I Love My Job: Grayson Kelly of CD102.5
Every day, people all around Columbus drive/ride/walk to their jobs, eager to contribute their passion and talent to the city. This series aims to highlight those people and give them a platform to spread their love for their careers. Welcome to I Love My Job.
Grayson Kelly may never be as punk rock as Tom Butler, but at least he works at CD102.5 with Tom Butler. A CD102.5 listener since his childhood in Granville, Grayson was inspired by his favorite DJs to pursue his love of radio at Ohio State. He quickly started running the online college radio station, AROUSE OSU, and caught the ears of CD102.5. Grayson’s dream came true in late 2018 when he came on as a weekend DJ.
Here is why he loves his job so much:
614: What do you love most about your job?
GK: This is a tough one to answer, because everything rules at CD102.5.
I think my favorite moments come when the station is extremely busy—I’m talking a New York Stock Exchange kind of busy—because that’s when the most excitement comes; all the fun gets concentrated into one moment.
When there’s a band upstairs in the Big Room, while I’m taking a caller for a prize, and I have to hit the air in 30 seconds to talk about that new Foals? There’s nothing else going on in the world in that minute, and I can live entirely in the moment, within the microcosm of our station and its wonderful listeners, and I can’t think of anything else that’s more fun or fulfilling.
My other favorite part is meeting those listeners out on the town. Some of them have been tuning in since before I was born! We think listener feedback is so important, so it’s extremely cool to meet the people that tune in, and to bring their ideas right back to the station. This is truly the best job in the world — and our listeners are the whole reason we’re here — so I’m really grateful for them every time I’m fortunate enough to meet one.
614: When did you know this was what you wanted to do with your career?
GK: I’ve been listening to the station for as long as I can remember, and I think it shifted me way more than I realized on some subconscious level. When I graduated from Granville High School in 2012 (shouts out to my fellow Blue Aces, I know you’re out there), I knew I wanted to be in the music industry, but I didn’t know where — until I took a couple gap years and found out that radio in other cities… Tends to suck. I knew then what I missed the most: I wanted to come back to my favorite city and work for my favorite station, in any position they’d let me.
614: What parts of your job do you find most challenging?
GK: Signing off on a Sunday evening, because most of the time, I know I won’t be back in your radio until the next weekend! I’d do this for for days at a time if Mase asked me to… But for your sake, I’m glad he doesn’t.
614: How does this job play to your strengths?
GK: Something I find interesting about radio, in particular, is it allows me the chance to satiate my desire for public speaking, without actually seeing people and getting that immediate feedback. I don’t know if I’d have the courage to drop half the bad puns that I drop on the air if I could hear our audience’s deafening silence that undoubtedly follows.
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614: What’s the best story you have from your time at CD102.5?
GK: I asked a similar question to our owner, Randy Malloy, before I was hired. He said it was silly to name a “best time”, but then rattled off a dozen epic tales about seeing the Ramones at CBGB, chilling out with Iggy Pop, and so many other absolutely insane stories. I was baffled by that answer.
But I think I get his point now. I can’t give any definite answer, because so much has happened over the last year — as soon as I think of one, someone will remind me about that extremely fun interview with Liam Gallagher (of Oasis), or getting to introduce The 1975 to 10,500 of their amazing fans at our Summer Warm-Up.
To be honest, I think the funniest moment came before I was hired. Randy introduced me to Tommy Stinson (of The Replacements), and I was massively starstruck. He proceeded to grab me by the shoulders, and title me a “So So Glo”, before immediately passing out on his tour bus couch. I’m still waiting on my album credit.
614: If you weren’t a DJ, what career would you have chosen?
GK: If I ever get fired, you can find me living in a log cabin in the Upper Peninsula, trying to last through the winters on a diet of hand-caught fish, working on a beard, and wearing only flannel shirts. Really, I have no idea — but wouldn’t that be fun?
614: Who has been the most influential mentor in your career so far?
GK: Way too many to mention! The folks that work here are all so inspiring, and the atmosphere is so wholesome.
I’ve been really grateful to get to know our owner, Randy Malloy — he’s a total workhorse. The dude broke his leg falling off a ladder a couple weeks ago — then climbed back up to finish the roof before going to the ER, and I’m sure he’s still pulling 60 hour weeks keeping us afloat. He sets a really good example for work ethic and attitude.
But when I was 17, I took a picture with Tom Butler, and I think it’s still the coolest picture I ever did take. There’s just this pure joy on my face that I got to meet the guy that lived in my radio and showed me all these amazing artists, before we’d ever met. Today, I can’t explain how fortunate I am to work alongside him and look up to him. No matter what kind of bad day / week / month I could have, I know he’s always there to offer some pretty sage advice.
Mase is alright too, I guess.
Bonus question: Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?
GK: Matty Healy from The 1975 really changed my perspective on this. If you think about a duck’s quack, in relation to the size of the animal… Then scale that up to a horse, you’re in what he calls “ship horn territory… [and] it would be relentless”. Then he chose the huge duck. I’m gonna need these ears to keep working, so I think I have to try my luck at the 100 tiny horses!
Grayson can usually be heard on CD102.5 Saturdays 1pm- 6pm and Sundays 3pm -6pm. For more on Grayson and the rest of the jocks at The Alternative Station, visit cd1025.com.
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