Re: what's a good D.J.?
Matthew Robert Chicoine (scooby@umich.edu)
Tue, 18 Jun 1996 12:28:17 -0400 (EDT)
Djing has so many facets that a good DJ depends on what you're looking
for. You've got song selection- very important; song order; blending
skills; scratching/transformer skills; and then whatever hell else a DJ
will do (be it body tricks, playing simple melodies/harmonies, filtering
sounds through an effects processor, etc.). Personally, I want to see a
DJ that will challenge me in every facet- who has dope tracks, knows when
to play them, can put them together, and can enhance them. James Lavelle
certainly kows music, how the hell else would he be the king of Mo Wax.
But I've seen him spin a few times, and he's definately lacking in the
skills department. There are some DJs like that out here who've earned
the title "jupebox" or "sneaker in the dryer" if they really suck (ever
heard a sneaker in a dryer- sounds like mismatched beats). Its a little
unfair, because I find a lot of technically brilliant DJs boring after
awhile because the song selection is lacking (how many times can we hear
the Peter Piper doubles routine?). It goes both ways. Bear in mind for
every style of DJ music, there is a style of mixing as well. The
techniques that govern a house DJ are different than those of a hip-hop
DJ (unless somebody's got knowledge of both), which are different from
the techniques of an ambient DJ. It comes down to a question fo whether
or not the DJ is affecting the audience in a good way (and if the
audience knows whats up, too). If you like the product, they are a good
DJ. So James Lavelle can't scratch his ass off or match beats, he's got a
golden ear and will surprise you every time with his selection. Over and out-
DJ Bubblicious the Ann Arbor fool