Jason Bentley sounds off on the state of terrestrial radio in LA
Onbeat.com spoke with radio and club DJ extraordinaire Jason Bentley about the state of dance music in America. Point blank, when we asked him whether the genre has been getting its fair share of exposure on mainstream terrestrial platforms, Jason answered: “No, not really.”
He thinks the normal radio formats “only interpret the most mainstream or commercial face and sound of dance music,” which is why Bentley and crew’s musical repertoire on Southern California National Public Radio flagship station KCRW is a bit of an anomaly in LA. “We've taken advantage of the uniqueness in the LA market to turn that into a strength,” Bentley explains, “representing music across the board.”
Conversely, Bentley points out, “the psyche of LA managed to stake out a claim for the soundtrack of LA at night.” Angelinos welcome Bentley’s eclectic blend (broadcast primarily in LA and Orange County on 89.9 FM), which includes music from progressive pop and club culture along with avant-garde hip-hop from J Dilla to DJ shadow to DJ Cam. And with podcasts offering separate content than what airs on radio (at the www.kcrw.com website) KCRW is becoming a broadband standard on Internet and radio dials across the country. Jason Bentley can also be heard on commercial alternative giant KROQ with his Afterhours show Saturday nights.
Onbeat: Do you see acts off the radar—read: non-Bllboard charted dance tracks—getting their fair share of representation on terrestrial radio?
Jason Bentley: No, not at all. Your observation that it's off the radar—the radar is Billboard, essentially—they're not getting the attention. The typical dance music station has a commercial format, which means some pretty bad stuff.
[With KCRW] I'm looking for the cornerstone; the odd bits: Goldfrapp's new record, DJ Bootsie from Budapest, et al. There is a KCRW sensibility; this eclectic, global sophistication. Collectively, we lock onto certain bands and make our own: Zero 7, Gotan Project, Massive Attack over the years, Radiohead and Thievery Corporation. We're able to hone in on these bands that fall in through the cracks, helping them break through on their own terms. There's always room for what's next. It might not be what's traditionally understood as dance music. It can be more cerebral. There's been a lot of rhythmic, cross-pollination of dance and rock.
Onbeat: What do you think is the future state of dance music on terrestrial radio?
JB: I can't say I have much of an expectation there. The music itself has a philosophy of being forward thinking, independent because the scene necessarily had to exist on its own without the support of the mainstream.
Distribution networks, the sharing, all happens in a world apart from the mainstream. There are popular websites to distribute and talk about the music, and some accessible radio stations such as KCRW online with streaming audio. Shows are produced originally for the internet broadcast. My show (Metropolis, weeknights) is cut down and re-purposed for online.
The future state of dance music is a continuing building of a foundation online in communities. I don't expect Terrestrial radio to all of a sudden get progressive, edgy content. But there are more ways this community—typically they are the first ones there—figuring out ways to get the new music out there. They will be on the front lines.
Image: Jason Bentley; Photo credit: Marc Goldstein
Jason Bentley can also be heard on commercial alternative giant KROQ with his Afterhours show Saturday nights.
Interview by Dennis Sebayan
