PIG Heaven

During my years in the music business I met a lot of fun and interesting people; some of those people became real friends and didn’t disappear when I left the business and was no longer able to send them free CDs.

I moved to Bangkok ten years ago (10 May 1997) but I kept in touch with many of my radio and music industry friends via email. Of course, as the years have moved on, so have many of the folks I knew in the music biz, but there is one notable exception, my friends at KPIG radio.

KPIG remains one of my favourite stations; their eclectic mix of music, quirky ads and promotions and their down to earth DJs always make for an entertaining experience. Whenever I make it back to Northern California I try visit the ‘PIG.

On one visit, after living here in Thailand for a year or so, Program Director Laura Ellen Hopper dragged me into the studio and interviewed me on-air, encouraging me to say what I could in Thai (which was very little, I’m still trying to learn the language!). We had a laugh (as did the listeners judging by the phone calls that came into the station) and talked about repeating that exercise in a few years time when I could speak more Thai. It’s this blend of spur of the moment ideas put into action combined with a well thought out overall plan for music and programming that makes KPIG so unique.

The driving force behind all this creativity was Laura. She was like the KPIG mother, lovingly guiding and disciplining her ‘Piggies’ as needed while also fiercely protecting station & staff from corporate owners who didn’t understand the KPIG culture or the loyalty of their listeners. She led the ‘Piggies’ into battle time and time again and those efforts have helped to keep one of the most interesting radio stations on the planet up and running.

There was one battle, however, which many people didn’t know about, including myself. Laura was bravely and quietly fighting cancer while keeping the ‘PIG on the air. Sadly, this is the one battle that Laura couldn’t win; she died on Memorial Day morning.

To say that she’ll be missed is a rather large understatement. Her spirit will, hopefully, live on in the ‘PIG for generations to come.

Rest in peace Laura and Long Live the ‘PIG!