What's Acceptable In A Dj Box?

[Guest Trevski]

:angry: Trevski beat me to it

link

[Craig W]

Right then Ill do another poll from a DJing perspective

[Ernie Andrews]

If you dont play the originals than whats the bloody point!

Just get an IPOD and stand there pressing buttons to load the track you want- Sorry Pete but I think youve got this one wrong from anold timer 46 and all

[Guest ShaneH]

I have been to local soul type events where they play cd's and most recently Drax, selby. What bothered me more was the fact that the dj's playing cd's were awful! What is there excuse? you can almost obtain any soul tune you want on cd!

Shane

[Soulsmith]

That out fit you're wearing must be blocking the supply of blood to your head.

The bloody point is to go out on a Saturday nite in good company & appreciate some quality soul. If you are having a good time it shouldn't even be crossing your mind whether the DJ is playing an original or legit re-issue.

[Soulsmith]

Sorry, my previous comments were aimed in general direction of Ernie.

Shane agree with your point entirely. For me its mainly about quality soul.

I've heard Brian Rae mis-cue some dreadful toons on cd.

But survived to tell the tale.

[Guest hammy]

Hammy "I've a picture of Kate Garroway in my Louvre..."

Interesting fact.... on a recent poll of who was the most fanciable GMTV presenter the vast majority of blokes went for Penny Smith. Now that is odd.

link

Garroway everytime - Smith is too headgirlish. Saying that, you never get a glimpse of what goes on behind that desk. I bet many men would offer to inspect her 8 o'clock bulletins.

Hammy

[stevemcmahon]

Great topic !!

jazzyjas, I can appreciate your credentials. I've spent 25 yrs playing to dancers - NOT collectors and most of it in NYC.

First Northern record [or should I say boot] I bought was James Lewis' Manifesto from one of Neil Rushton's mail order ads in Black Echoes around 75. It didn't matter to me then what label it was on, just as long as I had a copy to practice to and wear holes in me mum's carpet in front of the mirror doing so !! Back then it was a working class scene.

When I attend a do I always go to dance. Not to debate who's playing what label. There must be tens of thousands of decent Northern tracks out there, of which a DJ gets to choose approx 20 to play in a set. Now, surely if there is a paying crowd [to dance] then even if the bloke before you spins a boot, as long as it keeps the floor buzzing, shouldn't you as the following DJ be able to better that in some way. I've seen DJ/Collectors taking boxes to do's which clearly hold more than 50 records and still they choose to clear the floor based on how much they forked out for what they considered a tune.

IMHO, the best DJs on the Soul scene, are the ones who know how to Edit first and Entertain. In any other dance scene, you have to be able to mix as well !!

I've also heard more rockabilly lately at so-called soul do's than I ever thought acceptable. IMHO, just because they're rare doesn't stop them from sounding like Doris Day.

I do draw the line at CDs + comps, mind

Point of Topic - If you can, play originals, but above all else keep the floor going - and with a boot or two if you know the floor demands it. To the Collector following after, who has an ego problem with this dilema, do your job and pull out a better record - surley you've got more than 20 good 'uns.

Rant over....

[Winnie :-)]

Good idea Ill stick a poll up now Brett. Will be interesting to see the results but i think i know what the overwhelming winner will be

link

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SS has 2000 members, if only a 100 vote would you say it was representative of an overall view? Personally I would think the other 1900 don't really care. Just an opinion.

Winnie:-)

[Guest]

Hear many dj's and I hear quite a few who can't put a set together and totally ruin the hour they are on.  Doesn't flow, tempos all over the place, can't read the floor so on and so on......................

link

Ditto, and it seems to be happening more frequently! Maybe they are bored with DJing and should be shot... oops sorry, they should be replaced by someone with a little more enthusiasm? I find it quite off putting to see some of the miserable faces behind decks at times

[Guest]

The reason that I ask is because I know nights get put on in Teneriffe and place like that. And I know for a fact that if northern DJs played CDs over here in the states, practically no one would care. The only people that would know the deal are people like me and even I wouldn't care. I guess it's because something like this only happens over here maybe once a year, if I'm lucky. BUT-I guess if I came to England and saw Stardust after Stardust 45 being laid down, it would take some wind out of my sails. That's the lifelong collector in me I guess.

_________________________________________________

Im off to Australia in a few days time, have been asked to DJ at the Irish Club in Perth, I will be taking my record box with me, not been able to get it insured for the 10k+ it's worth, but I am still taking originals over, im not a DJ, I like to have fun when I go out, 40 mins behind the decks for me is more than enough, in fact I left the stage early at the 100 club coz I wanted to dance. I have a lot of respect for the DJ's who do it what I would call the right way, and out of respect to them I would never dream of playing a boot

[Supercorsa]

I didn't really want to get involved in this topic as I am not a DJ nor am I a dancer!

My opinion is that of my own and no one else. If I am going to a do and am paying good money to get in, then I expect the DJ's to being playing original vinyl. If I discovered that they were not I would feel in some way cheated.

Let me put it this way, before the 100 Club in January a few of us off here met up in a pub. During the evening Janine showed me her box , within which she showed me her Palmer copy of Al Williams (complete with Janine stamp). At the sight of which I got a little excited as I would only ever normally see one of these in a book (I only own a copy on the Goldmine Wigan 25th series ), just because I can't afford these top tunes does not mean I don't appreciate the efforts some people go to getting them.

As for promoters having a closed shop mentality I'm not too sure, but then again I'm not a DJ. My impression from the outside looking in , is that some promoters are doing things for money where others do it for personal reasons. I've only met Chris W once (in the aforementioned pub) and he came across as a thoroughly decent bloke, after reading his post about NCSC last Saturday you can tell that he is not in it for the money. If he was, he wouldn't be on here posting apologies and so forth.

To close with, can we all agree to disagree? This scene would be ever so boring if we all thought the same. Now who's going to start the Oldies v Newies debate?

[Steve G]

=========

Why do DJ's need to play reissues anyway?

Are there no longer enough reasonably priced originals that will fill the dancefloor without resorting to pressings? ....Or DJ's with enough imagination and gusto to seek out such sounds, and try them out?

[Pete S]

=========

Why do DJ's need to play reissues anyway?

Are there no longer enough reasonably priced originals that will fill the dancefloor without resorting to pressings? ....Or DJ's with enough imagination and gusto to seek out such sounds, and try them out?

link

No, basically.

And some play reissues because that's what people ask them to play. Is the Dj going to go "oh I haven't got that on original, only reissue, so I can't play it for you"...what the hell is the punter going to make of that? He only wanted to hear a record.

If you've got a record that's a big sound it's eventually going to get reissued so that everyone can enjoy it and play it. Once again I quote Timi Yuro 'Over' which is impossible to find on UK and doesn't exist on US, why should people be denied the chance to hear it because only a few people have got it on original? I've only had one copy, ever, and thats when I was dealing in British.

[Steve G]

No, basically.

And some play reissues because that's what people ask them to play.

"Can you play some reissues mate - we're fed up with all these originals".

"If you've got a record that's a big sound it's eventually going to get reissued so that everyone can enjoy it and play it."

Back to whether DJ's should lead or not I guess, I'd say by the time something has been booted or reissued (the two terms are obviously different), most DJ's should be moving on to something else....or perhaps I'm very old fashioned.

[Garethx]

What about playing the Timi Yuro from album: either US or UK, both at bootsale prices any time you want one: just a thought.

[Steve G]

What about playing the Timi Yuro from album: either US or UK, both at bootsale prices any time you want one: just a thought.

link

That would mean finding the 33rpm button, and remembering to put it back to 45 after you've played it

[Pete S]

You know what I mean. Frank Wilson. :graynone:

[Pete S]

What about playing the Timi Yuro from album: either US or UK, both at bootsale prices any time you want one: just a thought.

link

Both albums sell for £25 to £50, hardly bootsale prices, and the track is in stereo as well. And it won't fit into a singles box.

[Steve G]

You know what I mean. Frank Wilson.  :graynone:

link

If a punter asked me for Frank Wilson, I'd be proud to say "No". But that might explain why I don't really DJ on the northern scene.

[Tomangoes]

With enough money I imagine you could easily buy a set of the same big tunes as everyone else, but you can't buy taste and imagination.

So true So true. No matter how many £1000 + originals some DJs have they will never get respect just because of it.

Ed

[Garethx]

Would you pay £20 to £50 for this lp, Pete?

I must say I've always found the practice of dubbing album tracks to seven inch lacquer for the purpose of 'northern soul' deejaying quaint. Yes the music is louder, but so too are any distortions, blips, noises etc., so it's rather counter-productive. As for the convenience issue of carting round a bag of albums: who said it was meant to be easy; the logical extension of this is setting up an MP3 player and playing sets comprised of downloads. Those players are smaller than a packet of fags.

What gets my goat is that people often pass of these dubs as something they are clearly not. On his last comeback tour Levine even (allegedly) played the Magnificent Men's "Keep On Climbing" from such a source with a bogus Capitol acetate label! What a sad twat. I believe it was he who started doing this in the first place, with things like Willie Hutch "Lucky To Be Loved" at The Mecca.

[Pete S]

Would you pay £20 to £50 for this lp, Pete?

I must say I've always found the practice of dubbing album tracks to seven inch lacquer for the purpose of 'northern soul' deejaying quaint. Yes the music is louder, but so too are any distortions, blips, noises etc., so it's rather counter-productive. As for the convenience issue of carting round a bag of albums: who said it was meant to be easy; the logical extension of this is setting up an MP3 player and playing sets comprised of downloads. Those players are smaller than a packet of fags.

What gets my goat is that people often pass of these dubs as something they are clearly not. On his last comeback tour Levine even (allegedly) played the Magnificent Men's "Keep On Climbing" from such a source with a bogus Capitol acetate label! What a sad twat. I believe it was he who started doing this in the first place, with things like Willie Hutch "Lucky To Be Loved" at The Mecca.

link

No, I wouldn't pay that, but I did back in about 1990.

Nothing wrong with lp tracks on 7"...I've got rufus lumley 'stronger' on 7", looks great on a white RCA demo

Edited February 1, 2005 by Pete-S

[Guest in town Mikey]

No, I wouldn't pay that, but I did back in about 1990.

Nothing wrong with lp tracks on 7"...I've got rufus lumley 'stronger' on 7", looks great on a whote RCA demo 

link

I've seen it. It was in one of the collections, you seem to have got hold of a few of.

[Garethx]

I think Steve G raises a quite fundamental point about deejays being either 'leaders' or 'followers'.

From the majority of playlists I see these days it can be surmised that the majority of jocks at both local soul nights and quite major allnighters are quite content to be the former. The number of innovators can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

It's quite interesting to me that we frequently see fairly negative posts on SS about djs (particularly younger, less well known ones) playing lesser known or obscure tracks ("killing the floor" / "cutting the atmosphere" etc. are comments that spring to mind.) I realise that the law of diminishing returns almost guarantees that the supply of really good unknown or lesser-known records is contracting rapidly, but it seems to me that these days paying customers are guilty of impatience when it comes to being confronted with a record that they don't know / haven't danced to before / isn't on their personal wants list. People should bear in mind that even the most chersished classics started off as 'newies' somewhere.

It makes me wonder if the scene has indeed finally tired of innovation, and that it is almost exclusively a nostalgia scene throughout its entirety.

Are deejays there to entertain or to spread knowlege? For me, it must be a balance between the two, and that balance is a very difficult one to achieve. Some recent comments almost convince me that punters see it as their right these days to dictate the contents of each jock's set: a set of circumstances which stifles creativity and which might ultimately kill the scene as a progressive force.

[Pete S]

It was in one of the collections, you seem to have got hold of a few of.

link

Could you just put that into English and I'll reply to it

[Little-stevie]

=========

Why do DJ's need to play reissues anyway?

Are there no longer enough reasonably priced originals that will fill the dancefloor without resorting to pressings? ....Or DJ's with enough imagination and gusto to seek out such sounds, and try them out?

link

That says it all for me...I aint in a position or would want to buy all the big tunes and seek out quality lesser known tunes on original vinyl for less than £40..My mate had a choice to come to the all-niter at the weekend or save for a record he wants,he could have come out and bought a copy on stardust but thats not the way for him or a lot of others on here...Like i said i have not thouhgt about this much at all because i took it for granted that it was original vinyl..Lets see what the poll says...

[Guest in town Mikey]

You'd never believe English was my first language would you? You should have seen me try to find out the time of a bus in Guatemala.

I meant you said you had a few of Ian Levines old tunes. IL played it off a 7" at the Rocket. Changed my mistake there

To my eternal shame I got very excited and danced, in between telling people who hadnt heard it before, that it was the best record ever. Went over to thank Ian, only to see him take it off the decks. So i told him that wasnt on.

Next allnighter there was a sign saying "no requests".

So I was assumimg you had got hold of Ian's copy. Comprende?

Edited February 1, 2005 by in town Mikey

[stevemcmahon]

I've paid top $ before for originals only to later find a re-issue which plays far, far better. I'll gladly play the latter for the floor as I know I'd expect the same when having a bop.

Just to compound this debate further - there are some godawful sound systems out there in this day and age...

[Guest Jamie]

I must admit that my feelings have changed on this subject over a period of time.

I think I got the genuine love of the music from my Dad, and although in the past he's had some very good originals (Yum Yums etc), the stuff that he had left were mainly 70's boots (That I got!!). He wasn't a collector, just wanted to play them at home and put together tapes for the car when he was going out. (I still religiously have to do him tapes when I buy new stuff!).

I can remember him pointing out the difference in US and UK records, and that the US were in general, more desireable. But the music was the main thing.

That mentallity was carried over to me. All I was bothered about was hearing brilliant music and dancing.

Now that I dabble in buying records, my attitude has changed to the format. I only want to own and play originals. It's a personal choice, and I don't have a problem if people put on a night where CD's and re-issues are the mainstay - Just as long as people know what they are getting.

People have choices, they either go or they don't.

I brought up the subject of Drax last year, and as Shane mentioned they play a lot of CD's. I know that musically it wasn't to Shanes tastes, as it's mainly oldies orientated. But that comes down to the people who attend requesting the same stuff every week. I know this because I have spoken to Phil (Who runs it) about his music policy. He has tried unsuccesfully to change the music but the regulars wouldn't allow it.

I think Pete Smith is right in the sense that a lot of people aren't upset about the format, but that mainly depends on the venue. By that I mean your usual Oldies Jamboree (great word) will attract the every-now-and-then crowd who want to hear what they know.

For people who travel hundreds of miles up and down the country every week, spending quite a lot of money in the process, I think they are infinitely more knowledegable, and quite right to expect originals.

There really isn't a comparison to make, because they are two completely different animals and never will they meet. You can choose which venue you attend - if you don't like it because of music policy/format - don't go again! Ain't no big thing!

Jamie

[Guest ShaneH]

Jamie, with regards to drax i dont mind oldies but you can have a good oldies night and a bad oldies night imo. It was a bad one and my point is that even with cd's they couldnt even put a good night together. They can basically choose from the entire 'northern catologue' and not be limited like vinyl dj's.

I am all for original vinyl at all times but if you are playing cds you have no excuse for a bad set. you can do an imaginative oldies set that flows really well if you have access to everything. they didnt manage that.

Shane

[Guest Jamie]

Jamie, with regards to drax i dont mind oldies but you can have a good oldies night and a bad oldies night imo. It was a bad one and my point is that even with cd's they couldnt even put a good night together. They can basically choose from the entire 'northern catologue' and not be limited like vinyl dj's.

I am all for original vinyl at all times but if you are playing cds you have no excuse for a bad set.  you can do an imaginative oldies set that flows really well if you have access to everything. they didnt manage that.

Shane

link

I totally understand where you are coming from.

This maybe not the reason for it, but one thing I've noticed (Only since I've started playing) is this:

You spend hours/days pondering over your playlist for your next night or guest spot. You have to take into consideration the club music policy, what time your slot is and then when you have assessed that and chosen 20 records from your boxes you then have to programme your selection so that it flows.

That's the easy part.

Some complete b@stard called a 'Punter' (joke!) comes and asks you for a request that will completely 'balls-up' the flow of your set. For instance, I got asked for Tommy Sands 'The Statue' between Frederick Hymes and The Pioneers at NCSC on Saturday. OK, I didn't have it, but you get the picture.

I'm not saying this happens to every set, but the DJ has to play a few requests and as such the 'flow' can be affected.

I would be interested to hear peoples opinion on this one. Sorry it's a bit off-topic!

Jamie

[stevemcmahon]

You spend hours/days pondering over your playlist for your next night or guest spot. You have to take into consideration the club music policy, what time your slot is and then when you have assessed that and chosen 20 records from your boxes you then have to programme your selection so that it flows.

Would have to say that would account for why a lot of 'DJs' lose a floor and can't regain it. If your pre-determined flow goes against the tide of the dancefloor then you're never going to get it back. Should always go to a do with double what you need so you can go WITH the flow of the dancers and not try to dictate.

[Winnie :-)]

I think Steve G raises a quite fundamental point about deejays being either 'leaders' or 'followers'.

From the majority of playlists I see these days it can be surmised that the majority of jocks at both local soul nights and quite major allnighters are quite content to be the former. The number of innovators can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

It's quite interesting to me that we frequently see fairly negative posts on SS about djs (particularly younger, less well known ones) playing lesser known or obscure tracks ("killing the floor" / "cutting the atmosphere" etc. are comments that spring to mind.) I realise that the law of diminishing returns almost guarantees that the supply of really good unknown or lesser-known records is contracting rapidly, but it seems to me that these days paying customers are guilty of impatience when it comes to being confronted with a record that they don't know / haven't danced to before / isn't on their personal wants list. People should bear in mind that even the most chersished classics started off as 'newies' somewhere.

It makes me wonder if the scene has indeed finally tired of innovation, and that it is almost exclusively a nostalgia scene throughout its entirety.

Are deejays there to entertain or to spread knowlege? For me, it must be a balance between the two, and that balance is a very difficult one to achieve. Some recent comments almost convince me that punters see it as their right these days to dictate the contents of each jock's set: a set of circumstances which stifles creativity and which might ultimately kill the scene as a progressive force.

link

==========

Have I read this right? DJs are the leaders on the scene? Is that how they see themselves as innovators, and teachers? So those of us who dance are in fact paying homage to them......Christ, if any of the DJ's have really put themselves on that pedestal, then they'd best have another look at themselves.

Winnie:-)

[Guest Trevski]

Winnie,

It has always been a DJ led scene, DJ's find the new sounds, and play 'em(or someone else finds it and passes it on to the DJ but lets not go down this road!) If DJ's didn't play the new discoveries we'd have never danced to the Del-Larks! Nowadays some still lead the way forward, others lead the way back! (Oldies nostalgia etc) Pedestals are a different matter. I think a lot of people on the scene put the DJ on it, wether they want it or not. Searling at Wigan, Keb/Guy-Stafford. Some Dj's believe the hype,and turn into pretentious twats! Example: name begins with 'B' no time for him whatsoever(ask me next time I run into you, will tell you why) Others stay firmly on the ground, Mark Bicknell for example, top DJ top bloke, talks to anyone, no pretentions, heart firmly in the right place! The ones that place themselves there-Ian Levine-usualy have little or no respect from their peers.

When I get on the floor (not so often at my age! ) I am paying homage to the music, not the DJ, altho' I will clap at the end of the record in appreciation of a good tune well played!

Edited February 1, 2005 by Trevski

[Soultown andy]

Soulsmith i have been running the majority of niters at sheridans for 18 mths,ran 6 allniters at wigan pier last year and will be re opening tonys empress in blackburn shortly.Have always had a policy of giveing new djs a chance,paul sadot springs to mind,and have already posted that we will give at least 2 newcomers a

chance at each of the 16 nites i m running at shds this year.So before you are so quick to critisie maybe you should check out a few other venues,and it is original only policy at sheridans.

[Guest Trevski]

Soulsmith i have been running the majority of niters at sheridans for 18 mths,ran 6 allniters at wigan pier last year and will be re opening tonys empress in blackburn shortly.Have always had a policy of giveing new djs a chance,paul sadot springs to mind,and have already posted that we will give at least 2 newcomers a

chance at each of the 16 nites i m running at shds this year.So before you are so quick to critisie maybe you should check out a few other venues,and it is original only policy at sheridans.

link

?????? criticise what????

Edited February 1, 2005 by Trevski

[Soultown andy]

A previous post trevski seems soulsmith did nt belive that we give newcomers a chance at shds,just replying m8.

[Guest]

To close with, can we all agree to disagree? This scene would be ever so boring if we all thought the same. Now who's going to start the Oldies v Newies debate?

link

[Soulsmith]

Just reading back through the post a number of people have nailed their colours to the mast with the statement "I will only play originals" That's all very noble, but...

Here's a couple of scenarios for you:

1. Your mate over in the Motown press office sends you an acetate of an unreleased Marvin Gaye track. Its the best thing since sliced Hovis. Do you remain true to your beliefs and refuse to play it out? After all the artist won't be getting any royalties.

2. Mr. Croasdell has secured the rights to a record that's sure go massive on the scene. There is only 1 original copy of it. For commercial reasons it will be released on his label in 6 months time and he has chosen 3 of the top DJs on the scene to promote it. You are one of them & he wants you to play it. Will you?

Answer honestly........if you can.

[Dave Rimmer]

Well I've read everything in this thread, and to be honest, nobody has really said anything different from what they said last time.

My own view, same as Mark Bicknell really, if you ain't got it on an original, don't play it. That's a personal decision though, and it doesn't bother me if a record is worth £2000 or £10.

I'm not going to make a fuss about someone playing boots in a set before me, but I will let them know that I am not in favour of it, especially if they play something I have an original of.

But you could keep this argument going forever. In the mean time people like Mark and myself, will keep on playing originals, because that's how WE want to do it.

[Steve G]

Just reading back through the post a number of people have nailed their colours to the mast with the statement "I will only play originals"  That's all very noble, but...

Here's a couple of scenarios for you:

1. Your mate over in the Motown press office sends you an acetate of an unreleased Marvin Gaye track. Its the best thing since sliced Hovis. Do you remain true to your beliefs and refuse to play it out? After all the artist won't be getting any royalties.

2. Mr. Croasdell has secured the rights to a record that's sure go massive on the scene. There is only 1 original copy of it. For commercial reasons it will be released on his label in 6 months time and he has chosen 3 of the top DJs on the scene to promote it. You are one of them & he wants you to play it. Will you?

Answer honestly........if you can.

link

1. Of course

2. Of course

[davidwapples]

if someone before you plays a boot of what you have an original of , show them the real one and after playing it in your set announce that it was from an original

i have only djed twice so far but played originals only , both were early slots which i dont mind as i can then drink or look at records later on , i asked organisers what to play and they said it didnt matter as there were not many people there yet play what i thought was good

one of my favourite records of all time is an unreleased motown track that only came out on a legit cd compilation , there were boot 45s of this of which i had one , it was in my box for my first gig but i looked at the other djs box and saw original records that cost hundreds of pounds and thought that if i played a boot it would take time up that a decent 45 could be played in so i played an original.

i then sold the record i had in question so i wouldnt be tempted to play it out , to me its ok if this track is played off the original cd but not off a boot 45 so i asked a dj who played cds to play track for me

[Soulsmith]

Soultown Andy, yes I did critisce your post. The one that started "Closed shop my arse"

I thought your post was unbalanced. However, I didn't make any reference or critiscm whatsover about Sheridans. I don't know where you got that idea from. Just for the record I've never been to your club, lots of my mates have and they have all told me that its one of the best!

Forgive me if I didn't know who you were. Now that you've explained a little more I can see the point you were making. For promoting & giving younger people a chance at DJing I take my hat off to you

[Godzilla]

==========

Have I read this right? DJs are the leaders on the scene? Is that how they see themselves as innovators, and teachers? So those of us who dance are in fact paying homage to them......Christ, if any of the DJ's have really put themselves on that pedestal, then they'd best have another look at themselves.

Winnie:-)

link

I'm glad someone said this Winnie.

If there's one phrase that does my napper in it's when DJs say "It's a DJs job to educate"

Talk about fcuking arrogance!

I host a local funk night and I play lots of stuff the people who attend don't know. I just see it as playing some stuff that they might like to have a dance to. Likewise, when I go to a Northern Soul event it's in the hope of hearing something that's new to me and that I may like.

This doesn't make me some kind of fcukwit that's in need of education

It's the air of superiority implicit in the wording of that damn phrase that gets my goat. And it's one that I hear and read continuously on this scene.

OK - Rant over

Godz XXX

[Chalky]

If there's one phrase that does my napper in it's when DJs say "It's a DJs job to educate"

Talk about fcuking arrogance!

Godz XXX

link

A Dj's job is to entertain with IMO origianl vinyl. The DJ should also IMO have his own identity and style and not be a lazy sod playing the same as many other DJ's. There are 1000's of good records that can be played on this scene so god knows why most DJ's choose to play the same stuff week in week out.

They don't have to be expensive, look arouond and you'll find plenty of good cheapies that don't get played, many cheaper than Petes boots.

Edited February 1, 2005 by chalky

[Godzilla]

A Dj's job is to entertain with IMO origianl vinyl.  The DJ should also IMO have his own identity and style and not be a lazy sod playing the same as many other DJ's.  There are 1000's of good records that can be played on this scene so god knows why most DJ's choose to play the same stuff week in week out. 

They don't have to be expensive, look arouond and you'll find plenty of good cheapies that don't get played, many cheaper than Petes boots.

link

I'm not disagreeing with you here, Chalky. Entertain yes - including playing different stuff - but you will have seen and heard that phrase as many times as I have.

Maybe it's just lazyness, you know, people just repeating what they've heard others say without really forming their own opinion.

Or maybe some folks really do have that inflated idea of their own worth - it's a night out for Christs sake.

Godz

[Steve G]

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Have I read this right? DJs are the leaders on the scene? Is that how they see themselves as innovators, and teachers? So those of us who dance are in fact paying homage to them......Christ, if any of the DJ's have really put themselves on that pedestal, then they'd best have another look at themselves.

Winnie:-)

link

I think in fairness Winnie that's a mischarechertization of what GarethX was saying. Of course the music comes first, always ahead of "the Dick behind the Decks" everytime - certainly in my front room. In fact one of the most annoying traits of the northern scene is that too often DJ's with inflated ego's come ahead of the actual music. That being said I for one would expect a DJ to be playing varied sets, and something a bit different, rather than "best of dancefloor" front of house stomperettes. To fulfil my expectations (as a punter) they don't need to play an hour of tried and trusted oldies or any reissues. So in a sense DJ sets should be inspiring. And Gareth is right - too much knocking of younger DJ's. No pedestals needed in the DJ booth though.

[Soulsmith]

Steve, as you've answered honestly I will put both the records in the post for you.

Of course, with the post being what it is, you may have to wait in sometime.

[Garethx]

Winnie. I think you've mis-characterised my post. I never used the word 'educate'; you did. I used the term 'spread knowledge' in the sense of widening the appreciation of great, under-appreciated music: in my eyes (though probably not yours, it seems) the entire ethos of the scene since the year dot.

The jocks I called the innovators (I guess most of you will recognise who they are, I won't name them) are probably the last people who subscribe to the deejay-on-a-pedestal mentality.

The more forward thinking deejays will all eventually end up questioning the concept of playing 'requested-oldies-only' in big halls for money-making interests; the scene will end up revolving around the same 200 or so cast-iron-certainty-oldies and disappear up its own fundament.

Edited February 1, 2005 by garethx