There's never a good time to say goodbye, but this is probably a good time as any to leave the party.
This March marks my 20th year at STAR 101.9. That's almost as many different hair colors & styles as I've had. As I scroll through old pics of concerts, parties or events that we've had I think “damn, we've had fun.” I've been fortunate to rep STAR 101.9 almost every day since the station launched (that time I pretended to like the gangsta rap for 6 months doesn't count). That’s an unusually long time in the radio business.
Over the past two decades, STAR stayed true. Even as Alternative music skewed from punk, to rock, then pop, onto folk-rock, a bunch of other weird phases and then back again, the listeners and the DJs were constant. I loved it all (Emo days of Panic at the Disco are still just as dear to me as the nu-metal years of System of a Down).
People always ask what the best part of working at an alternative radio station is. Is it the concerts, the brushes with fame, the freebies? All good things, but the best part has always been the way the music makes me feel.
As I turn out the lights in my room and hang up my headphones, I'm looking forward to more concerts, drinks with listeners, and friends. I may not be on the mic, but I'll be at the show. I may not be on the radio, but I'm still going to listen. Of course, I'll still sit at the bar.
It's been real getting to know you, getting to share my most random thoughts and acting out on some crazy ideas. I'm glad you were there with me.
You can find me on KITV4 weekday mornings from 5 to 7 AM anchoring Good Morning Hawaii. Plus, I’ll still be doing my podcast with my buddy Flash exclusively available on iHeartRadio.
Thanks for the memories. Thanks for the parties. Thank you for hanging out in my room. Now, get out!
-Maleko
Oh, and to Jamie Hyatt, Hudson, Scotty B, Jon Manuel, Dave Kelso, Double D, Yung Jon Que, Sejika, Mortuary Chris, Fernando the Love Machine, Pixie, Adam Carr, PJ, Mary Jane, and Haz-Matt -Suck it! —- Just kidding, I love you.