From Judge Rage to Soiree Gun: KWVA Alumni Return to the Station After 33 Years
Two of KWVA's earliest student participants return to share stories, spin some tunes, and meet the next generation of KWVA student leaders.
More than 33 years after KWVA first hit the airwaves, two of the station's original student participants returned to campus for a weekend of music, memories, and conversations with current KWVA student staff. John Thomas and Bill Trinen were both involved with KWVA during its earliest years in the 1990s. Both majored in Japanese at the University of Oregon. Today, John lives in Portland and works in advertising, while Bill lives in Seattle and works for Nintendo.
Back to the Beginning
Bill was involved with KWVA before the station officially began broadcasting on May 27, 1993. He was studying abroad in Tokyo on launch day, but returned to participate once the station was on the air, hosting a morning show three times a week featuring a mix of new music.
John was among KWVA's early student leaders, serving as Programming Director and hosting a death metal show called Death Sentence in 1993–94 under the DJ name "Judge Rage." Death metal wasn't necessarily John's personal music of choice, but KWVA was committed to representing a wide variety of genres, and he helped make that happen.
Still on the Air, Three Decades Later
John's connection to KWVA didn't end with graduation. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced KWVA to transition to remote operations in 2020, John returned as a volunteer, producing shows remotely. He's continued contributing prerecorded programming ever since, particularly during summers and football season, when regular music shows are sometimes preempted by sports broadcasts or student DJs are away for internships and study abroad. Today, John hosts Soiree Gun, airing Saturdays from 4-6pm, featuring an eclectic mix of what he describes as "beach party spy music from the 60s and 70s mostly." Quite a change from his Judge Rage days!
Connecting Generations of KWVA
During their October visit, John and Bill joined current KWVA Music Director Sam Polis on her Friday radio show for an hour of music and conversation. They returned Sunday to spend a couple of hours with current student staff, sharing stories about KWVA's beginnings and hearing about station operations, campus life, and what it's like to be involved in college radio today.
Following the visit, Bill shared a photo on Instagram, describing the current student leadership as "a fantastic team with big ideas and big potential." He thanked Sam for welcoming them onto her show and shared his excitement about what the students have in store.
As KWVA celebrates its 33⅓ anniversary this fall, the visit was a fun reminder that the station is more than a place to play music or learn broadcasting. It's a community that connects generations of students through music, creativity, and a shared love of radio.And sometimes, those connections bring the original DJs right back into the studio!
Photo: KWVA alumni and current student staff during their October 2026 visit. From left: John Thomas, Bill Trinen, Sam Polis (Music Director), Chloe Baldwin (Office Assistant), Carole Ann Balkcom (Assistant Music/Blog Director), Niko Paroissien-Arce (Production Coordinator), and Hannah Bard (News Director).Photo by Charlotte Nisser Allen / KWVA.