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Are Dj Bookings/spots Incestuous?


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Guest gordon russell

At Cream Cracker we book DJ's that I have been to see at other venues and invite them according to our music policy. I try to have as varied a line up as possible and bring people in from far and wide. Its not a back scratching philosophy as I aint got any mates. Its whats best for the venue and the Jacobs to give them the best possible for their money. We have (hopefully) a good mix of knowns and unknowns, I can assure you it aint no easy task to invite 6 or 7 different dj's each time to try and keep each Cream Cracker fresh. My pet hate is the same line up month in month out.

Regards

Kev ( dont do modern) Such

sounds like an advert.......rather like saga.......say what l want my punters to hear.......nice one

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Guest gordon russell

dj,s have the choice to say no....in my experience...there are a lot who go to some clubs for 2 or 3 times,hang around expecting to be asked.....if they're not they don,t go again.......they should go cause they like the venue,but hey!...wellcome to the real world!!

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Guest gordon russell

dj,s have the choice to say no....in my experience...there are a lot who go to some clubs for 2 or 3 times,hang around expecting to be asked.....if they're not they don,t go again.......they should go cause they like the venue,but hey!...wellcome to the real world!!

is that rod or sally?........no matter.........see ya both at soul heaven wey hey

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Guest dundeedavie

dj,s have the choice to say no....i

you are kidding aren't ya? Most of these people would crawl over broken glass to get a dj gig

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Guest gordon russell

you are kidding aren't ya? Most of these people would crawl over broken glass to get a dj gig

Agreed........but there in lies the problem........because if they're sh*te no one says a dickie bird.......at most venues :wicked: :wicked:

p.s....this is getting harder...must go ta bed lol :lol:

Edited by gordon russell
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i once put a post on here ' desperate to dj' ill try and dig it out ..

it was bout my efforts to try and get spots over the years and some of the disasters i encountered...

my own take is that every dj will have their day and for some it may take longer than others (1st 30 years are the worst lol) but when the time comes just enjoy playing your tunes when you can

im djing now more than ever and absolutely love it

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Time and time again I see the same DJ's doing the same few Clubs promoted by DJ's who seem to DJ at their mates' promotions on a reciprocal basis.

Is it time to let some 'new blood' play a set?

Discuss :g:

Great statement, happens a lot in the NE, scratching each others backs while keeping the ego,s topped up.

Kev

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i once put a post on here ' desperate to dj' ill try and dig it out ..

it was bout my efforts to try and get spots over the years and some of the disasters i encountered...

my own take is that every dj will have their day and for some it may take longer than others (1st 30 years are the worst lol) but when the time comes just enjoy playing your tunes when you can

im djing now more than ever and absolutely love it

your 1st spot at the marrs tops ,billy
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Guest Matt Male

The promotor pays for the room and the promotor books and pays the DJs and the venue stands or falls by the promotor's decisions.

What business is it of anyone else who they ask to DJ?

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Good post Matt - that's the bottom line - the promoters can get who they want to DJ. I personally don't like to see the same DJ's month in month out at the same venues (and usually the same core playlist) - but no one forces me to go. I would rather have a night where the DJ's play imaginative sets and predominantly 60's for me but if I can,t get that I usually make do with what the promoters are offering. I'd still rather go to a less than perfect soul night than sit at home complaining that the DJ''s don't play my records.

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Guest Matt Male

...and as for new blood, they aren't waiting to be asked to DJ, they are starting up their own brilliant and successful nights. And good on em. :thumbsup:

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Guest mickeyfish58

The promotor pays for the room and the promotor books and pays the DJs and the venue stands or falls by the promotor's decisions.

What business is it of anyone else who they ask to DJ?

quite right, be telling me what i can eat next or were i can or cannot do my shopping :g: choice is choice and if you do not like what people do and who they book the answer is simple = do not go but do not slate others for going :shhh:
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The promotor pays for the room and the promotor books and pays the DJs and the venue stands or falls by the promotor's decisions.

What business is it of anyone else who they ask to DJ?

Mate

I understand your statement and totally agree

but

It does smack of a touch bit Arrogant

Surely a promoter needs to understand his region and the punters that can regularly attend,

otherwise, as I think what has happened in the South of our country at allnighters

peeps numbers will be in short supply.

In the North, thankfully where i'm from, the allnigher scene is in good hands and shall persevere

and continually be the Torch bearer, sorry for the pun :thumbsup:

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i once put a post on here ' desperate to dj' ill try and dig it out ..

it was bout my efforts to try and get spots over the years and some of the disasters i encountered...

my own take is that every dj will have their day and for some it may take longer than others (1st 30 years are the worst lol) but when the time comes just enjoy playing your tunes when you can

im djing now more than ever and absolutely love it

Couldn't happen to a better bloke,

Mark, i've met you on several occasions at nighters over the years,

always dancing and always friendly.

As a dj and dancer Karl Heard had no equal, but if there was ever to be a successor

I reckon you are that man :thumbsup:

S&F

dekka

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Guest Bearsy

Mate

I understand your statement and totally agree

but

It does smack of a touch bit Arrogant

Surely a promoter needs to understand his region and the punters that can regularly attend,

otherwise, as I think what has happened in the South of our country at allnighters

peeps numbers will be in short supply.

In the North, thankfully where i'm from, the allnigher scene is in good hands and shall persevere

and continually be the Torch bearer, sorry for the pun :thumbsup:

It's not all doom and gloom in the South but obviously not as many soulies as up north, I honestly think the right nighter for the area would be a success, in September my good buddy Alfie is putting on a nighter with a very very good dj line up that will mix it up with classics, oldies, rarer, underplayed, current nighter spins etc etc etc, my guessing is it will get loads of locals attending and a good few travelling soulies, for me it's about the venue which is awesome, the dj line is awesome and the promoting of it is the key to its success or failure, time will tell tbh but the early signs are its going to be well attended, Alfie has promoted 4 alldayers annually at the venue so it's known and a few soul nights too, all I can say is don't believe everything that is said about the soul scene in the south, yeah there is some bolox flying about sometimes but no different to anywhere else IMHO.

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Guest Matt Male

Mate

I understand your statement and totally agree

but

It does smack of a touch bit Arrogant

Surely a promoter needs to understand his region and the punters that can regularly attend,

otherwise, as I think what has happened in the South of our country at allnighters

peeps numbers will be in short supply.

In the North, thankfully where i'm from, the allnigher scene is in good hands and shall persevere

and continually be the Torch bearer, sorry for the pun :thumbsup:

I agree, that's why I said the venue stands or falls by the promoter's decisions. Promoters who ignore their region and punters will most likely fail, but my point is at the end of the day it's down to them and not every man and his dog on here moaning about mates giving spots to mates etc...

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Guest gordon russell

The promotor pays for the room and the promotor books and pays the DJs and the venue stands or falls by the promotor's decisions.

What business is it of anyone else who they ask to DJ?

spot on Matt (how are you by the way)....but it,s a bit like a football manager he has to pick the right team.....sadly he dosn,t have the resources of the footy manager....HE CAN,T MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS :lol: :lol: .....and i,ve been to plenty over the years where they wish they bloody could of :lol: :lol:

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Couldn't happen to a better bloke,

Mark, i've met you on several occasions at nighters over the years,

always dancing and always friendly.

As a dj and dancer Karl Heard had no equal, but if there was ever to be a successor

I reckon you are that man :thumbsup:

S&F

dekka

Spat me tea out!

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Guest rodw

Sorry Mike....but if you read the comments at the bottom part of the Soul in the South lookbacks/allniters you well see a different story, before we started the Allniters those who scorned it before it got off the ground where totally unaware of the dj line up we were going to bring down, many judged on assumption too. As you know or may not know 90% approx on most occasions have been travellers who are regular Allniter attendees. But we do have a local following mainly those who attend Ghetto Soul in Southampton. Since we started, the local Allniter following in general has become larger too...people travel to different Soul nites around the South more frequently & in bigger numbers as well.

I've heard rumours too of some slagging throughout our 2 years but I only tend to associate with people who don't (as far as I know ?) In my opinion the music that's been on offer at Soul in the South events has probably been the best I've ever heard in the South Coast's history & I've been coming down here since 76, but with some of the dj's we've had, that's hardly surprising.

Make of it what you will, you are from around the Bournemouth/Poole area....personally I've always thought that it has been mainly the same ol tried & tested but I think it's slowly but surely on the change...which is encouraging. From some, it does feel like a snub at times but it has been the 1st Allnighter in the South Coast region for many many years probably the few they had at Swanage in the late 70's would have been the last in the Bournemouth area itself & possibly the Colony Club in my home town of Newbury after that....would have been the closest. In general though & national terms the South Central/South Coast has a very low regular Allniter following these days overall, we've tried to amend that, that's all...but in the process we've also tried to introduce to those who are interested...some new tunes to their ears. So whatever you here, always try to ask whether they've actually been to one of our Allniters 1st cause I do know there will be critics...until it's finished then they will probably be praising it to the hilt & saying they were regulars lol !!!

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Guest Matt Male

spot on Matt (how are you by the way)....but it,s a bit like a football manager he has to pick the right team.....sadly he dosn,t have the resources of the footy manager....HE CAN,T MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS :lol: :lol: .....and i,ve been to plenty over the years where they wish they bloody could of :lol: :lol:

I'm good Terry, i'll see you next Saturday at Burnley. :thumbsup:

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The promotor pays for the room and the promotor books and pays the DJs and the venue stands or falls by the promotor's decisions.

What business is it of anyone else who they ask to DJ?

your right of course Matt but does this apply to promoters who want to start a new venue/nighter irrespective of clashes of dates etc

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Guest Matt Male

your right of course Matt but does this apply to promoters who want to start a new venue/nighter irrespective of clashes of dates etc

I was really only commenting on who they choose to DJ since that seemed to be Julian's concern.

As for clashes etc... well minefield comes to mind. :lol:

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may as well put my two pence worth in

i dont pick dj s for Whitchurch - i leave that up to errol - but i feel you want someone as a guest who had different records than

the residents otherwise why book someone - you may as well save your money

but not so different that you have people not dancing to the spot except the guests wife-- unless its a lady d.j

oh err , can see im getting into trouble here

long as there not playing boots - im happy - but thats just me

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Guest Mart B

JulianB great thread

The east midlands is now a closed shop,most venues will employ djs to fill dance floors we can all do that :D im not willing to pay £5.00 to get into a venue thats going to playout youth club stuff. .Thats not a problem some might say,but when you have been into cutting edge northern soul for the last 38 years.motown & basic pye disco demand stuff doesnt float my boat for a fiver.

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spot on Matt (how are you by the way)....but it,s a bit like a football manager he has to pick the right team.....sadly he dosn,t have the resources of the footy manager....HE CAN,T MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS :lol: :lol: .....and i,ve been to plenty over the years where they wish they bloody could of :lol: :lol:

I don't know Terry,there's enough sub's waiting on the bench at most venues. :lol:

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Guest dundeedavie

I think where some clubs go wrong is they aren't booking the RIGHT dj's ... The guests should not only play different stuff to the residents but also fit in with the feel of the club, nothing worse than the regulars who love the feel of a club only to turn up and hate the guests

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My promoting days are a long time ago now (Thank god!) but for The Embankment nights I only ever booked D.J's that I alone rated, the last thing on my mind was reciprocal spots and it was damn right embarrassing for me whenever anyone asked for a spot especially if it was a mate - Head on the block or what?

Maybe (as someone stated earlier) it is 'old school' but I don't think it is right to ask for a spot. I know some may not understand this as they believe in - 'if you don't ask, you don't get' - But I believe in - 'If it happens, it happens' - It shouldn't be a huge issue as long as someone's playing the tunes you like....I just think asking for a spot is bizarre as to be asked means the person who has kindly offered you a spot respects you.

...If you really have something different, fresh and exciting to offer then that's another story of course...ask yourself that...

All the best,

Len.

Edited by LEN
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My promoting days are a long time ago now (Thank god!) but for The Embankment nights I only ever booked D.J's that I alone rated, the last thing on my mind was reciprocal spots and it was damn right embarrassing for me whenever anyone asked for a spot especially if it was a mate - Head on the block or what?

Maybe (as someone stated earlier) it is 'old school' but I don't think it is right to ask for a spot. I know some may not understand this as they believe in - 'if you don't ask, you don't get' - But I believe in - 'If it happens, it happens' - It shouldn't be a huge issue as long as someone's playing the tunes you like....I just think asking for a spot is bizarre as to be asked means the person who has kindly offered you a spot respects you.

...If you really have something different, fresh and exciting to offer then that's another story of course...ask yourself that...

All the best,

Len.

hi lenny hope your well, will always remember djn at "the embankment" still have the flyer you framed for me on me wall

a question for you, i noticed you are down to do a spot at a out n out oldies night, with a line-up which i believe play non

ovo...knowing what sort of stuff you play why did you agree to dj?

atb

russ

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hi lenny hope your well, will always remember djn at "the embankment" still have the flyer you framed for me on me wall

a question for you, i noticed you are down to do a spot at a out n out oldies night, with a line-up which i believe play non

ovo...knowing what sort of stuff you play why did you agree to dj?

atb

russ

Hi Russ,

I'm presuming you mean 'Soul @ The Bowl' in Rushden? - Don't believe everything you read mate, I know the people running it used to play a few pressings but they now do play original vinyl but don't make an issue of it. On that note personally, I know what I play and that's all that matters to me - I hate it when people harp on and on about it, I bet if a pressing was played before someone like Carl Fortnum, he wouldn't give a flying f*ck about it as he has nothing to prove.

Why did I agree to D.J? - It's for the same reason I am involved in any local event, it's so I have some influence musically because quite frankly, if there was no influence from me there wouldn't be much reason for me to go out locally, so it's for selfish reasons.

You're correct about the main room, it is 'out and out' oldies but they have separated the kind of stuff we also like to hear into a second room ('Len's Den') It works really well as 200 people turn out mainly for the oldies room but most pop into 'Len's Den' at some point so the event as a whole isn't just 'out and out' oldies.

Back 'on topic' - I'm all for 'New blood' if they have something new to offer, Butch for instance could do a different set every night for the next ten years if he needed to, so maybe the original question is about having new personalities behind the decks and that's not really what it's about is it? It's about the music.

All the best,

Len.

Edited by LEN
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Hi Russ,

I'm presuming you mean 'Soul @ The Bowl' in Rushden? - Don't believe everything you read mate, I know the people running it used to play a few pressings but they now do play original vinyl but don't make an issue of it. On that note personally, I know what I play and that's all that matters to me - I hate it when people harp on and on about it, I bet if a pressing was played before someone like Carl Fortnum, he wouldn't give a flying f*ck about it as he has nothing to prove.

Why did I agree to D.J? - It's for the same reason I am involved in any local event, it's so I have some influence musically because quite frankly, if there was no influence from me there wouldn't be much reason for me to go out locally, so it's for selfish reasons.

You're correct about the main room, it is 'out and out' oldies but they have separated the kind of stuff we also like to hear into a second room ('Len's Den') It works really well as 200 people turn out mainly for the oldies room but most pop into 'Len's Den' at some point so the event as a whole isn't just 'out and out' oldies.

Back 'on topic' - I'm all for 'New blood' if they have something new to offer, Butch for instance could do a different set every night for the next ten years if he needed to, so maybe the original question is about having new personalities behind the decks and that's not really what it's about is it? It's about the music.

All the best,

Len.

len, the event im talking about is oct 6th, got a flyer infront of me....
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len, the event im talking about is oct 6th, got a flyer infront of me....

Which do is that mate? ...So many bookings, I just can't think! lol

Seriously, my diary is at work - Write it on here very small so no one else can see it :D

Len.

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"Lens Den" :lol: thought that was something to do with "Strictly Come Dancing" until just now m8 :lol:

I recon it's time for 'The Decks Factor'...I recon it's got legs...now where did I put Simon Cowells number?... :rofl:

Len.

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Get down the 100 Club we have a roster of five DJs who rotate (literally) and put two or three guests on at each nighter. They are picked solely because they are good. As I can hadly do any guest spots with a 4 year old to look after at the weekend I'm not looking for reciprocal spots, in fact I'm having to avoid them

Ady

Get down the 100 Club we have a roster of five DJs who rotate (literally) and put two or three guests on at each nighter. They are picked solely because they are good. As I can hadly do any guest spots with a 4 year old to look after at the weekend I'm not looking for reciprocal spots, in fact I'm having to avoid them

Ady

took me 20 years to get you so i know you try and avoid em

cheers you also did an awesome spot

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len, the event im talking about is oct 6th, got a flyer infront of me....

Just realised, you're on about the booking near Peterborough. Well this goes back to what I've recently said, that lots on here say it's down to DJ's to turn down bookings if they don't think they would fit at an event. I strongly believe this situation should never occur as the promoter should know what they are doing and only book D.J's that fit at their event.

I know nothing about this particular event Russ and presumed the promoters have booked me for 'what I do' and that they are confident my stuff will work at their event - That's how it should be. Now you've enlightened me, maybe they've made a mistake, I know the person that booked me used to be a regular at The Embankment Club and likes my stuff so I've presumed the event reflects this....Oh dear, this will make for an interesting evening...

All the best,

Len.

Edited by LEN
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I say to anyone who does fancy themselves as a D.J - Be careful what you wish for - I did 'crumble' a couple of times to be polite and gave a couple of people D.J spots because they just wouldn't shut up about it and when they got up there to D.J they were shaking like a leaf, no exaggeration - It ain't that easy and you also have to be able to take a lot of criticism.

All the best,

Len.

Edited by LEN
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Mate

I understand your statement and totally agree

but

It does smack of a touch bit Arrogant

Surely a promoter needs to understand his region and the punters that can regularly attend,

otherwise, as I think what has happened in the South of our country at allnighters

peeps numbers will be in short supply.

In the North, thankfully where i'm from, the allnigher scene is in good hands and shall persevere

and continually be the Torch bearer, sorry for the pun :thumbsup:

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Guest Matt Male

It's interesting that on the one hand most are saying 'too many DJs' and then others are saying 'same DJs at every night' so which is it?

Personally I don't think there is enough variety in DJing. There are plenty of DJs but they are all playing the same stuff (yes even on the rare scene and especially the big money items on the main room nighter scene). So for me we need more DJs not less so I don't keep hearing the same sets every time I go out.

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Guest dundeedavie

So for me we need more DJs not less so I don't keep hearing the same sets every time I go out.

yeah we need more DJ's , not more collectors who play the odd spot, we need people who know how to put a spot together

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yeah we need more DJ's , not more collectors who play the odd spot, we need people who know how to put a spot together

99% of DJ's on this scene are simply collectors, intact I can't think of one professional DJ? Not one who makes his money simply by DJing at Northern/Rare/Modern soul events?

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Guest dundeedavie

99% of DJ's on this scene are simply collectors, intact I can't think of one professional DJ? Not one who makes his money simply by DJing at Northern/Rare/Modern soul events?

did i say professional? did anyone else see me type professional? what the hell are you talking about ? ..... i'm sick of seeing guys(and girls) playing a set of big name tunes in no particular order, or cueing up the slipmat regularly, or having a big gap between tunes, too bassy, too much top end , too quiet, too loud etc with no bloody idea how to use the mixer ... it's called Dj craft and if you can't do it piss off until you can .... see, still never mentioned professional

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It's interesting that on the one hand most are saying 'too many DJs' and then others are saying 'same DJs at every night' so which is it?

Personally I don't think there is enough variety in DJing. There are plenty of DJs but they are all playing the same stuff (yes even on the rare scene and especially the big money items on the main room nighter scene). So for me we need more DJs not less so I don't keep hearing the same sets every time I go out.

The mould seems to have been set Matt, similar discussion on another thread at the moment but it seems only a certain set of DJ,s can be innovative and creative in compiling their sets cos its this certain set who influence what is supposedly right to be played, a lesser known DJ or collector can get up there and play away from the norm and accepted (which you rightly hint at) and the vast majority of punters won,t blink an eyelid ie theres hardly any "whats this, its fookin brilliant, never heard it before", but, somebody out of the certain set of DJ,s gets up and plays the exact same record or records, then theres a stampede to find out what it is, the fickleness of the scene prevents fresh DJ,s with fresh playlists from prospering, hence the same repetitive playlists. Just an opinion by the way

Kev

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