Who: Smart Controla
Show: Lose Your Mind Right Now
Instagram: @angket2
1. Who are you on-air and what’s your show like?
When I started DJ training at WPRB, I already knew that I wanted my show to be both a high energy reflection of myself and an experience involving whoever may be listening to the chaos. Brainstorming names for my show, I wanted to choose something in your face and fitting for the spiraling of anything that made sense. Hence, Lose Your Mind Right Now. On air, I try to make my mic breaks funny and boisterous while reining in senseless rambling. I’m very particular in the music I choose and try to base it around what my energy might be for that evening. If I’m feeling hype and insane I know I will be giving that energy with punchy fast music If I’m feeling depressed that week…
2. What was the first song or artist that you played on air?
The first song I played on air was Mommy by R.I.P. It’s actually from a short animation on YouTube called Twins In Paradise by Vewn. I watched this when I was like 13, and it had a huge influence on what I like animation-wise. I chose to revisit it while thinking about my first set because it’s helpful to connect a certain energy with visual media that has a story. If you’re making a playlist that is trying to be conceptual, it’s helpful to think of films that tell the story you’re looking for.
3. How did you first get introduced to radio DJing?
I don’t know if I ever really was introduced to the concept. I was probably aware that radio DJ’s existed, like Howard Stern or something. Terrible. Anyway, I found out about WPRB by listening to the station in the car and hearing someone say “community supported,” which made my neurons flash for the connection that I might be able to be the person who picks the music. I went through training and learned a lot more about what it means to be a radio DJ, and became passionate about it. Now, I am writing this. A beautiful tale. Tell your children.
4. What’s your dream three act show bill? For these purposes, you can resurrect artists who are no longer active if you’d like.
a) Radiohead minus Thom Yorke with me as the lead singer
b) bassvictim
c) Frank Ocean
5. Do you have any DJ heroes?
Not really. I do have other heroes, though: Dennis from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Julian Casablancas, the guy who founded Wawa, David Lynch.
6. What’s a memorable show moment that stands out to you?
My favorite radio moments are any time I am able to connect with the listeners. Love love love the listener chat. (Shoutout Rob from Maryland.) When I have a good mic-break after a batch of song transitions, people who weren’t participating in the chat prior come in and start conversing. That’s when I feel proud and happy.
7. What’s a piece of media you have that you are very proud of? Could be cassette, vinyl, zine, a prized digital MP3, an audio recording, etc.
I have a really gorgeous Bjork RSD exclusive picture disk that looks like embryonic space goop going through the circle of life. I got it at Newtown Book & Record Exchange. Anyway, it is a single of Cosmogony. One side is with a choir, while the other is the regular single. I also just got bassvictim’s basspunk 1 & 2 gatefold vinyl in a super cool blue pressing from Vinyl Lab. I like my twin fantasy CD. I like to look at it.
8. Do you have any fun listener/fan stories?
One time after a show, I got this super long DM from this guy who said his sister broke his car radio and told me that it was grueling and terrible. But basically, he opened the message by saying thank you for making the radio tolerable; he said that he had a pure dopamine feeling when I talked about Addison Rae. Moments like that remind me that anyone at any time can tune into the radio and be moved by it. I love doing this.
9. Give us your musical, artistic, or cultural manifesto in a paragraph.
Okay, manifesto here we go. Since I was a child, I was ridiculously overwhelmed by the pure ability to create. I wrote songs, danced, made movies and books. Eventually, along the way, all of those ideas all at once coagulated into a giant mass greater than anyone could ever express. Not only was there the mass of ideas, but knowing there is a whole world out there of people who could judge me was terrifying. With that came a lot of stagnation in where and how I express my creativity. Coming to WPRB to do radio was a big step in a long road of repressed expression in my life. That’s why I’m passionate and disciplined, specifically in this aspect of my life. It was like opening a door to where I can express myself, know that people are listening, and feel fulfilled, all while being a part of a greater community. With that, I started writing a lot more, making music again, etc, etc. I cannot express the tremendous meaning that places of expression like WPRB hold, not only in my life, but in so many other people’s lives who felt as repressed as I did. Having a place where you can toe the line of freedom in broadcasting out to an audience, and can be given so much leeway for any kind of expression your heart desires, is a really freeing feeling.
10. Why do you volunteer at WPRB? Why does radio matter?
I believe everything happens for a reason. I stumbled upon WPRB by chance and found an incredible, unique, cool, and exciting world full of knowledgeable and interesting people. What I found while doing radio is that not only did it come naturally to me, but I adored being able to share passionately with people who love the same things I do. Having a place to discover art, talk about art, and bond over it, all while being so casual about the weight that all of it holds, is really sick. I think radio is a never-ending connection to freedom of expression. If we keep pushing boundaries as long as possible, people will keep coming to do it with us.
10.33. Tell us about… (you choose the topic and take a couple of paragraphs to geek out over it.)
I recently went on a road trip across America with my best friend. We left from around Philly and took the northern states up to San Francisco and drove the Pacific Coast Highway down to LA. Then we took the southern states home. In the months before the trip, my best friend was pretty serious about it. I was kind of avoiding the topic. I had a pretty rough year and settled into going to work every day and playing social games. I was scared to break my routine and be forced into self-reflection. I mean, we literally had no home for two weeks. Anyway, when the time came, I begrudgingly said goodbye to my cat, and we went along our way. Looking back now, it feels like a different world. My friend and I are really intense people who can be emotionally moved by a rock that’s placed in a certain manner, so this whole trip felt like a giant incoming ego death.
When we first started driving, I was so set on just getting to Los Angeles and being able to sleep in a hotel. I mindlessly persevered through the first two days, trying to reach the promised land (Downtown Los Angeles). Through those northern states, I practiced a lot of patience and presence. We got stuck in Wyoming in standstill traffic FOREVER. The weather had the highways closed down; it was nuts. Anyway, by the time we got to Utah, we parked at a rest stop (which we did the day before in Nebraska). While sleeping in Utah, suddenly all of the car alarms went off.
I thought that I was dying. I thought someone was breaking into the car, that I was going to get murdered, and these blaring car alarms were going to be the bleak soundtrack to my death. It turns out something was wrong with the key battery, and the car went into security mode. We were stranded at 1 AM by the salt flats and waiting for AAA or anyone to help us. At this moment, something shifted in me. It made me realize that I was completely on my own, nobody was coming to save me, and it’s a terrifyingly real world out there. The pure panic in my nervous system made me feel like I had a brush with death.
On the brink of collapse, with a car that was breaking down, we drove through Nevada and hit the state line into California. We were reborn. Getting to the coastline with those cliffs above the water felt like I had fought through hell and made it to heaven. There was absolutely no comparing the rewarding fullness of getting to see palm trees and sitting in that LA traffic. It was ridiculous. By the time we did all the sightseeing and it was time to go home, I realized that I could be nomadic forever. That trip felt like a training montage in a fight movie. Now, I am the master of my body, mind, and soul, and where it is placed in the physical realm.