WQSV Profile:
Big Pappy Turtleneck
How did you come to be involved with WQSV?
BIG PAPPY TURTLENECK first heard WQSV at the First Bank office in Staunton and said to the teller, “this music is great! It’s way too good for bank music!” The teller was one of WQSV’s own, Theresa Hoffman and she said, “yea, that’s our local radio station.” I immediately realized that our decision to move here was kismet.
And how long have you been involved?
We made a donation back in November of 2021 and I asked Ben Leonard if he would teach me how to do a radio program in the summer of 2022.
When did you start DJing?
Big Pappy Turtleneck was discovered in the summer doldrums of 2022.
Are there any DJs who influenced you?
There is a radio station in New York: WBAI. The DJ who had her ear on the pulse for many, many years was Delphine Blue. You can still hear her on WFUV on Fridays from 6-9PM EST
Or something/someone else who influenced you?
TOO MANY TO MENTION! I’M A SPONGE!
Talk about your connection to music/the role music plays in your life?
I’m a sucker for good songwriting and sense of humor. Clicking sounds make my day; rhythms that lag just behind the beat send me.
Describe your show.
The Glow Power Hour is still in its baby steps but what I aim for is a tight set that has connective tissue; a story, a theme and idea; ten songs that make you intuit there is a puzzle. Of course, there’s no reason to solve it.
Who are some of your favorite musicians and why?
Johnny Lydon: why he comes to mind first is just his voracious cannibalism of all sorts of styles and sensibilities. Artsy-fartsy bands from the 1970s and 1980s remain touchstones and though I try to remain current, much of the sound from those decades comes up as my go-to for bands and songwriters that are making music now.
What is your first memory involving music?
The Pointer Sisters, Stepping Out, 1976 – my dad brought it home after a business trip and gave it to me. I played saxophone at the time and I was just mesmerized by that album.
What was the first concert you attended?
Jethro Tull, Bursting Out Tour, New Haven Civic Center, 1978
How do you go about building your show?
One song leads to the next: it is like having a whole museum to yourself; hang what you want, where you want!
Do you have any particular criteria when selecting music for your show?
Lots: Big Pappy doesn’t share secrets.