DJ Profile: Danielle

DJ: Danielle

Hometown: Green Brook, NJ

Favorite Bands: August Burns Red, E-Town Conrete, Korn, Parkway Drive, Emmure, Alexisonfire

Hobbies: Spending money :-), wasting gas on random adventures, and listening to music of course!!!

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1. Becoming the music director 2. interviewing evergreen terrace in studio! They were absolutely insane and I loved every minute of it. 3. Meeting E-Town Concrete!!! 4. Standing on the railing of the daily E-Town reunion show and was personally given Teddy's drumstick and a sweaty hug from him after the show!!!1. Becoming the music director 2. interviewing evergreen terrace in studio! They were absolutely insane and I loved every minute of it. 3. Meeting E-Town Concrete!!! 4. Standing on the railing of the daily E-Town reunion show and was personally given Teddy's drumstick and a sweaty hug from him after the show!!!

About: My name is Danielle. I have been listening to WSOU since I was 14 years old. I started working here at 17 years old. It was pretty cool being one of the youngest staff members at one time. WSOU has to be one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It not only introduced me to some of the coolest people ever but definately opened my eyes to a whole new world of music. I love having a good time and laughing. You can always find a smile on my face. :)


(Up next: The Wiz - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Gabby

DJ: Gabby

Hometown: Clark, NJ

Favorite Bands: Disturbed, Rammstein, Lamb of God, Hatebreed, All That Remains, Killswitch Engage, Metallica, Nightwish

Hobbies: Working in a bakery, volunteering at the Jersey Animal Coalition shelter, watching the NJ Devils play, and going to as many metal shows as I possibly can.

Favorite WSOU Experience: Interviewing Shaun Glass of Dirge Within. I later met him and the rest of the band when they played with Trivium in November at the Irving Plaza. I got to hang out with the band the whole night, got a bunch of freebies, and had a lot of fun.

About: Music is definitely one of my biggest passions, which is why I love working at WSOU so much. I love metal and enjoy listening to a lot of the bands we play. I also love going to concerts so chances are if you’re attending a metal show, you will probably run into me. Also, FACT: my last name means “cinnamon” in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.


(Up next: Danielle - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Stigz

DJ: Stigz

Hometown: Hasbrouck Heights, Dirty Jerz

Favorite Bands: Alkaline Trio, Five Finger Death Punch, Deftones, Thrice, Jimi Hendrix

Hobbies: Causing a raucous, spinning the dirty filthy beats when I’m not twisting your metal, generally being an intense dude, spelunking for clues, and stealing parking cones. Also: reading (Vonnegut and Palahniuk are favs), rock climbing, producing tracks and boxing...

Favorite WSOU Experience: Top 3: Rocking out @ S + S fest in Asbury Park, Interviewing/mercilessly hitting on Cassandra Ford from the Vincent Black Shadow (Google her and you’ll see!) and drinking with The Sleeping. Although every day I’m here something crazy tends to happen…

About: Art, music, and good times. That's what life should be.
I love music in all its capacity, from Mozart to Megadeth: Music Is Freedom.

Whether it's rockin’ out on your radio, or pumping bass from the booth, I love to be around music, so it seems like I’m in the right place. I’ve been at WSOU for what seems like forever, but wouldn't have it any other way.

On a lighter note, I have a weird phobia of the Aflac duck (that little orange billed dude is plotting!), would eat Ramen soup for the rest of my life, and my biggest pet peeve is slow walking people. Now for some shameless self promo: Catch me Sunday nights for ClubSessions, 10 pm - Midnight. Call on up and I'll shout you out. Get in touch with me: "Stigz" on Facebook or catch me on Myspace.


(Up next: Gabby - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Dr. A

DJ: Dr. A

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Favorite Bands: Neutral Milk Hotel, Nirvana, Brand New, Matisyahu, Kevin Devine

Hobbies: Writing, Snowboarding, Guitar, Photography, Stumble Upon.

Favorite WSOU Experience: It was a long 12-3 am shift. A Marine called me up and told me how much he loved the station and his girlfriend. Him and his girlfriend have been listening to the station for years. He's being shipped off to the Middle East in a few months and he asked me if I would propose to his girlfriend on air from him. They have been dating for four years. At first I thought it was a joke. As I listened to him further, I realized he was serious. So I did it. On live radio. She called in, and she said yes. She was soo incredibly happy. Then, there were about 20 callers who dedicated songs to them and their own significant others. I always knew this radio station was unique, but I really saw our influence on people as sappy as that might read. The combination of love and music was terrific. I have never even seen this couple in person.

About: I've taken four semesters of German and I can barely speak a sentence in it. Besides that, I can eat like a mammoth. Furthermore, I am obsessed with vinyl lately. When I graduate from SHU, I want to help people. That means I will probably end up being a journalist, lawyer, or professional volunteer. I would like to travel the world with you. WSOU is an awesome community to be a part of. It's given me really cool opportunities to report news, influence via music, meet bands, and party with staff at Cryans.


(Up next: Stigz -- to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)


HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT WSOU!

DJ Profile: Steve Stracq

DJ: Steve Stracq

Hometown: Jersey City, NJ

Favorite Bands: Suffocation, Lamb of God, Warbringer, Napalm Death, Black Label Society, Slipknot

Hobbies: Obviously listening to music (more specifically thrash and death metal, but I appreciate all music) being a nerd, baseball, working out (which I need to get back to doing!!!), being really loud and obnoxious and laughing.

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1) Getting a bloody nose only 2 minutes into the Mayhem Festival moshing and yelling at the Wiz that I’m still moshing later. 2) Interviewing Karl Sanders of Nile and listening to him yell at his dog Nola for being annoying. 3) The one night Out of Babylon got canceled after Vintage 80’s and That Guy and I turned the studio into our own concert. 4) Vintage 80’s after-parties Thursday nights at my house during the summer with my roommates and That Guy and the Jackhammer.

About: My name is Steve Stracq, and ever since I was 10 I’ve been an avid listener of WSOU. You can thank my cousin and his old death metal band for pretty much corrupting me by introducing me to the world of metal at such a young age, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My major has absolutely nothing to do with radio (Biology/Athletic training). After a couple of wrong turns throughout college, I never thought I’d ever be a DJ at WSOU, the place I admired growing up and could always count on. But hey, you never know where life can take you. I don’t know how to sit still; I’m very loud and have abnormal amounts of energy at all hours of the day. I’m all about having a good time, and I enjoy doing what I do, and that’s entertaining and making people forget about their problems.


(Up next: Dr. A -- to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Ms Scarlett

DJ: Ms. Scarlett

Hometown: E-Town!

Favorite Bands: Within Temptation, Children of Bodom, Slipknot, Opeth, Life of Agony

Hobbies: Arts & Crafts, reading vampire novels, watching Sons of Anarchy

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1) Making Trivium cupcakes when they were at WSOU for an interview. Matt took a bunch of cupcakes with him for his dad who helps manage the band. 2) Thanksgiving dinner with Life of Agony complete with turkey was also pretty awesome. The band really liked the pumpkin pie I made. 3) Turning the corner in the hall of WSOU one day and running basically smack into Burton C. Bell...and then I called him Dan C. Bell by mistake!

About: I have been around WSOU since late 2004. I am at Seton Hall to work on my Masters in English hoping to teach high school before the little children I normally work with devour me. I like to go to shows in other states besides the NJ/NY area. I've traveled to Baltimore and Worcester, MA to go to shows. My goal is to one day go to Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany, the largest metal festival of Europe.


(Up next: Steve Stracq - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

X-Promo: StarBeat's Life of Agony photos from the Highline Ballroom 12/15/09

Earlier this week, Starchild of Star Beat got some great pictures and wrote an excellent rundown of Life of Agony's second (of 2) anniversary shows. This one was at the Highline Ballroom, and WSOU Street Patrol artists One Brick Down and AnAkA opened up for them.

CLICK THROUGH FOR THE FULL REVIEW/PHOTOS/ETC.

(photo creds to Starchild of Star Beat)

DJ Profile: The Scarecrow

DJ: The Scarecrow

Hometown: Muskegon, MI - Respect the Mitten!

Favorite Bands: Volbeat, Devin Townsend anything, Bane, Nightwish, In Flames, Ministry, Dredg

Hobbies: Cooking, hunting Bigfoot, and constantly reminding the locals that there are 48 other states in the USA besides NY & NJ!

Favorite WSOU Experience: There's been many, but I'll go with two: 1) Getting the crap beaten out of me at a Gallows show with That Guy, The Jackhammer, Jen and Starchild in a too-hot, too-crowded basement in New Brunswick 2) doing election coverage both in the field and in-studio for the '08 Super Tuesday primaries as well as the '07 and '08 election days.

About: From the frozen north, it's me, the Scarecrow! So-named because in my sophomore year, Tiny happened to always see me on days where I was wearing flannel. It now appears that "The Lumberjack" might have been a better name, but we'll roll with what I've got. I like hockey, Metalocalypse and superheroes (Batman!). I make a good pot of chili... 4-alarm, so be warned. I also host the Campus Buzz on Sunday nights, so if you don't have your radios by 8 pm, turn them on! Contact me at WSOUScarecrow@gmail.com or find me on Twitter.


(Up next: Ms. Scarlett - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

Holiday Shopping Idea: WSOU threads!

Pick up some WSOU threads for your friends this holiday.

We've got three great new T-shirt designs for you (plus we still have some of the classic WSOU D.A.R.E. shirts kicking around, and as always our classic hoodie!)

Head over to our store to pick one up!

WIN STUFF - Gods of Fire's "Hanukkah Gone Metal"

HOLIDAY STIMULUS ALERT!

Thrice, Motorhead, Typo O Negative and It Dies Today aren’t the only WSOU bands that have put out holiday music.

Metalheads the Gods of Fire have just released Hanukkah Gone Metal. Enter here for a chance to win their CD.

(Just look at the epic album cover... how could you not want to enter?)

DJ Profile: Hot Pants

DJ: Hot Pants

Hometown: Hudson County -- Love to the 201!

Favorite Bands: Dethklok, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi (how could you not if you live in Jersey?), Reel Big Fish, Spice Girls

Hobbies: Cooking, crocheting, painting my nails and taking care of my fish (whose name is Alastor)

Favorite WSOU Experience: Working my Assistant Producer shift for Vintage 80s one night, only to discover that Tiny is interviewing Doro Pesch from Doro - LIVE IN STUDIO! SO cool to hang out with a rock legend!

About: I know you're all dying to find out how I got the name "Hot Pants" - I do actually have a killer sense of style. One day, I passed Scarecrow in the hallway wearing these great red leopard-print jeans (Yes, you read that right). He noticed them, and yelled "HEY! Hot Pants!" It stuck ever since.


(Up next: The Scarecrow! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Captain Morgan

DJ: Captain Morgan

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Favorite Bands: Dragonforce, Nightwish, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Arch Enemy

Hobbies: Everything Metal

Favorite WSOU Experience: Learning Finnish from Nightwish's Anette Olzon.

About: I grew up listening Q104.3, but didn't really get into music until late in high school, around the time I started listening to WSOU. Nightwish's Once was the first metal album I ever heard that was more recent than Rust In Peace-era Megadeth, and that pretty much led me to the musical taste I have now. I like flowers, long walks on the beach, and occasionally disemboweling my enemies alive with a rusty spoon I keep in my bag at all times. Listen into Storming the Ramparts on Wednesday nights, 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. - I play the best in power metal, speed metal, viking metal, etc.


(Up next: Hot Pants! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

WSO - YOU Takeover

Want to own our airwaves? This winter, WSOU is giving you the chance to commandeer our airwaves for an hour and decide what we play - it's the WSOU TAKEOVER!

The Takeover is a chance for you, the listeners, to play DJ for an hour. You pick the tunes, you call the shots, and your voice will get to be heard on air. It's our way of giving something back to our listeners.

To be considered for the WSOU Takeover, please send an e-mail to WSOUtakeover@gmail.com including your name, full address, phone number, age and preferred email address and we'll get this crazy train rolling.

A Ridiculously Funny Evening with Psychostick: 12-12-09

Caffeine!
In my Coffee!
Caffeine!
In my Mountain Dew!
Caffeine

In espresso!

Many have heard the awesome and goofy lyrics of Psychostick grace the airwaves of WSOU, with songs ranging from Caffeine (above lyrics) to Minimum Rage. Their songs alone are entertaining and ear-catching, so of course when I found out they were coming around to NJ, I was stoked. Saturday, December 12th, I had the pleasure of attending a local show with their headlining presence. This was something different for me because for the majority of the concerts I’ve been to, they’ve all been at big arenas or theaters. This time, I traveled down to Dingbatz, a tiny, yet cozy, bar/club right here in Clifton, NJ. The place was real easy to get to and had a friendly atmosphere.

The first band to perform that evening was Morbid Visions, right from Belmar. They put on a great set full of energy and had a big sound. They had a death metal/thrashy feel to their songs and definitely got the crowd warmed up. Be on the lookout for them opening up for D. Driver and Behemoth at the Starland Ballroom January 30th.

After Morbid Visions, another local band called Darkness Descends played. They differed a bit from the first band in that they had a more hardcore metal, edgier set. The lead singer definitely did a great job pumping everyone up and having people mosh in the small space on the floor.

Finally, well past midnight, Psychostick took the stage. Everything about them was humorous and enjoyable, from their personalities and appearances to their song lyrics. Jimmy wore a Superman shirt in addition to his blue antenna spike on the top of his head. Rawrb wore his spike jester hat. Josh had on black and white pinstripe circus paints and even Jake sported a spinny top hat. The nice part about the band performing in a small club like Dingbatz was that the show was very intimate between the musicians and the fans. Several times Rawrb nodded, smiled, or waved to me in the crowd, as was similar with a bunch of other fans. Even before the show I hung out with and chatted with Jimmy. After their performance they stuck around to hang out with their fans and take pictures. All the guys were really chill and very funny.

They did a nice mix of songs off their first album, their holiday album, and their latest CD: Sandwich. Their set list, in no particular order, is as follows:

Minimum Rage
This is Not a Song, It’s a Sandwich
P is the Best Letter
Die…a Lot!
Aqua Teen
ABCDeath
Two Ton Paperweight
Scrotal Torment
Beer!
The Jagermeister Love Song
Jingle Bell Metal
Silent Night
Happy F-ing New Year

Aside from their undeniably fantastic, humor-filled songs ranging from drinking beer to crappy first job experiences, subjects almost everyone in their listening audience can relate to, the music was serious in every way. This wasn’t just a bunch of guys singing random, stupid stuff to whatever they can bang out on their instruments. The music was very tight and well done to compliment the song lyrics. The guys did a superb job on every rhythm, break down, and melody. Their beats were right on and very catchy. For a laid back, silly band, their music did not cut corners at all. Psychostick made their set fun with synchronized moves, Jimmy collecting donations for his jail bail, and stories. Everyone made their way to the floor during Psychostick’s set, either moshing, headbanging, or just laughing along. Even for a small club, the floor was decently filled with lots of people having a good time. Definitely one of my favorite performances of the year and great night overall.

By: Gabby Canella

DJ Profile: Jen

DJ: Jen

Hometown: Plant City, Florida

Favorite Bands: Alexisonfire, Haste The Day, Evergreen Terrace, Against Me, Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying

Hobbies: Being a sorority girl, accounting and WSOU!

Favorite WSOU Experience: Hanging out on Killswitch Engage's tour bus during Rockstar Mayhem!

About: I am a bit of a hippie, so i hear, but I don't believe it! I'm from the south but you could never tell. I like to laugh... a lot. I love indie and screamo, but I'm always up for anything.


(Up next: Captain Morgan! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: That Guy

DJ: That Guy

Hometown: Pennsauken, NJ

Favorite Bands: Lamb of God, All That Remains, Evergreen Terrace, Trivium, Gojira, Grimus, Dark Avatar.

Hobbies: Failing Accounting, Drinking (which helps with failing Accounting), METAL and being "That Guy"

Favorite WSOU Experience: Interviewing Judas Priest, Slipknot, Max Cavalera and countless other bands... dozens and still counting!!!

About: I love metal. Keep it loud, keep it fast, keep it crazy. I love playing blocks of other stuff. I love requests. I would love to do this job for a living but I know there are no jobs... so I am enjoying the living crap out of it while I can.


(more DJ profiles to come - to see them all, check them out on WSOU.net!)

Coming soon: New WSOU merchandise

Here's a sneak peek at some of our new WSOU merchandise, available soon.



(All Photos by Luke Brereton)