I started a bit of a bitching seesion when I commented on this in another thread ..... and got told off for changing the topic :o

so I thought maybe it would be better here.

I was commenting on the over use of the microphone by DJ's. Often the DJ is shouting through the mic so you can't really hear what they're saying or what comes out is that muffled .... you still can't hear.

I personally prefer DJ's to let the music talk and concentrate on decent cuing in and selecting decent tracks ......... which is what we try to do down here in the deep south

I wondered exactly how much you need to hear about each record and how often you needed to hear it. It was suggested that the mic was a bit old hat too .......... I certainly find that younger crowds are a little shocked when confronted with a DJ on a mic these days ...... reminds them of a wedding reception perhaps.

I say .... keep the mic for announcing the meat raffle .... what say you???

  hipshaker-uk said:

I started a bit of a bitching seesion when I commented on this in another thread ..... and got told off for changing the topic  :o

so I thought maybe it would be better here.

I was commenting on the over use of the microphone by DJ's. Often the DJ is shouting through the mic so you can't really hear what they're saying or what comes out is that muffled .... you still can't hear.

I personally prefer DJ's to let the music talk and concentrate on decent cuing in and selecting decent tracks ......... which is what we try to do down here in the deep south

I wondered exactly how much you need to hear about each record and how often you needed to hear it. It was suggested that the mic was a bit old hat too .......... I certainly find that younger crowds are a little shocked when confronted with a DJ on a mic these days ...... reminds them of a wedding reception perhaps.

I say .... keep the mic for announcing the meat raffle      .... what say you???

link

Anyone can turn up and just play records. Myself think you need to have some waffle, gives the dancers a breather too...nothing too much basically who and what, maybe little bit more. Can't stand to hear some one bellow down the mike or talk for five minutes between records.

gotta say i'm with you mr hipshaker ...and i would disagree to a point chalky .

yes anyone can play records , not gonna argue there...BUT.... can everyone cue properly and group a set together so it flows? , can everyone read the floor ? .

the mic thing , never done it ...never gonna , quality music to be played

Davie

It all depends on the DJ. An enthusiastic DJ by good use of the mic. can motivate a crowd, and whip up a bit of atmosphere. A bored DJ can kill it. Personally, little and not too often, but I like to 'plug' certain sounds that are new to the audience, and I have faith in!!

the mic is essential imo

Not only informative but can sometimes give a night a kick up the arse. I admire dj's who can work the mic although some of the top dj's struggle imo.

I rate Roger Banks, Mark Bicknell and Mick H. Roger can be fantastic at making a good song sound brilliant. May sound strange to some people but he can really change the course of the night.

Don't drop the mic please dj's its a tradition I want to continue. I know younger people may find it a bit old fashioned but it helps set the scene aside.

Anyone rate any of the current dj's with regards to using the mic?

Shane

Remember Ian Levine telling the floor once at Fleetwood "That was 4 grands worth of soul"....didn't really need to hear that <_<

Before anyone asks i can't recall the track.........

  dundeedavie said:

gotta say i'm with you mr hipshaker  ...and i would disagree to a point chalky .

yes anyone can play records , not gonna argue there...BUT.... can everyone cue properly and group a set together so it flows? , can everyone read the floor ? .

the mic thing , never done it ...never gonna , quality music to be played

Davie

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I hear many who can't put a set together so the set flowsn and many more who can't read the floor so no!

Personally wouldn't pay a DJ just to turn up and play records, can do that myself. I like a DJ to show that he at least has some knowledge of what he's playing

Only interested in Artist/Title/label, and to be honest i can barely ever understand what anyone has said.......and that includes my DJ mates.

Do enjoy seeing Roger Banks go wild behind deck though.

also Sean Chapman dance to every song.......brilliant.

  Brett said:

Only interested in Artist/Title/label, and to be honest i can barely ever understand what anyone has said.......and that includes my DJ mates.

Do enjoy seeing Roger Banks go wild behind deck though.

also Sean Chapman dance to every song.......brilliant.

link

The AGREE/ SAD moment

AGREE with Chalky and Hipshaker Dave 'Rarer Nights need a few more words to highlight their up front tunes and hopefully make them more popular. On the oldies end,its personality and less waffle as most of the audience know the songs.

As a promoter I get to hear or see most of the talent on offer but stick with the guys 'who can do it'(that means playing to massive crowds)

SAD

Trevski for the latest stupid signature comment. A sad anorak with the hood firmly up

who killed Kenny?

  ben said:

who killed Kenny?

link

Ben,

The horns......you promised at Stoke!

  Brett said:

Only interested in Artist/Title/label, and to be honest i can barely ever understand what anyone has said.......and that includes my DJ mates.

Do enjoy seeing Roger Banks go wild behind deck though.

also Sean Chapman dance to every song.......brilliant.

link

Hi Brett, sorry you couldn't make the 100club, It was great night.

Anyway back to the thread, IMO a d.j who can use the mic, ( i.e Roger Banks ) to great effect deserves total respect. D.j's who don't / can't use the mic NO, NO, shouldn't be up there. I've seen Sean dancing to his own records, might try it myself sometime, but what if you don't get back to the decks in time ?

  chalky said:

Personally wouldn't pay a DJ just to turn up and play records, can do that myself.  I like a DJ to show that he at least has some knowledge of what he's playing   

link

Erm.. to announce the titles and artists, they only need to be able to read!!

Only like DJ waffle if it's limited, relevant (someone telling me something is good is not going to make me like it!) and understandable. Very few people can do it well.

I personally sound like a small child (no comments please!) over the mic so avoid it. Plus I have an obsession with the end of a tune fitting, sounding right, with the start of the next one so wouldn't want to talk over it anyway

  rachel said:

Erm.. to announce the titles and artists, they only need to be able to read!!

Only like DJ waffle if it's limited, relevant (someone telling me something is good is not going to make me like it!) and understandable. Very few people can do it well.

I personally sound like a small child (no comments please!) over the mic so avoid it. Plus I have an obsession with the end of a tune fitting, sounding right, with the start of the next one so wouldn't want to talk over it anyway 

link

Rachel,

Sounds like a well thought out gameplan. As I only have one femme DJ on the books (Empress Ali) at the moment.............. submit that tape pet! Any other good female spinners?

actually, you've got a point trevski. A friend of mine called Molly gives it some when he plays at Hipshaker @ the IOW scooter rally ....... seems to whoop the crowd up a bit. I can rarely tell what he's saying though but he has a distinctive growl.

dundeedavie .... pleased to hear you don't use a mic. still up for a slot in Portsmouth? Feb might be a possible.

Kev .... I take the point about the rarer end stuff. A few carefully chosen not shouted words would do the rick I'd guess.

  rachel said:

I have an obsession with the end of a tune fitting, sounding right, with the start of the next one so wouldn't want to talk over it anyway 

link

aah .... me too Rachel. I get a bit anal about my cueing to make sure it fits just right (or what I think is just right anyway)

i wonder though , would a room full of dancers want to know ? or is it the collectors who want to know ...

anytime i've wanted to know a tune , i've asked a more knowledgeable person than myself and get the info i want , but then i only ever want to know if i want to buy it .

i've had loads of people come to the decks and ask me what i just played i've no problem with that at all , i even tell them how much and sometimes where they can get one .

just out of sheer devilment it seems the "younger" people in this discussion are the ones who don't need the mic :4:

  hipshaker-uk said:

dundeedavie .... pleased to hear you don't use a mic. still up for a slot in Portsmouth? Feb might be  a possible.

link

really up for it dave mate and looking forward to it immensely

Davie

  hipshaker-uk said:

aah .... me too Rachel. I get a bit anal about my cueing to make sure it fits just right (or what I think is just right anyway) 

link

Phew.. I feel slightly less weird now

  dundeedavie said:

i wonder though , would a room full of dancers want to know ? or is it the collectors who want to know ...

anytime i've wanted to know a tune , i've asked a more knowledgeable person than myself and get the info i want , but then i only ever want to know if i want to buy it .

i've had loads of people come to the decks and ask me what i just played i've no problem with that at all , i even tell them how much and sometimes where they can get one .

just out of sheer devilment it seems the "younger" people in this discussion are the ones who don't need the mic  :4:

link

First Rachel then Davie, sounds like Scotland NS has a healthy and intelligent posse

Rachel,

Sounds like a well thought out gameplan. As I only have one femme DJ on the books (Empress Ali) at the moment.............. submit that tape pet! Any other good female spinners?

cough........... what about me and Karen, or are we too butch for you

  bexter said:

Rachel,

        Sounds like a well thought out gameplan. As I only have one femme DJ on the books (Empress Ali) at the moment.............. submit that tape pet! Any other good female spinners?

link

Kev, Rach has really good taste ! If you want female spinners specifically (for their record, not their gender I hope) then you wouldn't go far wrong with Cookie on the sixties front, and on the 70's side, Niki Golding is fabulous.

PS. I use the mic myself, probably cos I'm a gasbag, but I actually dont mind DJ's that don't ...depends on the venue on the room and the crowd I guess.

yes ...... I was just thinking that Rachel. Unless of course its just us 2 at opposite ends of the country with no-one else inbetween!!

Davie ............... I'm flatterd to be called young at 39!!

  bexter said:

Rachel,

        Sounds like a well thought out gameplan. As I only have one femme DJ on the books (Empress Ali) at the moment.............. submit that tape pet! Any other good female spinners?

link

Well if you don't mind mostly records that would fit into your "undervalued" (well IMO) topic...

  alison said:

Kev, Rach has really good taste ! If you want female spinners specifically (for their record, not their gender I hope) then you wouldn't go far wrong with Cookie on the sixties front, and on the 70's side, Niki Golding is fabulous.

PS. I use the mic myself, probably cos I'm a gasbag, but I actually dont mind DJ's that don't ...depends on the venue on the room and the crowd I guess.

link

As the best Northern Soul mag is edited by a woman, it looks as if makes sense to put on the first all FEMALE DJ all niter.

  Brett said:

Sean Chapman dance to every song.......brilliant.

link

Once at Bisley Tracie and i were going to hold Sean so he couldn't get back to put the next record on

And soul at the Manor wouldn't be the same with out Sean Shouting COME ON THE MANOR at the top of his voice, one of our regulars calls him Sgt Major Chapman

..................Andrew

  hipshaker-uk said:

yes ...... I was just thinking that Rachel. Unless of course its just us 2 at opposite ends of the country with no-one else inbetween!!

Davie ............... I'm flatterd to be called young at 39!!

link

lolol it was my pleasure dave ,

i'm of the same opinion re flow and i try, might not always get it right but i couldn't do the mic trick of going from r'n'b to modern just by saying on the mic " and now gonna spin a few modern tunes " (not that i would play modern anyway)....doesn't do it for me , if i go from uptempo to an ending mid or beat ballad i will put bridge records in between and graduate down .

Davie

  bexter said:

Ben,

      The horns......you promised at Stoke!

link

I'll behave if YOU do too

On topic, i like to hear something like "get on the floor and dance to this one you bastards" as it at least means the DJ is trying to do the do, rather than just playing for himself living-room style.

....Keb Darge playing Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings a few years ago at a TOTW reunion.

I'm having that much fun I've added a poll ........... Vote meat raffle, you know it makes sense!!

  bexter said:

it looks as if makes sense to put on the first all FEMALE DJ all niter.

link

Ady Croasdell has been doing those for years Kev, and the last one I went to at the 100 Club was a great night, with some classy tunes being played.

I'm really at my happiest in my little Xover rooms although I did cover Chris K's spot in the main room at Fleetwood a couple of years back (managed to pull a complete 70's set of out his very messy box).

Would be fun to do a full on Northern set again though.....

Only thing is I cant do a tape for you as I dont have a tape recorder, but I do have a recorder and am willing to phone you when im with Karen next weekend and play it whilst she sings the lyrics to our record collections, will that do?

I'm not on the pull honest.........but if we can russle up 4 decent Female spinners to do 'battle' in the main Northern room(6-8pm on Saturday, Nov 13) I will be most pleased. I'll tell you what, we'll get ARCHIE BELL on the floor to offer encouragement.

Girls get into training and don't forget your 'where will you go when the party's over' anthem.

2 hours prime time- e-mail off list.

  bexter said:

I'm not on the pull honest.........but if we can russle up 4 decent Female spinners to do 'battle' in the main Northern room(6-8pm on Saturday, Nov 13) I will be most pleased. I'll tell you what, we'll get ARCHIE BELL on the floor to offer encouragement.

Girls get into training and don't forget your 'where will you go when the party's over' anthem.

2 hours prime time-        e-mail off list.

link

6 - 8pm is surely not 2 hours primetime, especially when you don't open till 9.p.m.????????

You seem to struggle with this a.m. / p.m. business Kev.

  Mace said:

6 - 8pm is surely not 2 hours primetime, especially when you don't open till 9.p.m.????????

You seem to struggle with this a.m. / p.m. business  Kev.

link

Mace---we only open at 9 on Friday, this year the Saturday session starts at 3pm and runs right through until 7am on Sunday.

  bexter said:

Mace---we only open at 9 on Friday, this year the Saturday session starts at 3pm and runs right through until 7am on Sunday.

link

Me stands corrected !

"i wonder though , would a room full of dancers want to know ? or is it the collectors who want to know ..."

last orders for a start, a warning that an Al Jolson tune was on the way

I notice the women get all self-depracating when it comes to mic talk, I too think I would sound squeaky. I had a row (discussion) with Ady C about it once, he didn't understand my reservations, he's a top entertainer though and is very good at mic work. I guess it's hard when you're new and concentrating on things flowing right...

jo wallace is pretty good on the mic ,seems to have a bit of a laugh with the punters,maybe we should have an all-niter at the wheel tapers and shunters club?

  jimmy clitheroe said:

jo wallace is pretty good on the mic ,seems to have a bit of a laugh  with the punters,maybe we should have an all-niter at the wheel tapers and shunters club?

link

Of course, she does it with flair and great confidence. Does the Wheel-tappers actually exist? Will there be a tombola with a meat prize or a bottle of Teachers to be won?

wheel tappers used to be on the telly in the 70`s,top comedians like bernard manning and charlie williams where regulars,showing my age a bit here

Yes don't worry, I remember it too, I wasn't keen on Manning but I liked the filthy little bloke who used to ring the bell. But I suppose it was a real club, do you know where? Or if it's still standing?...

dont know if its still there lisa,horrible man who rang the bell is called collin crompton i think,TOP MC!!

In my very dogged opinion, use of the microphone is an essential part of DJ'ing.

I find it is usually the ones who don't have the bottle to get up there and use one that are the most vocal against the use of them.

Use of the mic is part of the DJs craft..... and if your missing that part of the experience, then you're not listening to a DJ.

I know people harp on about a good DJ being able to make sets flow, without use of a mic... and this is true.... but a good DJ also knows that he can change tempos and styles of tunes without them grating on the audience, with a crafty bit of mic work.

I too was scared of the mic, as I think I sound like a thick northern oik, but then again it's not too far from the truth...

WOOF!

Absolutely love it when a DJ says 'Here's Rufus Lumley - Stronger than me'

Absolutely hate when I am told I am at the brand leader of nighters/weekenders/cd launches etc

  pikeys dog said:

In my very dogged opinion, use of the microphone is an essential part of DJ'ing.

I find it is usually the ones who don't have the bottle to get up there and use one  that are the most vocal against the use of them.

Use of the mic is part of the DJs craft..... and if your missing that part of the experience, then you're not listening to a DJ.

I know people harp on about a good DJ being able to make sets flow, without use of a mic... and this is true.... but a good DJ also knows that he can change tempos and styles of tunes without them grating on the audience, with a crafty bit of mic work.

I too was scared of the mic, as I think I sound like a thick northern oik, but then again it's not too far from the truth...

WOOF!

link

Bad dog, no walkies for you.

I don't go to listen to a DJ, its his/her records that I'm interested in. If they have something worth saying its not a problem (artist, title, maybe the label, originally played by blaa blaa blaa, dance ya fookers), but if they mumble incomprehensibly about white demos, the value of a record, or say "outstanding" about every record then I'm really not interested. And if they start telling you their life story I would expect you to go and cock your leg on their shoes.

Sadly I am mute and therefore cannot use the mike at all. Honest.

  bexter said:

As the best Northern Soul mag is edited by a woman, it looks as if makes sense to put on the first all FEMALE DJ all niter.

link

Already done at the 100 Club wasn't it? The country's longest running and most innovative soul club.

  Stuart T said:

Already done at the 100 Club wasn't it?  The country's longest running and most innovative soul club.

link

Not only the first to have an all girl line up, but also to have a girl as a regular DJ I believe

  Brett said:

Remember Ian Levine telling the floor once at Fleetwood "That was 4 grands worth of soul"....didn't really need to hear that <_<

Before anyone asks i can't recall the track.........

link

Maybe 4 vandals but on it's original label Motorcity?

best

Le

  LeoLyxxx said:

Maybe 4 vandals but on it's original label Motorcity? 

best

Le

link

Yes but no but yes, YES, I do think it is important that a D.J uses a mic, and I say that from a collectors point of view, it saves me going upto the decks everytime I hear a track i'm unfamiliar with. NO, I do agree that a d.j who shouts or mumbles can also be annoying and just distracts from the music. YES, from a dances point of view I suppose It doesn't matter if the d.j uses the Mic. Intersting debate !

I think the first post summed it up nicely. Too much waffle and you can't understand a word anyway. Nothing much interesting gets said aside from "This one's for the dancers"Lol . There are a handful though who are very good at it e.g. Terry Davis,Terry Jones, Jo Wallace and Soul Sam to name a few.

My fave is on a tape I made at Stafford.

Keb says ' Here's the Delcos' plays the opening bars and says

'And thats the title'

Total quality.