to bang’s point… everybody and their mother wants to be a DJ. which is pretty much the reason that I don’t DJ out in the clubs. i refuse to deal with JOs and blow hott air out of my ears for a DJ gig. i just don’t care that much. let the kids fight over DJ gigs that don’t matter. they need their lesson on how the industry works. its kinda funny too, because so many of them think that they will become famous or all of a sudden make a living from DJing… hahaha ain’t gunna happen.
it happens in every city. there is always a group or handful of DJs that were popular like 5, 10, 15yrs ago in the “scene” and to bang-the-dj’s point… they languish in the DJ arena for all these years… and NEVER make it much further then just being a local DJ. its mostly because they just made friends with people over time, but they have no real talent.
IMO it is almost nearly impossible to try and have a career as a DJ on the weekends, a job to pay the bills and a producer in what your “spare” time? producing alone is a fulltime job. the only reason the big name DJs can do both is because they don’t have fulltime jobs. they spend all week producing and all weekend DJing. thats how they get it done. otherwise they will let 1 go to the wayside and a new producer will pick up the slack.
most of the “djs” in the scene (college kids and whatnot) will get a couple years into the scene and then realize that they have to start making music for anybody to give a **** about them. only problem is that now your a couple years behind in your productions and u have to pick up the slack. not exactly the easiest thing 2 do without being HIGHLY motivated.
I’m not sure if you meant to come across this way buddy but you sound really bitter in your post UV.
I don’t think I agree with some of it though, there is nothing wrong with coming from a DJ background into a production one, i for one came that way. It certainly helped with my production having that DJ background that’s for sure.
Interesting discusion, my top tip…promote your own events!
If you manage to pull it off and it’s successful that you’ll be able to play what the f*ck you want! I know, because I do. LOL 
As my night (it’s fairly mainstream house/dutch/electro) got more established the Rhiana requests decreased too and now get almost nothing like that.
Win Win
lol. maby a little bit. i wont deny im jaded about DJs from being a promoter for so many years. its part of the reason that I could care less about DJing. i’ve booked more than enough DJs to know what the scene is all about. i see tons of new DJs in the scene around Philly, NYC, Bmore that think they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. these guys honestly think they are changing the “scene”… some of them freaking think that they invented it. its kind of hillarious IMO.
roben. im not saying that you CANT dj first then production. far from it… in fact most producers were certainly DJs before they made a song. but im just saying that MOST people can’t distinguish being a DJ in the local scene, from being a producer in the industry. there is a BIG difference. most guys that have some success at Djing in the scene wind up spending all their time going out and giving out reach arounds to get more DJ gigs. and literally don’t put the time into production & sound design that is needed to be a professional producer. 10,000 hrs to be a pro. thats 8hrs a day for 3 yrs.
i always loved reading interviews with Justice after their first album came out. and when the question about Djing arose they would laugh because they had just started DJing like a year ago.
tons of DJs were spinning before they produced. the list is probably endless.
but guys like Daft Punk, Justice, Porter Robinson, Deadmau5, Skrillex, and more…
all were producing before they ever were DJs. #just sayin!~
[quote]seanl (17/06/2011)[hr]Interesting discusion, my top tip…promote your own events!
If you manage to pull it off and it’s successful that you’ll be able to play what the f*ck you want! I know, because I do. LOL
As my night (it’s fairly mainstream house/dutch/electro) got more established the Rhiana requests decreased too and now get almost nothing like that.
Win Win
[/quote]
on the money as usual Sean. do your own parties and then u can just tell people 2 slag off.
btw dj vs producers thing…
I really don’t get how can you produce dance music without some sort of interaction with the dance scene, ideally as a dj or at least a punter!
[quote]UV[hr]im just saying that MOST people can’t distinguish being a DJ in the local scene, from being a producer in the industry. there is a BIG difference. most guys that have some success at Djing in the scene wind up spending all their time going out and giving out reach arounds to get more DJ gigs. and literally don’t put the time into production & sound design that is needed to be a professional producer…[/quote]
True dat! My girlfriend asked me why i don’t bother with the scene (as in DJing around as much as i did) so much these days and it’s exact that reason, i’m more happy to be in my studio producing than dealing with the amount of bullsht that goes on in the scene. You’d actually laugh at how bitchy and two faced the scene is, i mean for MEN, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a bunch of women.
I’ve had sht spread about me a few times, for example things i “have said” for done for example which is absolute bullcrap, makes me laugh really. Also the amount of times things get twisted is amazing… for example me saying “ah good for him, bet he’s well chuffed” to some DJ once about another DJ who got a pretty good gig turned into me saying something about being jealous and don’t know why he got the gig or something (**** knows), and another time me saying “i don’t want to DJ every week in the same city as i don’t want to over saturate the place” turned into on the grape vine as “i don’t want to DJ anymore”, it’s funny sht really when you think about it, but bitchy / two faced as fck.
Thing for me is i’d rather be DJing as an artist, rather than DJing because i know the promoter, i mean i still do DJ once/twice a month around Brighton but that’s only because promoters have asked me to play for them, i never ever ask anyone to play.
I’d rather be like prok & fitch or someone who has been booked because of their productions and the people who’ve come to see me play have come because they’ve heard of me and they either have heard my music before and liked it, or are interested in seeing me play.
Not because i’ve got this huge ego and have blagged i’d sell tickets / offered to suck the promoters c**k / etc.
Plus whilst i absolutely love both, i think i prefer production to DJing.
After all, lets be honest here, it certainly seperates the blaggers from the true passionate ones. (Apart from the guys who pay a ghost engineer to make them a track so they can blag the world they’re now a producer too)
on the money Rob. that whole story is EXACTLY what im talking about. i refuse to be a part of the little bitch scene where they all talk **** on each other but then smile and wank u when u see them in person. this is the reason im jaded from my days as a promoter. i would hang out with guys and they would talk **** on mad people to me and throw people under the bus because they knew i was a promoter. i wasnt even a DJ… which made it worse. I was strictly EDM promoter. and i did a lot of events. the amount of crap i heard from people was INSANE. its def the biggest reason that I am more then content with sitting at home on a friday or saturday night and the monitors cranked up and just rocking out with my brother.
Bottom line for me is, you should only ever DJ because of a love of music, not because you want to be a DJ.
In fact, you should love your music so much that you HAVE to DJ as other wise you’d explode. Then, nature should take its course that you should get pretty good at it, enthuse about it, be immersed in it and so on.
If you are DJing in townie clubs ‘just to get a gig’ or if you are constantly having to compromise your musical style, then I’d say you are either playing in the wrong club (and should go back to your roots), or are more in love with the idea of being a DJ than playing what you love.
When I say stick to your guns, I’m not talking about those arrogant, up their own arse guys, I mean the passionate ones that simply have to express their love of music through DJing… those are the ones that will become successful - cos they are the real deal.
[quote]bangthedj (17/06/2011)[hr]Bottom line for me is, you should only ever DJ because of a love of music, not because you want to be a DJ.
In fact, you should love your music so much that you HAVE to DJ as other wise you’d explode. Then, nature should take its course that you should get pretty good at it, enthuse about it, be immersed in it and so on.
If you are DJing in townie clubs ‘just to get a gig’ or if you are constantly having to compromise your musical style, then I’d say you are either playing in the wrong club (and should go back to your roots), or are more in love with the idea of being a DJ than playing what you love.
When I say stick to your guns, I’m not talking about those arrogant, up their own arse guys, I mean the passionate ones that simply have to express their love of music through DJing… those are the ones that will become successful - cos they are the real deal.
[/quote]
best post all day.
UV i do agree with some points you make but no one is born a big name DJ and most will of had normal jobs in between producing songs and getting big and being able to switch fulltime.
this thread is very good. Actually helped me a lot. One time when i was dead drunk i asked deekline to put apple bottom, the more retarded part was i asked him in backstage then asked him again but he already played it when i was outside with a bottle of vodka with a friend of mine really idiotic of me. Never really do stuff like this . Only did it one time and i’m sorry i haven’t kicked any live sets yet (don’t feel ready ) only shoutcast streams for different radio stations. And i support the idea Producer first → Dj after.
Madeon for example isn’t even allowed to dj now :)) . But i respect dj’s also , Andy C being my idol . I’ve had a chat with him, i don’t know… he hasn’t got a big ego or anything, he’s just in love with his music and he’s friendly too, didn’t treat me like a inferior fan or anything. I find him to be the perfect example of a good dj’s personality .
Sorry if i messed your thread guys.
[quote]bangthedj (17/06/2011)[hr]Bottom line for me is, you should only ever DJ because of a love of music, not because you want to be a DJ.
In fact, you should love your music so much that you HAVE to DJ as other wise you’d explode. Then, nature should take its course that you should get pretty good at it, enthuse about it, be immersed in it and so on.
If you are DJing in townie clubs ‘just to get a gig’ or if you are constantly having to compromise your musical style, then I’d say you are either playing in the wrong club (and should go back to your roots), or are more in love with the idea of being a DJ than playing what you love.
When I say stick to your guns, I’m not talking about those arrogant, up their own arse guys, I mean the passionate ones that simply have to express their love of music through DJing… those are the ones that will become successful - cos they are the real deal.
[/quote]
nice on Bang
[quote]bangthedj (17/06/2011)[hr]Bottom line for me is, you should only ever DJ because of a love of music, not because you want to be a DJ.
In fact, you should love your music so much that you HAVE to DJ as other wise you’d explode. Then, nature should take its course that you should get pretty good at it, enthuse about it, be immersed in it and so on.
If you are DJing in townie clubs ‘just to get a gig’ or if you are constantly having to compromise your musical style, then I’d say you are either playing in the wrong club (and should go back to your roots), or are more in love with the idea of being a DJ than playing what you love.
When I say stick to your guns, I’m not talking about those arrogant, up their own arse guys, I mean the passionate ones that simply have to express their love of music through DJing… those are the ones that will become successful - cos they are the real deal.
[/quote]
Nicely said.
Bang your wrong you shouldnt only dj for the love of music, for alot of producers its the only way they make money. There are more producers DJing now at big shows then there are DJs who produce…
Not sure about the second half of that statement, but as for the first bit… I’m sure if they produce music then they also love it, so same deal really.
[quote]jjdejong0 (20/06/2011)[hr]Bang your wrong you shouldnt only dj for the love of music, for alot of producers its the only way they make money. There are more producers DJing now at big shows then there are DJs who produce…[/quote]
I’m calling Shenanigans!!!:w00t:
I demand source info on this please.
i totally agree. the best dj’s know what their audience want. eg tom crane
Well…
Tom Crane is probably a master at deciphering what Sarah Harding’s face isnt telling him… so I dont doubt for one second that he is the crowd whisperer.
Respect. Pity I’ve never heard of him.