Joseph Antilla

UW-Green Bay has a long history of college/student radio. How did relaunching the station online as Radio GBX in 2022 come about after some years of being away?

The launch of Radio GBX was a tireless joint effort between the Communication Department professors at The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Ryan Martin (the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences), Dr. Bryan Carr, and the current comm department chair Katie Turkiewicz and former chair Phil Clampitt. As well as another one of UWGB’s comm faculty and staff member, Mike Schmitt. All of these people, as well as many others at this university have been extremely supportive and have been strong advocates to bring this medium back to our campus. Like a phoenix, this station truly has risen from the ashes and radio has been reborn once again at UWGB.

Tell us about the duties of your job as MD and what part of it you love the most and what you find the most challenging.

The part I love the most, being the music director of Radio GBX, is listening to new music all the time. I always enjoy listening to new music sent to me from labels and promoters or local artists. I also do a lot of collaboration across the University of Green Bay Wisconsin campus with local bands and live performances with our University Union. Collaborating with other radio shows on Radio GBX, other DJs, and GBX Directors creating special music playlists and rotations for our specialty shows. I also have my own specialty show where I interview local artists live on our station.

What I find most challenging but also rewarding being the music director is providing music to our DJs and our listeners that pleases every music taste. I am constantly finding new music that fits with the sound of our station and expanding our music library.

What do you do to ensure the new music that is sent to you by labels and promoters gets played by your DJs?

To ensure that new music sent to me by labels and promoters gets played by our DJs, we primarily have new music in the rotation, where our DJs can choose and select their favorite hits from an always updating library of new releases for their shows.

Who is an artist or band that you’ve discovered in the past year or so that has become one of your favorites? What is it about their music you love?

A band that I discovered in the past year that has become one of my favorites is the Green Bay punk rock band Ditch the Hubcap. I love their music’s energy with hints of metal and the topics they cover. They perform shows around Green Bay, they have performed multiple times at our campus University Union and at our first UW-Green Bay Music Festival. Their awesome sound is a unique “in-your-face musical experience” that you can only get from listening to Ditch the Hubcap.

Do you have an all-time favorite artist or album you never get tired of listening to?

One of my all-time favorite artists is the band Skillet. I never get tired of listening to their album Comatose.

Is there a 2024 release on the horizon that you are particularly excited about?

The 2024 release on the horizon that I am particularly excited about is the album Oxygen by Sawyer Rydzewski. Local GB artist who also performed three songs from the album live on my show and at our first GB music festival.

Who is an artist or band totally outside the realm of the music you play on Radio GBX that people might be surprised to know you love?

Totally outside the realm of the music that we play on Radio GBX that people might be surprised to know. I am a big fan of cinematic music like John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Michael Giacchino to name a few.

If you had the power to instantly change one thing going on in the world at the moment, what would it be?

I would stop the national and educational Debt.

What event in your life would you say has shaped you the most as a person?

The event that has shaped me the most as a person is going to the University of Wisconsin Green Bay.

If you could choose, what time period in the past would you most want to travel back to visit and why?

I would travel back in time to the 1950s for the rise of Rock and Roll of Elvis Presley, the classic cars, and the vibrant colors.

Do you have a favorite restaurant in town that you recommend people try?

In Green Bay I really like the restaurant Green Tea Chinese Drive Thru.

What in your life brings you the most joy?

Spending time with my friends and family and the relationships we build.

Lightning Round:

Dog or Cat? – Dog
Morning Person or Night Owl? – Night Owl
City or Country? – City
Beach or Mountains? – Beach
Watch TV or Read A Book? – Watch TV
Sunny or Rainy? – Sunny
Restaurant or Home Cooking? – Home Cooking
Pants or Shorts? – Shorts
Warm or Cold drinks? – Cold

Do you have any current favorite shows you’re enjoying/binging? How about a movie (new or old) that you’ve watched recently that you loved?

My current favorite show I’m enjoying/binging is Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

If you could have a lifetime supply of anything, what would it be?

I would have a lifetime of drumsticks a drummer I am always breaking them.