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Rockers Who Have Taken Over the Radio ... as DJs

The radio disc jockey was once king, a trusted voice bringing fresh sounds to eager ears. But the corporate takeover of radio reduced the once-proud DJ to a meek voice introducing overplayed tracks between endless beer commercials. The emergence of online and satellite radio, along with public and campus radio stations, have provided the last safe harbor for the DJ-programmed radio show, and a slew of musicians, from Jarvis Cocker to Alice Cooper, have jumped at the chance to moonlight as DJs. Here are several recording artists who now happily play other people's records.
'Little Steven' Van Zandt
'Little Steven's Underground Garage'
E Street Band guitarist and 'Sopranos' actor 'Little Steven' Van Zandt features the Ramones, the Who, the Hives, the White Stripes, and a slew of other groups that favour the definite article on his weekly two-hour syndicated show. Broadcasting to 200+ FM stations across North America, it reaches over one million garage-rock fans per week and recently spawned a 24-hour station on Sirius Satellite Radio.
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'Little Steven' Van Zandt
Taylor Hill, Getty Images
Buck 65
'Radio 2 Drive'
In 2007, after the release of his 11th studio album, 'Situation,' critically acclaimed rapper, producer and turnablist Buck 65 surprised fans and the industry alike by taking a hiatus and accepting a day job. Dropping his hip-hop handle in favour of the name his mother gave him, Rich Terfry now spins songwriter-centric folk tunes as host of CBC Radio 2's popular afternoon program 'Radio 2 Drive.'
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Buck 65
George Pimentel, WireImage
Bob Dylan
'Theme Time Radio Hour'
Bob Dylan weaved his weekly 'radio hour' with an eclectic tracklist related to topics as diverse as baseball, war and cats. The legend's laid-back musings, vintage radio airchecks, old promos and jingles, and messages from "listeners" voiced by the likes of Tom Waits rounded out the thematic show. Dylan taped his 100th and final program in April 2009, but it lives on in satellite syndication.
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Bob Dylan
William Claxton, Columbia Records / AP
Steve Earle
'Hardcore Troubadour Radio'
Steve Earle is a certified outlaw whose life story reads like the lyrics to a country and western song. The former convict is one of America's most lauded songwriters, as well as an actor, outspoken activist and a radio DJ, who showcases great songs by fellow hard-living songwriters on his weekly hour-long radio program 'Hardcore Troubadour Radio' on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 63.
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Steve Earle
New West Records
Ronnie Wood
'Ronnie Wood Radio'
Rolling Stones guitarist and visual artist, Ronnie Wood can now add DJ to his resume. The UK's Absolute Classic Rock program 'Ronnie Wood Radio' finds the axe-man digging through his extensive record collection, jamming along with tracks by the likes of Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix, and revealing tales of inspiration and debauchery that inform classic Stones recordings.
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Ronnie Wood
Dave M. Benett, Getty Images
Tom Petty
'Tom Petty's Buried Treasure'
Heartbreakers honcho and solo star Tom Petty selects rarities from his huge vinyl collection to create 'Tom Petty's Buried Treasure.' He lets the music do the talking, but when he chimes in with passionate commentary about, say, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Petty reveals himself a die-hard audiophile. He's also debuted tracks from new albums 'Mojo' and 'The Live Anthology' on his XM show.
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Tom Petty
Pamela Littky for AOL
Danko Jones
'The Magical World of Rock'
For Danko Jones, rock 'n' roll is a religion. When not playing with his eponymous trio, he's preaching the gospel on his long-running syndicated radio show. Broadcast in Sweden, Norway, Germany and Canada, 'The Magical World of Rock' lets Jones discuss rock 'n' roll's most contentious topics -- like pitting the Jeff Beck Group against Led Zeppelin for British blues-rock dominance or asking if Eric Clapton deserves the nickname 'God.'
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Danko Jones
David Biene, Vanit / Retna
Alice Cooper
'Nights With Alice Cooper'
Without Alice Cooper, there might never have been a KISS, Marylyn Manson, Rob Zombie, or Slipnot. These days, he spends more time on the golf course then on tour, but when not teeing off, he hosts the syndicated 'Nights with Alice Cooper,' where he interjects stories from his illustrious shock-rock career between classic rock tunes, and chats with longtime friends like Jeff Beck and Ozzy Osborne.
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Alice Cooper
Rob Kim, Retna
Jarvis Cocker
'Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service'
Pulp frontman and solo artist, Jarvis Cocker returned from semi-retirement and self-imposed exile in France to host this Sunday afternoon radio program on perpetually about-to-be-axed BBC 6. Each week, Cocker rifles through his record collection in search of seldom-heard tracks and muses on seemingly random topics. With his dry English wit and laconic delivery, Cocker and a cup of tea are perfect companions on a rainy Sunday.
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Jarvis Cocker
Eamonn McCormack, WireImage
Henry Rollins
'Henry Rollins' Radio Show'
Punk rocker, author, actor and spoken-word artist Henry Rollins hosts a 2-hour Saturday show on L.A. public radio station KCRW. Averaging over 100 shows a year for the last 28 years, the former Black Flag frontman records from tour stops worldwide, injects idiosyncratic rants and spins a classic punk playlist courtesy of Circle Jerks, Stiff Little Fingers, Dead Kennedys and Bad Brains.
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Henry Rollins
Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Nicki Sixx
'Sixx Sense'
On his nightly syndicated radio show, Motley Crue bassist Nicki Sixx takes listeners on a backstage tour of the mind of a (formerly) debaucherous rock star. Between hard rock tunes, Sixx reveals stories from the road that most musicians would be too afraid, modest or ashamed to tell, and pulls no punches as he elicits the straight goods from a list of equally notorious celebrity guests.
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Nicki Sixx
Felix Kunze, WireImage
David Johansen
'David Johansen's Mansion of Fun'
Harvesting his sounds everywhere from the jungles of Africa to the Louisiana bayou, while spouting vaudevillian mumbo-jumbo in his signature boozy growl, New York Dolls founder and onetime Buster Poindexter David Johansen informs his weekly Sirius satellite radio show 'Mansion of Fun' with a global perspective and free form philosophy that could only originate from a city like Manhattan.
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David Johansen
Bobby Bank, WireImage
Lou Reed
'New York Shuffle'
Former Velvet Underground frontman, proto-punk icon, iPhone app designer and notorious curmudgeon, Lou Reed longs for the days when DJs "played whatever they like." With a playlist that gleefully runs the gamut from jazz to electro-rock, Reed's two-hour weekly program 'New York Shuffle,' on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 29, is the very kind of eclectic show he craves.
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Lou Reed
Charles Eshelman, FilmMagic
Rick Wakeman
'Rick's Place'
As a member of Yes, Rick Wakeman pioneered prog-rock and appeared on classics by David Bowie, Elton Jone, and Black Sabbath. Recently retired from touring, he is enjoying a renaissance on hit BBC show 'Grumpy Old Men,' where Wakeman and celeb guests bellyache about modern life; these comic rants continue Saturdays on his award-winning classic rock radio program, 'Rick's Place.'
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Rick Wakeman
MJ Kim, Getty Images
Randy Bachman
'Vinyl Tap'
Almost five decades into his career, Bachman continues to rule the airwaves as both performer and radio DJ. When not playing with former Guess Who singer Burton Cummings, or touring his new LP with BTO's Fred Turner, he spins rare tunes, offers insight to classic recordings, and relates road and studio stories on 'Vinyl Tap,' his weekly show on CBC Radio One and Sirius Radio, Channel 137.
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Randy Bachman
Joe Scarnici, FilmMagic
John Reis
'The Swami Sound System'
Rocket of the Crypt singer-guitarist, Swami Records president, and longtime champion of San Diego's indie scene, John Reis hosts The Swami Sound System every Saturday on independent radio 94.9. Describe as a "portal where feral noises are championed and eunuchs of mediocrity are put to death," Reis navigates oceans of feedback, tape hiss and reverb to unearth the best of classic garage rock, primal punk and raw funk.
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John Reis
Collin Erie for AOL
Steve Jones
'Jonesy's Jukebox'
When hyped LA radio station INDIE 103.1 adopted an all-Latino playlist, Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones became the host of a cancelled radio show. But you can't keep an old punk down -- Jonsey's Jukebox recently returned to the airwaves every Sunday on LA's KROQ. Freewheelin' interviews with fellow punk icons and mainstream celebs like John Lydon and Tobey Maguire, and Jones's staunch support of up-and-coming indie bands have earned the show a cult following.
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Steve Jones
J. Merritt, FilmMagic

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4 Comments

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Feeb

I scrolled through twice not really believing that Kim Mitchell had been missed. Major oversight. Man - he makes the Q ROCK!!!!!

November 18 2010 at 9:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bob (from Alcona)

Kim Mitchell not included?????? Does not compute. Kim is a Canadian and Rock icon, both with Max Webster and Solo! Kim presently Rocks on the Mighty Q107 (Toronto) as the afternoon DJ. Just listen Monday to Friday 2:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. and you will be a believer.

November 09 2010 at 10:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike

Phil is right on the money. Where is Kim and the mighty Q?

November 09 2010 at 7:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
pcr

Kim Mitchell!!!? And it is suppposed to be about ROCKERS!!! Not Rap crap idiots!

November 09 2010 at 1:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply