Re: Being a Nightclub DJ...

From: adario (adario@thingsburnup.com)
Date: Thu Feb 01 2001 - 19:57:14 CET

  • Next message: PMA: "my 2 cents on Jazz and the time i spent watching it"

    from my experiences at house parties, or even just listening to tunes with
    friends, working the vibe (and getting worked by the vibe) is more
    complicated than this. maybe it's just me, but i find that the way a track
    feels TO ME changes in the company of different kinds of people.

    the feel, the vibe, the triangular relationship between you, somebody else,
    and the music is like a place onto itself. a destination. and the more of
    those tangled, triangled meshes of places you know, the more freedom you
    have.

    some people are like hermit crabs. they got their destination, they know
    exactly where their place is because they carry it around wherever they go.
    they're happy with their place. they're always inviting you to their place.
    but there's something strange going on up in that place. it's small and
    there's barely enough room for one person. actually, other people can go
    inside. but once inside, they turn into the same damn person!

    as a true dj, you got a calling to do what it takes to get these people out
    of their shells and wake up to the expanse of life. find a method for
    yourself. find a method for each person. be subtle and build them
    something that looks like their shell but then evolves into something bigger
    and never stops growing. be bold and crack the shell with something they
    can't name and they can't forget.

    but you gotta remember that you got your own shell. and all that vinyl and
    plastic in front of you is like mother of pearl. no matter who you are, you
    got limits that others will break.

    the beginning of a set is a blank canvas. move people beyond their
    habituals but do it collectively. it takes big patience, love and
    understanding.

    take your work seriously and other people will too,
    aaron dario

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Scott A Hunt <scott@kendev.com>
    To: <jon@oblivion.accessus.net>; <Leftalive1@aol.com>
    Cc: <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
    Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 8:00 AM
    Subject: Re: Being a Nightclub DJ...

    > right on!!!
    >
    > Unless $ is your only concern, to do it for yourself. Develop your own
    > style instead of pandering to what others want and then find the right
    venue
    > to exploit your sound.
    >
    > many DJs have asked me about DJing. This is the only thing I tell all of
    > them.....
    >
    > Scotty
    > www.dejablu.com
    >
    >
    >
    > ----- Original Message -----
    > From: <jon@oblivion.accessus.net>
    > To: <Leftalive1@aol.com>
    > Cc: <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
    > Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 9:31 PM
    > Subject: Re: Being a Nightclub DJ...
    >
    >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > On Wed, 31 Jan 2001 Leftalive1@aol.com wrote:
    > >
    > > > Greetings all...
    > > > I was curious as to how many of us on this list (if any) are
    > nightclub
    > > > dj's. I've been the resident at the Liquid Lounge here in Nashville
    for
    > > > about four months, and let me tell you, it's rough sometimes having to
    > be all
    > > > things to all people. Hip-hop, r&b, pop, techno - you name it, I get
    > > > requests for it. It doesn't help either that being a nightclub dj is
    > more or
    > > > less the most reviled occupation in the world of dance. Its
    impossible
    > to
    > > > cop a consistent vibe for very long.
    > > > The only thing I've found that I can do is to play sets more or
    > less.
    > > > Here's the hip-hop set, heres the techno set, etc. Now granted, the
    > crowd
    > > > never really seems to care that the vibe changes up so much (The other
    > clubs
    > > > in town are pretty much your straight college type: Bar, Banana Joe's,
    > Time,
    > > > etc. so their used to it...), but it's really starting to bother me.
    > > > The best that I can offer the people in my place is to choose the
    > songs
    > > > carefully and try to weed out as much of the cheese as I can. (I don't
    > care
    > > > if you shoot me in the leg, I will not play Britney, N'sync, blah,
    blah,
    > > > blah...)
    > > > Any thoughts to share? I'd like to know what other people think.
    > I'm
    > > > about ready to quit and go back to being one of those elitists who
    > complains
    > > > about the music at mainstream dance clubs.
    > > >
    > > Here's what ya do cat:
    > > 1. Find a sample from a track that is really popular. LIke the
    original
    > > track that the new hit samples from. Like when Will Smith's song was
    > > popular that sampled from the Clash's "Rock the Casbah"...start with the
    > > Will Smith track and then play Casbah. That's just an example, but use
    it
    > > all the time. Especially if you get pissed off when a new track ripps
    off
    > > something for granted. Also you're technically "playing the hits".
    > >
    > > 2. Play for yourself. Screw everyone else and the idea that you need a
    > > job! You play for yourself, with your great taste in music you should
    do
    > > great. Just don't pick things that level the flow.
    > >
    > > 3. Ocassionally when you change into those "sets" you were talking
    > > about. Play the hits.
    > >
    > >
    > >
    >



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