Interview With Pete (music Box)

[Paul Smith 0]

Guess who's getting married soon? You'll find out in this latest installment of the 2007 DJU Interviews .....

 

1. What is your DJU Forum Alias?

Music Box

 

2. What is your Real Name, Age, Location & Marital Status?

Pete Atkins ,54, Egham Surrey, to be married 21st April 2007 now with Ali my partner assisting.

 

3. What is the Name of your Disco?

Music Box

 

4. How long have you been a DJ?

About 15 months and about 25 years in a strict tempo dance band

 

5. What inspired you to become a DJ

Suggested by partner after break up of band.

 

6. Are you a member of a DJ Association / Union?

Musicians union. S.E.D.A.

 

7. What is your favorite type of function now? (eg: Wedding, 18th Birthday party, etc)

40th. Birthday

 

8. What’s the worst/most embarrassing thing you've done in front of an audience?

Cued up a tune and announced the next tune to be played while talking to a guest.

 

9. If you could go back to the beginning of your DJ career is there anything that you'd do differently? (eg: The gear that you bought, the way you promoted/advertised yourself)

No not really happy with the way it all went.

 

10. What do you feel you offer the public that convinces them to book you rather than "the next guy/girl"?

We try and listen to the client and if not sure go back to them and make sure we deliver what they want.

 

11. Have you ever bought something for your show that you wish you hadn't? and why?

Been very lucky had some very good advice from members on here and brought wisely

 

12. What's your next DJ purchase likely to be?

CD J's and Moving heads

 

13. If you could get someone to invent a new piece of disco equipment for your show, what would it be?

Robot to pack it all away at the end of the gig.

 

14.What was the worst equipment failure suffered during a gig?

Cd player not responding, starting etc.

 

15. What do you think is the best thing about DJ'ing?

The sight of people enjoying themselves

 

16. What do you think is the worst thing about DJ'ing?

Packing away afterwards

 

17. What would make you stop DJ'ing (if anything)?

Bad Health.

 

18. How do you think DJ'ing will change, in the next 5 years?

I think digital will take over, the cd as we know it will go just look how cassette tapes have gone

 

19. Most stupid thing anyone's ever said to you at a gig?

On arrival at a gig asked Do you need any power Mate?

 

20. Best advice you were ever given by a fellow DJ?

Lots. I have said you can always learn I have been in entertainment for a very long time and I am still learning. I would like to thank all those members on here that have helped me and taken time with me to point me in the right direction. Cheers Guy's an Girls

 

21. And worst advice you were ever given?

Don't worry

 

22. How do you keep up to date with music? (eg Promo monthly CDs, Downloads, Purchase from retailer)

Listen to the radio, keep an eye on Internet sites , Music channels then buy what we need on cd mainly.

 

23. Name 3 songs that 95% of the time will fill the dance floor for you!

Don't feel like dancing Scissor Sisters, Hot Hot Hot. Arrow, Hey Baby – DJ Otzi

 

24. One piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting out.

Relax, Enjoy what you are doing, Keep the rig tidy so you know where things are.

 

25. What medium format do you mainly use eg vinyl, CD, hard-drive?

CD

 

26. Have you embraced/adapted any ideas that you've read about on DJU?

Lots some ideas on Djing when to chat, some games and party idea's

 

27. What is your best gig ever and your worst?

Best gig has to be a school disco I did back in the summer time 150 kids dancing the Cha Cha Slide macarena and Cotton eyed Joe what a great moment for me and still lives in me.

Again in the early day's of djing got an SOS from a dj did him a favor went to a gig party for a 12 year old about 15 kids there bad vibes when I arrived asked if i was on my own, I asked if I was going to be paid they said yes I set up did the gig then they did not pay me as they where expecting Men in Black etc. Since then all contracts.

 

28. What is your main (most successful) form of advertising your disco?

Word of Mouth.

 

29. Have you ever had someone try to claim off you? (eg: Public Liability Insurance or other such legal action)

NO

 

30. Add any additional comments which you would like to include here...

This is a great site for old and new members we are all learning and can learn from others. I have learnt a lot on here and made some wonderful friends to Chris and all the Mods keep it going.

 

31. How many gigs do you do a year, how many would you like to do?

Last year we did 55 not bad as I was looking for 26 in the first year I would like to average 2-3 a month at present

 

32. What is your average charge for a booking?

£250

 

33. How many tracks do you have in your music collection?

Loads not counted them but about 30,000 ish

 

Thank for looking see you all in the new year Hope you all have a busy one.

 

 

Pete an Ali Music Box

 

 

[EdBray 0]

Good read for a Sunday afternoon :Thumbup:

[High Fidelity 0]

:Thumbup: Nice one, I enjoyed reading that.

[Jimbo55 0]

Thank you. I enjoyed that :Thumbup:

 

Jim

[brianmole 0]

Nce 1 Pete & Ali! I hope you got a contract from your wedding DJ :ads:

[DJ Geco 0]

Nice one Pete!

 

Again in the early day's of djing got an SOS from a dj did him a favor went to a gig party for a 12 year old about 15 kids there bad vibes when I arrived asked if i was on my own, I asked if I was going to be paid they said yes I set up did the gig then they did not pay me as they where expecting Men in Black etc. Since then all contracts.

 

Can you explain that, they wanted Men in Black? What do you mean? The song? :joe:

[wizard 0]

Interesting read Pete....... keep up the good work

[C.S 0]

Respect to you sir

[music box 0]

Thanks guy's it was a pleasure. We hope it helps others.

 

Brian still waiting for it lol

 

With reference to Men in Black, after the gig the parents tried to explain that they had booked a disco to be run by 2 men dressed in black to give the Men in Black theme. But they failed to let me know this when I arrived.

 

I should have carried on to say that I will only cover a gig if I know the person, or a known person on the forum. A learning curve that I that I learnt from, very quickly, as i did not to let the lad down on his birthday.

As I said to the couple at least I turned up. I had traveled to the gig, so I asked them to at least cover my petrol etc. but they said no, I was not a member of anything at the time, just starting up, but hey oh brush yourself down learn from it and I hope others will as well, it's a great shame thats the world we live in now.

 

Pete an Ali

[Andy Westcott 0]

Good to see how others do it, and what they think of it, as usual.

Nice one! :Thumbup:

 

Glad you've discovered not to trust anyone else - humans stink.