Interview With Ed Bray

[Paul Smith 0]

Eddie has just completed his 1st year as a DJ and is about to celebrate :ads: his first anniversary as a member of DJU. So off to Plymouth we go .... with a few new questions as well

 

1. What is your DJU Forum Alias?

EdBray

 

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

Edward Bray, 48, Plymouth, Marrried

 

3. What is the Name of your Disco?

Vibrant Sounds

 

4. How long have you been a DJ?

Just over a year.

 

5. What inspired you to become a DJ?

I used to play in a band & loved the performing. Not good enough to perform on my own though (can do a couple of tracks) so when I was asked to provide a karaoke/disco for my daughter and afterwards was then asked if I could do them for other people I decided to make a leap of faith.

 

6. Are you a Full/Part Time DJ? If part time what else do you do?

Part Time, I work at a (Clean)Water Treatment Plant.

 

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

Weddings and older (40th 50th etc) birthday parties

 

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

Nothing I can think of yet.

 

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)

I would have bought a lot less low end stuff, lights I used once or twice etc.

 

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

I have a nice compact rig, and my attention to detail is second to none. I spend a lot of time before every gig in the planning of it and try to anticipate what problems I may encounter so as to be able to circumvent them. I listen to their requirements and try to exceed them.

 

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

I bought a Stairville Inferno Light as I thought it would be a good for lighting the area behind me, but it's pants and I wish I hadn't bothered.

 

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

Can't really think of anything at the moment. Still getting to grips with my latest acquisitions.

 

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

A de/re-materialiser so I can beam my kit to the venue and then back again.

 

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

The odd bulb in a light effect is the only problem I have had to date.

 

15. What do you think is the best thing about DJing?

The High I get from seeing people having a great time.

 

16. What do you think is the worst thing about DJing?

Carting the gear around. And drunk people who think you are their personal jukebox.

 

17. What would make you stop DJing (if anything)?

Ill health.

 

18. How do you think DJing will change, in the next 5 years?

More and more moves to digital media.

 

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

Have you got "Clouds to the right" mate, "sorry" I said "I don't know that one". After about 10 minutes it turned out he meant "Stuck in the middle with you"

 

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

Don't put on a voice for your Djing. be natural.

 

21. And worst advice you were ever given?

If you mean from a DJ, I can't think of any.

 

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

I get the Mastermix Pro Disk each month and also the CD Pool radio Disk.

 

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

 

Shania Twain: Man I Feel Like A Woman

Scissor Sisters: I Don't Feel Like Dancing

The Mavericks: Dancing the Night Away.

 

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

Join some of the DJ forums, ask questions and more importantly take heed of the answers (I wish I had). Most people on the various forums will give you good advice, without looking for anything in return.

 

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

The first year it was all laptop, now it will be predominately HD2500 with the laptop as an emergency backup.

 

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

To be honests, loads. It is a great place for information and ideas. Specifically: Go out with working DJs when you have the time and opportunity. You can learn a lot that way.

 

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

Best: A wedding I did the other week, they wanted mainly 80s disco and 90s dance with a little of other stuff included, no party songs and little cheese, Great night.

Worst: Last New Years Eve, I had to be setup for 8.30pm for a 10pm start with a 2am finish (with an option to go on to 3am if required). At 8.40 I was taken ill, and I mean really taken ill, and spent the next 8 hours or so rushing to the toilet to be sick (or worse) and wishing I was dead. I had told the management and they were sympathetic but do not think the guests were any the wiser. I was gutted though when I was asked to carry on until 2.30am. By that time I was feeling as weak as a kitten.

 

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

Word of mouth!

 

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

No

 

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

My thanks to all the members of the various forums to which I belong and have received help from especially those at DJs United.

 

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

Since I started last year, I have done about 20 gigs. I am limited to how often I can gig due to working shifts in my full time job. I aim to do about 2 a month. Keeps me keen.

 

32. What is your average charge for a booking?

Average is about £180. I will not gig for less than £140 and I have a few bookings around the £250+ area.

 

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

At the present time I have 7752 individual tracks (just moved them all over to my new Denon HD2500). All have been ripped at 320kbph from my original CDs.

 

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

No.

 

35. What is your favourite music genre?

I like a lot of 70s, 80s and 90s disco music, and what may be termed as cheese. The Mavericks, Shania, etc But I like some music from all genres/decades really,

 

I just like music.

 

[C.S 0]

Respects to you edward young man! you seem your to have the djing work very well organised. just watch out for the groupies!

Edited April 17, 2007 by C.S

[Andy Westcott 0]

Groupies!!

I noticed how they suddenly disappeared as I turned 25... No idea why.

 

Good interview Ed, didn't realise your prices were so high - good on you for being able to sustain it. :Thumbup:

 

By the way, 320 kilobits per hour is pretty low isn't it?? Or did you mean per second? (Kb/s) Sorry - being facetious. smile icon

[EdBray 0]

By the way, 320 kilobits per hour is pretty low isn't it?? Or did you mean per second? (Kb/s) Sorry - being facetious. smile icon

LOL

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

Didn`t realise you were so young, after viewing your photo on your profile can I ask if you had a massive paper round as a kid? :hide:

 

 

Sorry Ed, good read and here`s to your 2nd year of DJ-ing.

[andyw 0]

great interview ed,like answer 24 spot on. :nbow:

[Gary 0]

Great interview.

 

And...Phew, he didn't mention those Constella lights that he bought off me a few months ago.

[Dukesy 0]

Great read!

:Thumbup:

[Mattaious 0]

Excellent read Mr Bray

Hope theres many other years to come!

 

Mr & Mrs Eclipse

[YourBigEvent 0]

How true number 24 is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTW you still owe me a pint for that last bit if advice I gave you :joe:

[Andy Westcott 0]

Quote Gary:

"Phew, he didn't mention those Constella lights that he bought off me a few months ago."

 

He did to me...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joking, of course. smile icon

[EdBray 0]

Quote Gary:

"Phew, he didn't mention those Constella lights that he bought off me a few months ago."

 

 

Sold them soon after for half what I paid for them, as I found them much too noisy for my liking!

[PEDJ 0]