For most billiards buffs today, the coupling of billiards and radio can only mean one thing: American Billiard Radio, the popular radio-based podcast that began in December 2013 and continues to air every Thursday evening at 9pm CT. Conceived and produced by Chicago Billiards Museum curator David “Mr Bond,” the weekly show has featured a panoply of pool professionals, spanning the alphabet from (Johnny) Archer to (Mike) Zuglan, in its effort to bring a “healthy dose of pool and billiard fun from sea to shining sea.”
But, for the denizens of Las Vegas, the union of billiards and radio may conjure up a different broadcast – namely, “The Break,” the web series from local station KOMP 92.3 FM that featured radio personality Carlota playing cutthroat pool with members of hard rock bands (of varying name recognition) while she engages in friendly banter. Each episode was 4-5 minutes.
To my knowledge, only five episodes were produced. The first, from September 2014, reveals the show’s lowbrow appeal. Filmed inside a nondescript Las Vegas dive, Carlota plays pool against Rick DeJesus, frontman for local hard rock band Adelitas Way. She speaks to him about their new album and the significance behind their singles, “Stuck” and “Dog on a Leash.” Of the five episodes, this one is the most revelatory, with DeJesus lamenting the state of rock-and-roll and the backlash against edgier bands like his. The full episode is below.
We don’t get invited to the VMAs. We don’t get invited to the YMCA…We’ve been blacklisted because rock-and-roll is dangerous…I feel rock-and-roll has become so corporate….Youngsters have to get a dictionary out to look up ‘rock.’ Everyone is playing it safe. Fun is popular.
Following the DeJesus pool match interview, “The Break” got a little more upscale and moved inside the Hard Rock Hotel, where Carlota interviews the four members of Otherwise. The Las Vegas-based rock band, who talk about their new album (Peace at All Costs) while they founder at their pool game.
The third episode features an interview with frontman Johnny Hawkins and (now-ex) drummer Paul O’Brien of Nothing More, a band primarily known for their single “This is the Time.” The interview is light on content, but the entertainment value is high, specifically because Hawkins is so god-awful at pool.
The fourth episode is another Hard Rock Hotel cutthroat game, this time with Matt DiRito (bass) and Leigh Kakaty (lead vocals, founder) from the Kansas-based rock band Pop Evil. Giving off a 24/7 hard rocker vibe, DiRito and Kakaty talk about life on the road, the lure of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the appeal of hot sauce (“on everything”), and the challenge of being the one guy who knows nothing about sports. Once again, none of these guys can play pool for shit. The episode is available here.
Finally, the most recent episode from May 2015 involves Carlota playing cutthroat at the Hard Rock Hotel with Sully Erna (singer, founder) and Shannon Larkin (drummer) of Godsmack, the globally popular band with 20 top ten rock radio hits, including the Grammy-nominated “I Stand Alone,” which powered The Scorpion King soundtrack. Unfortunately, the interview does little to take the listeners behind Sully’s sunglasses, which he wears most the game. The one memorable nugget is Sully’s confession that he has dressing room OCD. The episode is available to watch here.
