Dj's Playing For Themselves

[Guest gordon russell]

what about the dj who plays a dead mediocre set.........then comes off and says the punters are all twats and don,t know a good tune when they hear it lol........they've just played to an empty floor ho bloody ho. As for dj,s getting there early and getting a feel for whats been played ect ect.......forget it.......they either are in the groove for that type of venue or they're not.........mostly not........but arogance will always prevail lol peggy

[Ian Dewhirst]

.

There are too many who are at the so called top cause they spend a lot of money and not for the thought or imagination that they put into their sets. Not many will stick their necks out over a tune and play it cause they believe in it and it could be or will be a top record on the scene. Many play ready made biggies playing records each other already have and play. I find many of the smaller DJ's play better sets but because they cost a fraction of the price of a well known established DJ then folk don't want to know.

I find it is those that who will take a chance and stick their neck out over a record are the ones who get accused of playing to themselves. Many of these little people have paid their dues in some respects, some have better collections and have been collecting longer than established names.

I agree a DJ's job is to inspire and entertain but it is also the job of a Dj and the promoter to keep this scene alive and moving forward, attracting younger blood who probably aren't interested in listening to the same records for 30 years.

Agreed. An effective DJ must always be inspired. I don't think merely going through the motions in any arena is good enough these days. There is such a thing as a good balance though. A true professional will balance his or her set accordingly according to the crowd.

The way we broke stuff 35 years ago was to try and maintain the atmosphere with the 'bankers' and slip the new spins in wherever they'd fit the best. Sometimes those new spins would be things that we'd played earlier, as the club was warming up, or later, as the club was winding down. Hence the appeal of slots like the 'last hour at the Mecca' where Ian and Colin would specifically play the lesser-known gems to an audience of aficionadoes after the main crowd had split for Wigan. Similarly, if I had 2 slots at an all-nighter, the new spins would invariably be spun in my first set and then, if a record was demonstrating a level of big popularity in the first slot, it could be promoted to the last slot if it looked like a goer. However, sometimes it took ages before a record was promoted to a prime slot. Ridiculous as it sounds now, a record like "Job Opening" - The Del Larks was a guaranteed floor-clearer for a good 3 months before it eventually took off. The only thing that kept that record going was the small band of enthusiasts who used to badger me to play it every gig. Same thing with "Stubborn Heart" - Ernest Mosely, "Set My Heart At Ease" - Mikki Farrow, "Ain't Nothing You Can Do" - Joe Mathews and dozens of others. Floor clearers the lot of 'em.

The thing is, it's never ever guaranteed what will appeal to the crowd at any given time. A good DJ will realise that and programme accordingly. That's why I applaud DJ's like Ian Levine for persevering with "Hung Up On Your Love" - The Montclairs (which was guaranteed to clear the floor every time) and Richard Searling for relentlessly playing "She'll Come Running Back" - Mel Britt (a very difficult record to break amidst a welter of 100mph stompers) early on. Both mammoth floor-clearers initially, but both records went on to become all-time classics.

Sure, it's different circumstances these days but the principles remain the same. Any DJ worth their salt should know how to programme effictively for the crowd they have. If you're only playing for yourself, then you're short-changing the audience unless you're the luckiest and most musically gifted guy on earth. Go back to your bedroom and play to your heart's content for yourself 'cos you're your own best audience. I mean, how can you fail?

The measure of a good DJ is someone who can turn their vision into reality via clever programming and not someone who bludgeons their rapidly diminishing audience into submission.

If I'm going to be totally honest, you can probably count the amount of genuinely great DJ's in any field on two hands maximum if you're lucky. There's roughly 2% of naturally gifted DJ's in any given arena and the other 98% are either semi-pros or aspiring hopefuls. It's a skill and not something you can do simply because you have a box of hot records.

Ian D

[Harry Crosby]

Agreed. An effective DJ must always be inspired. I don't think merely going through the motions in any arena is good enough these days. There is such a thing as a good balance though. A true professional will balance his or her set accordingly according to the crowd.

The way we broke stuff 35 years ago was to try and maintain the atmosphere with the 'bankers' and slip the new spins in wherever they'd fit the best. Sometimes those new spins would be things that we'd played earlier, as the club was warming up, or later, as the club was winding down. Hence the appeal of slots like the 'last hour at the Mecca' where Ian and Colin would specifically play the lesser-known gems to an audience of aficionadoes after the main crowd had split for Wigan. Similarly, if I had 2 slots at an all-nighter, the new spins would invariably be spun in my first set and then, if a record was demonstrating a level of big popularity in the first slot, it could be promoted to the last slot if it looked like a goer. However, sometimes it took ages before a record was promoted to a prime slot. Ridiculous as it sounds now, a record like "Job Opening" - The Del Larks was a guaranteed floor-clearer for a good 3 months before it eventually took off. The only thing that kept that record going was the small band of enthusiasts who used to badger me to play it every gig. Same thing with "Stubborn Heart" - Ernest Mosely, "Set My Heart At Ease" - Mikki Farrow, "Ain't Nothing You Can Do" - Joe Mathews and dozens of others. Floor clearers the lot of 'em.

The thing is, it's never ever guaranteed what will appeal to the crowd at any given time. A good DJ will realise that and programme accordingly. That's why I applaud DJ's like Ian Levine for persevering with "Hung Up On Your Love" - The Montclairs (which was guaranteed to clear the floor every time) and Richard Searling for relentlessly playing "She'll Come Running Back" - Mel Britt (a very difficult record to break amidst a welter of 100mph stompers) early on. Both mammoth floor-clearers initially, but both records went on to become all-time classics.

Sure, it's different circumstances these days but the principles remain the same. Any DJ worth their salt should know how to programme effictively for the crowd they have. If you're only playing for yourself, then you're short-changing the audience unless you're the luckiest and most musically gifted guy on earth. Go back to your bedroom and play to your heart's content for yourself 'cos you're your own best audience. I mean, how can you fail?

The measure of a good DJ is someone who can turn their vision into reality via clever programming and not someone who bludgeons their rapidly diminishing audience into submission.

If I'm going to be totally honest, you can probably count the amount of genuinely great DJ's in any field on two hands maximum if you're lucky. There's roughly 2% of naturally gifted DJ's in any given arena and the other 98% are either semi-pros or aspiring hopefuls. It's a skill and not something you can do simply because you have a box of hot records.

Ian D

Great post, about sums it up for me, especially the last paragraph

[Ged Parker]

People make that accusation when they get something they don't want / expect from a DJ. There can only be two possible reasons for this 1) the promotor booked the wrong DJ or 2) the punter's at the wrong venue.

[NEV]

Great post, about sums it up for me, especially the last paragraph

But the key is to know which one you are?

I'm happy to be in the 98% field and don't care ,because i know i am not a gifted dj ,nor am i a "semi pro"

Just like every amatuer footballer who turns up come rain or shine ,Saturday afternoon,Sunday morning,who know he's not talented enough to become a pro ......it does'nt stop us doing something we enjoy,so stop beating us down ,telling us we are no good ,we should leave it to the professionals!

There are more people out there dj'n who are not semi pro,let alone pro ,who i would rather pay to hear on any given Saturday night than anyone who is a pro ,infact if the soul scene was controlled and we only had to listen to professional dj's ,i for one would have stopped going to soul venues a long time ago!

PROFESSIONAL DJ :- only play tried and tested records that will have people up dancing all night ,only buy records that are tried and tested known dancefloor material ... turn up 1hr before your set,act like your the celebrity ,ramble on between records to patronise the audience,take the fee ,then make some excuse that you have to be somewhere else and politely disappear into the night...anyone would think you did'nt really enjoy doing that for the 500th time in a row:(

P.S

When we're done with this thread can we start another with the following.....

PROMOTORS ....ARE THEY DOING IT FOR THEMSLEVES!

Edited August 21, 2010 by NEV

[Ian Dewhirst]

But the key is to know which one you are?

I'm happy to be in the 98% field and don't care ,because i know i am not a gifted dj ,nor am i a "semi pro"

Just like every amatuer footballer who turns up come rain or shine ,Saturday afternoon,Sunday morning,who know he's not talented enough to become a pro ......it does'nt stop us doing something we enjoy,so stop beating us down ,telling us we are no good ,we should leave it to the professionals!

There are more people out there dj'n who are not semi pro,let alone pro ,who i would rather pay to hear on any given Saturday night than anyone who is a pro ,infact if the soul scene was controlled and we only had to listen to professional dj's ,i for one would have stopped going to soul venues a long time ago!

PROFESSIONAL DJ :- only play tried and tested records that will have people up dancing all night ,only buy records that are tried and tested known dancefloor material ... turn up 1hr before your set,act like your the celebrity ,ramble on between records to patronise the audience,take the fee ,then make some excuse that you have to be somewhere else and politely disappear into the night...anyone would think you did'nt really enjoy doing that for the 500th time in a row:(

P.S. When we're done with this thread can we start another with the following.....

PROMOTORS ....ARE THEY DOING IT FOR THEMSLEVES!

Point taken Nev but let's not forget that every DJ starts off as one of the 98%. That's how you learn your art. Just like your football analogy, 98% of football players are probably Sunday leaguers and only the 2% get into the premiership. That's not to say that the 98% are crap though - far from it. Circumstances often dictate the direction that people go in life and not everyone wants to be a week-in, week-out DJ - there's much easier ways of making a living rather than zinging around the country every week. I mean what makes a professional footballer? Training, fitness, skill, dedication etc. What makes a professional DJ - training, skill, experience, knowledge, confidence, dedication and a box full of ever-changing great records. It's not for everyone and you certainly don't do it to get rich that's for sure. In my Northern days I clocked up tens of thousands of miles every year, wrote off three or four cars, never slept from Friday to Sunday every week and was constantly broke. Had some great records though!

And I wouldn't generalize about the Pro's either. I don't think anyone would accuse Sam or Butch of turning up an hour before their set, only playing tried and tested records and patronizing the audience. Most 'pros' that I know take it very seriously. So let's not make this a pros versus amateur 'cos everyone starts off as an amateur.

Also the circumstances these days are very very different. There's ten zillion Northern venues every week and they all have DJ's. I mean, is there anyone out there that ISN'T a DJ these days?

Ian D

[burt weedon]

HELLO GUYS, YEP ME.....

REASON; TO ME UNKNOWN.....OR IS IT BECAUSE I LOVE TO BOOGIE...COLLECT RECORDS.....BELIEVE IN YOUTH COMMIN THROO....

AND I HAVE A FCKIN GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR...OR;

BECAUSE I DONT KISS BOTTY(NOT BLOKES ANY-WAY)...

BUT STILL KEEP SMILIN..KTF..DUDES..XX

[Chalky]

Point taken Nev but let's not forget that every DJ starts off as one of the 98%. That's how you learn your art. Just like your football analogy, 98% of football players are probably Sunday leaguers and only the 2% get into the premiership. That's not to say that the 98% are crap though - far from it. Circumstances often dictate the direction that people go in life and not everyone wants to be a week-in, week-out DJ - there's much easier ways of making a living rather than zinging around the country every week. I mean what makes a professional footballer? Training, fitness, skill, dedication etc. What makes a professional DJ - training, skill, experience, knowledge, confidence, dedication and a box full of ever-changing great records. It's not for everyone and you certainly don't do it to get rich that's for sure. In my Northern days I clocked up tens of thousands of miles every year, wrote off three or four cars, never slept from Friday to Sunday every week and was constantly broke. Had some great records though!

And I wouldn't generalize about the Pro's either. I don't think anyone would accuse Sam or Butch of turning up an hour before their set, only playing tried and tested records and patronizing the audience. Most 'pros' that I know take it very seriously. So let's not make this a pros versus amateur 'cos everyone starts off as an amateur.

Also the circumstances these days are very very different. There's ten zillion Northern venues every week and they all have DJ's. I mean, is there anyone out there that ISN'T a DJ these days?

Ian D

Some of those at the top are where they are for the collections they have, some are there simply cause they spend a lot of money, nothing to do with being a professional DJ or how professional they are. In every profession others are often over looked, many a good footballer, better than many who make it are over looked cause they are too small??

[Paul Shirley]

But the key is to know which one you are?

I'm happy to be in the 98% field and don't care ,because i know i am not a gifted dj ,nor am i a "semi pro"

Just like every amatuer footballer who turns up come rain or shine ,Saturday afternoon,Sunday morning,who know he's not talented enough to become a pro ......it does'nt stop us doing something we enjoy,so stop beating us down ,telling us we are no good ,we should leave it to the professionals!

There are more people out there dj'n who are not semi pro,let alone pro ,who i would rather pay to hear on any given Saturday night than anyone who is a pro ,infact if the soul scene was controlled and we only had to listen to professional dj's ,i for one would have stopped going to soul venues a long time ago!

PROFESSIONAL DJ :- only play tried and tested records that will have people up dancing all night ,only buy records that are tried and tested known dancefloor material ... turn up 1hr before your set,act like your the celebrity ,ramble on between records to patronise the audience,take the fee ,then make some excuse that you have to be somewhere else and politely disappear into the night...anyone would think you did'nt really enjoy doing that for the 500th time in a row:(

P.S

When we're done with this thread can we start another with the following.....

PROMOTORS ....ARE THEY DOING IT FOR THEMSLEVES!

nice one nev exactly what ive been thinking for over 12 months .

[Guest]

i'm sure you did'nt Karen meself i've got no problems with cover ups as in my eyes it can give a great sound a prolonged lease of life before being booted or pressed, unlike in the mid 70's great sounds were being booted within weeks of being disscovered, these were'nt 1 offs they were being done in large numbers on a weekly basis, but some compliements must be given to the DJ's of that period for the quantity and qauality they wrere diigging out. So in my eyes it's just a small way to prolong the life of a good sound and looking after your own intrests., anyway have a good weekend ang right on and keep the faith.

I don't have any problem with cover up's at all... I don't remember record titles or artistes anyway but most of the stuff he plays I've never heard before each time I hear him play.

It became apparent to me today that this isn't always true for every venue he plays at though. Making my initial judgement rubbish LOL. He has different play lists for different venues. Therefore, I concur, I was talking crap

[Ian Dewhirst]

Some of those at the top are where they are for the collections they have, some are there simply cause they spend a lot of money, nothing to do with being a professional DJ or how professional they are. In every profession others are often over looked, many a good footballer, better than many who make it are over looked cause they are too small??

For sure Chalky.

It used to be quite frustrating when we'd chase down a rare record and someone with a bigger cheque-book swooped in and got it. That started creeping in from the mid 70's and I've no doubt it still goes on today......

Ian D

[Guest POTTERIESPECK]

I don't have any problem with cover up's at all... I don't remember record titles or artistes anyway but most of the stuff he plays I've never heard before each time I hear him play.

It became apparent to me today that this isn't always true for every venue he plays at though. Making my initial judgement rubbish LOL. He has different play lists for different venues. Therefore, I concur, I was talking crap

I USED TO TALK CRAP ALL WEEKEND AT ONE TIME 2 ALLNIGHTERS AND 1 ALLDAYER. OFF ME FACE.

[Guest Mart B]

Everyone on the Northern scene wants to be a dj:yes: .....But its all about whats in your box that counts:ohmy: .Established djs shouldnt be playing a SAFE.. SPOT... anymore..... Anyone can do that.

Whats the point of Top Northern djs travelling 160 mile round trip "just for example",, to play what the the previous" local dj as played"?.

In a nutshell my opinion:unsure: djs are playing to their hosts requests:yes: .....

[Mark Jones]

I DJ generally in Shrewsbury which hasn't got a massive soul following...I generally know all the Northern Stalwarts in the town...but I normally do 30 mins early where I will play nothing super rare but play records that would fill the floor in Stoke, Manchester, Wolves or even Crewe for that matter....Guitar Ray.....Four Tracks....various Stafford TOTW tunes etc...but still get moaned at.

Second later spot I'll play safe Shrewsbury Floor fillers...Ruby Andrews...Just Loving You....Carla Thomas...Never stop Loving You ...Charles Johnson...Greg Perry....Way of Life etc

Saying that I'm always aware the punters have paid their £5 to get in and want to dance to tunes they know .

Dj'ing isn''t much fun I find....might just stay a collector it's easier...nobody moans when you just collect!

[Anais nin Carms]

Agreed. An effective DJ must always be inspired. I don't think merely going through the motions in any arena is good enough these days. There is such a thing as a good balance though. A true professional will balance his or her set accordingly according to the crowd.

The way we broke stuff 35 years ago was to try and maintain the atmosphere with the 'bankers' and slip the new spins in wherever they'd fit the best. Sometimes those new spins would be things that we'd played earlier, as the club was warming up, or later, as the club was winding down. Hence the appeal of slots like the 'last hour at the Mecca' where Ian and Colin would specifically play the lesser-known gems to an audience of aficionadoes after the main crowd had split for Wigan. Similarly, if I had 2 slots at an all-nighter, the new spins would invariably be spun in my first set and then, if a record was demonstrating a level of big popularity in the first slot, it could be promoted to the last slot if it looked like a goer. However, sometimes it took ages before a record was promoted to a prime slot. Ridiculous as it sounds now, a record like "Job Opening" - The Del Larks was a guaranteed floor-clearer for a good 3 months before it eventually took off. The only thing that kept that record going was the small band of enthusiasts who used to badger me to play it every gig. Same thing with "Stubborn Heart" - Ernest Mosely, "Set My Heart At Ease" - Mikki Farrow, "Ain't Nothing You Can Do" - Joe Mathews and dozens of others. Floor clearers the lot of 'em.

The thing is, it's never ever guaranteed what will appeal to the crowd at any given time. A good DJ will realise that and programme accordingly. That's why I applaud DJ's like Ian Levine for persevering with "Hung Up On Your Love" - The Montclairs (which was guaranteed to clear the floor every time) and Richard Searling for relentlessly playing "She'll Come Running Back" - Mel Britt (a very difficult record to break amidst a welter of 100mph stompers) early on. Both mammoth floor-clearers initially, but both records went on to become all-time classics.

Sure, it's different circumstances these days but the principles remain the same. Any DJ worth their salt should know how to programme effictively for the crowd they have. If you're only playing for yourself, then you're short-changing the audience unless you're the luckiest and most musically gifted guy on earth. Go back to your bedroom and play to your heart's content for yourself 'cos you're your own best audience. I mean, how can you fail?

The measure of a good DJ is someone who can turn their vision into reality via clever programming and not someone who bludgeons their rapidly diminishing audience into submission.

If I'm going to be totally honest, you can probably count the amount of genuinely great DJ's in any field on two hands maximum if you're lucky. There's roughly 2% of naturally gifted DJ's in any given arena and the other 98% are either semi-pros or aspiring hopefuls. It's a skill and not something you can do simply because you have a box of hot records.

Ian D

An excellent view on what it is really like

[Chalky]

An excellent view on what it is really like

Is it Carms, I didn't think you did all-nighters? And soul nights are not the place to break records, not the vast majority of them anyway. There is little or practically no tolerance from the large majority of soul night atttendees these days with regard to anything new. There is just no way you can plug away with a record at a soul night that constantly clears the floor and get away with it. All-nighters maybe a little different but by and large most who attend want familiarity. I go to places that push different stuff, new stuff, semi-knowns and the dancers are too quick to sit down, soon as the 100 mile an hour traditional northern soul stomper comes on up they get.

A record to stand any chance has to either be in the hands of half a dozen or so DJ's, played week in week out all over the country or exceptional (which are few and far between these days). The good new discoveries are few and far between and often in the hands of one or two DJ's only, who just don't get heard enough. How often do you see Butch somewhere every week? Some of the stuff at Lifeline has taken years to get widely accepted with some of them now trickling down to the wider scene.

[Ian Dewhirst]

Is it Carms, I didn't think you did all-nighters? And soul nights are not the place to break records, not the vast majority of them anyway. There is little or practically no tolerance from the large majority of soul night atttendees these days with regard to anything new. There is just no way you can plug away with a record at a soul night that constantly clears the floor and get away with it. All-nighters maybe a little different but by and large most who attend want familiarity. I go to places that push different stuff, new stuff, semi-knowns and the dancers are too quick to sit down, soon as the 100 mile an hour traditional northern soul stomper comes on up they get.

A record to stand any chance has to either be in the hands of half a dozen or so DJ's, played week in week out all over the country or exceptional (which are few and far between these days). The good new discoveries are few and far between and often in the hands of one or two DJ's only, who just don't get heard enough. How often do you see Butch somewhere every week? Some of the stuff at Lifeline has taken years to get widely accepted with some of them now trickling down to the wider scene.

Yep, as I keep saying the scene today is lot different to 30 years ago. It's probably 1000% harder to 'break' a record these days with the crowds being so splintered and the oldies/newies split. I sincerely take my hat off to anyone who can break an unknown these days - it must be ridiculously difficult.........

Also I was speaking in the wider context of deejaying and I think I was pretty accurate by that measurement. Northern Soul has always been an anomaly on those terms - in it's own micro-world or bubble if you like. Plus with incredibly idiosyncratic audience which is hard to please at the best of times which must be one of the things that makes it so satisfying when a record does eventually take off across the scene.

Ian D

[Chalky]

Yep, as I keep saying the scene today is lot different to 30 years ago. It's probably 1000% harder to 'break' a record these days with the crowds being so splintered and the oldies/newies split. I sincerely take my hat off to anyone who can break an unknown these days - it must be ridiculously difficult.........

Also I was speaking in the wider context of deejaying and I think I was pretty accurate by that measurement. Northern Soul has always been an anomaly on those terms - in it's own micro-world or bubble if you like. Plus with incredibly idiosyncratic audience which is hard to please at the best of times which must be one of the things that makes it so satisfying when a record does eventually take off across the scene.

Ian D

In the wider context of Djing Ian, on this scene, it is simply the tried and tested, very little imagination and the so called big hitters playing records that have been broken by others over more often than not a few years, often getting more recognition for the record than the DJ who put it where it is. Most follow rather than attempt to set the trends. These days you see DJ's getting more compliments for their enthusiasm than for their records IMO it is a mirror image of years ago with the same records still being played rather than DJ's attempting to program new or forgotten records.

Said it before every promoter should encourage/ask their DJ's to program 20/25 % semi or unknown, forgotten tracks. Four or five out of say 25, one every four or five records isn't too much to ask is it?

[Anais nin Carms]

What I ment to say Chalks was I really Liked and respected Ians outlook and I think it may apply to some that Dj on a big scale to customers in excess of 300.

To quote

Sure, it's different circumstances these days but the principles remain the same. Any DJ worth their salt should know how to programme effictively for the crowd they have. If you're only playing for yourself, then you're short-changing the audience unless you're the luckiest and most musically gifted guy on earth. Go back to your bedroom and play to your heart's content for yourself 'cos you're your own best audience. I mean, how can you fail?

The measure of a good DJ is someone who can turn their vision into reality via clever programming and not someone who bludgeons their rapidly diminishing audience into submission.

This bloody browser is driving me nuts this morning .... is it just me but it doesn't fit anymore ?

Carms

Edited August 22, 2010 by Carms

[NEV]

Just a little question or should i say observation from me regarding "top dj"

I never tire of hearing people who mention the breaking of new records and how good it is to hear so called cheap records .

from my own observations over the last 10yrs ....why is it all the top dj's only ever play ultra rare expensive records then ??

Show me a playlist from any of the so called top dj's that includes anything like 5% cheapies that are readily available on ebay ,sales lists,gemm ,musicstack etc etc

Maybe this is why we have the mentality of wanting to own and play rare 45's .....peer pressure

Or is the fact that the ultra rare expensive records are so ,because ,quite simply , they sound so good!

When i look through the playlists from Boomerang and see what's been played ,to me they are breathtaking ,but at the same time ,most of em are very expensive and that's if you ca nfind em:ohmy:

And before anyone get's the wrong impression ...i for one admire these guy's for what they have in there boxes and what they play out.

I dont care if they are millionaires or not ,they pay for em for our enjoyment .amen to that!

I also believe the guy's who do own the big rarities did'nt get em overnight ,most have been collecting for yrs ,so respect due!

P.s i too like collecting and playing the hard to find stuff ,but admittedly the thrill of the chase in finding em .....or not as is usually the case:(

[KevH]

Just a little question or should i say observation from me regarding "top dj"

I never tire of hearing people who mention the breaking of new records and how good it is to hear so called cheap records .

from my own observations over the last 10yrs ....why is it all the top dj's only ever play ultra rare expensive records then ??

Show me a playlist from any of the so called top dj's that includes anything like 5% cheapies that are readily available on ebay ,sales lists,gemm ,musicstack etc etc

Maybe this is why we have the mentality of wanting to own and play rare 45's .....peer pressure

Or is the fact that the ultra rare expensive records are so ,because ,quite simply , they sound so good!

When i look through the playlists from Boomerang and see what's been played ,to me they are breathtaking ,but at the same time ,most of em are very expensive and that's if you ca nfind em:ohmy:

And before anyone get's the wrong impression ...i for one admire these guy's for what they have in there boxes and what they play out.

I dont care if they are millionaires or not ,they pay for em for our enjoyment .amen to that!

I also believe the guy's who do own the big rarities did'nt get em overnight ,most have been collecting for yrs ,so respect due!

P.s i too like collecting and playing the hard to find stuff ,but admittedly the thrill of the chase in finding em .....or not as is usually the case:(

All true Nev.

Respect to the top dj's etc.Seagulls and trawler's spring to mind.Always a nice buzz if a top dj plays something that's in your box - kind of gives it a tick of approval from your peers.Those who say they don't need that are lying:D .

There will always be a "Us and them" regarding djing and collecting.

Think of it a one big soul jigsaw.The main players have all the central pieces,while the rest of us have the sky,water and bushes and those edge pieces that all look the same..

Back to the thread.Name i dj who hasn't thought,"I'll play that,it'll fit in right now !".Playing for themselves,or thinking for themselves?

[NEV]

All true Nev.

Respect to the top dj's etc.Seagulls and trawler's spring to mind.Always a nice buzz if a top dj plays something that's in your box - kind of gives it a tick of approval from your peers.Those who say they don't need that are lying:D .

There will always be a "Us and them" regarding djing and collecting.

Think of it a one big soul jigsaw.The main players have all the central pieces,while the rest of us have the sky,water and bushes and those edge pieces that all look the same..

Back to the thread.Name i dj who hasn't thought,"I'll play that,it'll fit in right now !".Playing for themselves,or thinking for themselves?

Well put Kev

Like the jig-saw analagy .....spot on

And like i said earlier .....as long as you know who you are ,where you are ,instead of who you think you are ,then no harm in it is there:)

P.s ,that reminds me .....where's trouble gone to??

Edited August 22, 2010 by NEV

[Paul Shirley]

I think a player should have their own style , which is why you book them surley otherwise we could clone Dj's ?

Having said that it is good to have an appreciation of what might encourage poeple to dance. Nothing worse than playing tunes that people just can't dance to, it being a complete set of ballads ( i have suffered this and wanted to make a sharp exit after feeling pretty depressed and almost sleepy ) or a constant " too fast "set can be just as bad and have you reaching for the asprin and a quiet corner.

For me tempos have to be mixed to make it enjoyable and exciting.

Another thing I will mention if every dj played what was popular and they all had the top ten current biggies , wouldn't life be boring after a month or two of hearing them everywhere. This can apply to newer sounds too .Working the floor in this way means anyone could do it if they had a big chequebook . Easiest thing in the world playing tried and tested material.

I admire the person that listens in their own right to a wide variety of material from a wide variety of sources and selects to share with others something that they believe in.

So I vote for individuality and encourage the dj to play for him/her self , show me their choice of play and if I don't like it I just don't make the effort in attending functions that they play at ...or skip their set , you normaly find more than one dj is on so take a break while they are on.

rare records just grow on tree's & so easy to find im afraid a lot of the floor fillier mentality all dipends on what club's you are at ,as what fills a floor at one club will kill it at another

i just wanted to say' personly ive worked very hard for the cash to buy my records and i expect there are many other that will say the same . i have deprived myself of lot of everyday things that most folks take for granted in order to buy these easy to find records today example a nice hot sunday afternoon i valeted a friends car for a little cash to put towards a record that ive been after for hhmmm ? only 3 years , to be honist what consists of a floor filler at some clubs i have sold because of some those reasons above only the other way around (snob may be) but my own point of view is i dont want records that every tom dick n harry is playing at every club for miles around . on the other hand if you play at a club that appretiates the very best in good rare soul music played out on original vinyl then am afraid a lot of it dosn't come cheap thats if you can find it for sale in the first place , i appreciate people taking the time and spending the money no mater what the record is' or cost's how much they spend is up to them

Edited August 22, 2010 by steptoe

[Mrtag]

rare records just grow on tree's do they im afraid a lot of the floor fillier mentality all dipends on what club's you are at as what fills a floor at one club will kill it at another

i just wanted to say' personly ive worked very hard for the cash to buy my records and i expect there are many other that will say the same . i have deprived myself of lot of everyday things that most folks take for granted in order to buy these easy to find records today example a nice hot sunday afternoon i valeted a friends car for a little cash to put towards a record that ive been after for hhmmm ? only 3 years , to be honist what consists of a floor filler at some clubs i have sold because of some those reasons above only the other way around (snob may be) but my own point of view is i dont want records that every tom dick n harry is playing at every club for miles around . on the other hand if you play at a club that appretiates the very best in good rare soul music played out on original vinyl then am afraid it dosent come cheap thats if you can find it for sale in the first place

I'm with you on this one paul!! you work hard to get the dosh to find the so called rare tunes so that when your out and do a spot you don't need to take 2 to 3 hundered plus records and sit there all night mentally ticking off in your head whats been played and what hasn't been played !!it's supposed to be for your enjoyment too!! I personally dont see any enjoyment purposely listening to make sure you don't double up on a sound! That said you're always gonna get someone with a boot or a carver cocking it for you and the ones that haven't been booted are getting harder to like Hayes Cotton wtf who wanted to boot that for chr*st's sake and on Friday night the DJ before me sticks a poxy album track of the Professionals on wtf! So I played the 'B' Side!! first tune in just to let him know, anyway enough said before I say something I could regret later!!

[Guest Matt Male]

To be honest i'd prefer to hear a DJ play an original and different set from a box of 50 cheapies rather than the big ticket rareties that are hammered up and down the country every weekend by the few DJs that have them and on boots by everyone else.

Leave the Professionals at home next time and take something you know no one else is likely to play out.

[Mrtag]

To be honest i'd prefer to hear a DJ play an original and different set from a box of 50 cheapies rather than the big ticket rareties that are hammered up and down the country every weekend by the few DJs that have them and on boots by everyone else.

Leave the Professionals at home next time and take something you know no one else is likely to play out.

I do play other records not everything in the box is is £2k plus but they are not all tuppance ha'penny things out of Soul bowl soul packs that didn't make the grade back in the day and in my humble opinion still Don't. :lol:

[Paul Shirley]

To be honest i'd prefer to hear a DJ play an original and different set from a box of 50 cheapies rather than the big ticket rareties that are hammered up and down the country every weekend by the few DJs that have them and on boots by everyone else.

Leave the Professionals at home next time and take something you know no one else is likely to play out.

all dipends on what you call diferent ?? as i my self dont like to listen and dance to the same old same old but, i like rare soul music as well as rare northern . ie nice rarer mid tempo60s & 70s as well as dave godins up tempo played up north , but what i do not want to hear is a lot of failed northern or funk being passed off as rare soul . . as i think a big persentage on soul source evolved though the old northern scene and knows only too well a lot of this stuff wasnt just found yesterday . i class my own club (when its on ) as just good soul music along with rare northern .

so when you say you prefare somthing diferent . what exactly do you mean ? r&b latin funk ect . as that aint soul music or northern or rare . but on the other hand the professionals is rare northern and we are talking about northern soul dj's arnt we ? but i do appreciate its easy to pick at everything writen on these threds i like to think we play some good rare soul music at our club we just dont go shouting off the roof tops that we do

Edited August 22, 2010 by steptoe

[Guest Matt Male]

all dipends on what you call diferent ?? as i my self dont like to listen and dance to the same old same old but, i like rare soul music as well as rare northern . ie nice rarer mid tempo60s & 70s as well as dave godins up tempo played up north , but what i do not want to hear is a lot of failed northern or funk being passed off as rare soul . . as i think a big persentage on soul source evolved though the old northern scene and knows only too well a lot of this stuff wasnt just found yesterday . i class my own club (when its on ) as just good soul music along with rare northern .

so when you say you prefare somthing diferent . what exactly do you mean ? r&b latin funk ect . as that aint soul music or northern or rare . but on the other hand the professionals is rare northern and we are talking about northern soul dj's arnt we ? but i do appreciate its easy to pick at everything writen on these threds . i like to think we play some good rare soul music at our club we just dont go shouting off the roof tops that we do

We all know northern soul has never only included rare 45s or only soul music. To be honest what i consider northern soul is getting broader than ever thesedays, Karl Heard played a soulful funk set the other night that got dancers up and was as northern as anything in my book, i hear RnB all the time that's played more and more in northern venues and obviously latin as well, we all do. So to me it's all northern soul, because it's never been about a genre, it's a dance scene that accepts any genre.

So when i say i want something different, that's what i want, i want the boundaries pushed back. Like you i don't want crap that wasn't played years ago and is passed off as good now but i do want quality sounds that were neglected and rarely played out years ago. There are thousands like that. Yes there are no newies, they were all known at one time, but you'd be amazed how many people on the scene 30 odd years don't know lots of underplayed sounds. No one knows or has heard everything and that's the great thing about northern soul. So no one has to resort to latin or funk or RnB if they feel uncomfortable playing it, there are thousands of neglected soul sounds out there.

I'm not picking at anything because it's easy by the way. Easy would be just agreeing with everyone.

[Dave Abbott]

I'm pretty sure Butch isn't playing anything people are asking for Potter.... really.

Yes he does Karen, you would be suprised, try it if it fit's he will play it. And that does hold him back LOL.

Butch is better now than ever IMO. he certainly is the number 1 rare soul DJ. When/If He leaves the scene - we will really have to re-evaluate it all from the 100 Club upwards...there can't be any imataters.

Could go on for longer, but won't - suffice to say this is not some sycophantic out burst; but what i think - i don't even think the guy likes me LOL

Edited August 22, 2010 by Dave Abbott

[Guest audiavant]

Yes he does Karen, you would be suprised, try it if it fit's he will play it. And that does hold him back LOL.

Butch is better now than ever IMO. he certainly is the number 1 rare soul DJ. When/If He leaves the scene - we will really have to re-evaluate it all from the 100 Club upwards...there can't be any imataters.

Could go on for longer, but won't - suffice to say this is not some sycophantic out burst but waht i think - i don't even thick the guy likes me LOL

I would just say that Butch doesnt suffer fools gladly-draw from that what what you will-but he he has a characteristic not much in abundance on this scene-INTEGRITY!

[Paul Shirley]

We all know northern soul has never only included rare 45s or only soul music. To be honest what i consider northern soul is getting broader than ever thesedays, Karl Heard played a soulful funk set the other night that got dancers up and was as northern as anything in my book, i hear RnB all the time that's played more and more in northern venues and obviously latin as well, we all do. So to me it's all northern soul, because it's never been about a genre, it's a dance scene that accepts any genre. So when i say i want something different, that's what i want, i want the boundaries pushed back. Like you i don't want crap that wasn't played years ago and is passed off as good now but i do want quality sounds that were neglected and rarely played out years ago. There are thousands like that. Yes there are no newies, they were all known at one time, but you'd be amazed how many people on the scene 30 odd years don't know lots of underplayed sounds. No one knows or has heard everything and that's the great thing about northern soul. So no one has to resort to latin or funk or RnB if they feel uncomfortable playing it, there are thousands of neglected soul sounds out there. I'm not picking at anything because it's easy by the way. Easy would be just agreeing with everyone.

karl plays some good stuff that only he can fill a floor with others try but offten fail .ive got a good few tunes that karl plays now and again burnley tunes judy stokes ect and many more but when ive played them er? no reaction anyway i wrote a masterpiece of a reply but then started to watch the v festival and decided what the f... am i doing nit picking about music and wishing i was there instead of chin stroking about soul music it all gets a bit to serious not to mention sad, indeed loads of fantastic music out there and soul music is a pasion but its not the only music i like and not that important to me that i want to spend the rest of me life nit picking about it on web sites so ive deleted everything anyway so im off now to find my steriophonics cd's and try my best to keep off this site . had to come back on to correct a word i wasant sure about and woke up thinking about it' nit pick src=" "> another reason to stay off here src=" "> i Edited August 23, 2010 by steptoe

[Anais nin Carms]

karl plays some good stuff that only he can fill a floor with others try but offten fail .ive got a good few tunes that karl plays now and again burnley tunes judy stokes ect and many more but when ive played them er? no reaction anyway i wrote a masterpiece of a reply but then started to watch the v festival and decided what the f... am i doing knit picking about music and wishing i was there instead of chin stroking about soul music it all gets a bit to serious not to mention sad, indeed loads of fantastic music out there and soul music is a pasion but its not the only music i like and not that important to me that i want to spend the rest of me life knit picking about it on web sites so ive deleted everything anyway so im off now to find my steriophonics cd's and try my best to keep off this site

Good call Paul cause I did exactly the same thing lol plus its never good to post on a sunday night when you are tired Chalky escaped the wrath of my tongue with his you "don't do nighters comment "..............paaaaaaaaaaah ! he might have well have said what would you know , good job i know him cause I would have punched his bloody light out and thats with my tongue.

I am not going to get wound up this week ..... so I am looking no more .... I have to remained chilled and keep my blood pressure down as I am on the approach to me jollydays !

Stroke on lads

[KevH]

karl plays some good stuff that only he can fill a floor with others try but offten fail .ive got a good few tunes that karl plays now and again burnley tunes judy stokes ect and many more but when ive played them er? no reaction anyway i wrote a masterpiece of a reply but then started to watch the v festival and decided what the f... am i doing nit picking about music and wishing i was there instead of chin stroking about soul music it all gets a bit to serious not to mention sad, indeed loads of fantastic music out there and soul music is a pasion but its not the only music i like and not that important to me that i want to spend the rest of me life nit picking about it on web sites so ive deleted everything anyway so im off now to find my steriophonics cd's and try my best to keep off this site . had to come back on to correct a word i wasant sure about and woke up thinking about it' nit pick src=" "> another reason to stay off here src=" "> i

Aahh!!.You've not allowed for the Chaos Factor - or that Karl ,as Billy Preston says,has got "it".

[Guest POTTERIESPECK]

Yes he does Karen, you would be suprised, try it if it fit's he will play it. And that does hold him back LOL.

Butch is better now than ever IMO. he certainly is the number 1 rare soul DJ. When/If He leaves the scene - we will really have to re-evaluate it all from the 100 Club upwards...there can't be any imataters.

Could go on for longer, but won't - suffice to say this is not some sycophantic out burst; but what i think - i don't even think the guy likes me LOL

If you don't mind me asking Dave, what gives you the impression Butch dose'nt like you.

[Guest]

Interesting phrase don't ya think.

Heard it once or twice down the years:lol:

Heard it again today, and thought about it a bit- and was gonna have a bit of a rant,

but

What's wrong with playing something you like and believe in and think needs a bit of exposure, or reactivating or whatever.??

Or I am wrong(again)

Tony

I don't personally need DJs any more.

Ive got loads of rare soul records of my own to listen to.

I would rather just spend my valuable time away from the soul scene these days.

when this scene looks like its going to be a lot of fun again, please give me a bell

holidays in the sun with my close mates and lots fun with my family are my priority these days.

collecting music and digging not only 60s oldies but new and unknown 45s are everyday things for me .

I love Soul music !

but the soul scene has become a place that I don't really understand any more.

So I just keep digging old music, cause I just love these old sounds !

peace !

[Mark Bicknell]

I don't personally need DJs any more.

Ive got loads of rare soul records of my own to listen to.

I would rather just spend my valuable time away from the soul scene these days.

when this scene looks like its going to be a lot of fun again, please give me a bell

holidays in the sun with my close mates and lots fun with my family are my priority these days.

collecting music and digging not only 60s oldies but new and unknown 45s are everyday things for me .

I love Soul music !

but the soul scene has become a place that I don't really understand any more.

So I just keep digging old music, cause I just love these old sounds !

peace !

This is the only post I can relate to on this thread as I feel exactly the same, I have no interest whatsoever in the current scene and certainly no passion for it anymore either as a DJ or punter, like you I still love the music but not that bothered in chasing it anymore, I can't remember the last time I played a record at home for enjoyment purposes tend to just play them to check condition before they are mailed out, been to less than half a dozen soul events in the past two years and do I miss it? not at all, got fed up with all the opinion and bullshit which took the fun out of it for me, respect to those who still enjoy it.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

[Spacehopper]

to answer the question i dont think the majority of big djs are playing for themselves but for the promoter who books them cos unlike the majority of soul sources who are COLLECTORS most people 'out on the floor' (especially of a certain age) are nostagia hunters.....our guests have told us they loved playing go go cos they can play sumfin different...at MOST clubs if the dj didnt play the big tunes people wouldnt dance....wouldnt come back...djs wouldnt get booked again...

we at go go children play a lot of different stuff,in fact im probably the only one who puts some classics in to keep the nostalgia hunters happy,we are 'lucky ' that being a soul desert in bristol we do attract a lot of young people who dont know all the old stuff but just love good 60s tunes..and love to dance and not talk...so we can throw in the unknown without clearing the floor...most of the time !!

but do we get any guest slots ?..other than the other bristol nite 'getting together'....no!...im out most weekends and HAVE had slots at most of the local nites..had people dancin and a lot of good comments...but hardly any returns,only one in the last year and a half....im not bitter or bothered (although i love djing and seeing people get into my collection)...its just how it is...too many djs ...most clubs only 3 or 4 nites a year....you do the maths....

dean

[Mrtag]

to answer the question i dont think the majority of big djs are playing for themselves but for the promoter who books them cos unlike the majority of soul sources who are COLLECTORS most people 'out on the floor' (especially of a certain age) are nostagia hunters.....our guests have told us they loved playing go go cos they can play sumfin different...at MOST clubs if the dj didnt play the big tunes people wouldnt dance....wouldnt come back...djs wouldnt get booked again...

we at go go children play a lot of different stuff,in fact im probably the only one who puts some classics in to keep the nostalgia hunters happy,we are 'lucky ' that being a soul desert in bristol we do attract a lot of young people who dont know all the old stuff but just love good 60s tunes..and love to dance and not talk...so we can throw in the unknown without clearing the floor...most of the time !!

but do we get any guest slots ?..other than the other bristol nite 'getting together'....no!...im out most weekends and HAVE had slots at most of the local nites..had people dancin and a lot of good comments...but hardly any returns,only one in the last year and a half....im not bitter or bothered (although i love djing and seeing people get into my collection)...its just how it is...too many djs ...most clubs only 3 or 4 nites a year....you do the maths!!

dean

This sounds about right and just about sums things up!!! Atb John

[Johnmcc]

Just a little question or should i say observation from me regarding "top dj"

I never tire of hearing people who mention the breaking of new records and how good it is to hear so called cheap records .

from my own observations over the last 10yrs ....why is it all the top dj's only ever play ultra rare expensive records then ??

Show me a playlist from any of the so called top dj's that includes anything like 5% cheapies that are readily available on ebay ,sales lists,gemm ,musicstack etc etc

Nev,

"Top djs" at "top venues" regularly play one or two in their sets, eg. - Otis Blackwell and Larry Laster at Lifeline, - right tunes at the right time.

I'd put money on hearing "5% cheapies" there on Saturday, bring a pen and paper!

John

[Paul Shirley]

Aahh!!.You've not allowed for the Chaos Factor - or that Karl ,as Billy Preston says,has got "it". src=" ">

exactly thats what i was meaning .in fact karl can play owt' and make the room jump but then again karl is in the right places . dosnt work at yer bog standerd do's . dosent work for me anyway .i felt like eyeball paul dj'ng at an old folks do Edited August 24, 2010 by steptoe

[Guest espo]

In the wider context of Djing Ian, on this scene, it is simply the tried and tested, very little imagination and the so called big hitters playing records that have been broken by others over more often than not a few years, often getting more recognition for the record than the DJ who put it where it is. Most follow rather than attempt to set the trends. These days you see DJ's getting more compliments for their enthusiasm than for their records IMO it is a mirror image of years ago with the same records still being played rather than DJ's attempting to program new or forgotten records.

Said it before every promoter should encourage/ask their DJ's to program 20/25 % semi or unknown, forgotten tracks. Four or five out of say 25, one every four or five records isn't too much to ask is it?

Dead right Chalky--my brief to anyone djing for me is--"Enoy yourself--play what you want (cos its up to me to take any flak)---and try and play at least two tunes you think theyve not heard before"---that way---if everything goes to plan theres at least 10 or so tunes each night for people to debate over/look for/write off as crap---doesnt always work but we live in hope eh

[Mrtag]

exactly thats what i was meaning .in fact karl can play owt' and make the room jump but then again karl is in the right places . dosnt work at yer bog standerd do's . dosent work for me anyway .i felt like eyeball paul dj'ng at an old folks do

Yer on the right track here Paul at some Bog Standard Nights as you put it You can play so called Big Oldies and all you hear is what this Rare Cr*p He's playing?? Hellooo

[NEV]

This is the only post I can relate to on this thread as I feel exactly the same, I have no interest whatsoever in the current scene and certainly no passion for it anymore either as a DJ or punter, like you I still love the music but not that bothered in chasing it anymore, I can't remember the last time I played a record at home for enjoyment purposes tend to just play them to check condition before they are mailed out, been to less than half a dozen soul events in the past two years and do I miss it? not at all, got fed up with all the opinion and bullshit which took the fun out of it for me, respect to those who still enjoy it.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Hello Mark .....

Hope you are well mate, but a question i'd like to ask is this..:- If you feel like this ,why even bother writing a reply ?

Me personally ,if i felt the same ...i'd have sold up...deleted this website and concentrated my efforts into something more positive instead of moping about how crap the scene is now and how uninspiring it is for you that you cant be bothered to listen to records or attend venues.

Really mate...... LIFE'S TOO SHORT !

[Mark Bicknell]

Hello Mark .....

Hope you are well mate, but a question i'd like to ask is this..:- If you feel like this ,why even bother writing a reply ?

Me personally ,if i felt the same ...i'd have sold up...deleted this website and concentrated my efforts into something more positive instead of moping about how crap the scene is now and how uninspiring it is for you that you cant be bothered to listen to records or attend venues.

Really mate...... LIFE'S TOO SHORT !

I am slowly selling up Nev, lot of records to move so I still need the contact of this site and other avenues to be able to do just that, funny how some can have an opinion on here of all the negative shit and others can't, please don't question how I feel it's just my opinion, I never once mentioned about the scene being crap or uninspiring it's just something which I no longer do or am no longer part of my choice, as for doing something more positive that's exactly what I do but thas has nothing to do with anyone else, funny when you deside to step off the merry -go-round it upsets some people like it's personal or something well it's nothing personal just personal choice oh better for dj's to play to themselves rather than with themselves lol

Mark Bicknell.

Edited August 24, 2010 by Mark Bicknell

[Len]

Interesting phrase don't ya think.

Heard it once or twice down the years:lol:

Heard it again today, and thought about it a bit- and was gonna have a bit of a rant,

but

What's wrong with playing something you like and believe in and think needs a bit of exposure, or reactivating or whatever.??

Or I am wrong(again)

Tony

Nothing wrong at all with that Tony. The reason you here it is that sometimes DJ's don't do it correctly. For instance not 'Connecting' with the punters for a whole spot.

I know this may sound silly to some, but I see DJing as some sort of art form and believe it takes years of experience to be any good at it (If ever for some!) This amount of experience and damn hard work in the back ground does shine through.

Nothing wrong with anyone having a go for a bit of fun (At the appropriate venue), as long as your not delusionally confident (No comments please!)

All the best,

Len.

"If your going to play records in public, the most important thing is to do it your way and no-one else's"

[Mark B]

I am slowly selling up Nev, lot of records to move so I still need the contact of this site and other avenues to be able to do just that, funny how some can have an opinion on here of all the negative shit and others can't, please don't question how I feel it's just my opinion, I never once mentioned about the scene being crap or uninspiring it's just something which I no longer do or am no longer part of my choice, as for doing something more positive that's exactly what I do but thas has nothing to do with anyone else, funny when you deside to step off the merry -go-round it upsets some people like it's personal or something well it's nothing personal just personal choice oh better for dj's to play to themselves rather than with themselves lol

Mark Bicknell.

No wonder your fed up with the scene mark you have been attending the wrong type of clubs

mark

Edited August 24, 2010 by mark.b

[NEV]

I am slowly selling up Nev, lot of records to move so I still need the contact of this site and other avenues to be able to do just that, funny how some can have an opinion on here of all the negative shit and others can't, please don't question how I feel it's just my opinion, I never once mentioned about the scene being crap or uninspiring it's just something which I no longer do or am no longer part of my choice, as for doing something more positive that's exactly what I do but thas has nothing to do with anyone else, funny when you deside to step off the merry -go-round it upsets some people like it's personal or something well it's nothing personal just personal choice oh better for dj's to play to themselves rather than with themselves lol

Mark Bicknell.

Fair play Mark.....but upon reading your post ,thats how it came across to me .

The thead is called "DJ'S PLAYING TO THEMSELVES"

And unless i'm mistaken the question being asked is :-

"What's wrong with playing something you like and believe in and think needs a bit of exposure, or reactivating or whatever.??"

I just don't see any relevance in your's or Mossy's post's regarding the original question??

No axe to grinde but unless your replying to the said question ,why post your thoughts on how you feel about the scene right now?

Best

Nev

[Mark Bicknell]

Fair play Mark.....but upon reading your post ,thats how it came across to me .

The thead is called "DJ'S PLAYING TO THEMSELVES"

And unless i'm mistaken the question being asked is :-

"What's wrong with playing something you like and believe in and think needs a bit of exposure, or reactivating or whatever.??"

I just don't see any relevance in your's or Mossy's post's regarding the original question??

No axe to grinde but unless your replying to the said question ,why post your thoughts on how you feel about the scene right now?

Best

Nev

Fair enough Nev I just read Mossy's comments and related to it as it's where I'm at right now nothing more than that, belive me I wish I still had the passion but I don't.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

[Guest gordon russell]

I,ve said this before......dj,s have to know what type of music is played at a venue they may be asked to play at and if.....it,s not their taste or style.............they should decline.....once you have a club where guest dj,s and resident dj,s are playing from the same hymn sheet and it,s the sound the attendees want ya got a great night/nighter.......when the styles are up and down and sets are played at opposites it becomes disjointed peggy babcock

p.s butch always plays your request as long as that request is proper

[hullsoul]

There are too many who are at the so called top cause they spend a lot of money and not for the thought or imagination that they put into their sets. Not many will stick their necks out over a tune and play it cause they believe in it and it could be or will be a top record on the scene. Many play ready made biggies playing records each other already have and play. I find many of the smaller DJ's play better sets but because they cost a fraction of the price of a well known established DJ then folk don't want to know.

I find it is those that who will take a chance and stick their neck out over a record are the ones who get accused of playing to themselves. Many of these little people have paid their dues in some respects, some have better collections and have been collecting longer than established names.

I agree a DJ's job is to inspire and entertain but it is also the job of a Dj and the promoter to keep this scene alive and moving forward, attracting younger blood who probably aren't interested in listening to the same records for 30 years.

Chalks

Well said that man. spot on.

There's not many of the so called top dj's I'd travel for these days, would rather hear lesser known dj's playing from there playboxes as it usually going to be a bit different. Not always perfect but at least they're playing something because they believe in it..........like the old days.

Cheers

Martyn

Edited August 24, 2010 by hullsoul