personally, i see it like this: there are those who dj because they love the music and want to share it. some have the skills, some don't but are trying. in the end, they're sharing the love for the music. then there are others who buy into the "dj as rock star" culture and get into DJing, not because they want to share their love for the music, but for a variety of *other* reasons. yes, we always need new djs coming up, but we also have to have new djs coming up that are djing for the right reasons. i can remember back in 1987 when the dj was the last thing anyone would want to be; you were lower than the bartender and had drunks screaming at ya for this and that; could get beaten up for playing a song people didn't like; there were no flyers with your name in big letters, etc, etc, etc; nowadays, though, with the way "dj culture" has grown, kids don't know about the history of the dj, haven't worked their way up and gained experience via weddings, parties for friends, school, radio, etc, etc. they go out, buy two technics 1200s and a mixer, buy the top records they see in the mags, hook up with a promoter friend, get a booking, and suddenly they're a "DJ!" now i'm not saying all new djs are like that (thankfully, there are always some new people to the scene who have love in their hearts for the music), but i've personally seen it happen more and more frequently, and i'm sure many would agree. check the interviews with terrence parker, alan oldham, john acquaviva, and others who've *paid their dues* to be where they are in today's dj scene (cognition: http://techno.ca/cognition) and there's a commentary about this on the same site. yes, we need new djs, but it would be best for them to take it a bit slower, not suddenly get obsessed with this "be a DJ! be a DJ!" thing. personally, i've seen at least 3 or 4 young kids here in halifax spend tons of $ on tables, mixer and records, and then a couple of months later they've sold it all and are very disillusioned. though i don't know what all of the reasons are for them (personally ie for each of them), i *do* know from observation that they get a gig via a promoter friend and then you never see them booked again. why? well, a) there are so many kids desperate to "be a dj!!!" and, at least here in halifax, they're almost beating each other up and crawling over each other to get gigs, and b) they just haven't laid the proper foundation; they think that if they buy the gear and the records, they are almost *owed* gigs now, as if that's all there is to it. (an i've had most of these kids on my local radio show to try and help them out, see what they're up to, etc, but, though some are skilled, the majority are just jumping into the "DJ DJ DJ" thing too soon; they haven't practiced, have to write their set down on a piece of paper, have everything planned to the max, etc, etc ie the urge to "be a dj" has thrown them into it, er, they're thrown themselves into it, so fast and so *too early* that they're just *not ready*; some of them go on to get gigs and skills, but most you never hear from again; if they took the time to set the stage, they might be still doing it, but rushing into it thinking they'll be stars the day after tomorrow, hurts their self esteem and wastes their $ and effort) but talk to parker, oldham, acquaviva et al and these guys (there's girls too, of course) spent many many nights practicing at home, doing radio, playing for small parties, etc, etc; they didn't just suddenly become big dj names that people know, it took years to get where they are. but the kids staring out (againn, not *all* of them, but many) don't understand that it's not like you wake up one day with the $ to buy the gear and the next day you'll be on flyers every week. ok, enough rant from me. AND it wasn't Beck who sang "two turntables and a microphone", that was a sample from Mantronix' "Needle To The Groove"! np terrence dixon--from the far future (dm tresor) it's out later this month and damn awesome. i'll have it online in full in RA soon.
Diana Potts wrote: > well its informative-to some thirty something yuppie in the burbs who has > no clue. But it is kinda entertaining how the writer takes on this identity > like they have discovered something, like the lost caveman. I like how the > writer highlighted mostly female djs though ;) > > diana > > >From: "lil' robbie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: 313@hyperreal.org > >Subject: Re: (313) latechno > >Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2000 00:34:48 EST > > > >http://www.calendarlive.com/music/20000305/t000021603.html > > > >that article is quite funny....i dont know if this attitude is isolated to > >LA though... > > > >>Part of the appeal of deejaying is that it requires little, if any, > >> >musical talent. All you need, as Beck once sang, is "two >turntables." > > > >oh thats why its popular... > > > >>Tim Woolworth, a salesman at Hollywood's Guitar Center, said he >often > >>sells the kits to kids as young as 7 and 8. "They see their friends > >>[deejaying]. They see it on MTV. They see it >everywhere," said Woolworth. > >>"Deejays are becoming, for lack of a better term, rock stars," > > > >thats quite the article...anyone else read it? > > > >______________________________________________________ > >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > > > ______________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com -- Cognition/Andrew Duke's In The Mix mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://techno.ca/cognition 1096 Queen St #123 Halifax NS Canada B3H 2R9
