Hot Box Deejaying

[Corbett80]

Oliver Joy on Big Deal is a belter, and fairly tough too.

Didn't know you'd had The Parliaments James!

[Sebastian]

Just remembered that I included that Chuck Cornish tune in one of my long 60s soul MP3-mixes which you can download here:

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=36120

Apart form the first and last track, it's pretty much all pounding uptempo 60s dancers in the same vein as the above.

[Simon M]

This isn't about oldies/newies/upfront/unknowns/indemanders etc, this is about a focus on the club scene, the adrenaline of the dance and DJs who are not prepared to compromise in their efforts to give the dancers a good party. DJs who compromise, or who are not focused on this should probably not be up there DJing IMO.

+++++++++++++++++

I sort of get this James , but you'd have to describe how a DJ would compromise the dancefloor with their set ? As playing obscure sounds , new to dancers , certainly compromises the floor

Cheers

Simon

Edited March 28, 2007 by Simon M

[Guest James Trouble]

Oliver Joy on Big Deal is a belter, and fairly tough too.

Didn't know you'd had The Parliaments James!

"Cry No More"? Yes, I had to let it go though mate as I wasn't really using it.

Edited March 28, 2007 by James Trouble

[Dylan]

Didn't know you'd had The Parliaments James!

I don't think he had the one we are talking about

nicely avoided my though with a reference to the other title on the label.

[SteveM]

LOL, that'll be the Profesnials - I'll Tell You Why I Love You C/U that I had to let go

[Guest upsetterfc]

This isn't about oldies/newies/upfront/unknowns/indemanders etc, this is about a focus on the club scene, the adrenaline of the dance and DJs who are not prepared to compromise in their efforts to give the dancers a good party. DJs who compromise, or who are not focused on this should probably not be up there DJing IMO.

+++++++++++++++++

I sort of get this James , but you'd have to describe how a DJ would compromise the dancefloor with their set ? As playing obscure sounds , new to dancers , certainly compromises the floor

Cheers

Simon

I've dealt with this when I've had collectors (usually skinhead reggae) who were new to DJing spin at a night. Plus it's still an issue at soul nights here with collector DJs vs. dance DJs.

You just have to make it clear that when you're doing a dance, 90% of the crowd is not interested and don't know all your rarities. They are here to dance and you have to play for them. If they just want to show off, then it's the last or next-to-last set for that.

[Guest WPaulVanDyk]

but one question is. you play what people might like etc but any tune you play can be danced to anyone from 0 - 20 say. so you might play a song someone thinks not that good but to another person it makes them want to dance then another song you play may well get thumbs up from loads.

what you can't always do is play to a full dance floor unless you know exactly songs played before at the club which go down well but the problem there is your not using imagination and will be playing sounds other DJ's would have played.

like when i may hear 20 songs in 1 night i want to own but i don't want the same set of songs as the next DJ.

[pow wow mik]

got the simplest definition yet:

think of the hour's worth of tracks you'd most like to hear: the latest record you've heard and loved, the oldie you wish you heard more, your favourite current biggie, the mega-rarity you've been after ages, the new discovery or over looked cheapie you think will go down well, the classic that goes well with it....

think of a set's worth like that, then go fucking get them. Whining 'I can't afford it' is no excuse, don't be a DJ then.

You achieve that, you've got a hot box.

Every tune will mean something to you and the enthusiasm will show and show in your set.

And as James says: a young DJ can achieve this without worrying whether they've got every track played at Wigan or not.

[Guest James Trouble]

got the simplest definition yet:

think of the hour's worth of tracks you'd most like to hear: the latest record you've heard and loved, the oldie you wish you heard more, your favourite current biggie, the mega-rarity you've been after ages, the new discovery or over looked cheapie you think will go down well, the classic that goes well with it....

think of a set's worth like that, then go fucking get them. Whining 'I can't afford it' is no excuse, don't be a DJ then.

You achieve that, you've got a hot box.

Every tune will mean something to you and the enthusiasm will show and show in your set.

And as James says: a young DJ can achieve this without worrying whether they've got every track played at Wigan or not.

That's just about it for me, nail on the head

Edited March 30, 2007 by James Trouble

[foolish fool]

Personally, I'd rather hear a DJ with a good pair of 'ears' and a decent collection to call upon, over someone with a box of so called 'hot' items that are, in reality, only average. The Elipsis (case in point) is about as 'average' a record I've heard played out in ages and the the Stevens & Foster, Jeri track is, at best, a 4 out of 10 tune (IMO).

Still a reasonable approach though, if the intention is to attempt to raise standards.

Sean Hampsey

[Guest James Trouble]

Personally, I'd rather hear a DJ with a good pair of 'ears' and a decent collection to call upon, over someone with a box of so called 'hot' items that are, in reality, only average. The Elipsis (case in point) is about as 'average' a record I've heard played out in ages and the the Stevens & Foster, Jeri track is, at best, a 4 out of 10 tune (IMO).

Still a reasonable approach though, if the intention is to attempt to raise standards.

Sean Hampsey

4 out of Ten, subjective i feel, even from my Soulmate!

That arguement doesn't hold though. Because it's certainly true that a "hot box" DJ with great taste, a focus on the dance floor and two or three hundred very rare records to choose from that are very carefully chosen will do a much better set than a collector with thousands and thousands of pretty average, not very rare records chosen with a weak ear and no focus on the dance floor.

Either type of DJ can play a poor set if they have a bad ear and don't know how to work a dance floor.

[Val (Chunky)]

I wish the word RARE was taken out of this argument and maybe replaced with GREAT

[Dave Thorley]

I wish the word RARE was taken out of this argument and maybe replaced with GREAT

Now that's just going to far

[Simon M]

James I think you need to post a playlist after your next spot ..

ps. whats the pitch down level on that acetate of yours

Edited March 30, 2007 by Simon M

[Sean Hampsey]

That arguement doesn't hold though. Because it's certainly true that a "hot box" DJ with great taste, a focus on the dance floor and two or three hundred very rare records to choose from that are very carefully chosen will do a much better set than a collector with thousands and thousands of pretty average, not very rare records chosen with a weak ear and no focus on the dance floor.

Either type of DJ can play a poor set if they have a bad ear and don't know how to work a dance floor.

I'd turn that one right on its head to read:-

It's certainly true that a DJ with great taste, a focus on the dance floor and two or three hundred records to choose from that are very carefully chosen will do a much better set than a collector with thousands and thousands of pretty average, very rare records chosen with a weak ear and no focus on the dance floor.

The 'Hot Box' aspect is superfluous... and the 'rare' reference transposed.

Agree that "Either type of DJ can play a poor set if they have a bad ear and don't know how to work a dance floor".

Sean Hampsey

[Guest James Trouble]

James I think you need to post a playlist after your next spot ..

ps. whats the pitch down level on that acetate of yours

I'll post one after Life Line in a couple of weeks...

[Guest James Trouble]

I'd turn that one right on its head to read:-

It's certainly true that a DJ with great taste, a focus on the dance floor and two or three hundred records to choose from that are very carefully chosen will do a much better set than a collector with thousands and thousands of pretty average, very rare records chosen with a weak ear and no focus on the dance floor.

The 'Hot Box' aspect is superfluous... and the 'rare' reference transposed.

Agree that "Either type of DJ can play a poor set if they have a bad ear and don't know how to work a dance floor".

Sean Hampsey

Yes you are right, that reads much better than my post

It's all irrelevent if the person behind the decks has poor taste and doesn't watch the dance floor.

I do think most people on the soul scene get a buzz about rare records though, I know that whenever I travel to an event I expect to dance to rare records that I can't dance to anywhere else. Otherwise what is the point of travelling there?

[Modernsoulsucks]

I always keep a close eye on the dance floor. Luckily there's invariably no one on it to obscure my view.

ROD

[Steve G]

I am, bored with all of this stuff.

DJ's are either leaders or followers, and in the UK we have both types.

A DJ needs a mixture of new sounds and some stuff for the dancefloor, and needs to mix it up a bit.

Quality has to come first over rarity.

That's me done (I hope) on this topic.

[Guest Russ Smith]

Says it all !

[Guest Kevin J]

well, said! at least this is what i strive for when djing ... first quality by my standards, followed by the floors then adjusted to please both parties. i dunno, i think its also all about being able to pace your set well ...

all that said, it is truly much easier here in the states to get the floor going ... or at least i would assume so. not as many expectations from the dj, just average folk looking for a good night and a good dance.

maybe uk djs that have played in the states can share their experiences. in fact, i think that topic deserves a new thread.

needs to mix it up a bit.

Quality has to come first over rarity.

[Souljazera]

quality should always come first over rarity!

PERCY STONE CHAINED / SPREADING LOVE

PURE HOT BOX COOL BOX PICNIC BOX VIBRATIONS

[Simon M]

Stone cold , I'd of thought

[Souljazera]

ha ha.....might need chilling.... assume thats a positive then simon

[Them]

While its saying, who can judge "quality vs rarity", dj's or audience?!

[Simon M]

That's actually a good question Tad . Collectors and Importers usually decide on rarity and quality,( the chin strokers ) DJ's then have to impress the chin strokers with their selections(taste) .. pleasing the dancefloor is quite easy .. Pleasing both factions is the trick to master if your an all-nighter DJ !!

Edited April 1, 2007 by Simon M

[Souljazera]

That's actually a good question Tad .

hopefully the selector or dj can judge both....for me quality matters first...i dont care if its 5.00 or 5000

the audience goes where they are taken...but one may need to rely on common denominator at an allniter...