES: You’re going to get no texts.NB: I’ll buy you a lot of food if you listen to my show every week.ES: We’re not begging though.NB: No, not at all.
Tune in to “Awkward Hour” with Sibinga and Benson every Monday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on WBOR 91.1 FM or stream the show online at wbor.org.

DJ of the Week

Seniors Emily Hochman, Kelsey Berger and Kathryn Lin

November 6, 2014

Nevan Swanson

**BAD KARMA:** (From left) Lin ‘15, Berger ‘15 and Hochman ‘15 host a radio show on Fridays.

How and when did you form Bad Karma?
Emily Hochman: It was pretty spontaneous. It was born of our souls. We had been friends for awhile.
Kelsey Berger: We are all intimately related to music in some form. Two of us are music minors.

Bad Karma is certainly an attention-getting name. What does it represent?
Kathryn Lin: The name Bad Karma comes from a middle school band I was part of and we played really cool covers like Nirvana and White Stripes. We adopted the name as our own for our radio station. It’s pretty funny.
EH: It’s not meant to be taken seriously. Definitely not.
KB: I would say the extent to which it influences our repertoire is mild.

Do the three of you have the same taste in music?
KL: No, but we understand each others tastes.
EH: I have this campaign to play Pink Matter by Frank Ocean every radio show.
KB: But that’s not a whole radio show!

Have your tastes evolved because of Bad Karma?
KL: I think we usually appreciate each others’ tastes.
KB: I have definitely heard things and thought that they were really cool, when I wouldn’t have thought to play them. I go home and add it to my Spotify favorites.

How do you incorporate aspects of your personalities into the show?
KB: I would say the show reflects our moods more than our personalities. If I have a [tough week] I listen to something grungy, and if I feel upbeat I listen to something very “woo.” We’ll be in pretty different moods so we’ll be listening to one song up in terms of tempo and energy and then something quieter with string music.
KL: I would say we listen to too wide of a range of genres to really have it relate to my personality. The genres I like are definitely a reflection of my specific personality.
What do you want your listeners to experience during the show?
KB: I kind of feel like we are DJing our own party and you can come to the party. I think it’s about balancing the songs I really want to hear right now and songs other people can enjoy.

If you could only listen to one song on loop, what would it be?
KB: “Sprawl II: Mountains Beyond Mountains” by Arcade Fire.
EH: I do listen to space sounds on occasion. NASA transferred space recordings into sounds we can hear. It’s good to study to.
KL: “Clarity” by Zedd.

What have been your favorite music experiences at Bowdoin?
EH: We loved Wavves. I loved Unplugged. The a cappella ensembles are always really good.
KB: I liked the Bowdoin Open Mic Night. We’re big fans of the student music scene.

Since you are all seniors, what are your final goals for Bad Karma this year?
EH: I think the show will end when we leave. It can live on in spirit.
KL: I don’t think anyone could emulate our collective tastes.

If you could join one band, which one would you choose?
KL: The Smashing Pumpkins.
KB: Dirty Projectors.
EH: My cousin has a band and I always wanted to be in it.

What else do you do on campus?
KL: Gospel choir, Bowdoin Chamber Choir, ASA [Asian Students Association].
EH: College Guild, the Bowdoin chapter of a non-profit.
KB: Bowdoin Chamber Choir, writing assistant, work in the [Hawthorne-Longfellow] Library.

Any final messages for your listeners?
KB: Call in! It makes the show more exciting.
EH: Join the party! Listen while you’re getting ready to go out.

Tune in to “Bad Karma” with Berger, Hochman and Lin every Friday from 10 p.m. until 11 p.m. on WBOR 91.1 FM or stream the show online at wbor.org.

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