Aurelio Aguilar was hired by Wine Country Radio to be an on-air producer and board operator for The Drive, their flagship program. He was not hired to be the co-host.
That is a position he won for himself, out of consistent competency and on-air chemistry with show host (and Bohemian and Pacific Sun editor) Daedalus Howell. It’s a wonder—because the 26 year old is just nine months into the job. As one listens to their drive time show, they will hear the two co-hosts getting to know each other, even as they banter like old friends.
One gets to know the North Bay too; interviews are The Drive’s mainstay, and the program hosts the whole pageant panoply of the North Bay—the reformers, the rebels, authority figures, folx, story tellers and true characters—up to 25 a week. If being a live radio host takes insouciance, being a live radio producer takes sang froid— the thought of his work makes me jumpy. For even as he does his bits, Aguilar’s job is to keep the program flowing even as things go wrong, and to keep things tight (within the industry, “dead air” is called “audience poison”).
I booked a little time to peer into the inner workings of local radio and to mark this man on the rise (“Aurelio” means golden).
Cincinnatus Hibbard: With so much to do all at once, how do you not panic? (laughing)
Aurelio Aguilar: It was a little panicky at first. I like to do my best. But I learned to take things as they come and not worry about it—at the end of the day, people really don’t care if you mess up (laughs). I also have the security of knowing that I have a plan b and a plan c to fall back on—like a song to play.
.
The tone of the show is pretty easygoing.
It’s a ‘getting to know you’ type of show. The best part of the work is seeing
guests come in with totally unique stories and perspectives. Some bring knick-knacky gifts and snacks.
This is not your first rodeo (radio). A local boy, you recently graduated from Sonoma State University with a degree in communications. I understand you had two radio programs on their station, K-Sun?
The first was called Fables, Flicks, and Flops. It was about mytho-zoology—mythical creatures like the Loch Ness Monster or aliens as they appear in urban legends, conspiracies, favorite movies and flops. Tangents shot out in all directions from there. My co-hosts were Brady Eck, Amanda Davis. The other one was called Suplex Society with Javier Ruvelas. It focused on the WWE—both the wrestling and the story telling. It was sort of a basement chat with a friend. I’ve been a host as well as a co-host, but I’m learning a lot from Daedalus (Howell) about how to be a professional.
What is your ambition with radio?
To step in as a substitute host. Maybe doing more advertisements to get my voice out in the public as a media personality.
Maybe a recurring segment on ‘The Drive’…
Actually I have an idea for that—do you remember Car Talk on NPR? I would like to do something like that. I’m also a professional mechanic. And since this is The Drive, I think this segment was made for it (laughs). I could also bring back Fables, Flicks, and Flops.
Daedalus Howell is a filmmaker. I believe his last film was called ‘Werewolf Serenade,’ so that sounds like a certainty.
Learn more: visit thedrive955.com.
