Down by the water

Sam Johnson
September 28, 1999

The Show: “The Sound Museum,” Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

The DJ: Doug Bywater, double major in marketing and management from Iowa City.

The Menu: “I tend to kinda play everything and anything, always keeping it open to requests,” Bywater says. “I tend to play a little more classic rock and newer rock, while avoiding stuff you might hear from KGGO. It’s a little bit more obscure.”

The Bands: The Doors, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Band, David Bowie, Harvey Danger, Dismemberment Plan, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, Flaming Lips.

“My current favorite is a guy named Robert Hitchcock,” Bywater adds. “He kind of bridges the gap between classic and current rock.”

Popularity: “As of lately I’ve been getting a lot of calls,” Bywater says. “A lot of people have had requests. I think the time slot you have can determine how many people listen, but sometimes you have those days that you feel like you’re playing music for nobody but yourself.”

Crazy Times: “One time I had my friend DJing with me on the show,” Bywater remembers. “We held a contest where the first person to bring us a can of pop would get a free CD. The funny thing about it was it was in the middle of a huge storm. This kid all the way from Towers ended up riding his bike through the pouring rain just to give us a can of pop and win the CD.”

Why he DJs: Growing up in Iowa City, Bywater was exposed to college radio as a child. Wanting to experience radio for himself, he looked for radio jobs upon his arrival at Iowa State. Shortly after his arrival, KURE was launched and Bywater took on the heavy load of four different radio shows until more DJs filled the slots.

“I think of being a DJ as almost a missionary thing,” he says. “I like to share new bands with people. For example, there’s so much more to Led Zeppelin than you’d hear on KGGO. I like to try to play stuff that has influenced what’s going on today.”

Future Plans: “I actually graduate in December, so whether or not I pursue DJing as a career, I don’t know.”

— Sam Johnson

Weekly Top 20 of Ames’ Alternative 88.5 FM KURE as it appears in College Music Journal:

1. “Red Letter Day,” The Get-Up Kids, Doghouse.

2. “Viewers Like You,” Tilt, Fat Wreck Chords.

3. “See It Another Way,” Macha, JetSet.

4. “Cobra and Phases Group Play,” Stereolab, Elektra.

5. “Very Emergency,” The Promise Ring, Jade Tree.

6. “Remedy,” Basement Jaxx, Astralwerks.

7. “New Parade,” The Sheila Divine, Roadrunner.

8. “World Coming Down,” Type O Negative, Roadrunner.

9. “Showbiz,” Muse, Maverick.