Roger Williams

Most forums are, it's definitely a modern day addiction. Sadly.

I meant I don't know what the specific problem is Jayne, because there are many many issues existing in terms of both the music and the people, that make things the way they are these days. Can't see it ever changing to be honest. Roger

Having been involved in modern room at nighters from 1997 until last year, I saw a steady decline from around 2001 on, up until last year when I walked away from DJ'ing at Stoke as I really couldn't be arsed turning up to DJ to a dozen people at most. Don't really know what the problem is - the modern crowd were never ones to stay up all night and even at their peak, the modern rooms at nighters I played at would generally thin out around 3am. Maybe, like me, people are simply getting too old and knackered to stay up all night, plus, as has been said countless times on soul forums, people have their own perspective as to what 'modern' soul is, so somebody would venture into a nighter modern room expecting to hear their own interpretation and as soon as they heard something they didn't like would turn round and walk out back to the northern room. I found that seventies fans wouldn't like the Y2K or house, northern fans would only want uptempo, so along with the new music house fans, they wouldn't like the Y2K stuff as it was too slow, new music/Y2K fans wouldn't like the seventies stuff as they'd heard it all a million times or the house was too banging for hours on end, so there was just no way to keep everyone happy, and consequently along with all the destructive political bullshit that never goes away, I think all these factors have contributed to the decline in the nighter modern rooms, to the point where I now believe, from what I've witnessed over the last few years, it's time to knock the nighter modern rooms on the head and give it up as a bad job because nobody on the nighter scene is really interested. Shame really because going back to your original question, during the prime years in the nigher modern rooms, from 1996-2001, the percentage of the different styles played was really quite even and you could hear Michael Proctor 'Fall Down' followed by George Benson 'Love Ballad' followed by Willie Hutch 'Just Another Day' followed by Charles & Gwen Scales 'So Good' back to back and the floor would stay full. Roger

Haven't posted a playlist or show on here for a while, here's the latest show/podcast, aired on Solar Radio Sunday 17.8.08: SOULSORTS ON SOLAR RADIO - PLAYLIST - SUNDAY 17th AUGUST 2008 Dain Harris - Open Book (For The Moment - A Soul Acoustic) Messengers ft. Lisa Millett - Higher (Stonebridge R'n'B Mix) Chester Gregory - On And On (In Search Of High Love) J. Michael & W2 - My Luv 4 U (Without Walls) Monique Walker - More Of Your Glory (My Genesis) Murrills - Friend of Mine (Family Prayer) Chanel - Lovely Day (Independent Soul Divas) Maysa - Never Really Ever (Metamorphosis) Darien - Composure (If These Walls Could Talk) Ivana Santilli - Wish U Away (TONY) Roger Smith - Isn't It Love (Sittin' In It) Dave Hollister - Glow (Witness Protection) 2000black - Simple Sacrifice (A Next Set A Rockers) George Duke - Are You Ready (Dukey Treats) Angie Whitney - Don't Tease Me Now (That's What Love Is All About) Wizards Of Ooze - Gravitude (The Dipster 1994) Trina Maxwell - All I Need (The Journey 2000) Freda Simone - Show It (It's Time 1998) Carl Henry - Being With You (RnB 2000) Big Jim - Without Your Love (Commitment Episode 1 2003) Kenny Lattimore - Come To Me (Weekend 2001) Donald Sheffey - At The Party (Let's Be Lovers) Maya Neiada - I Need A Moment With You (Independent Soul Divas) Leon Ware - Smoovin' (Moon Ride) Yamamanym - You Still Are (Soularevolution) Lenora Jaye - Taking Over (Independent Soul Divas) Jonathan Dawson - Password (Melody Of Love) Noel Gourdin - Make The Most (After My Time) Jazz Liberatorz - Ease My Mind (Clin Odeil) Podcast here: >>>>> HERE <<<< Click to listen, right-click to download. Older podcasts/shows available here: >>>>> HERE <<<<< Cheers Roger Williams

Neo 'Smile' has already fallen into that category for me, along with 'This Is What You Are'.

That's a long post for you.

But so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o many people do, Nick, as we've both found out to our cost in the past mate!!! :lol:

Most of the beatings these days though are verbal and via these forums!! :D

If that's the case, then surely the logical thing is for the band to press up another 1200+ copies and sell them before somebody else does???? Or is that too sensible an idea?

Not many people realise how you've been perfecting your craft for years mate: https://mixmeister.com/

I agree with you, though I think the point of this actual thread being started was self-promotion by the thread starter, he did the same on EMS recently, it's just a big plug for his flyer designer/designs.

The flyers that James Trouble has produced for his events take some beating, I can't think of any better ones I've seen.

Guess!!

It was hailed as such about ten years ago.

I'd classify them as 70s records.

Mike Stephens isn't on Smooth, he never has been has he? The only two soul DJ's left on the roster at Smooth now are Andy Peebles and Richard Searling, the rest have been binned off. I believe Peter Young will now have a regular show on Solar between 2pm and 4pm each Sunday, so that's good news for his followers. Roger

He's on tomorrow but he's only part of a rota of DJ's in that weekly slot alongside Ralph Tee, Geoff Bingham, myself, Paul Clifford and the occasional extra guest, he's not on every week. Roger

The only sensible answer for my money. I generally start my sets with the track that's excited me most in the days leading up to the gig. It changes daily so it's often a difficult choice.

"It's Everything About You That I Love" is their finest moment for me. Haven't got a clip I'm afraid, but a brilliant record, well worth investigating for those not familiar with it. Roger

Not at your prices it isn't!!!!!!!!!

Good man, a big tick and a gold star, go RIGHT to the top of the class!! Nice one fella. Roger

You can't be referring to me, you stopped booking me for Bury modern room years ago!! Seriously though, what constitutes 'charging the earth'? Any DJ who demands a very high fee on this scene, depending on the gig of course, is bring pretty unrealistic I think. It might be different for some others, but personally I never ask a promoter for a certain amount, I'm generally happy with what I'm offered and on occasions when I've done a gig that's been poorly supported, I've refused payment and just taken petrol money on the insistence of the promoter. Personally, but probably plenty of others, the money's not the absolute priority so long as the expenses are covered - if you get a decent amount, great, if not, then unless you're mercenary in your attitude towards DJ'ing, it might be a little disappointing but won't be such a big deal as the majority do it as much for the enjoyment as for the money. I did three hour set in the Hilton Weekender lounge in Birmingham one Sunday afternoon, and was still disappointed when I had to finish. There's just no pleasing some folks!! Roger

"It's gonna be a roadblock . . . ." No, you've had two phone calls about it.

Can I just ask a genuine question here, and it relates to Sunnysoul's long post. Why exactly is it that venues allocate one hour per DJ? Is it because it's 'the norm'? Or do promoters prefer this format for some reason? If so, what's the reason? I've asked this question in the past and one reply I've had is that it's in case a DJ is struggles, then you don't want them to go any longer than an hour. But if that's the case, why book a DJ in the first place that you think may struggle? If any DJ worth their fee starts to struggle, then he or she will surely have the ability and the range of tunes to turn it around? Another argument for more DJ's I've heard is that the more people you put on, the more people they'll bring, but does any one DJ really attract a crowd these days? I can understand cramming a line up with DJ's if it's a gang of mates and everyone wants a go behind the decks, but surely at a serious event it should be a case of less is more because (1) the promoter will save on DJ fees; (2) a longer set gives the better DJs a chance to build a set; and (3) the DJ will get more enjoyment from it, because as a 'modern soul' DJ myself, I know the sometimes frustrating situation of just getting into an hour's slot and having a full floor and then having to finish and hand over to someone else. Anyone got an answer to this? Roger PS: Just a few thoughts like, nothing too heavy, at the end of the day, everyone should just go out and enjoy themselves regardless and really when it comes down to it, I think the only people who care about who DJ's are the DJ's themselves, because for the majority I'm sure it doesn't really matter who plays the music as long as it's what they want to hear.