DJ Rossstar – Industry Interview

Bryce Jacobson: Lets get a little background information on your life and how it lead you to becoming a DJ.

DJ Rossstar: I grew up in Long Island New York and was one of a tiny amount of people who got into bands like Green Day, Rancid, Offspring, Goldfinger, MXPX at a young age. Back then I only learned about new music from reading the thank yous in bands CD’s. There weren’t a lot of magazines that talked about punk where i lived, there definately were not radio or TV Show either. Music and lyrics have played a major influence in my life and it was a great feeling whenever I would meet a band that has inspired me. However, that didn’t happen too often. I started my show in 2002 at my college in Washington D.C. For years I wanted to listen to a show where I could learn about new bands and ask questions to some of my favorites. There never was one, like I said, so I made my own and now am I able to connect kids with the favorite bands on a weekly basis, much like I always wanted.

Bryce Jacobson: What has been one of the most rewarding experiences of starting your show?

DJ Rossstar: The amount of support and respect I receive from the music world. At first, people did not take the show too seriously, meaning, I would go to shows and hand out flyers and kids would just rip them up and laugh. I started with 5 listeners, then 50, then 500 and so on. I feel like I earned my respect and proved that I have what it takes to be a personality and good host.

DJ Rossstar: The other is the emails I get from kids. I will have their favorite bands in my studio, bands they may never get to meet in person and I allow them to ask whatever they want to know and for the kids that means everything to them and they are very thankful and are willing to help spread the word about the show.

DJ Rossstar: The “you have a great personality and I listen to you no matter who you have one” are obviously more rewarding then the “OMG You met Fall Out Boy emails, or you are soo lucky to meet these bands” Although I understand why that would be there immediate response.

Bryce Jacobson: I’ve gotten those e-mails before to, lol. We do it to help the bands and fans connect, thats what’s rewarding for me to.

Bryce Jacobson: Out of all the bands you’ve gotten to interview, do you have a favorite, one that maybe you really looked forward to getting on the show?

DJ Rossstar: Goldfinger

DJ Rossstar: They are my second favorite band next to Green Day and write some of the most influential lyrics, that are like no other band… The best part was they came over, did a great interview and now we keep in touch and they are always down to come back for more.

DJ Rossstar: Actually the best thing for me is bands that I have loved for years, Goldfinger, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish etc. are all the guys that I am closest with now in terms of bands that keep in contact on a regular basis.

Bryce Jacobson: You have been interviewed by other websites, other radio shows and have been asked hundreds of questions about almost everything. Is there one questions you wish they all would ask you but they never do?

DJ Rossstar: I wish they would ask, hey Rossstar, we have connections over at some big TV/Radio Networks, do you want to move your show to a bigger place!! LOL

DJ Rossstar: I enjoy answering any question I get, however, now I can talk about my 2 new TV Shows as well, wink, wink.

Bryce Jacobson: Thats understandable. Do you think if you ever did move to a bigger network your show would loose its personal feeling?

DJ Rossstar: I think the “personal” feel has to do with my personality. I make the listeners and the bands feel like they really know me and in a way they do….I see no reason why I couldn’t give off that vibe in a bigger place. Jimmy Kimmel, Kevin and Bean Howard Stern, etc. do.

Bryce Jacobson: I would have to agree with you, your personality is a big part of the show.

DJ Rossstar: Bands will come here, having never met me, and they will leave as if they were my long time friends.

Bryce Jacobson: So not only are you doing your online show two nights a week, you are now doing some stuff on TV. Can you tell us a little more about that?

DJ Rossstar: Yes. A wonderful TV network called Havoc TV offered me an incredible deal. If you have Cox, Adelphia, Comcast and a few other cable providers, you probably get Havoc. It is in the On Demand section of your channels, which are usually listed in the 1000’s. For now they have videos and sport videos but starting in mid-October, they will begin airing 5 minute clips, which are the “highlights” of when that guest was on my radio show. We also film separate interviews for Havoc so it is not just teh same thing as listening to my show. Also, HAVOC have a deal with DirecTV 101 (same channel as CD USA) where every night from 11pm-3am PST, they have control over the channel. They are starting a chat/video based show in October and they have chosen me as the host Monday-Friday.

Bryce Jacobson: That sounds amazing, I have Direct TV so I’ll have to check that out.

Bryce Jacobson: So with all of these things you have going on, whats a normal day like for you?

DJ Rossstar: Each day is different. I wake up, check my MySpace ( I answer every single email I get) finish booking this week’s guests, develop ideas for the TV shows, listen to music, go to shows.

DJ Rossstar: Every day is different. I like movies, bowling, eating at different restaurants and sometimes just driving around Hollywood to brainstorm ideas.

DJ Rossstar: I probably attend 2-3 shows a week, and my radio show is always a party too, usually 10-20 of my friends come to watch.

Bryce Jacobson: Do you have any one up and coming band that you would highly recommend people to check out right now? This could be a band you’ve either interviewed or not.

DJ Rossstar: Boys Like Girls are on Red Ink, their CD is out now and it is incredible. Also, I feel MC Lars is very overlooked. As for unsigned and smaller bands, so many have helped me out with promoting my show but off the top of my head, No One Goes Home, The Crush, OTI, The Trademark, Eudora, Takota, In Theory and Lights Resolve. Also, for the newer Green Day fans, they should check out Pinhead Gunpowder. It is Billie Joe’s side band, they have 5 CD’s out and a lot of Vinyl and Billie Joe and Jason take turns singing….a must have for Green Day fans.

Bryce Jacobson: You recently got to go play guitar on stage with Green Day, how was that experience?

DJ Rossstar: Unreal! I have met them numerous times and have seen them live over 34 times but NOTHING compares to playing guitar on stage for them while they sing!

DJ Rossstar: I have been trying to get on stage to do that since they started that routine on the Nimrod Tour in 97.

Bryce Jacobson: About time they called you up right, lol.

DJ Rossstar: For real. They know that I am the same guy who has been seeing them every tour, but I eventually gave up trying to get on stage. They tend to pick younger kids who have probably never seen them before but at the Home Depot Show on October 8th 2005, they were running low on time, Billie picked someone too young, and so he walked right up to me and was like “you finally wanna do it.”

Bryce Jacobson: Crazy.

Bryce Jacobson: So with your busy schedule do you find time to catch a movie or watch some TV now and then? If you do, do you have a new movie or show you would recommend?

DJ Rossstar: I am obsessed with Hell’s Kitchen. Season 2 just ended. I haven’t been that excited for a show in a long time. I also watch Grey’s Anatomy on a weekly basis and American Idol (guilty pleasure) Also, I can’t stop watching those MTV NEXT episodes. They show like 10 in a row at night and it sucks you in!

DJ Rossstar: As for movies, I love horror and I have seen well over 200 horror films from different countries. My favorite series in Friday The 13th but I love the Nightmare On Elm Street Series, Return of the Living Dead, Street Trash, Slumber Party Massacre 1-2-3, Night of the Demons 1 and 2, The Devil’s Rejects/House of 1000 Corpses…I can go on forever.

Bryce Jacobson: Sounds like it!

Bryce Jacobson: With technology advancing faster every year, where do you see the whole internet / radio / tv / podcasting world going and where do you see yourself in this mix?

DJ Rossstar: I have done Internet Radio for 4 years now and have done a few Internet TV shows and while it seems to be getting more popular, I think it will be a while until people turn to the Internet as their main source of radio/tv….I think it can either be really huge or really miss it’s time to shine.

Bryce Jacobson: We’ll thanks for your time and thank you for the wonderful show and I look forward to catching you on the TV soon. Is there anything else you would like to let our visitors know about?

DJ Rossstar: Feel free to IM me at anytime at Staridobi. I love to talk music and love to talk to fans and will do so at any time…it doesn’t have to be just during my show. Also, don’t be afraid to IM me. I want to talk to you! Don’t pull the “Meet me at 2. Okay? Woops, sorry, wrong IM” thing or the “Who is this? Someone put you on my buddylist” routine. Also, check out myspace.com/djrossstar I have a DVD on sale that I put out with some of the biggest bands today all been interviewed/performing in my apartment.

www.myspace.com/djrossstar