An energetic atmosphere dominated the Lancer Radio studio as preparations were finalized for a live musical performance on the weekly online stream-cast show, The Spazmaster’s Domain, on June 1.
The show’s host, Jen Perez, a.k.a. The Spazmaster, animatedly chatted with her guests, the two-man, “folk-tronic” band, Yoya. As the band started tuning their instruments, she switched to business mode as she discussed the show’s song sequences with the soundboard operator.
Moments later, she sat down at a desk in the studio, faced the band and they began to play.
In breaks between songs, Perez quizzed the band members about where they grew up, their musical influences and more. Her witty, conversational style of interviewing created an entertaining repartee between her and the musicians and, in the blink of an eye, the half-hour performance had ended.
Perez’s boyfriend, Abraham Parker, comes in each week to help with the show.
Parker said The Spazmaster researches her guest bands thoroughly, so the interviews are never dull and her personality enhances the experience further.
“Her style is very humorous and off-the-cuff. She knows exactly how far she can push it on the radio” Parker said.
Communications major Andy Louie, 25, is the co-host of the Lancer Radio sports show, Play-By-Play.
Louie is also the soundboard operator for The Spazmaster’s Domain and has witnessed Perez guide interviews to moments of “pure comedy.”
Yet, Perez can be quite serious, he said.
“She can be a little bit difficult to work with, but it’s because she’s really passionate about what she does,” said Louie. “She wants to make sure that what’s going out over the air is [up] to her standards.”
Perez, who majors in radio production, may have high standards but she also knows not to take herself too seriously. She named herself The Spazmaster due to her lack of physical coordination.
Perez has hosted The Spazmaster Domain for one-and-a-half years and is constantly seeking out “unique sounds” by independent artists, she said.
Her guests’ musical styles have included World, rap, hip-hop and electronica.
Perez finds new bands through Facebook, word of mouth or seeing them perform live.
However, seeing bands play even in small venues doesn’t compare to having them perform live on her show, she said.
“In the studio, you really see what [the artists] bring to the table, how they perform, whether or not they enjoy what they do… all of that good stuff,” Perez said.
Although The Spazmaster’s Domain has been around for less than two years, she has been seeking out fresh bands for several years. In that time, she’s seen a huge shift occur in the music industry.
Previously, the industry produced almost exclusively “digestible, pristine” music, with all its demographics determined, so it was a guaranteed moneymaking franchise, Perez said.
Since then, the industry’s formula lost its allure.
Additionally, the Internet has given musicians the ability to promote themselves. As a result, the artists have flooded the web with new content that is “making labels scramble,” she said.
“People no longer have to listen to what’s popular. They can listen to what they want to as long as they’re willing to find it,” Perez said.
A California native and mother of a five-year-old girl named Bella, Perez said she was brought up listening to a “cornucopia of music” at home.
She also sings, plays guitar and occasionally plays bass and keyboard.
Ultimately, being able to expose people to new music and great artists isn’t just a pleasure – it’s a privilege, Perez said.
“The big payoff for me is being reminded over and over [about] the joy of music, radio and production,” she said.
“When you sit down and hear these people’s stories about how their songs have come to form, it’s just like a little window [into] their heart,” Perez said.
The Spazmaster’s Domain streams live on Lancer Radio on Fridays, 5 – 6 p.m.
This article was originally published in the PCC Courier.