Carol Miller has been a staple on the New York City airwaves and a favorite among Rock Radio listeners. Her 40 year career has been filled with success, good times and hardships, as well. Miller has now chronicled her storied career in her new memoir, Up All Night: My Life And Times In Rock Radio.
By Mark LaSpina
Carol Miller
Carol Miller is a legend on the airwaves of New York City, and to her legion of loyal listeners. Her path to radio began when she volunteered at the student radio station while attending the University of Pennsylvania as a pre-med student. That experience would lead to a part-time gig on Philadelphia’s new free-format FM rock station, WMMR, which ultimately landed her a part-time position a few years later at WNEW/New York.
In her new memoir, “Up All Night: My Life and Times in Rock Radio,” Miller chronicles her storied forty years in radio. In that time she earned a law degree, was an early champion Bruce Springsteen, had relationships with rock musicians, married and divorced an MTV inaugural VJ, and now enjoys a long happy second current marriage. In stark parallel to the celebrity stories, are Miller’s private dealings with cancer, having been diagnosed with breast cancer not long before turning 40. Today Miller can be heard on WAXQ (Q104.3)/New York, Sirius XM and United Stations’ syndicated “Get The Led Out.”
Why did you wait until now to write your memoirs?
Good question…I never intended to write anything! But unbelievably I got a letter from an editor at Harper Collins asking if I wanted to do so. I gave it a shot, and wrote it all on my own; of course with corrections from the wonderful editor.
As a woman at the forefront of Rock Radio, in what was a male-dominated genre, what were some of the hurdles you had to go through to be accepted and ultimately successful?
At the time, I never really thought about it. “Progressive Radio” was just something totally different that I wanted to do. I didn’t even think of it as a “business.” It was just part of the “cultural revolution.” In retrospect, there were (are) two different issues: how to come across on the air with the listeners and how to navigate the day-to-day business side. On the air, it was easier. I just wanted to be your friend who happened to be a girl who played our music rather than be an ‘act.’ Strangely enough, that was kind of a new concept.
As far as the business side, it was/is always the politics, plus at the time, there was also a “Mad Men” vibe at some of the stations. But I think it was like that in most businesses. This made it more difficult, as a woman, to get out of the office, keep your job and get ahead on a daily basis, and try and stay in one piece. My motto became “when in doubt, get out!”
You’ve worked with and alongside the legends of New York radio. Among them, who influenced you the most and what made them unique and special?
The “greats” I learned the most from (and I still need some help!) came from a totally different initial orientation than I did: super-coordinated time conscious Top 40 radio. They used that set of skills and put them to use in different settings and formats with their own spins: Scott Muni, Cousin Brucie, Jim Kerr, Pat St. John, Rick Sklar, Larry Berger, Scott Shannon (should be in there but never actually worked with him) and have to include props to MTV‘s late J.J. Jackson. Also Bob Pittman, without whom…In another category, what else can be said about Howard? Everyone tried to copy him.
I was also inspired by the only other woman I met early on, the glamorous Alison Steele. She carried her own equipment and showed up to work when she wasn’t feeling well, and of course, created her lasting persona. I tried (try) to learn from all of them. Not too keen on people who become “legends in their own mind,” if you know what I mean.
You found much of your radio success at the tightly formatted WPLJ in the eighties when that station was in its Album Oriented Rock (AOR) heydays. Coming from prior more free-form stations, how challenging was making the transition?
I had no problem at all with this transition, because it made sense. There were just too many albums coming out and in the library at that point for one person to solely use his own taste to determine what was popular. I talk about that in the book. There was plenty of leeway for jocks’ creativity at Larry Berger’s WPLJ format, seems like people just don’t want to hear that. But I can prove it if you make me! You would be blown away by how much more freedom there was to put together an individual, but station-consistent show.
As a pioneering figure for women in Rock Radio, who do you think are some of the women that carry that torch in the industry in general, both then and now?
I would definitely include all formats of popular music radio. We’re all doing a similar job. I think my Clear Channel sisters in New York are great: Helen Little, Cherry Martinez, Maria Milito, Shelley Wade, of course Zena Burns, Sharon Dastur in programming. Always impressed by Wendy Williams, Angie Martinez, back in the day, La Mar Renee and Vy Higginson and big respect for Joan Hamburg at WOR…whatever she says still sells!
Your radio roots reflect an era when just about all of radio was locally programmed and locally staffed. It’s a different era these days, with talent and programming importation and the like. In contrasting the eras, what do you feel are the distinct advantages/disadvantages to each of them?
Well, from somewhere in the corporate management point of view it’s cheaper and more efficient to import and voice-track, etc., and I’m certainly happy to be working for large media corporations.
But as a jock, nothing beats local and live in so many ways. And that’s a long discussion. Basically, I don’t think of voice-tracking as “doing a radio show.” It’s not even like hosting a pre-recorded live show. Voice-tracking is speaking the lines and acting – kind of like playing a DJ on WKRP in Cincinnati. Plus, you’re lying because you’re saying you’re there! So, I try to be a pretty good liar.
What changes/evolutions in radio (social networking, digital platforms) do you find especially appealing these days?
Uh-oh. Not trying to be deliberately old school here, but I’m not actually sure a lot of these “evolutions” aren’t distracting and drawing listeners away from the radio in general. On their own time, it’s something else. Also don’t know if most of these platforms do anything to increase our ARB’s, and we don’t get ARB credit for streaming…so my jury is still out. But I think tweeting what’s coming up on your show is a good way to get the word out if someone isn’t listening at the time.
For usage of all these platforms iHeartRadio ties them all in so well. Plus, you can listen to hundreds of stations from around the country – really fun, and be part of collective events like the iHeartRadio Festival. Of course, if all this social networking is what we’re doing work-wise, I’m happy to be on board with the program. Evaluating these programs is really not my job.
Throughout your four decade career what period of time was your favorite?
Musically, pre-MTV formatted AOR. We got to play the hits and introduce new music as well, with plenty of room for specialty features and personality. In the book, I discuss my “theory” as to how radio’s reaction to MTV in effect killed AOR, and established Classic Rock. So, we’re basically talking the ’70’s. Business-wise, my favorite times were at ABC’s WPLJ in the ‘70s, and forClear Channel’s Q104.3 right now.
Talk about your relationships with some icons in the Rock music arena. What was the good, the bad and the ugly about having relationships with Rock stars?
At the time, coming from my old-world background, the funny part is that I didn’t understand that world-wide Rock-stars in their twenties weren’t necessarily looking to settle down into a conventional life. That’s how I tried to depict these situations in the book. “Rock musicians” were guys I met through my job, and I didn’t understand they didn’t exactly live a normal lifestyle. However, they always treated me well, as a girlfriend. Hard to believe, but as I describe in the book, I never actually saw any of the reported debauchery that was going on all around me. (Except for some hotel destruction, and other people’s drugs.) The traveling perks were nice, and of course so was all the excitement. Those situations just didn’t work out, and the guys involved were very different personalities, but genuinely good people.
In the book you describe your eerie encounter with Mark David Chapman, the man who assassinated John Lennon. Can you share a little of that story?
I tell it in detail in the book, but….my apartment is right next to the Dakota, and just walking to the corner I brushed right by Chapman who was hanging out there for several days. I thought he looked creepy, and couldn’t understand why the doormen/guards at the Dakota allowed people to loiter. The Dakota was known around the neighborhood for its poor security, and that is the real reason why Chapman was able to park himself near the entry gate. I arrived home from work right after the tragedy happened, they had just taken Lennon in the ambulance, and the crowd was pouring in.
Let’s play word association… What’s the first thing that pop’s into your mind:
Robert Plant: Very chatty. Saw Zep at the 2007 reunion and they were amazing. But I wish he would stop trying to impress the critics at NPR…Zeppelin has “artistic merit,” and it’s just not right to keep standing Jimmy Page up!
Eric Clapton: Loved his “Armani period.” We went to the same hair cutter in the ’80’s, (when he had the good haircut!). I used to see them sweeping his hair off the floor on Madison Avenue.
Paul McCartney: We schoolgirls had it right decades ago. He is a musical genius and “the perfect husband” at the same time. LOL. Sharper and more acerbic wit than you might expect. An inspiration. He’s done it all and still is at 70!
Bruce Springsteen: The minute I saw him live and met him in July of ’73….I knew, you’d have known. He was shy, but destined for greatness. It was all about cars, girls, relationships and making it though another day, before he evolved into a social or political spokesman.
Jon Bon Jovi: Very smart and extremely hard-working from the get-go; always punctual for interviews and in charge of his situation. Deserves every bit of his success.
Was it difficult for you to share the stories regarding your health issues?
Yes, but I figured I had to include the longtime two-fold “Big C” fights and tons of surgeries if it were to be a real memoir, because it’s been so much a part of my life, but not a part I’ve wanted to drag the listeners into on a daily basis over the years. That’s not very entertaining. When I’d be in Sloan Kettering for a week, I would say I was on vacation.
How is your health these days?
And thanks for asking. Always being tested. I just got a clear result (!) after a recurrence last year. Never felt better.
When people finish reading the book, what would you like them to come away thinking?
If you love what you do, and you want to work, you’ve gotta keep going into work, no matter what. Never mind the problems. And, radio’s still the most personal and efficient medium for reaching millions of people. I think it’ll all come out in the wash!
[eQB Content By Mark LaSpina]
