Local musician hosts School of the Groove electronic music radio show

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Ask and you shall receive — it worked for Joe Hertler.

The Orion senior began DJing his own show, School of the Groove, Jan. 23 on Modern Rock 91.5.

“It was really just a matter of going in there and (saying,) ‘Hey guys — I want my own radio show,’ and so I got one,” said Hertler, who goes by DJ Dry Bones on the program.

He said his show, which airs 9 p.m. every Sunday, plays a mix of electronic dance music and lasts from an hour to an hour and a half. Hertler mixes the music live for listeners.

“There’s a pretty wide variety of what I mix on there,” he said. “I start with funk and groovy stuff. There’s always a progression. I leave the real hard-hitting electro and dubstep to the end.”

Macomb senior Jamie Favazza said Hertler makes it a point to spin live on air and test out new music.

“He’s on right after my show,” she said. “He’s just trying to bring the electronic music scene to Mount Pleasant.”

Hertler said Favazza’s show, Indie Queens, was one of the starting points for his work with 91.5.

He routinely guest starred on the show last year and began spinning his own set after suggestions from friends.

“For a long time, there’s been a lot of talk about making a live DJ show on Modern Rock,” Favazza said. “If anyone was going to do it, we figured Joe would be the best candidate for it.”

Favazza said reactions to School of the Groove have been positive. She hears a lot of listeners call in to ask for information about the songs Hertler mixes on air.

Hertler said he spends a lot of his time scouring the internet for new music to mix.

“The hardest part of DJing is first figuring out where the hell you find this music,” he said.

A lot of the tracks he features on his program and listens to in his free time come from local artists, Hertler said.

Musical man

Hertler is not only a DJ but also frontman for his own band, Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers.

His band, signed to Bigger Brush Media in Lansing, plays what Hertler called “folk-inspired soul music.” Though they originally started with folk music, the group has taken on a more significantly rock ‘n’ roll feel through the years.

Kevin Pritchard, co-owner of BBM, said the best word to describe Hertler is “passionate.”

“I was lucky enough to catch Joe in an acoustic set and was completely blown away by him,” he said. “He’s the most talented kid I’ve ever met. I think he’s going to do great things.”

For Hertler, School of the Groove is mostly a fun side project, though he already has plans to keep it growing. He wants to bring other DJs in to spin and host interviews, contests and events live.

“I think once it really gets into the rotation, I think it’s going to be a really fun show.”