Len

I hope this thread gives some insight to what it's really like to D.J - From the outside, it looks easy and just good fun, but in reality there's so much to be thinking about and as you can see - The "ËœDecks Pest' really is an irritating species! Every D.J "Ëœworth their salt' never forgets that the real talent is in the records they are playing of course, but there are ways of "Ëœserving them up' correctly. D.J's develop unique ways of doing this which are so subtle; they are hardly noticeable but make a huge difference between them playing a good or a bad set. Unique is one of the most important things, I read somewhere once - "If you're going to play records in public, you must do it your way and no one else's"Â I thought that was very true. Having a decent box of records alone does not make a good D.J, if played wrong it will end up being a "ËœStilted' set. Yes, each individual record may be absolutely fantastic but if played (what I call) by "Ëœone at a time' D.Jing, e.g. — "This is good"Â....."Âoh, and this is good"Â...."Âum, this is good to"Â, it simply won't flow. There are many things that make a set flow, genre, tempo, but also subtle things a D.J can say on the mike which can also steer the set in a different direction nice and smoothly. All these things and many more are (in most cases) only developed with years of experience and is why we should appreciate the real masters, because they simply can't be replaced with just anyone All the best, Len.

Classic! - We've all done it....I think.... Len

Oh my f*ckin' god!.....Thanks for sharing that Ian.....more nightmares.....I'm not going to bed tonight.... All the best, Len.

Yes, the D.Jing off one deck is another one of the many nightmares I suffer regularly — Christ knows what my 7 and 3 year old kids think when I wake up crying and they have to comfort me — It can't be right can it?! I think it would be fair to say most D.J's get at least a little nervous before their spots, some just before, others weeks before.....and yes, some months before....most know which category I fit into (ahem)....Surffice to say, the first time I D.Jed at the 100 Club, you could say I was a tad wound up. I got there just 20 minutes after it opened, not only to be told we were on one deck but also that my first spot had already started! (Ady obviously didn't do what I did after booking D.J's and that's to ring them with the D.J times three weeks prior and then treble check they were coming on the Monday before.... ) ...This really was what my nightmares were made up of - I rushed down the stairs, everyone I passed saying "You're on now Len!"Â...."ÂI f*ckin' know!"Â (I said with my eyes because my mouth was to dry to speak) Up I went, with my coat still on, luckily the other deck had started and Russ Vickers (who was D.Jing) kindly "Ëœput me at ease' and off I went, I don't think I took my coat off for a good while as I was in shock! ....In hindsight, it was probably best it happened that way... Len.

Good god, so you were! I'm pretty sure I have a photo of you there (You haven't changed a bit by the way ) It did fluff a few feathers though didn't it?! - You know me, facetious for the sake of it even back then Len.

Oooo, I'm well aware.....and when I'm called 'Leonard' I run - Just ask Nina! Len.

And so you should! - Especially if they have asked for requests.....In fact, I'd go a step further and take a copy with you for them to play - D.J's just love it when that happens! All the best, Len.

Dom Bassett, now there's a 'blast from the past' - One of my hero's he was! Len.

I was D.Jing at an event once from 9.00pm - 9.45pm and I just knew, no one ever danced at this particular venue before (what I call the "ËœWater Shed') 9.30p.m. In this case, I knew it would definitely not be until 9.45pm, when the next D.J came on. As predicted I was right, no matter what I tried they were not budging until that very moment and with the first record after my uncomfortable spot, the floor was absolutely rammed!...(At one point during my set a bloke did come up to speak to me though)..... ....I put my records away and waded through the packed dance floor to sit down, Nina obviously "Ëœfelt my pain' and kindly asked "What did that Guy want?"Â (Thinking he had taken an interest in what I had been playing)...."ÂNina, he asked if he could borrow a pen!"Â I replied with a bemused look on my face There's definitely "Ëœups and downs' to DJing and I suppose it's the "Ëœchallenge' that we all enjoy.....kind of Len.

I don't think I had much choice! No doubt that chap enjoyed our little 'connection' through us both owning records. Why spoil it by disagreeing with him? - It would be so disagreeable Len.

Aint that the truth... Len.

Luv it

Ok, ok Andy, not to mention the time I led you into a Polish delicatessen absolutely convinced that it was the venue, purely on the basis there was people outside smoking. I marched us through, saying "evening" to the "ËœSoulies' outside (as you do) only to be met by a f*ckin' cheese counter!...."Um, was it Brie you wanted Andy?"Â — Doh! - I did apologise for that corker! Len.

You lucky B*stard!!! - That's the kind of thing I have nightmares about - Yep, honestly! lol Len

:lol: - That reminded me of a time this woman came up to me (Arms folded) and basically 'bellowed' at me - "The f*ckin' Modern Room is upstairs!!!" and then stormed off..... Oh deary dear....I suppose she had a point (Kind of).....But why be so aggressive? Len.

Yes indeed, at least "I know" is a step above "we like"....Ooo the stress of it all, why oh why do we put ourselves through it aye?! Len.

....Now ya talking.....Right, enough already! I've started another thread that's more 'P.G' than 'Chubby Brown' for gawds sake! lol - If anyone else posts here, please refere to the original post which is actually something many of us can relate to....Sorry it went somewhat 'off topic'...Oh well, it livened up a Monday evening didn't it? lol All the best, Len

This is to all those D.J's out there (Ok everyone!) - Care to share your best, bizarre, worse or all three moments with us? I'm pretty sure there must be some hilarious stories to be told. I'll start the ball rolling — Worse — I was D.Jing somewhere and I was just thinking the set was going "ËœA.O.K' and someone came up to ask for a request.....he said (Dead seriously)...."ÂCould you play something we like?"Â....Doh! - That threw me, I can tell ya! L Bizarre - At the 100 Club in the 90's, I think I must have really "Ëœconnected' with one particular chap who was evidently at the height of his "ËœZone' - He leapt onto the stage, literally grabbed the mike off me and basically let everyone know he was "on top of the world!"Â — It wasn't only hilarious but also a great relief as I thought I was being attacked! Chantel (Beds) said she clocked it straight away and was ready to protect me bless her (and she was well capable of doing so!).....Somebody did later, to the poor ol' Boy's detriment but that's another story...let's just say, it don't matter how much you're enjoying yourself, you simply MUST remember "Ëœdance floor etiquette' or you may live to regret it....especially if my friend is about! Best — "ËœPlaying Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes - Praying' at The Isle Of White Mod Rally (80's) The Mods were very "Ëœnon plussed'...But Danny Huff and The Ugly Bugglies imploded and tore up that dance floor! (I think they may have been at the height of their "Ëœzone' also! lol) Great stuff. Another story, loosely connected with D.Jing (Promoting) I was at The Embankment Club (a local soul event I used to run) one "Ëœlegendary' night. Firstly (Which is fine) This chap asked me if I'd been before, to which I replied "A couple of times but I don't think much to the place"Â - Yep, my "Ëœirony' was "Ëœrife' even back then....(no wonder I never made very many friends over the years)....Anyway, then the guy pointed at Nina (my wife) and asked "Is she spare?"Â — I had to stop my "Ëœirony' kicking in again as I soooo wanted to reply "Yup, go for it Solder"Â (What a bizarre way of asking if someone's single!) All the best, Len

....Never crossed my mind...Where's that milk bottle gone?...Oh yeh, it broke.... x

Lou, you're sooo soppy...alas, I am too as I also can relate to that....Do any of you remember as a kid, taking your Christmas presents to bed? I slept with a football one year because I really was that "Ëœmade up'...Has anyone done that with a record before?....I haven't....really I haven't, honestly......Mind you, who knows, 'us boys' would try anything at the age of 14!..(Don't worry lady's, it's a 'bloke thing').... All the best, Len.

:lol: :lol: That last line of yours has made my day...."Welcome to my world"Â is all I can say!....I'm actually 'socially disabled', I really do find "Ëœsocialising' f*cking exhausting — sometimes it's like playing "ËœSquash against a Sponge'...or "ËœTable Tennis on my own'... the "ËœWritten Word' is soooo much more "Ëœexhilarating'...Bring back the days when no one spoke to each and just got "ËœBlocked' and danced to the music is what I say! Lol...We really shouldn't get to know each other outside of that dance hall... All the best, Len.

Tis' always a comfort when I hear 'I'm not alone in my strange thinkings' ... Len

...and so it would do, it's a blo*dy gift for god's sake! - No one should ever sell a gift as it should mean something to them (if they have anything about them that is!) All the best, Len.

Doh! — I just "Ëœre-read' your opening post...."Âand I'm also not on about people hitting hard times leaving them with no choice"Â... Sorry, but it kind of contradicts what you're trying to say (I think)....Oh, well, I'll leave my post as I would imagine there's lots of folk that can relate to what I said All the best, Len.

Hi mate, I know EXACTLY what you mean...I have had records on my shelf that I probably haven't played in years but the "Ëœcomfort' was, that I knew they were there. The last few years of business has been awful and after re-mortgaging my house a couple of times, the damn kids still needed feeding so "Ëœsomat had to give'....So (tough decision as it was) I chose the kids and had to sell some records to surface....To this day, the records I think about most (God this sounds so, so very sad) are the ones that I sold and to add "Ëœinsult to injury', it seems every ble*ding time I walk into an event the said records are being played!...Maybe the kids weren't that good after all...."ÂYeh, but you can always buy them back"Â.......Sorry, not the same, those records were "Ëœconnected' to a chase and were as good as photos, reminding me of "Ëœa time''.... ........My heart also bleeds..... Nice thread. All the best, Len (A fellow "ËœSaddo') x P.s — Chris Anderton — "ËœRespect'!