By: Stefny! at the Disco / Stephanie Robinson
I’m gonna do that funny thing where I open this essay with a definition from the Oxford English Dictionary. And yes, I had to login to the library to access this. Side note: LIBRARIES RULE.
Exclamation: noun
- The action of exclaiming or crying out; the loud articulate expression of pain, anger, surprise, etc.; clamour, vociferation. Also, an instance of this, an outcry; an emphatic or vehement speech or sentence.
- Formal declaration; proclamation.
- Music
- 1664 “Exclamation properly is no other thing, but in the slacking of the Voyce to re-inforce it somewhat.” J. Playford, Brief Introduction to Skill of Musick (ed. 4) i. 64
Exclamation! is the brainchild and passion project of Cameron Tepper, aka DJ Saltnteppa, aka DJ Postmodern Baseball. Cameron was one of the first new volunteers that I had that requested to hone his craft on my show and we’ve become good friends in the time since. It’s also unapologetically one of my favourite shows on the KOOP airwaves. I wanted to talk to him and get a bit deeper into the story of Exclamation!
What was the original pitch of Exclamation! and what inspired you to create it? How did you come up with the title?
The road to Exclamation! was a long one only in my mind and having to make a decision. I had been a big time fan of KOOP since moving to Austin in 2016, and during the pandemic, I wanted to get more involved with the station and eventually have a show. I have always said I’m a “breath not depth” person so one of the biggest road blocks for me was trying to think of a show format that I could sustain long-term but had flexibility as opposed to a single genre. I had a couple of ideas kicking around in my head, a world music show similar to “The Africa Express,” a thematic show about California similar to “This Great White North” (rest in power) and tie-in history and cultural moments (thank goodness I didn’t do that) or a show inspired by Delilah (Delilah if you’re reading this, HUGE fan). But the one that felt like I could run with was Exclamation! because no matter the album or artist, I’m most inclined to love the pop single or radio-friendly one.
I had a running list of show names in a iPhone note for years and would text my friends asking them to weigh in. Somehow, “Exclamation” came in my head and just stayed there. I liked how it was one word, it’s just long enough to be slightly unwieldy, and it evoked a bang! quality.
I had a whole idea in my head where the fans would be called the points or the marks (exclamation points!) and my original tagline was “Exclamation… it hits the mark!” but then Freeze Frame described it as “Fast songs, good times” and I was like woah… there it is.
How long has the show been on the air?
Exclamation! is about to celebrate a year! I launched it Wednesday, September 6th, 2023 and we just passed our 50th episode!
Has the premise of the show shifted since the initial idea?
When I first thought of the show, I knew that it would have a pop sentiment in the song selection that isn’t fully represented on the KOOP show schedule. I thought I might do a recurring theme like “Stronger than Dirt‘s” Dusty Diamond where it would be a guilty pop song (like Sheryl Crow’s “Soak up the Sun” or “Smooth” by Santana feat. Rob Thomas). But, after a conversation with my friend Alex, I realized that this would’ve just been self-indulgent and instead look at the Austin community, and so every episode I make sure to either include a local austinite or someone playing that week in Austin.
How has hosting Exclamation! affected your relationship with the station as a volunteer? Do you feel like you have a better understanding of how the station works? Have you gotten more involved in different aspects of the station?
Hosting Exclamation! has shown me how many people are involved in different aspects of the station and how music work and dedication goes into each show. As a fan of the station, you don’t realize all the work that goes behind the scenes that’s done by people like you, me, or your neighbor because we are cooperatively run. I have gotten involved with the events team for the station. I spearheaded our recent KOOP KOLSCH beer launch done in collaboration with Batch Craft Beer and Kolaches. It was a great way to promote and celebrate our upcoming 30th anniversary happening very soon!
What other programs do you host? What other volunteer opportunities do you participate in?
I have subbed for “The Lounge Show” and “The Emo Diaries” in the past (where I learned how to operate the board). I have participated in the events team and training team, and have tabled for KOOP at the Mueller Farmer’s market.
Who would be your ideal/dream guest in the studio?
Well, obviously Delilah would be amazing (Delilah if you’re reading this, HUGE fan, call me), Jonathan Richman, John Aielli (rest in power), David Bryne. For local artists, Being Dead would be a dream, Spliff Kazoo and his Fronds, Big Bill. But the guest of all guests would 100% be David Komie, the lawyer who rocks. You have no clue what that would mean for me and the Austin community at large.
I would like to amend my dream guest to also include Huell Howser (rest in power) who was the host of “California’s Gold” on PBS in California. If you haven’t watched clips, they’re amazing.
How long do you spend preparing for the show each week? What kind of research do you do?
My show airs Wednesdays so I usually start Friday building the playlist or seeing what upcoming shows in Austin to highlight, Saturday/Sunday to format everything, and make a hand-made collage for my Instagram to have it all set up by Sunday. It usually takes 6 hours from start to finish. My research is looking at a wealth of music sites, blogs, and playlists to find songs you may not hear otherwise.
Anything to add for listeners/fans of the show?
One thing that I would love to highlight is the Exclamation Dedication line! You can dedicate a song to anybody, anything, or any occasion to be played on the following week’s show. As we know from Delilah, a song dedication can be one of the most powerful things on this planet. All you have to do is leave a voicemail (if you want to have your message shared) or text 512-766-6167.
Editor’s note: As of September 1, Exclamation! will now be airing on Fridays at 4:30pm on 91.7 FM and KOOP.org.