I Am What I Play

Roger King's I Am What I Play profiles four major-market disc jockeys, who recount their biographies while also detailing the radio landscape from the 1960s up to today. New York's Meg Griffin, who works at Sirius XM, originally studied to become a veterinarian. On a whim, she gave college radio a try, and was hooked. She dropped out of school and moved up the ranks until she got a job at WNEW, where she embraced the burgeoning punk scene. Similarly, Boston's Charles Laquidara studied art in college before switching to acting. When that didn't pan out, he moved to radio, and found his calling, which led to a gig at WBCN, where he graduated to morning show host. Toronto's David Marsden knew from the start that he wanted to be a DJ, even if his parents didn't consider it a respectable career path. Since he played rock ‘n' roll, he created a persona, David Mickie, to match the boisterousness of the music. His first boss didn't like it, but listeners responded favorably, and he became a local celebrity (although he hid his homosexuality in order to stay in the game). Seattle's Pat O'Day bounced around a few stations before he took over the afternoon shift at KJR, where he popularized local acts such as the Sonics and Merrilee Rush. O'Day also promoted dances and concerts, which led to an anti-trust lawsuit, although the court cleared him of all charges. All of the DJs here enjoyed their work, but also had to contend with stalkers, substance abuse, and the move towards Internet broadcasting. By embracing some changes (but not all), they found ways to stay relevant. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)