Marco Collins
Encyclopedia
Mark William Collins is an American
radio personality
and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
. Collins rose to prominence in the early 1990s as a DJ on alternative rock
station 107.7-FM The End (KNDD
) in Seattle, Washington
, with the popularity of Grunge
.
He has worked at a number of rock music
radio stations along the West Coast
, including KYSR
98.7 in Los Angeles, KCR and XTRA-FM (91X) in San Diego, KITS
(Live 105) in San Francisco, KNDD
in Seattle, and KWOD in Sacramento, California
.
For a short time during the 1990s, he owned Stampede Records, which released Silkworm's 1993 EP
"His Absence is a Blessing" and Muzzle
's "Free Trampoline/Come On Down" (7" single).
's college radio station. He quickly became the station's music director, a position he held until leaving the station in 1989. While in San Diego, Collins also worked as an intern and on air host at XTRA-FM.
After working in radio promotions at Relativity Records
, Collins took a job at KNDD
107.7 The End in Seattle, Washington
. He became the station's music director
and assistant program director, in addition to hosting his own show in the evenings. Collins is also credited with birthing KNDD
's The Young and the Restless, the station's longstanding all-local music program.
Collins was instrumental in breaking such artists as Beck
, The Presidents of the United States of America
, Foo Fighters
, Harvey Danger
's "Flagpole Sitta" and was the first person to play Weezer
's "Undone (The Sweater Song)." He is also credited for debuting tracks by Garbage
, Death Cab For Cutie
, Sunny Day Real Estate
and Everclear
.
Collins left "The End" in 1998 to take the A&R
Director position at Movement Records in Los Angeles, California
. It was there where he worked with acts such as Rage Against the Machine
, Sean Lennon
and Cypress Hill
. He left to take a position at VH1
as the station's Director of Music Programming.
In 2005, he returned to San Diego and accepted the position of Music Director at XTRA-FM (91X) in an attempt to return the station to prominence.
Collins' was hired by KYSR (FM) to host the mid-day show from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in 2008. He also hosted the station's Rewind at Noon segment, featuring rock hits from the 1980s and 1990s. He left the station in September 2009.
Collins joined the staff of air personalities at Seattle's KEXP on January 12, 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio personality
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. Collins rose to prominence in the early 1990s as a DJ on alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
station 107.7-FM The End (KNDD
KNDD
KNDD , also known as "107.7 The End", is an alternative rock radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is operated by Entercom Communications Its studios are located in the Metropolitan Park West tower between Downtown and South Lake Union in Seattle...
) in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, with the popularity of Grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
.
He has worked at a number of rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
radio stations along the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
, including KYSR
KYSR
KYSR is a commercial modern rock radio station in Los Angeles, California, covering the Los Angeles, Orange County, and Inland Empire areas on 98.7 FM. KYSR is also simulcasted on KSRY 103.1 FM in Tehachapi, California...
98.7 in Los Angeles, KCR and XTRA-FM (91X) in San Diego, KITS
KITS
KITS is a San Francisco, California, USA-based radio station broadcasting at 105.3 MHz. The station is owned by CBS Radio and programs a modern rock format. The station also broadcasts on HD channel L2, locally on Comcast cable channel 986, and is streaming online.-Hot Hits:The station's...
(Live 105) in San Francisco, KNDD
KNDD
KNDD , also known as "107.7 The End", is an alternative rock radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is operated by Entercom Communications Its studios are located in the Metropolitan Park West tower between Downtown and South Lake Union in Seattle...
in Seattle, and KWOD in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
.
For a short time during the 1990s, he owned Stampede Records, which released Silkworm's 1993 EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
"His Absence is a Blessing" and Muzzle
Muzzle
A muzzle may be:* the snout of an animal* Muzzle , a device that covers an animal's snout* Muzzle , the mouth of a firearm* Muzzle , a song on The Smashing Pumpkins album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness...
's "Free Trampoline/Come On Down" (7" single).
Radio career
Collins' radio career began in 1984 as a DJ on KCR, San Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
's college radio station. He quickly became the station's music director, a position he held until leaving the station in 1989. While in San Diego, Collins also worked as an intern and on air host at XTRA-FM.
After working in radio promotions at Relativity Records
Relativity Records
Relativity Records, often branded just Relativity, is an American record label founded by Barry Kobrin at the site of his company, Important Record Distribution in metro New York. Early on, as an indie label, Relativity released music in a variety of styles, including dance, jazz, punk, and...
, Collins took a job at KNDD
KNDD
KNDD , also known as "107.7 The End", is an alternative rock radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is operated by Entercom Communications Its studios are located in the Metropolitan Park West tower between Downtown and South Lake Union in Seattle...
107.7 The End in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. He became the station's music director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
and assistant program director, in addition to hosting his own show in the evenings. Collins is also credited with birthing KNDD
KNDD
KNDD , also known as "107.7 The End", is an alternative rock radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is operated by Entercom Communications Its studios are located in the Metropolitan Park West tower between Downtown and South Lake Union in Seattle...
's The Young and the Restless, the station's longstanding all-local music program.
Collins was instrumental in breaking such artists as Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
, The Presidents of the United States of America
The Presidents of the United States of America (band)
The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
, Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, Harvey Danger
Harvey Danger
Harvey Danger was an American indie rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993, and rose to prominence in 1998 with the single "Flagpole Sitta." On August 29, 2009, the band played its final show at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle....
's "Flagpole Sitta" and was the first person to play Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
's "Undone (The Sweater Song)." He is also credited for debuting tracks by Garbage
Garbage (band)
Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
, Death Cab For Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
, Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
and Everclear
Everclear (band)
Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1992 best known for their radio hits spanning more than a decade. For most of its existence, Everclear has consisted of Art Alexakis , Craig Montoya , and Greg Eklund . Eklund replaced original drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994...
.
Collins left "The End" in 1998 to take the A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
Director position at Movement Records in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. It was there where he worked with acts such as Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, Sean Lennon
Sean Lennon
is an American singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist and actor. He is the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. His godfather is Sir Elton John.-Early life and education:...
and Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino hip-hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide...
. He left to take a position at VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
as the station's Director of Music Programming.
In 2005, he returned to San Diego and accepted the position of Music Director at XTRA-FM (91X) in an attempt to return the station to prominence.
Collins' was hired by KYSR (FM) to host the mid-day show from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in 2008. He also hosted the station's Rewind at Noon segment, featuring rock hits from the 1980s and 1990s. He left the station in September 2009.
Collins joined the staff of air personalities at Seattle's KEXP on January 12, 2009.