king of the dj's

[clubhappy]

the term ''king of the dj's has only ever been used once in this industry in ireland , and it's a pretty accurate description of the name in question.anybody currently involved within the buisness will no doubt recognise the name ''Jim Kenny ''
i just feel it's about time he got a mention on the board ,maybe it's because of those happy saturday nights i spent listening to him mixing live on sunshine radio along with greg merriman and ben gibson .
if anybody has earned respect for sheer ability and knowledge to motivate a crowd ,the term ''king of the dj's ''cant be disputed by anybody .......just for the record , ive listed a few names of mainstream club dj's who really have never been replaced and probably wont be for some time .....

1....jim kenny
2....greg merriman
3....wicked willie
4....tommy matthews
5....niall boylan
6....paul manning
7....ben gibson {not sure if hes still clubbin ]
8....pete williams
9....andy preston
10..jimmy kavanagh

its not a top ten , just a list of names who dont have to depend on an agency for work or never will ...

love to hear your comments ............

[Michael Masterson]

Andy Preston super DJ great to see him back in club M on Sundays
Tempting to venture back that way Sundays with the man at the helm
Its the only time you hear the dance classics in the Big M he blends
them in very well indeed.also mixes very tight on the cd decks no
back to back here crisp mixing and builds up nicely and seems to
please every one which ant easy damm R'n'B ravers.
As for MR back to Back boylan enough said (negativity leaking out)
Nice to see you mention wicked willie clubhappy had many a good
night listening to his tunes years gone past danc'in the night away theman is a legend pity seems to spend his time doing kiss fm adds now.Two you didn't mention Andy jackson,Noel Clancy two sound guys
that have been on the scene dogy years good DJ's would include
these on my list on maybe Francois the techno wizard super club dj.

[clubhappy]

andy jackson???? sorry michael but your starting to take the p**s now , how you can mention him along side the above names is a mystery , he's never really worked in any credible clubs and to him it was only a hobbie .
francois ???? if you check back you'll see the words ''mainstream dj's'' , not narrowminded techno heads ........
apologys to noel clancy ,definately a great dj and a superb guy .

[Ginger]

Having worked in the Club scene both here and in the country all i can do is agree with clubhappy`s theory on Dublin Jocks. The old boys as they would be known are still there.

Jim Kenny
Gregg merriman
Wicked
Ben Gibson
Niall Boylan
Pete williams
Ian Cribben
Tommy Stewart
Andy Preston ( The new boy)

There 20 year track record says it all. There mixing ability knows no bounds. Just pop into CLUB M any night and you will see what i mean.

They are don’t stop at just playing what the people want to hear but find new ways to do so.

All of the above with the exception of Andy were the first to beat mix in this country and have been working on the scene ever since.

Lets see if the new guys are around in 20 years. I think not!

There is no point in slagging any of theses guys off there reputation precedes your petty jealousy.

[Mark Hunter]

And of course the only important thing about being a good club jock is beat mixing............... Won't even bother to list the number of times I've been in clubs with some idiot jock being the tighest beat mixer in the world but paying absolutely no attention to what the crowd wants to hear or actually working the mic. Beat mixing is best left to the bedroom these days lads.

[Turiel]

Oh there's an interesting point - working the mic! Do these 'king of djs' do any mic work? And how often? And is it just general "Blah blah club on a saturday night, through till 3am blah blah" or what? Believe it or not, I don't think i've ever heard any of the above list play in a club. Possibly because I'm working whenever any are playing ;)

[clubhappy]

using a mic in a club every 5 mins is not what these guys are there to do .
most punters are there to dance and enjoy their fav tunes ,no to hear some idiot ranting on talkin sh**e , it's a f***ing night club not a radio show .
hunter claims that because they have an ability to beat mix they dont pay attention to the crowd , what a load of crap .
some of the above names play in mainstream clubs where , pop, r&b, dance and even oldies are top of the menu ,so maybe you should go have a listen before you tarnish them with the same brush as some idiot you heard in whichever run down kip you claim to have been ...........

[Slicklink]

Jim Kenny, I could never understand what he was saying in Tomangoes, fair enough he knew his music....... not so good at the radio programming but thats another story (Sleazy 103)

Paul Manning is he another Tomangoes Jock, I think so.

[clubhappy]

paul has left tomangos {unfortunately] and has been replaced with a well known dublin dj agency, which could go a long way to explaining why the club is suffering a loss of buisness.
it's a terrible shame a club with such a huge reputation has to resort to using an agency although Jim Kenny is still packing them in on tuesdays . in regard to his voice , i have heard him on the odd radio show and he sounds really good , chatting on a mic in a club is a difficult thing to do as most sound systems either have limiters, or the jock will limit his link so as to keep the pace of the floor going . u have to remember it's about the music and not about how clever a link should sound .......
anyway slick , whats sleazy 103 .{not trying to be cheeky }just interested to know thats all ...

[silly billy]

clubhappy,
rumours that were flying around tomangoes as to why a dj agency was put in, was because of the drinking of the previous jocks, in that they'd get drunk while jocking, then get sloppy with links and mixes,
If thats the level of professionalism, i'm not surprised they replaced them, and it's probably easier for "local" club owners/mgrs to deal with an agency rather than go looking for more solo djs
Yes i do go to Tomangoes and No i havn't seen a huge drop in the numbers, that place always quietens in the summer when everyone is away, and No, i don't work for the dj agency before you ask, i just thought you should have a bit more info as to why a "club with such a huge reputation has to resort to using an agency"

[clubhappy]

the reason clubs use agencies is basically because most good dj's are busy somewhere else and it's an easy option out .
anyway , most of them dont really last too long because any manager who knows the scene will eventually realise their dj's are just a bunch of bad wannabees and cowboys .
with regard to p.manning , he left for a better offer and certainly didn't have a drink problem , and jim kenny has never been pi***d while doing a gig so i dont know where that load of crap came from ......im sure we'll see tomangos employing real dj's very soon and realise how these cowboys are ripping the industry off .....
bye bye ...

[silly billy]

not trying to put a slur on any of the tomangoes djs, just telling you what was going around!

[The Real Stuttering John]

"any manager who knows the scene will eventually realise their dj's are just a bunch of bad wannabees and cowboys . "


I would hardly call djs like Tiny Tim, Rusty Nails (eammon) and Owen Clarke wannabe Cowboys as they each have at least 6-12 years experience in the Scene and that is why many have held residencies for years

i never heard anything about any drinking problems (although i may be wrong) in fairness so I know that was not exactly the reason the new boys above were brought in but there were several other factors.

I am not going to get into slagging matches here (that was the old board) and I will say that many of the names mentioned on the first page of this thread are some of the reasons I got so involved in DJing and have upmost respect for them Ben Gibson , Willie, Pete Williams etc ..........and certainly Tommy Mathews is still one of the best in the Biz

[stayin alive]

I have to agree with Clubhappy regarding the agency issue .
Over the past few years they have given the industry a bad name by throwing any joe bloggs into a gig just to fill it.
Not many of them are what i would call professionals and i think a lot of venues are finally copping on to them ....
A lot of the names mentioned in the first couple of posts are the ones who have earned respect and im sure will still be around for some time , well after the agency so called wannabees are gone .

[Turiel]

Thats not very fair on those of us who work for agencies (and I know there are quite a few on this board). Maybe you should be judging DJs as individuals rather than by which company they work for!

[Slicklink]

Ah I see an agency reposnse here! Clubhappy your very naive if you believe that certain DJ's have'nt been in anyway drunk whilst gigging, maybe even including the jocks mentioned (I've done it and I know shit loads more who have!)

Business is Business lads and Agencies do make a lot more than their jocks on average.......... You dont have to be with an agency to be a chancer far from it there are plenty of cowboys out there who dont need to hide behind an agency!

Sleazy 103 thats another story.................

[The Real Stuttering John]

considering MOST of "the big 4" agencies vet who they take on very carefully it is cetainly not a case of taking on any old fool. star get 15-20 demo cds a week. They only took on 2-3 people in the last 2-3 months out of 50-60 applicants

Maybe people here have lost gigs because they don't live up to their profession not because a comapny comes in. The big agencies charge more than a direct DJ for the big gigs/clubs so it is hardly undercutting. Most DJs I know earn more now per gig than they did 3-4 years ago so the money is pushing up all the time, I have seen guys make lots of (not going into people's personal income) money a month through agencies!!! Jesus a Dj used to be lucky to get £40-50 per gig in the old days in some bars/clubs before MOST agencies came along (the agancies who do give a shit)


The DJ profession is better now than it used to be. People get paid now unlike the days when you'd hear "sorry, not enogh money tonight to pay you.....bud" people can make a full time living out of it if they are good enough and it is not a case now of cowboys and dodgy promoters as much as it used to be. DJing has become more of a proffesional industry that's all, just like radio and other "new/ growth industries"

[clubhappy]

thats a load of crap , how many times have i heard in the past about agencies treading on genuine djs toes and bullshitting owners into believing that by employing them they'll offer a better service .........
to say the industry has improved because of them is very inaccurate and how many top dublin clubs employ them ?????
club m ? no, club annabells?? no, the playhouse??? no, club 92???no, red box???? no , earth ????no, co co 's ???no , club diva ?? no , ice night club ??no ,
kinda proves my point dosen't it ....

[silly billy]

just as a matter of interest, clubhappy, do you gig yourself, have you had a bad experience with an agency, what has you so riled up?

[7incher]

Id like to know too Billy, he does seem to be a little too angry at agencies.

[7incher]

Ben Gibson , Willie, Pete Williams etc ..........and certainly Tommy Mathews is still one of the best in the Biz

Where could I check these guys out?

[KJ]

Willie Ford does Spawell and (I think) the Playhouse - am not 100%, havent seen Willie in years.

Ive never heard of Ben Gibson before but I think Tommy Matthews does Coco's these days? Anyone? Pete Williams is still DJing??! He must have been one of Ireland's first 5 club jocks surely? DJ's who are 15 years older then me talk about how Pete inspired them to get into DJing, he must be jocking about 30 years at this stage. Respect!


KJ

;)

[george was best]

Wicked Wille ........Playhouse , Earth , Kells [ club name i dont know ], Spawell

Pete Williams ..........Club Annabells , o'sheas bar , Level 4

Tommy Matthews .........Club 92 , [thursday & sunday ] Playwright [blackrock ] , Co Co 's , The Big Tree.

Ian Cribbon ..........Club m [ tuesday & friday ] , Club 92 , Club Diva , Home nightclub [ balbriggan ], Younges music bar .

Jimmy Kavanagh ........Co Co 's , Night Owles .

Greg Merriman ...........Club m , Vortex , Playhouse .

Ben Gibson ...........Think he doin a few oldies gigs around town .

Niall Boylan ............98fm , Club m .

[steve reilly]

Originally posted by Kelly Jones
Willie Ford does Spawell and (I think) the Playhouse - am not 100%, havent seen Willie in years.
;)

yeah kelly your rite,
willie plays in the spawell saterday sunday and monday nites, i know this cos im up there after my gigs every weekend, and he,s still sh!t hot. good mixing and a great selection of music.
ian is also another top jock that i often go to see after my gigs, very entertaining great tunes good mixing and all round sound bloke!

[KJ]

Someone was asking me the whereabouts of Ray Summers either here or out and about, cant remember, anyhoo - he's apparently in the rather plush River Club in Merchant's Arch in Temple Bar these days

His mixes on Century kicked ass


KJ

;)

[DeargDoom]

How many of them still have bushy 'taches?!

Just kidding, I used to love hearing Niall Boylan and Jim Kenny every few weeks on Nialls original sunday night show on 98. Initially bringing in Jim as part of a music quiz, by the end of the night the two old boys were inevitably talking about the great days of the Sunshine 101 megamix from Tamangos, and about various shady gangland figures that they had worked with over the years!

DD

(who once tried to grow a bushy 'tache but couldn't. Thats why I was never a successful club jock. That and lack of bright red GTO).

[NoelRock]

"Just kidding, I used to love hearing Niall Boylan and Jim Kenny every few weeks on Nialls original sunday night show on 98. Initially bringing in Jim as part of a music quiz, by the end of the night the two old boys were inevitably talking about the great days of the Sunshine 101 megamix from Tamangos, and about various shady gangland figures that they had worked with over the years!"

They still do this every once in a while on the Sunday show DD - then Niall seems to realise they've gone off on a tangent and says something like "but that's all a bit anoraky" - whilst about 20 of us are thinking "noooo... please continue!". Fun.

[DJ Wicked]

To be mentioned in the list of dublin djs here is indeed a honor :rolleyes:

[Slicklink]

The orginal Maniac ^ Jm Kenny talking about shady characters....... hmmm seems plausable enuff lol.... Its takes one.....

[father_ted9t9.]

Hi Guys,

just a quick pointer on @Agency@ DJ's. I know that club m, anabels, club 92 and some other Clubs do not use agency jocks, but there is one other thing which you have to look at for the majority of the named... They are still associated with an "OLDER CROWD" if ya know what i mean. Those guys have being doing the rounds for years and even though the majority of them are still kickin(Wicked-great in playhouse!!) If you look at any un-named clubs from the list... fireworks, coyote, spirit(Sometimes uses agency), tram-co, they would probably be classed as some of the most popular clubs in Dublin with some of the best dj's in ireland playing in them(all From Agencies). If you look around at the moment too, a lot of the Bigger well known jocks from radio and international dj'ing fame! are with agencies and the way things are going, its so much easier having an agency with up to 150-200 djs nationwide to deal with than 1 guy who would peobably be booked up every night of the week anyway cos they have been around so long. It's the way forward people..p.s i dont work for an agency but know a lot of people involved in them!

[radioTom]

Ben gibson used to do hollywood nights and other Big clubs in the late 80s /early 90s around Dublin. No idea where he is now

[Vin Diesel]

Anyone out there heard of a dj called Graham Coleman. Heard allot about him lately, Saturday night in Home is supposed to be dancetastic. Never saw a gig tho. Anyone shed any light on him?
Respek.

[Ice Pop Daddy]

I'm surprised you've never seen him gig Vin, he's a drogheda lad like yourself:-)

[Vin Diesel]

Being a superstar Dj myself, i rarely get a weekend nite off 2 check him out Iceman. Don't think he's from the sticks tho. Not livin there long myself. Dublin born and bread!!!;)

[Ice Pop Daddy]

Can't say I've ever heard of you, Vin

[Vin Diesel]

He seems to be a touchy subject 4 u. Could you be the man himself? If so iceman, no disrespect intented, just curious. Heard from friends who travelled out, said he (or you) played some classics. As 4 me... the superstar bit was a bit of an exageration.

[Ice Pop Daddy]

Yes it's true, I am he. Thanks for the compliments friend, I love them!

[7incher]

nice to see lots of back patting there guys but why not let some new talent come through? young DJs like Vinny S Rob Martin and more are making their mark

[Boston Barney]

Well, with respect to the clubs already listed on the first few pages, these clubs employ their DJ's on a nightly basis, but some of the jocks do work for agents on other nights, no names given!!!!

Some of the names mentioned do work in the clubs that have been around for awhile, but don't forget there are alot of places in the city and country apart from these clubs that are extremely popular with the punters and are consistantly stuffed all year round, and these places are using agentcies!!!!!!

Agents provide a service for the industry, liked or not, that is essential, and with the emergance of so many new venues over the years they provide a lot of jocks with stable work that they know they will have everyweek! In some cases where no agents are involved jocks have been known to go away for two weeks holidays and come back to no gigs!!!

How many times have you had a guy come up to you in the middle of gig on a saturday night and say, "eh, bud, i'm jock myself"!!!! I've lost count!!!

Agents have a veting process that weeds out the good from the bad, sometimes though a bedroom jock falls through the net and gets to do some gigs, but as i've said for years(to people who know me) only the best will survive, as it will be on the club front, remember you can't go on fooling the public forever!!

Thanking you lorraine!!

Barney

[KJ]

"How many times have you had a guy come up to you in the middle of gig on a saturday night and say, "eh, bud, i'm jock myself"!!!! I've lost count!!!"


Remember that guy we used to know who worked FIVE nights a week and managed to have every Sat night off?!

Jammy b*stard ;)

[Boston Barney]

As they say in the bud ad, True, true!!!!

Ah well at least he's working now on a saturday! Gets him out of the bedroom!

Thanking you lorraine!

Barney:king:

[saltypony]

Ah yes what a jock !

I believe he was so talented he didn't need to work on a saturday due to the fact his other gigs were so busy ;)

By the way Kelly and Barney, thanks for the mention in the 'King of DJs' thread....It's an honour :) :) :) :) :) :)

Ya F**Kers

[DarraghRoberts]

Ben Gibson? Isnt he still working in the sound department in RTE, at least thats where he was a couple of years ago. Ben was a true superstar DJ, the only guy I know who brought almost his entire collection along to Hollywood nights every sunday. That was back in the days when Hollywood nights was the place to go on a Sunday instead of knackery doo!

Speaking of superstar DJs, does anyone have vinal copies of Greg Merrimans megamises that beat records across from abbey discs used to sell in the late 80s?

[dj ray]

the term ''king of the dj's has only ever been used once in this industry in ireland , and it's a pretty accurate description of the name in question.anybody currently involved within the buisness will no doubt recognise the name ''Jim Kenny ''
i just feel it's about time he got a mention on the board ,maybe it's because of those happy saturday nights i spent listening to him mixing live on sunshine radio along with greg merriman and ben gibson .
if anybody has earned respect for sheer ability and knowledge to motivate a crowd ,the term ''king of the dj's ''cant be disputed by anybody .......just for the record , ive listed a few names of mainstream club dj's who really have never been replaced and probably wont be for some time .....

1....jim kenny
2....greg merriman
3....wicked willie
4....tommy matthews
5....niall boylan
6....paul manning
7....ben gibson {not sure if hes still clubbin ]
8....pete williams
9....andy preston
10..jimmy kavanagh

its not a top ten , just a list of names who dont have to depend on an agency for work or never will ...

love to hear your comments ............


was just buzzing around , searching for names (as you do at 8.15am sunday)havnt been to bed yet..................... thought i`d alive this post again to see what has changed !

so the top ten ,(in no order) working djs in dublin, has it changed ?

do we include lar wright ?
" " "" " "" loffty
" " " " lee dee


do we now un-include ian cribbin? (working county all the time)
do we now un -include niall boylan (semi retired)




comments please.......................

[DJMurphy]

king of the djs for me is deffinately Wicked, i loved goin to see him when i lived in dublin, i do miss the "original maniac" but lets not forget there are Queens of the DJ's and one that springs to mind is Tracey Lee, in my opinion i think she opened the doors for new and up and comin female djs, but i dont hear of any female dj's makin a name for themselves in the club scene........well thats how i feel maybe i could be wrong....



Are there any up and coming female djs out there?

[ste mc d]

king of the djs for me is deffinately Wicked, i loved goin to see him when i lived in dublin, i do miss the "original maniac" but lets not forget there are Queens of the DJ's and one that springs to mind is Tracey Lee, in my opinion i think she opened the doors for new and up and comin female djs, but i dont hear of any female dj's makin a name for themselves in the club scene........well thats how i feel maybe i could be wrong....



Are there any up and coming female djs out there?

orla feeney springs to mind. she's had a good 2008 and i'd say is set for a better 2009. she has a show on rte pulse now to.