I stayed away from SW (that's Short-Wave for all you techno-weenies out there) though. Heard some strange bleeps and noises the first time I tried it out and was convinced it was either a: UFO's and everybody who heard their signal on the radio would be abducted or b: some secret agency was transmitting top secret stuff and oh boy if they ever found out I managed to intercept their signal. Laugh all you want, but that was some serious sh*t I had to keep in mind, when I was what, 7 or 8?

After recording 'fake radio shows' in my bedroom (I still have some on tape. Lucky me, I don't have a tape-recorder anymore, so don't ask), it was time to get some real air-time. But in those days, we didn't have many radio stations in Holland, so it was extremely hard to get some air-time. There was just one solution, you actually had to buy your own transmitter. Yesss, those were the 'pirate radio' days.

What started as an one hour show in the middle of the night, grew to a full 24/7 operation. Sure, I got raided a couple of times, but I was on the air! Those were also the days I started to receive recordings (airchecks) of US radio stations and it kicked off my love for US radio. Matter of fact, I actually started to model my radio show to US standards. It was the start of my ultimate goal, hosting my own radioshow on an US radio station.

You can teach yourself things to a certain point, but then comes the time for some REAL experience. In 1995, I started working at a real radio station. When I walked through those doors for the very first time, I thought I knew everything. Boy, was I wrong! I was a baby DJ all over again!

But I've learned ALOT and have been learning eversince. Remember that ultimate goal I have, hosting my own radioshow in the USA? I started working on that goal a couple of years ago. And you know what? I was a baby DJ, AGAIN! Now I had to teach myself how to do everything in ENGLISH, instead of my native tongue. And I still mess up sometimes!

But that's the real beauty of radio, in my personal and humble opinion. It's about personality, it's about connecting with YOU as a listener. So what, I have a silly Dutch accent. So what, I still mess up my English sometimes. It's real, it's me and as long as you and I can make fun about it, I'm happy!

Am I gonna reach my ultimate goal? A man once said: 'If you’re willing to work hard enough, you’ll accomplish whatever the hell you want to. All you really need is focus and determination; the rest is up to you.' That man is one of my radio heroes, Scott Shannon, wellknown of WHTZ - Z100 and WPLJ in New York City. I don't know if Im gonna reach my goal. But besides living by those words, I'm having alot of fun along the way!

And there you have it, a little rundown of my life in radio. I'm still going strong, lucky enough to work together with some of the best in the business and meeting some of my radio heroes in the process too. But above all, I just love doing what Im doing, nothing more, nothing less. I'm not 'Mister Radio-Man'. I'm just like you, having a blast and enjoying life. If I've made you laugh, dance or if I've just put a little smile on your face during one of my radioshows, I'm happy. I'm easy to please :)