am i past it?

[mr.bean]

im a full time commercial dj and at the moment i seem to be just going thru the motions in every gig. anyone else ive spoken to says the same thing, its very disheartening! have people really become so narrow minded that they only want to dance to whatever is cool and popular OR have us djs lost the thirst and drive we used to have and become lazy? we complain that ppl are narrow minded but is it our fault for not pushing the boat out a bit more and branching out more?or maybe its just me??!! answers on a postcard please!!

[Iano]

Good question and glad somebody finally brought it up .
Bottom line Mr Bean , the fun went out of it for a lot of jocks when the market went stale and we were, and still are being subjected to the awful shite coming out of the American market

Hip hop ? A drug filled buisness, and w*nkers have the cheek to run dance music down claiming it's a drug releated scene .

Personally i still enjoy it and am kinda lucky with where i work .

Iano.

[Turiel]

Maybe we should arrange a time in the chatroom where we can get together and share some ideas on how to improve the situation? Any takers?

[KJ]

We're all in the same boat.

As mentioned in threads elsewhere the scene has grown stagnant with RnB killing the atmosphere due to so much of it having to be played - simple as that


"is it our fault for not pushing the boat out a bit more and branching out more?"


Ive also said this in the "RnB Lovers ....." thread and I agree with you Bean - it *is* up to the jocks to have more balls and take a few risks. Listening to one jock I know say "our business is at an all time low" and another pretty close to a mental breakdown at gigs lately (relax buddy! lol) is *not* good - getting stressed out that much is a bad thing

Maybe the problem is DJ's are gigging too much? There's some who refuse to take on more then 4 nights a week because it stops been fun after that and they've got to be admired - there seems to be a fear in saying "no thanks" to extra work in our business if the venue and money is right (We've all been guilty of this). Another way of putting would be to say we can all be greedy b*stards sometimes


Maybe we need more holidays? Most jocks only take a week or 2 leave out of the country every year whereas the bar/club managers we work for get around 5 (and some cases 6) weeks paid leave (we're self employed so we dont have that luxury). There's also the fear with some jocks that your holidays fill-in will be better then - or worse still - undercut you and you wont get your gig back. I knew one jock who worked flat out 6 nights a week for FOUR years and another who I dont think has taken a holiday outside of Ireland in over ten years - this is crazy! If you're good at your job then your gigs are safe :::::::: just dont take more then 3 weeks together (as I learned the hard way a couple of years back, lol). Getting away from it all gives you a fresh perspective on gigging (and you might even get a few ideas from the locals ;)) ........ so - more downtime guys, I skipped a vacation last year but wont be doing it again in a hurry

Maybe there's too many bars in Dublin now? Go back to 1996 - no Zanzibar, Pravda, Metropolitan, Spi, Voodoo, Knightsbridge, Vaults etc on the South Quays and no Q bar, Coyote, Redz, Sosume, SIN etc on the Northside. All pretty big venues and (with a couple of exceptions) all mainstream music policies. The days of having a full house on a Wednesday night are gone for now but bar-owners aren't stupid - if Dublin's population keeps growing at its current rate their places will be stuffed again ........ they're just looking ahead

Maybe Im been too optimistic here but Im just getting a little pissed off with all the negativity amongst gigging jocks lately. We work in a job where you can have a thousand people on a Saturday night in the palm of your hand, where (as long as you dont look like Turiel :p) you can get chatted up 5 nights a week and she offers to buy *you* a drink(!) and a job where you can pull out an obscure classic and watch the place go doolally.


Remember the good things about this business and why you got into it in the first place


I know a taxi driver who works 60-70 hours a week to make the wage of most full-time DJs and he *hates* it .......... ask yourself this - when was the last time you hated your job? If the answer to that is "every gig for the past 6 months" then you should consider doing something else maybe


KJ

;)

PS - you're not past it Bean, you cared enough about gigging to make that post so maybe 2 weeks in the the sun is what ye need?

PPS – To Ian, Ice Pop and other full time jocks on the board I respect – simply stop taking this crap off the RnB Barbie Girls. Most are getting very blunt answers from me lately (example: last Saturday with a orange glowing Diva at a gig asking me when I was going to play some “MTV Base tunes” when the floor was full to Beyonce) (When I say “blunt” - dont curse, play the Sex Pistols or attack her with the mic Iano ;))

[Iano]

Second attempt .........I agree with your views Kelly , but it's not that easy trying to educate a crowd and push the boat out when their just not interested . Its the market were currently involved in and accepting it is part of what we do so we dont really have much choice in the matter unless your playing to a crowd who are willing to have fun to anything you play .
Negativity amongst jocks Kelly ?? cant believe you said that knowing your experience ...It's f**k all to do with negativity Kelly , it's all about entertaining the crowd in front of you and sending them home happy by playing what they want to hear and all dj's i know are not prepared to pay the price by sending them home halfway through the gig and finding the dance floor empty at 1.00
Unless somebody offers me a gig playing 3 hours of house music ,followed by 30 mins of disco ,finished off with 30 mins of rock , im still prepared to take my chances with crap like ,'snoop dog '' , Dr f**kin Dre , Beyonce , Justin and shite such as Nelly and 'No [im bored ] Diggity ......

My fav gig of the week is Tuesday [oldies ] always a reaction and a half decent crowd , and if you ask 'Ice pop daddy '' hell say the same of his thursday .....Enjoyable and fun ...

A holiday Kelly ?? you hit the nail on the head there , we work too fu**in much which probably adds to the boredum

I disagree regarding the scene being at an all time low Kelly , the public will always want to party and club , it's just unfortunate the music scene is at the stage it is now , but how many people will fill a club with low skirts and fake tan asking for shite all night and drinking until they cant recognise their own reflection in the mirror .......Loads ..

Anyway , keep the replies coming dude , you cant beat a discussion wit an old timer like you Kelly ....lol. lol ...

Off to bed now ..football at 12.oo ...ill never make it ...

Iano .

[LisaLavish]

Originally posted by Kelly Jones
As mentioned in threads elsewhere the scene has grown stagnant with RnB killing the atmosphere due to so much of it having to be played - simple as that


"

HERE HERE!!!

[Turiel]

Report from the dancefloors of Turiel-land this weekend:

Friday was a 21st (yeah yeah yeah)... and I haven't done one in ages, but my god how its changed. You can really see the effects of what we're talking about. They danced to R&B - and thats IT. I'm sure you remember from your 21st days that your main set at a 21st was going to be your oldies, cause everyone dances to the likes of Wham, The Foundations, etc. Maybe it was just this particular crowd, but no so any more. Both oldies sets I tried fell flat on their face. Even the real party stuff - there was an empty floor to Rock the Boat and YMCA. Thinking that ok, maybe they're too young for the 80s stuff, I tried a bit of oldschool 90s but still no luck. Even with the R&B, they only liked charty stuff, which limited my options quite a bit. Oh well.

Saturday (gig 1) was a hell of a lot better. The people there were mainly aged 16-23, and danced to practically everything I played - R&B, dance, oldschool, oldies, everything. I actually had fun! Yay. There actually wasn't that many people there, but it was still good. Biggest tune of the night? DMX - X Gon Give It To Ya. No, I don't know why. Filled the floor more than Beyonce did. Weird.

Saturday (gig 2) was just weird - the venue has a policy of all R&B music. It was busy, and by 3 o' clock, playing my biggest tunes (beyonce, justin, etc) there was still only a handful of people on the dancefloor. I was even asked by management to change to Robbie, Westlife type music. That didn't do anything for the floor either so I guess maybe they just didn't want to dance. Older group than usual, very few people under 30.

So how were your weekends?

Oh I came up with another couple of reasons why our dancefloors may suck:

1) Are people less drunk? They kinda seem to be to me, certainly in the venues I do. So the less drunk they are, the less dancability they have.

2) The venues themselves just aren't full anymore. Again, speaking from my perspective, cause I know that Kelly's + Ian's main gigs are packed every night. But they're some of the biggest and most well known venues in Dublin. But anyway, my point is the less people you have, the less you can get away with playing.

[Pistol]

I think the drink thing has a lot to do with it, its too expensive! People just don't have the money any more.

I lost a gig in a night club a few months ago for trying to play somthing different. Just oldschool, newish dance. People in the club liked it, management didnt. They said they were tyring to keep the club sounding fresh so the employed a dj thats been around town for the last ten years and is as stale as can be.

Where is the justice?
Experimenting does't work....

[Iano]

The crowd liked it but the management didn't ??
Then the manager should get into another line of work and the owner should f**k off and get out of our industry ......

Iano......

[KJ]

"Negativity amongst jocks Kelly ?? cant believe you said that knowing your experience"


If you re-read the post Ian (and do cos I've added some lines slightly) you'll find I meant I was p*ssed off with gigging jocks constantly moaning lately


"it's all about entertaining the crowd in front of you and sending them home happy by playing what they want to hear"



Yup, true - again tho' I didnt mean negativity in a musical sense, moreso in an attitude amongst some jocks lately ........... Ive been guilty of a moan myself but there's much harder ways of making a living

"I disagree regarding the scene being at an all time low Kelly"
So do I dude, I was quoting a mate there

"Anyway , keep the replies coming dude , you cant beat a discussion wit an old timer like you Kelly ....lol. lol .."

The f*cking cheek. Im 14 years younger then you :p!

Quoting Turiel


"there was an empty floor to Rock the Boat and YMCA"


Jaysus, and you want to know WHY?! :rolleyes: lol

"Oh I came up with another couple of reasons why our dancefloors may suck:

1) Are people less drunk? They kinda seem to be to me, certainly in the venues I do. So the less drunk they are, the less dancability they have"


Ive noticed this too .......... people arent willing to go mad on 5 Euro pints anymore. House drinking and then onto clubland late seems to be closer to the norm lately

"So how were your weekends?"

Starting from Thursday - pretty busy for some reason

Friday - quieter then usual. Sunshine and beer gardens send people to bed early

Last night - Around 1,300 but given the Robbie conert was on I wasnt suprised it was jammers

Tonight - Expecting everyone to be broke after yesterday but Id say around the 500 mark (let you know tomorrow!)

[Pistol]

The owner didn't know anything about what was going on. The manager was looking to get me out because im 20 and the club operate a 21s policy...
What am i to do?

[KJ]

Sounds like he was just using that as an excuse to be honest Pistol - and do you really want to work in a club where you're told by the manager what to play next??

_________________________________

Ice Pop Daddy: Nearly 500 in on Sunday - let the battle for Sunday night Temple Bar continue! lol ;)

KJ

[Ice Pop Daddy]

Just over 650 in our place, most of which ended up in your place of work once we closed at 1.30.

I'd imagine the Gardai will put an end to any battle you have in mind when they pay one of their 'visits' to your place in the next few weeks buddy!

[KJ]

Touche







Now where did I put that humble pie? ............... :confused:

[Iano]

I think we all know which venue they would choose if the circumstances were different .......650 , not many places can boast those figures on a Sunday night .

Iano .

[Ice Pop Daddy]

Lol! Calm down Kelly, you'll give yourself an ulcer with all that humble pie:-)

[KJ]

Just jesting lads - your venue is possibly the finest in the city centre


(Just a pity its full of Ben Sherman shirts and moustaches, lol)

(you didnt expect me NOT to get a dig in did ya?! ;))

[Ice Pop Daddy]

Ah now here, there's just as many down in your venue Kelly! They all gl because they know that Kelly Jones fella, formerly of Studio 54 plays there:-)

[Boston Barney]

Getting in on this Sunday night thing! Kellys got NEARLY 500, Ice pop daddy's got 650, not blowing my onw trumpet, but reg. have 800 to 1400 every sunday. Now in fairness, it is all ireland couple of weeks but last sunday there were 1800 there!!!
Thanking You Lorraine,

Barney:confused:

[DeargDoom]

ah but Kelly doesn't have the ultimate dj accessory that Ice Pop Daddy has. The Chalky 2000 is a must for all serious gigging DJs.

[TheGoldenMaverick]

I have extremely limited knowledge of the commercial DJ scene but I had always assumed that the idea was to pander to the crowd i.e. to give them what they want.

I'm no spring chicken but I'm no Ovaltine/Complan drinking pensioner either. Over the years if I have ever approached a DJ at work in a club/bar etc to ask them to play something I was usually given the answer that it didn't matter what I might want to hear cos the crowd liked the stuff that they were playing. I've heard on a couple of occasions that if I didn't like the music that was playing I didn't have to drink/socialise in that particular bar/club.

Is it that you guys have a different conception of what people want than they do?

I have often been accused of being a musical snob, while nothing could be farther from the truth. I've been asked to do a wedding this weekend and it's given me the oppurtunity to get out all the old 7's" from the past 20 odd years and I can't wait to play them. I suppose it's because it's novel for me to play chart music/ cheese music/ dance classics. At the same time I know that if I had to play them 5 nights a week I'd go insane.

You've got to realise that most of you have chosen this as a career/job/moneymaker. Surely that means adapting. The kids in the 70's wanted disco, the kids today want R&B. There's nothing strange about popular musical tastes changing.

What I'm trying to say is, if you're a commercial jock you have to keep pace with the kids, that's just a by-product of the business you've chosen. When you get stuck in a rut or try to play what pleases you, then you are no longer a commercially viable commodity. Just like me in fact. This is never the way I thought it would turn out. I always thought that people would want to listen to my idea of a good musical selection. And to a certain extent they do. Unfortunately it's a very limited number of them, but that's the way it is. I suppose I'd rather have 1 sober person dig the tunes I play than 1,500 drunk kids, but there again it's easy for me to say that because my income is not derived from playing in pubs/clubs/weddings etc.

I'm not casting judgement on your choice of career but you must realise that you are part of a service industry. If you do not provide the service that is sought then you immediately become dispensable. This is the same in all careers, not just that of the commercial DJ. It's a job that you do and should be treated as such, everyones job changes over time and it's a case of adapting or eventually being surplus to requirement.

These are just some thoughts from an outside point of view and are meant to provoke but not in a bad way. I'm trying to give a critical opinion from outside of the commercial scene. My opinions could be completely askew or at odds with reality but this is just my interpretation of the previous comments made on this topic.

Good luck to all of you:notworthy

The GM

[KJ]

Great post GM

Cant really add any more than that ;)

[Ice Pop Daddy]

Wow, gigging with 7"'s, that I'd love to see! It's been a long time since I've gigged with just a box of singles!

Now that's what I call a hard working DJ, Kelly:-)

[TheGoldenMaverick]

Originally posted by Ice Pop Daddy
Wow, gigging with 7"'s, that I'd love to see! It's been a long time since I've gigged with just a box of singles!



Did I write 7's?

Sorry, I meant 78's

Count John Mc Cormack 10 inch Massive say 'Aye'.

;)

The GM

[Boston Barney]

Great post GM

In other words, Give the people what they want, or they'll get it somewhere else!

Thanking you lorraine!
Barney:cheers:

Good luck with the 7" at your gig!

[Iano]

Its simple really when you think about it , red button , green button , etc etc , no complications , just hit after hit after hit . Always works unless your some sort of high reputation DJ who has to live up to a billing .....bottom line ?? average punter dosent really care as long as their havin fun and feelin happy ...

7 inches ? Jesus that was my starting point and having ''wake me up before you go go '' before it was no 1 . you were classed as being a real DJ ..No hard work involved , just play it and pretend your a STAR .....lol

Am you past it GM ?? No , as long as you can entertain whats in front of you and enjoy doing it at the same time , youll always be in demand .....

Iano

[KJ]

"as long as you can entertain whats in front of you and enjoy doing it at the same time , youll always be in demand ....."




Spoken like a true Pro ;)

Well said

KJ

[mr.bean]

thanx guys i feel better now i know its not just me!! tried sneakin in some different stuff into sets over the last week, it was fun!! it didnt always work but it was fun! i often find i get tunnel vision and automatically reach for the same tunes all the time, heres a good tip- switch all your cds around in the case!! it works it keeps u on your toes and you find stuff you havent played in a while. about the holiday thing i couldnt agree more... off to ibiza soon i cant wait!:D