Following on from the recent thread Northern Soul DeeJay pay (started by wiggyflat 23 January 2015) here's some slightly factual (coughs) maybe articles on the subject.

 

How true they are is anybodies guess.

 

Derek (I've never done a gig in Las Vegas but I have DJ'd in Stalyvegas..........)

 

World’s wealthiest DJ’s

https://www.huhmagazine.co.uk/3888/the-worlds-wealthiest-djs

 

World’s 30 richest DJ’s

https://www.factmag.com/2012/06/13/revealed-the-worlds-30-richest-djs/

 

BBC Radio DJ’s salary’s

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/apr/19/broadcasting.bbc

Edited February 6, 201510 yr by Derek Pearson

As an aside to this.

Before the Payola scandal put an end to it.

Your American radio DJ,s werent doing too bad for dough.Cash for plays.

Especially playing records on labels they owned or had a stake in!

 

Tricky

Following on from the recent thread Northern Soul DeeJay pay (started by wiggyflat 23 January 2015) here's some slightly factual (coughs) maybe articles on the subject.

 

How true they are is anybodies guess.

 

Derek (I've never done a gig in Las Vegas but I have DJ'd in Stalyvegas..........)

 

World’s wealthiest DJ’s

https://www.huhmagazine.co.uk/3888/the-worlds-wealthiest-djs

 

World’s 30 richest DJ’s

https://www.factmag.com/2012/06/13/revealed-the-worlds-30-richest-djs/

 

BBC Radio DJ’s salary’s

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/apr/19/broadcasting.bbc

 

Blimey, I know 5 of the top 10. No wonder I never see 'em these days.......

 

Ian D 

Makes you wonder what someone like Ron Hardy or Larry Levan would be worth these days ?

Makes you wonder what someone like Ron Hardy or Larry Levan would be worth these days ?

 

Nout probably. Neither were bothered about money that much to my knowledge

 

Ian D 

It puts our little lot into perspective.

I MC,d with Carl Cox over twenty years ago Genuine nice guy the promoter paid me about £50 for the hour with him.good luck to them .not much difference is there in rates of pay.

Keep on Trucking. There,s always Country n Western  Mick L

Actually i'm quite fond of a bit of dance music - often pull out some mixes and give em a blast.

Full of energy - not unlike the northern beat in some ways.

I MC,d with Carl Cox over twenty years ago Genuine nice guy the promoter paid me about £50 for the hour with him.good luck to them .not much difference is there in rates of pay.

Keep on Trucking. There,s always Country n Western Mick L

And one of the very few on there that are good mixers. I saw fat boy slim once and technically he was pathetic, not even a simple beat mix. Tell you what though, that Sasha lads come on a bit from the days I first say him in 89

The wealthiest DJ article posted above is nearly 3 years old.....here's one a bit more up to date.....staggering, really.

 

https://www.celebritynetworth.com/list/top-50-richest-djs/

And one of the very few on there that are good mixers. I saw fat boy slim once and technically he was pathetic, not even a simple beat mix. Tell you what though, that Sasha lads come on a bit from the days I first say him in 89

In an owd warehouse in Mansfield called Rennaisance by any chance youth ??!! 

BIG BIG BUSINESS!!!

It's funny how a lot of the dance music djs get paid loads but the records cost an awful lot less than the rare soul scene where the djs get very little in comparison

It's funny how a lot of the dance music djs get paid loads but the records cost an awful lot less than the rare soul scene where the djs get very little in comparison

 

Hi Dave how ya goin

I'm not 100% sure that every DJ is playing vinyl - maybe a CD set aswell

a top northern soul dj needs £500000 a year just to pay for the records...sue lynn..etc...haha

It's funny how a lot of the dance music djs get paid loads but the records cost an awful lot less than the rare soul scene where the djs get very little in comparison

Yeah, that's kind of ironic isn't it? None of them will be paying for music and none of 'em will be using vinyl. A top international DJ only needs a couple of memory sticks and a good agent. Mind you, the expenses are huge when you factor in champagne, cocaine, mdma, limos and russian hookers. It's not all roses....

Ian D

That was later Neil old mate, it was at a seedy club in Coventry before his bigness and Digweed legged it to the old trotters venue. Hope you're well mucker.

In an owd warehouse in Mansfield called Rennaisance by any chance youth ??!! 

That was later Neil old mate, it was at a seedy club in Coventry before his bigness and Digweed legged it to the old trotters venue. Hope you're well mucker.

All good thanks man ;

 q's around the block at trotters ? hazy memory kidda ! 

It certainly didn't go "Pete Tong" for Pete Tong!

Saw him at Venus early 90s, he had to have someone mix for him. All about the brand on the commercial dance scene I'm afraid. Most in the list sent fit to carry Terrance Parker's bags.

It certainly didn't go "Pete Tong" for Pete Tong!

All good thanks man ;

 q's around the block at trotters ? hazy memory kidda ! 

 

 

That was later Neil old mate, it was at a seedy club in Coventry before his bigness and Digweed legged it to the old trotters venue. Hope you're well mucker.

HI Byrney It was the Eclipse in Coventry Happy Days hey 

cheers Mick Lyons

Following on from the recent thread Northern Soul DeeJay pay (started by wiggyflat 23 January 2015) here's some slightly factual (coughs) maybe articles on the subject.

 

How true they are is anybodies guess.

 

Derek (I've never done a gig in Las Vegas but I have DJ'd in Stalyvegas..........)

 

World’s wealthiest DJ’s

https://www.huhmagazine.co.uk/3888/the-worlds-wealthiest-djs

 

World’s 30 richest DJ’s

https://www.factmag.com/2012/06/13/revealed-the-worlds-30-richest-djs/

 

BBC Radio DJ’s salary’s

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/apr/19/broadcasting.bbc

Slight snag as quite a few have no discs to jockey with. Being a downloader, bubble bath switch flicker or CD inserter counts for diddly-squat unless you have some decent vinyl in a flight case.

Yeah, that's kind of ironic isn't it? None of them will be paying for music and none of 'em will be using vinyl. A top international DJ only needs a couple of memory sticks and a good agent. Mind you, the expenses are huge when you factor in champagne, cocaine, mdma, limos and russian hookers. It's not all roses....

Ian D

 

 

It's a Sh*t job, but somebody has to do it 

It was Mick. Would have been Delite at Shellys in Longton too but I used to work late on Fridays so could never get there in time to get in

HI Byrney It was the Eclipse in Coventry Happy Days hey 

cheers Mick Lyons

Mind you I think Pete Tong seems like a decent bloke.

i reckon any of us would quite fancy the curve they've been on !! 

I think you will find these guys are all Soul/Northern/Funk fans aswell.

Slight snag as quite a few have no discs to jockey with. Being a downloader, bubble bath switch flicker or CD inserter counts for diddly-squat unless you have some decent vinyl in a flight case.

 

Yeah but this is one of those format arguments which we love on here.  

 

Plus it's easy to take a pop at these guys but most of 'em were long-term pros who all had vinyl in their blood anyway. Carl Cox, Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong, Judge Jules and John Digweed were all soulboys at one time 'cos I used to mail 'em records in the early 80s. They simply decided to adapt to changing musical trends, where some of us preferred to stay in the same comfort zone.  Nothing wrong with either approach in my view. I was always a bigger soulboy than them anyway. 

 

I saw Carl Cox and John Digweed in Ibiza a few years back and their sets were just magnificent and blew Space apart. Probably one of the best atmospheres and crowd-buzz that I have seen in 45 years of clubbing. Those guys are DJs in every sense of the word irregardless of format. Ultimately the music is more important than the format it's played on. Contrary to popular belief, having a box of vinyl does not a DJ make.  If I go and see someone play I'm pretty much going for their musical taste, their selections, their sequences and their skill in building a DJ set. The format is irrelevant. That is, APART from the Northern Soul scene where old attitudes die hard! 

 

Ian D 

these djs such as pete tong and carl cox when they play a set its takes the crowd on a journey.if you havent seen or been to the big rave events over here or Ibiza it is a sight to behold working with in this scene for a long time using djs such as carl cox using vinyl and 4 decks it was a great sight but his root was soul and electro music. pete tongs favourite toon to relax to is kenni burke rising to the top great soul tune. when promoters are charging £30+ admission without these djs they wouldnt last after 1 event 

these djs such as pete tong and carl cox when they play a set its takes the crowd on a journey.if you havent seen or been to the big rave events over here or Ibiza it is a sight to behold working with in this scene for a long time using djs such as carl cox using vinyl and 4 decks it was a great sight but his root was soul and electro music. pete tongs favourite toon to relax to is kenni burke rising to the top great soul tune. when promoters are charging £30+ admission without these djs they wouldnt last after 1 event 

 

The point made about taking a crowd on a journey is good one I did an article in Manifesto in the90's about the exact same thing with NS It should all be part of the magic of a night out that the Soulies can forget about the outside world for at least 60 minutes with a Dj,s set this somehow seems to have been forgotten or maybe no offence meant some DJ,s can't do it. a top record played taking the crowd one way then it might be another top record but going in a different direction which means in effect if that carries on the crowd has gone no where.The Dance scene of the 90's managed to do this until it lost its way. The journey can produce euphoria and make a good night a brilliant night and it's just my humble opinion that all d

DJ,s should strive for that whatever the genre of music. I'll repeat what I've said many times before it's not the jokes it's the way you tell them.

God Bless Mick Lyons

100% agree been at a dance event and we had one of the top djs at that time Jeremy healey and he had just turned up to do a spot and after 30 mins the atmosphere went flat a few of us talked and decided to put another dj on in his place which he wasn't happy about but it rescued the night an the punters went home happy. in any type of repeat event allnighter or soul night if  the punters aint happy the aint gonna spend there hard earned money if they not being entertained.

Edited February 7, 201510 yr by rhino

these djs such as pete tong and carl cox when they play a set its takes the crowd on a journey.if you havent seen or been to the big rave events over here or Ibiza it is a sight to behold working with in this scene for a long time using djs such as carl cox using vinyl and 4 decks it was a great sight but his root was soul and electro music. pete tongs favourite toon to relax to is kenni burke rising to the top great soul tune. when promoters are charging £30+ admission without these djs they wouldnt last after 1 event 

 

You make a good point. These particular guys didn't get to the top in their field by being crap and the people who know the score rate 'em very highly. Carl Cox and John Digweed in particular are two of the best DJs I've seen. When they play it's an event.

 

Coincidentally Carl Cox did a televised Soul/Funk spot in Ibiza a few years back once Paul Schofield and I had made it fashionable over there again via our all-dayers at Sands @ Playa Den Bossa! He loved 'em so much he bought the place..... 

 

Ian D 

Take me on a journey mate...take me on a TRIP

Blimey, I know 5 of the top 10. No wonder I never see 'em these days.......

 

Ian D 

 

Just Think Ian,

If your musical direction had swerved slightly - perhaps you could of been on the list.

 

Northern Soul Boy - Rave DJ

Edited February 7, 201510 yr by RUDZY

Just Think Ian,

If your musical direction had swerved slightly - perhaps you could of been on the list.

 

Northern Soul Boy - Rave DJ

 

I kept up with contemporary dance music pretty much from 1967 to circa 1990. The Rave scene was great fun but not for me musically. In fact, I couldn't stand the stuff. Same as D&B, Jungle and EDM. Anyone who went along that path was welcome to it. Every so often I bump into some of the names on that list (usually at airports) and they usually give me the impression that they don't like a lot of the stuff either but it pays the bills etc. Several reminisce about the 'old days' but once you get to their level you don't refuse the amount of money that's on offer. They have expensive lifestyles to maintain these days. 

 

The thought of going to gigs and having to sit through some of that stuff for 8 hours isn't worth any amount of money to me. I don't think I could do it for a living but I don't decry their direction. Good luck to 'em. Tongy told me he still had all his records since the mid 70s the last time I saw him @ Stanstead airport lol....

 

Ian D 

Edited February 7, 201510 yr by Ian Dewhirst

Just Think Ian,

If your musical direction had swerved slightly - perhaps you could of been on the list.

 

Northern Soul Boy - Rave DJ

 

Hi Rudzy.Northern Soul Boy n DJ and Rave MC nearly there what's next?done that hurry up I'm running out of time. I wouldn't change anything.

Its been a great ride.

God Bless Mick Lyons alias MC Warchief

Hi Rudzy.Northern Soul Boy n DJ and Rave MC nearly there what's next?done that hurry up I'm running out of time. I wouldn't change anything.

Its been a great ride.

God Bless Mick Lyons alias MC Warchief

 

and definitely added to many a journey with your lyrics mick. great days wouldn't change a thing     

Yeah, that's kind of ironic isn't it? None of them will be paying for music and none of 'em will be using vinyl. A top international DJ only needs a couple of memory sticks and a good agent. Mind you, the expenses are huge when you factor in champagne, cocaine, mdma, limos and russian hookers. It's not all roses....

Ian D

 

 

# Richie Hawtin - if ever there was a fella nicking a living its him.

 

fair play obviously, however id imagine his rider is wheat grass juice and tofu. waste of a good position.

You know what I saw Ritchie Hawtin DJ years ago, I think at Dance Valley in Amsterdam late 90s and can't remember a lot about it, compared to his contemporaries Jeff Mills, Rolando, Carl Craig, Robert Hood, DJ Bone, James Pennington, Kenny Dixon Jr.  who all remained ingrained in my memory - so he can't have been that good

# Richie Hawtin - if ever there was a fella nicking a living its him.

 

fair play obviously, however id imagine his rider is wheat grass juice and tofu. waste of a good position.

 

Edited February 7, 201510 yr by Byrney

Hi Rudzy.Northern Soul Boy n DJ and Rave MC nearly there what's next?done that hurry up I'm running out of time. I wouldn't change anything.

Its been a great ride.

God Bless Mick Lyons alias MC Warchief

 

A Fantasy realized - can't fault you mate

bangin' tunes

You know what I saw Ritchie Hawtin DJ years ago, I think at Dance Valley in Amsterdam late 90s and can't remember a lot about it, compared to his contemporaries Jeff Mills, Rolando, Carl Craig, Robert Hood, DJ Bone, James Pennington, Kenny Dixon Jr.  who all remained ingrained in my memory - so he can't have been that good

 

Mills Pennington and Bone are excellent. Never heard Roland but got most of his 12"s. 

 

Mad Mike was good also.

 

Hawtin sucks. The music now is so boring and linear. he wasnt great in the early 90s imho. 

I kept up with contemporary dance music pretty much from 1967 to circa 1990. The Rave scene was great fun but not for me musically. In fact, I couldn't stand the stuff. Same as D&B, Jungle and EDM. Anyone who went along that path was welcome to it. Every so often I bump into some of the names on that list (usually at airports) and they usually give me the impression that they don't like a lot of the stuff either but it pays the bills etc. Several reminisce about the 'old days' but once you get to their level you don't refuse the amount of money that's on offer. They have expensive lifestyles to maintain these days. 

 

The thought of going to gigs and having to sit through some of that stuff for 8 hours isn't worth any amount of money to me. I don't think I could do it for a living but I don't decry their direction. Good luck to 'em. Tongy told me he still had all his records since the mid 70s the last time I saw him @ Stanstead airport lol....

 

Ian D 

 

I can understand it.

What possesses a man to crossover to an underground club culture?

Timing?

Age (what you and your mates are brought up on) ?

Hearing something mind blowing...and so on

Rolando was cracking at the Bomb Nottingham, just as Jaguar had been released. Saw Bone at Club 69 in Paisly for my birthday a good few years back. The club holds 100 tops and is under an Indian restauarnt yet Bone travels over form Detroit and plays there - probably why he's not on the big $ list but what a performance. 

 

 

Mills Pennington and Bone are excellent. Never heard Roland but got most of his 12"s. 

 

Mad Mike was good also.

 

Hawtin sucks. The music now is so boring and linear. he wasnt great in the early 90s imho. 

Ian,

Have you still got that MONTCLAIRS "HUNG UP ON YOUR LOVE" that i sold you at Wigan Casino circa '73?

Slightly off topic i know but you're allowed one

Plus it's easy to take a pop at these guys but most of 'em were long-term pros who all had vinyl in their blood anyway. Carl Cox, Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong, Judge Jules and John Digweed were all soul boys at one time 'cos I used to mail 'em records in the early 80s. 

Ian D 

 

Interview with Geoff Oakes the main man behind Renaissance in Mansfield:

 

https://www.dmcworld.net/dj-tv/entry/question-and-answer/geoff-oakes--henry-blunt-539.html

 

And I quote: 

 

Where did the inspiration for Renaissance begin?

 

"It probably came from a combination of influences from the Hacienda and my earlier clubbing years at the Wigan Casino......”

Before the Payola scandal put an end to it.

Your American radio DJ,s werent doing too bad for dough.Cash for plays.

Especially playing records on labels they owned or had a stake in!

 

I read an interview somewhere a few months ago where an American radio DJ had some sort of agreement with Chess records to play 16 records an hour by them.

 

Struth you can only play 20-22 records full length in an hour so it didn't leave much air play for anything on other labels did it?  No wonder Chess records became so mighty. 

 

It was a rough tough world in the sixties.

 

Derek

Ian,

Have you still got that MONTCLAIRS "HUNG UP ON YOUR LOVE" that i sold you at Wigan Casino circa '73?

 

Was it the white demo Rudzy? If so, unfortunately no. Ian Levine prized it from me on the basis that he discovered it so I should let him have it. I didn't mind because the UK Contempo copy is actually mastered much much better than the Paula copy anyway. 

 

Ian D 

Was it the white demo Rudzy? If so, unfortunately no. Ian Levine prized it from me on the basis that he discovered it so I should let him have it. I didn't mind because the UK Contempo copy is actually mastered much much better than the Paula copy anyway. 

 

Ian D 

Purple Issue - strange how you remember certain deals

Purple Issue - strange how you remember certain deals

 

Yep, I would have replaced it when a white one came along. I take it that was the week when they hit the UK then?

 

Ian D    

Yep, I would have replaced it when a white one came along. I take it that was the week when they hit the UK then?

 

Ian D    

Probably - God knows

The point made about taking a crowd on a journey is good one I did an article in Manifesto in the90's about the exact same thing with NS It should all be part of the magic of a night out that the Soulies can forget about the outside world for at least 60 minutes with a Dj,s set this somehow seems to have been forgotten or maybe no offence meant some DJ,s can't do it. a top record played taking the crowd one way then it might be another top record but going in a different direction which means in effect if that carries on the crowd has gone no where.The Dance scene of the 90's managed to do this until it lost its way. The journey can produce euphoria and make a good night a brilliant night and it's just my humble opinion that all d

DJ,s should strive for that whatever the genre of music. I'll repeat what I've said many times before it's not the jokes it's the way you tell them.

God Bless Mick Lyons

 

We pray at the same alter Mick.....wonderful....and it is why we got on back then......I reckon!!x 

Nobody can tell you I was about money. I came into the scene to escape all that bo**ox. I found 'fellowship....which money can't buy. Mick's venues as did Ady's....Pete Hollanders Winsford.....Nantwich....Dave's Cottons in Stockport.....all venues that were there for 'the craic'. As was St Ives we relaunched....I insisted. Having said that.....whilst I was happy DJing anywhere for nowt....I din;t expect what I got at some 'professionally' run venues back then....and what some DJ's 'asked for' as a wage!!!!!x

 

Personally....I never got more than £60. That was my peak. £30/40 was typical and that was for a nighter at which I regularly piled 30-50 through the door wherever I was djing....!!  I never ever asked for anything. But that's what came my way. 

 

I learnt early on as a promoter/DJ and after getting to know every major Promoter and National DJ in the Country during the 90's....that to some....money was what it was all about....and taking the pi**!!!x I asked some 'known' DJ's who saw me as a dipstick I suppose.......they came at me with £60....flagon of cider and they would get there 15 mins before their spot with a bunch of mates stood giving it husky joe lifeguard to me Soulies!!!! It happened twice.....never a 3rd. I turned to new names and to those who were 'active' not reminiscent. We had the same attitude and money din;t count. The nights became BRILLIANT. 6 years of 'new' DJ's came thru my Soul Nights with no National names appearing or required once!!x No....sorry....Ady came down I think to the City Stop but we wos friends and I dunno if I even paid him.....ooops!!!hehe!!x But u know wot I mean!

 

We carried that ethos into the nighters we promoted. ALL were S/N DJ's/Promoters and on the National stage for the first time. No names required....we sold out and everybody had it away!x I was a DJ...they were DJ's.....and we did it for the love of the groove and groovers. I paid all the DJ's £50 which was more than I got gor a nighter. I appreciated them. Mick's Blackburn epitomised it for us all. It was THEEE Venue in the 90's for the HARD CORE. I should know...we wos everywhere and I got reports from where I weren't to know. If u are promoting Nationally....I had to be aware of the National picture!!!x The 90's was an era of THE DJ...and I thank my colleagues and the likes of Mick who supported and promoted that 'excitement'. 

We din;t do too bad. Listen to Ian Levine....Chris King on the Tog doc....they all came back because of that excitement WE made. The Kings Hall is the legacy of it all....for 'the people'....and cashed in on the tsunami that was the new generation of DJ's. U just don;t see many of them on the bill......so some things have lapsed....but hey.....whoever puts em on and does the effort.....decides who gets on....end of!x Been there done that!!!!x

 

@@

~

LUV

SOOTY

X

 

...errr....wealthiest DJ malarky??? I know and have seen many of them. I don't know of 1 that I could recommend for a spot at Blackburn. They'd sh*t themselves. I get paid £1000 for 2 hours at a gig in Amsterdam.. I get 500 for doing backing music for an hour at the V over the years. Gimme £40 and Blackburn/100 Club anyday...............DJ init.....X

I was with Norman somewhere on the stage at the back. He is coming up.......big build up.....about 50,000 out there.....he grabs the decks.....he's on one and starts shouting....no mic. Engineers/technicians running around trying to fix it....Norm going into 1 as his buzzz begins to backfire........crowd becoming restless.......I step forward......get some headphones laying on the table.....take the mic out and plug them in.....speak into the headset....................crowd went laaaary......Norm looks at me 'startled....begins to grin'....Big hug....and he's off....and he gets the cred to this day for that one....sigh!!x

 

I learnt that from Little Scotty who ran the door for Mick at Blackburn.....THANX MATE....worth every penny I never made!!!!!x Yawn....X

Modern 'DJ's'.......killing it....they are....if they ever had it....they shake when i'm about down at Brixton.....so they should.....charlatans...X