A view from this side of the board...

I wouldn't call myself a calm person by any stretch, but I love confrontation and can tolerate a great deal of criticism.  What I can't tolerate is rudeness.  A listener who was less than inspired by the Mogwai song I played this week called in, said "Thank God that's over." and hung up on me.  The first half didn't piss me off, the second half did.  If you don't like what I'm playing, feel free to check out 107.5 or NPR or Jack.FM or put in a CD or a tape or sing to yourself or SOMETHING, but don't be rude to me.  Feel free as well to call me and let me know that you didn't like the song.  I don't mind.  Just give me a chance to explain to you that you not liking the song is never going to stop me from playing it.

We here at WRVU don't play the music we play so that anyone and everyone can appreciate it.  We don't care about the least common denominator.  We play it because we like it; we hope some of you do.  We play it because we believe that not everyone likes the same music.  We play it because we want what we love to have an audience--and if two hundred people turn off their radios and two people buy the album, we've been successful.  If we believed that our entire audience had to enjoy a song for it to be worth playing, we'd be another commercial Top 40 station.  

I know you think your music taste is THE BEST.  But do you remember how much you loved those ridiculous pop-punk bands when you were thirteen?  Or maybe you, like me, went through a ridiculous country music phase at age twelve.  Get over yourself.  I love it when we like the same music; I love it when you call in and want to know the name of a band, or where to buy an album, or when to catch someone live.  But the moment you start thinking that our DJs should be catering to your interests, you're missing the point.  We're not here for YOU.  We're here for the music.

So when you want to call in and tell me (or any of us) that you didn't like a song we played, keep this in mind: it's not your show.  When you call in and say you don't like a song and treat us rudely, you don't even make it to the status of music elitist--you come across like an asshole.  So for god's sake, at least give me the courtesy of a response.