Three years into his KISS/San Antonio PD gig, L.A. Lloyd is sitting pretty at the helm of one of the Active Rock format’s most dominating stations.  The Cox Radio Active Rock outlet is consistently top rated and is San Antonio’s top billing station.  It was a long road to San Antonio for L.A. Lloyd that began at WKZQ/Myrtle Beach in the mid-`80s when it was a Top 40 legend.  He’s also held down stints at KCAQ/Ventura, WROX/Norfolk, KROX/Austin, before Capstar recruited him in 1998 and began their “Star System” division.  In 2000, his syndicated show, LA Lloyd’s Rock 30, began national syndication. Prior to KISS, he was PD for KPEZ/Austin. FMQB caught up with L.A. Lloyd for the lowdown on his first three years in the KISS PD chair.

eQB presents excerpts from the August FMQB magazine Rock Up Closewith KISS/San Antonio PD L.A. Lloyd

On his first three years at KISS…
I have a lot of proud moments at KISS in my past three years including consistent top ratings and top billing in San Antonio.  That is a big task for any Active Rock station to do no matter what the market is.  I would like to use Frank Lloyd Wright’s (the greatest American architect of all time) answer when asked what the best building he had ever designed was.  His answer was “his next one.”  I like to keep looking forward so my proudest accomplishment will be “my next one.”

On the secret to the station’s longevity…
For the past 16 years, KISS has remained the best Rock station because it is always true to the audience’s expectations.  The station continually strives to recreate the KISS brand to make it better.  San Antonio’s Hispanic population is assimilated primarily English speaking and that makes us different from other Hispanic markets.  Cox Radio invests in what the audience wants and addresses this by means of traditional, Internet research, and major perceptual studies.

On marketing and imaging strategies used to maintain the KISS brand…
You begin by highlighting the most successful morning show in San Antonio’s history.  Lisle and Hahn is a staple in this city.  We feature audio clips from the morning show every hour on KISS to reinforce their brand.  In addition, we have had several different outdoor campaigns to promote the morning team.  Everyone is on a different playing field compared to five years ago in regards to branding your station.  My goal was to get KISS in front of the San Antonio audience in any possible means.

On the music position of today’s KISS…
KISS has always been the loudest station in San Antonio.  We have continued this approach since the beginning to the present due in part to the audience’s high degree of passion for heavier rock.  I work with a great team in Dave Brewer and Virgil Thompson.  We are fortunate to have the research tools to ensure we are playing the right songs for our targeted audience.  While KISS prides itself on the heavier side, we know a hit is a hit and are not above playing mainstream artists like 3 Doors Down, Nickelback, Staind, Puddle of Mudd etc.

On how KISS negotiates the balance of classic & new music…
KISS has managed to continue moving forward in regards to new music from Judas Priest in the `70s, Guns N Roses and Queensryche in the `80s, Nirvana and KoRn in the `90s to the bands of today like System Of A Down, Mudvayne and Slipknot.  Our music library is built from extensive research and as time marches forward; our audience lets us know what they want with a demanding voice.  In regards to the classic artists we play, Black Sabbath, Guns N Roses, Ozzy and the KINGMetallica still research well year after year.

On the Lisle & Hahn Morning Show’s longevity…
Lisle and Hahn is a local San Antonio morning show… period.  They embrace this city and the people who work and live here.  Their familiarity is unmatched by any other personalities in this market.  I can simply compare it to a hit sitcom. You know the characters, the storyline, and the timeslot.  You want to listen to see what they will do, say or react to a situation.  I am fortunate as a PD to have a morning show that has been successful for several years but is still open to ideas that keep the show relevant and moving forward.

On “L.A. Lloyd’s Rock 30” celebrating its 8th anniversary…
Ah…the Rock 30, my dream come true.  As a kid, I remember listening to Casey Kasem and thinking how cool it would be to do one show that was heard on a lot of radio stations.  I didn’t know what syndication was but I did know I liked traveling to other cities and hearing a show I was already familiar with.  We are now on 35 stations across the U.S. and still growing.  I have to say the pleasure I get from the show now is that it is acknowledged by the record labels and the bands that have co-hosted several times.  There are not a lot of syndicated rock shows out there anymore.  It is a great feeling to have the Rock 30 in the big trio of Rockline and Hard Drive.

** QB Content by Michael Parrish **

Also in the August Issue:

Q&A – KIBZ/Lincoln, NE PD Tim Sheridan
Tim Sheridan has spent three decades in broadcasting and over half of his career at one station: KIBZ (104.1 The Blaze) in Lincoln, NE. He has also spent almost his entire time at the Blaze in mornings alongside his co-host “The Animal.” Sheridan took some time out to discuss his longevity and KIBZ being an established Active Rock station entrenched in a small market.

Jet Black Stare Gets “Ready To Roll”
Jet Black Stare frontman and songwriter Rod Black has been performing since he was six-years-old and started his first band at the age of 13. After making a name for himself in his local Vancouver music scene, he traveled to New York in September 2006 to perform for L. A. Reid and IslandRecords. Reid liked what he saw, so with a record deal in place, Black went home and assembled a band to bring to life the bushel of songs he had written with producer Jeff Johnson. Now, Jet Black Stare has only been playing together for a short time, but they are already getting their first taste of life on the road with Staind, Hinder and 3 Doors Down while their debut album, In This Life, just hit stores. Read on to see what Black had to say about his new single and the near-death experiences that inspired his songs.