My name is Ryan but here at KVRX my name is slickpocketzz for the time being. I host a freeform show called The Wild Silence every Saturday at 1 a.m. This has been my first year in KVRX and at UT and I've really enjoyed my time here so far.
How did you hear about KVRX and what made you want to do your show?
I really don't remember when I first heard about KVRX, but I knew I wanted to be involved somehow since before my first semester here at UT. I spend a lot of time listening to music and have enjoyed creating playlists and mixtape-type things in the past so naturally, KVRX seemed like a place where I could continue and expand my interest in music.
What kind of music do you play on your show and what is its overall theme?
The Wild Silence is a freeform show so I try to include a variety of genres within the hour-long program. In a typical hour, you'll most likely hear rock, funk, soul, jazz, electronic, and folk from artists around the world and from different time periods. I feel I'm a bit biased to playing older music as I enjoy looking for old hidden gems or older bands/artists I might not be familiar with. While the music is my main focus on the show, I also like to include my other interests in movies and literature. Usually, at the halfway point, I'll read a poem or book excerpt I enjoy with Sylvia Plath, Cormac McCarthy, Alice Notley, and James Tate being some of the featured writers so far. Sometimes to create a better transition between two songs, I'll add in short samples or audio from movies I enjoy like The Long Goodbye, Videodrome, Meantime, or True Stories. I really do enjoy putting together this program and yeah, I'm not sure how many people may be listening in any given week, but I always give an effort into bringing music that I really enjoy and take pride in sharing. I haven't heard much feedback on previous episodes, but my mom said I play a lot of "night music" so take that as you will.
What is your favorite part of being a DJ?
My favorite part of being a DJ here is having the opportunity to share my interests and expand my appreciation for music. While I haven't yet had the chance to meet many of the other DJs, the brief interactions I have had with other members have been positive and I enjoy the community that the organization seems to bring through mutual interests and passions. I only hope to be more involved and active when we continue programming on campus in the future.
Who are your favorite artists and what are your favorite albums?
I have a hard time picking favorite artists but Silver Jews, Bob Dylan, and The Velvet Underground are the first to come to mind. For the past month or so I've listened to a lot of Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Alan Vega, Ornette Coleman, Jim O' Rourke, & Solange so shoutout to all of them. The albums that have had the biggest influence or impact on me are probably Wildflower, The Soft Bulletin, Low, The Natural Bridge, Blonde on Blonde, Mother Earth's Plantasia, and Funhouse.
Listen to The Wild Silence every Saturday from 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.