KZSM.org exists to provide a platform for the many voices of our community. Rob Roark, our most dedicated volunteer, perfectly embodies that mission by hosting three very different shows, each of which give voice to sounds and ideas which might otherwise go unheard.
On “We the People,” Fridays 7-8 p.m., Roark and his co-host Quad-D cover issues of interest to the San Marcos community and Hays County. They talk with elected officials, community leaders, candidates for office, and activists from throughout the political spectrum. On a recent show, Samantha Benavides from Mano Amiga, seeking signatures for a San Marcos marijuana decriminalization referendum, shared the studio with Laura Nunn, a candidate for Hays County Republican Chair. Both women agreed on “the right of the voice of the people to be heard,” Roark reports. “You may not be able to make a difference at the federal level,” he acknowledges, “but you can at the local, regional, and state level.”
On Sundays from 5-7 p.m., “Revolving Door” showcases musicians playing locally, often live in the studio. The June 26 broadcast featured Missoula Slim performing his music and talking about his work as president of the Cheatham Street Foundation, which continues the late Kent Finlay’s Wednesday Singer/Songwriter night.
On Mondays from 10 p.m. to midnight, Roark channels his alter ego, “The Wiz,” to host “Vinyl Confessions.” The Wizard knows the magic of the obscure, the forgotten, the unheard. “The music comes to me, randomly, from people out there,” he reports. “I encourage people to come into the station at 216 North Guadalupe late Monday and pick from our extensive collection or bring their own vinyl records.” Recently, a Texas State firstyear student dropped in with friends to share albums from the Beach Boys and Kansas. Their friends had never seen a record player, he reports. “I loved explaining about the needle following the groove, vibrating, and the electronics and speakers converting that to sound waves.”
All three shows fulfill the mission of KZSM.org to engage, entertain, and enlighten. Whether you have a vinyl record that you’d like to share or hope to hear, a song you’d like to play, or an idea about how to improve our community, our microphone is open to you. You can drop by the studio during “Vinyl Confessions” on Monday nights, or email [email protected] to arrange for a guest appearance on “We the People” or “Revolving Door.”
