What was your first job as a journalist?
Editorials for the Medina Journal Register (which is now defunct)
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Way too many times! When I was a kid the little arms used to get jammed together.
How is social media changing news?
Too many people don't take time to correct spelling errors or determine if an outlet is credible.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
John Grisham
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Never becoming wealthy in money but becoming wealthy in knowledge.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Word and the dreaded Wikipedia (for general background and artist discographies)
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook
Who do you wish followed you?
Todd Rundgren
Why did you become a journalist?
I started out doing editorials in college because I was upset I could not find a parking space and it made me late to class.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Nope... I had no interest in writing when i was in high school. I spent my time chasing girls and listening to albums.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I wrote a long history of my favorite venue, Artpark. My interview with Aretha Franklin and a Ringo Starr feature are also highlights.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Balance quantity and quality.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Daytime
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Sadly none have stood out. I do have certain publicists I love working with so they don't have to pitch too hard.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A guy sent me a pitch for a show that was in Pittsburgh even though I am in Buffalo (the band had an upcoming show in Buffalo).
What's your favorite drink?
Guinness Stout with a shot of Irish Whiskey.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At a concert.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Rolling Stone Magazine
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
It's easy and anyone can write about music.
