The popular VH1 series Behind the Music has reeled audiences in and made a name for itself by telling the hard-knock life stories of rockers and rappers alike. Last Friday, in an attempt to find the story behind the dial, I headed down to the WKPS-FM (90.7) studio and into the production booth.

It was a chilly, hazy morning when I awoke four hours before my nine o'clock class to visit the WKPS studios.

In this student-run studio, located downtown in the James Building, an eclectic group of four wake early every morning to come together for what they call the Rush Hour.

Rush Hour, which started five years ago, originally aired during the afternoon-drive time and featured mostly college rock tunes. The Rush Hour has since changed its time slot on WKPS to 7 to 9 a.m.

But according to Al Bianchi (senior-telecommunications) host of Rush Hour and director of operations for WKPS, the time slot was just the first of many changes for the Rush Hour.

"During the past year and a half we've become more focused on listeners," Bianchi said, adding that audience involvement through promotions, getting out on the streets to talk to listeners and inviting listeners to the studio have changed the Rush Hour show.

Lines are opens throughout the show so that listeners can call into the studios to request songs and offer comments.

The Rush Hour also changed the genre of music to alternative with some personal DJ picks and listener requests thrown in.

Behind the music and on the mics

On the Friday morning I spent at WKPS, all four DJs were on hand — each with a definite personality, each with a specific job, each with his or her own definition of the Rush Hour team.

"We're all primadonnas."

"We love walking the line."

"We're the funniest show on WKPS."

"It was a boys club."

Smash Michaels, a.k.a. Al Bianchi, is the host and ringleader of the Rush Hour. Bianchi, who describes himself as "the oldest living child," said he's really had a good time doing Rush Hour.

Bianchi is aware of his arrogant on-air personality.

"This is where you get to do everything you really wanted to do," he said.

Bianchi said he likes all genres of music but his favorite is alternative.

Originally all the Rush Hour DJ's were male until last year, when Alexis Hall (sophomore-art) came in to break up what Bianchi described as a man's show.

Straightforward and quick-witted yet easy going, Hall, whose on-air name is Triple Lex, joined the morning show simply because she is a fan of radio. Her favorite music genre is metal, and she describes a discordant rock group, Shudder to Think as her favorite band.

Hall said that Rush Hour definitely needed some female representation. Bianchi agreed, adding, "Alexis and Kate really keep us grounded."

Anaconda Kate is better known as Kate Grazzini to her friends at State College High School, where Grazzini is a junior.

Grazzini, who began interning at WKPS in May, says she does not plan to make radio her future career.

"I love it, and it is so much fun, but I think if I made a career of getting up at 4:30 in the morning, I just wouldn't like it as much," she said.

Grazzini, mature but very light-hearted on air, says that she is "definitely classic rock girl," naming Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and David Bowie as some of her favorite artists.

Bob, the newest member of the Rush Hour team, is in search of an on-air name. Bob Mattiford (freshman-computer engineering) has only been with WKPS for three weeks, but he really rounds out the group.

Mattiford fits the perfect profile of the athletic hardworking freshman, who successfully juggles pledging a fraternity, doing his chemistry homework and getting up at 6 a.m. every day.

Very funny on-air and off, Bob beat Triple Lex in the much-anticipated "Battle of the Sexes" contest last Friday. Each week the women, who had reigned for four weeks running, bring in questions to ask the men and vice versa.

On Tuesday, Rush Hour celebrated Ghandi Day by sending Anaconda Kate and Bob out on the streets of State College to do nice things during the show. Bob and Anaconda Kate kept listeners updated by calling into to the show and sharing their stories as good-deed doers.

"We're the fun show," Bianchi said. "We'll do stuff that nobody else will do."