I Tried Deejaying Crashed And Burned, Did Anyone Else ?

[Guest Dave Ward]

I liked to dance, so I reckon I knew what other dancers would like. I could do the matter of fact monotone voice a-la Searling. I had a box of 150 records I liked to dance to.  I can use a twin deck, providing I can cue using headphones. I wanna be a DJ !!! So I get a gig at Morecambe pier All-Dayer 1977 ?, no pay, but my name is on the advertising posters ! I hated Billy Watkins - Ice Man, but noticed that it filled the floor at the preceeding WC 'nighter, so bought a copy. Got my set list sorted, then took to the decks...empty floor ! Panic but stick with the list...empty floor. Play Billy Watkins...full floor, root through box in desperation, suddenly there's nothing in there anymore ! I played Billy bloody Watkins 3 times in a 45 minute set to a full floor every time, This DJ lark is harder than it looks !

 

 

[Quinvy]

It's taken you a long time to get that off your chest mate. Back in 1977 you had to have the big tunes of the day to get people to dance. 

Edited January 10, 2015 by Quinvy

[Kegsy]

Julian Bentley knows exactly how you feel   

[Tattoodave]

Ouch!

[Guest Dave Ward]

I talked to Richard S. about it a week later. His advice was 'get more top sounds'...How do I afford them I asked ? "Get well paid Gigs" he replied...How do I get these Gigs ? I asked... "Get top sounds" he replied. Catch 22. I stuck to dancing it was more fun !

[Swifty]

I was called in at lastminute.com for a Northern do at our local Cons club Dave and I knew that the stuff I had nobody who was going up there would know , so nipped home and thought a Motown set would suffice. Got back to the Club with mainly LPs and ended up playing the Marvelettes Destination Anywhere 4x as there were no lights on the decks and I couldn't see what the fook I was doing , thing was each time I played it the floor got busier. Ended up pissed and started playing stuff random and it seemed to work. Good job the Soul Police weren't there tho'.

[KevH]

Reads like a recurring nightmare Dave.

[barney]

haven't dj,d with vinyl since the early 80s but have with cds at events overseas and to me its a piece of p*ss trouble is I have to double deck because I get down and dance to most of my plays so the poor soul playing the other deck (usually Bernie Pearson from Bolton ) has to take over ,.

seriously its not that easy and its not just having the records ,to paraphrase the late Eric Morecambe you can have all the right music but you have to play them in the right order .

[Sooty]

I liked to dance, so I reckon I knew what other dancers would like. I could do the matter of fact monotone voice a-la Searling. I had a box of 150 records I liked to dance to.  I can use a twin deck, providing I can cue using headphones. I wanna be a DJ !!! So I get a gig at Morecambe pier All-Dayer 1977 ?, no pay, but my name is on the advertising posters ! I hated Billy Watkins - Ice Man, but noticed that it filled the floor at the preceeding WC 'nighter, so bought a copy. Got my set list sorted, then took to the decks...empty floor ! Panic but stick with the list...empty floor. Play Billy Watkins...full floor, root through box in desperation, suddenly there's nothing in there anymore ! I played Billy bloody Watkins 3 times in a 45 minute set to a full floor every time, This DJ lark is harder than it looks !

 

Post of the day for me Dave.....X Honesty the best policy....and a problem shared is cut in thousands.....we is wiv u Bruv!x I think your problem started with a list....................!!!!! Never ever ever dunnit.....ain;t got a clue.....do it by feel!x Heart not head for ure next venture....u can do it!!!!x Dun my head....and me heart bleeds for yer...hehe!!x

@@

~

LUV

SOOTY

X

[Steve S 60]

I was called in at lastminute.com for a Northern do at our local Cons club Dave and I knew that the stuff I had nobody who was going up there would know , so nipped home and thought a Motown set would suffice. Got back to the Club with mainly LPs and ended up playing the Marvelettes Destination Anywhere 4x as there were no lights on the decks and I couldn't see what the fook I was doing , thing was each time I played it the floor got busier. Ended up pissed and started playing stuff random and it seemed to work. Good job the Soul Police weren't there tho'.

 

They were, and your name's in the book.

[Swifty]

They were, and your name's in the book.

Guilty as charged your Honor !!

[Steve S 60]

Guilty as charged your Honor !!

 

Swifty, you are hereby sentenced to star in the next Shredded Wheat advert.

[Swifty]

Phew !! as long as it isn't Sugar Puffs !!! 

[Len]

Great post, take it as a compliment Dave - That's what gets me through!  

 

Len  

[Frankie M]

Your right DJing can be hell ,empty dance floors (sometimes ) , label police , requests for Abba , but

on a personal basis ,love it and as a " warm upper " can get away with most things and will continue to do so

[John May]

You mean people are supposed to dance to your set ?,  Damn, that's where i'm going wrong 

[Guest Dave Ward]

Thanks for your comments, I just remember looking through my box of prized possessions and I suddenly couldn't find anything, total panic. Mind you it was bloody freezing at Morecambe Pier that day and a big venue at that. Funnily enough, the other DJ's box, was open, and though I fancied dipping in for a few oldies...I was too proud.

[Stateside]

I dj'd in Liverpool and Birkenhead in the mid 70's in nightclubs to a mixed crowd. Playing mainly soul/funk but having to throw in the odd chart sound like the Bee Gees, Wings and even Abba. Trying to fill a dance floor in the ruthless night club scene can be quite tough, which included threats from the owners that it was your last night if you didn't get them dancing. Their theory was if they don't dance, they don't get thirsty and they don't spend money on drink. How they were supposed to drink while dancing was beyond me.

 

Threats from punters for not playing requests. I once had a drunk ask me for an Eagles record, to which I  politely replied, I didn't have it, but would bring it next week, thinking he'd forget. Unfortunately, he turned up the following week asking again, only to be told I didn't have it. After the third week he threatened me and waited for me outside and had a go at me while I was carrying my records to the car. Fortunately (for him, lol !) the doormen sent him on his way.

Kev

[TOAD]

No such thing as the right order or reading the floor

[Citizen P]

I was called in at lastminute.com for a Northern do at our local Cons club Dave and I knew that the stuff I had nobody who was going up there would know , so nipped home and thought a Motown set would suffice. Got back to the Club with mainly LPs and ended up playing the Marvelettes Destination Anywhere 4x as there were no lights on the decks and I couldn't see what the fook I was doing , thing was each time I played it the floor got busier. Ended up pissed and started playing stuff random and it seemed to work. Good job the Soul Police weren't there tho'.

Pissed and random is as good a place to be as any..

[kathdj]

A few years back a new nightclub opened locally so I went to see them about playing there.  The guy who did the booking was their regular DJ and (rather reluctantly it seemed) said I could do a couple of hours one Saturday. When I got there it was all set up for computer playing but I wanted to do it off CDs.   A lot of my daughter's friends were there so I knew exactly which tunes would get them going so I chucked the lot in - anything from James Brown to K-Klass.  The whole place was jumping.  Several people (that I didn't know) told me it was the best night they'd had there but regular guy didn't seem too happy.  Result was that, despite being asked by customers, he never asked me to play there again!  I can't think why!!!