By: Guy Varela
On December 13, tune into 107.7 The Bronc Retro from 9 to 11 p.m. for WRRC2’s first-ever, live radio show, Riding Retro!
Riding Retro highlights the many facets of the world in any given year from 1950 to 1999. The first show focuses on the year 1994.
We were able to speak to Riding Retro’s host, Jason Barnes ’25, to understand how this dream of his became a reality. “Initially, General Manager John Mozes wanted a new show that would have some longevity at the station, but he wanted something big, so we discussed and came up with the idea of having a show that highlights the years of the past; taking you down memory lane in all facets of trends from back in the day.”
When Beyond the Mic asked Jason about how he and John brainstormed the idea, Jason believes there were a few unanswered questions in terms of what this show truly could be. “John wanted a better sense of what I wanted to go for, and his critiques helped me to broaden the idea and make the vision clear to really make this show something that can be long lasting for years to come.”
Jason grew up in the 90’s. All of the memories he made during that decade highlights his experiences and how much he really enjoyed them.
“This is a good experience for me, because I was a 90’s kid, born in 1994. It’s an awesome way to go back and talk about a lot of the experiences that I got to enjoy and explore; especially the technology, VHS, cassette tapes, and all those things from those past years. It’s a chance for me to go down memory lane myself and to take everyone else with me.”
Jason Barnes will focus on a single year every episode and look back on a range of categories. “We’re talking about music, fashion, technology, sports, and telling you about what was going on and what was prominent in each year we chose for each show live.”
The songs and artists selected will depend on the year covered in each episode. Jason will highlight many musicians, artists and songwriters who contributed to the growth of the music that would become the soundtrack for a lot of us.
“I’ve only gotten more excited (about Riding Retro), because this is a project that we get to bring to life, and it was great to come up with a concept that I helped to creatively think of. It’s a great opportunity and I can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Speaking about his goals for next semester, Jason wants to continue building the show from here and seeing how far Riding Retro can go even after he graduates.
“Next semester we’ll already have some pre-written episodes, and we’ve got the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s to choose from, so you won’t know what to expect when we broadcast Riding Retro. Even when I’m no longer a student at Rider, and the show hopefully gets passed on, there’ll be over 50 years worth of topics to look forward to as a broadcaster and a listener.”
Riding Retro starts tomorrow night at 9, so make sure to tune in exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc Retro! Click here to listen live online or on one of our many apps.
