Valueless Requests.

[Gary 0]

Every so often a request comes in which may be for a song that we'd forgotton about, or not played for a while, or just hadn't dug out for that evening which, when played, both invigorates the dancefloor, and at the same time restores our faith in human nature and the guests or hosts choice of music.

 

Yes, some requests are worth a million bonus points. In stark contrast however, other requests come in, which are quite the opposite - indeed, they are quite likely to cost us, the DJ, in terms of credibility.

 

When you think about it, at a typical wedding (and gag your PC mouse, those about to pipe up with "None of my weddings could ever be called typical"…), you could be playing around 5 hours of music in the evening - perhaps 7pm 'til Midnight. If you take away the 30-40 minutes of early evening (wear-the-kids-out-early-to-stop-them-sliding-all-over-the-dancefloor-later) "kids disco" and 20-30 mins of buffet background music etc, you could be looking at more like 4 hours, and only 60 tracks, or less.

 

Therefore, it's easy to see that a playing a useless track wastes precious time.

 

Whilst I don't have many pre-conceived ideas of what tracks score higher, or lower than others - there are certain requests that people ask for which just scream out as "valueless".

 

Other requests, such as "Anything by…" score almost as badly to me - these strike me as someone just something that someone wants to tap their toes, or nod their neck to at their table, due to the diversity of the tracks that such an ambiguous request could yield - besides, its odds law that says that you'll play some modern, fast, boppy track by their choosen artist, only for the requestee to come up at 1-minute past your ending time, explaining that they would in fact have prefered one of that artists early day ballads.

 

So, what are the valueless requests that are specific enough to mention both the song title and the artist? Well… I'll start, you lot follow-on…

 

"Please play -Like a virgin- for the Bride…."

 

 

"Can you play -Billy Idol- White Wedding…"

 

 

"Stick on, Elton - I wanna kiss the bride- will yer!"

 

 

"My name is Roger (yeah right!) - can you play that Electric 6 song about the bar, and dedicate it to me…" (you just know that the one person in the room that is NOT called the name that they've said, is the one person, standing in front of you, claiming that that IS their name).

 

 

 

Or the one I got a month or so ago…

 

"Can yer play -Ruby Ruby Ruby-, coz my dog's called Ruby…?"

(True, the track at the time was going down well, but how about 5 or 10 years time?)

 

 

 

What are the other cliché requests that you get, that really just aren't worth more than a few seconds of airtime?

 

[milhouse 0]

Was playing the latest single by Lily Allen in a bar last week. I had just got there and started playing, it was my 3rd song - the bar wasn't busy yet and I was just getting 'sorted', talking to the manager etc, as you do.

 

A 30-something fat woman comes up to me and goes "Have you got anything decent, not this sh:cense: that you're playing now?" in a very obnoxious voice.

 

Me: "What would you like?"

 

Woman: "Well, have you got anything by Lily Allen? this is :cense:"

 

I showed her the CD cover of the currently playing Lily Allen track, but did not say anything.

 

Woman: "Yeah Yeah that one"

 

Me: "That one's playing now, dear."

 

Woman: "Oh, have you got anything else?"

 

I hate the general public. :Thumbup:

Edited August 9, 2007 by JonWhittaker

[Secret Disco 0]

Was playing the latest single by Lily Allen in a bar last week. I had just got there and started playing, it was my 3rd song - the bar wasn't busy yet and I was just getting 'sorted', talking to the manager etc, as you do.

 

A 30-something fat woman comes up to me and goes "Have you got anything decent, not this sh:cense: that you're playing now?" in a very obnoxious voice.

 

Me: "What would you like?"

 

Woman: "Well, have you got anything by Lily Allen? this is :cense:"

 

I showed her the CD cover of the currently playing Lily Allen track, but did not say anything.

 

Woman: "Yeah Yeah that one"

 

Me: "That one's playing now, dear."

 

Woman: "Oh, have you got anything else?"

 

I hate the general public.

 

NO she was just a big fat useless woman who was there to spoil your night big chap

" The patron saint of Fish and Chips"

Her husband is the Village idiot and we have to play and educate these peopl........no sorry THINGS !!!!

I bet she rocked back and forward in her seat when you played her song......the things you see when you havent got a gun.

NEXT !!!!!!

 

[C.S 0]

As long as you are not a club dj doing specialist sets then you put yourself in the position where you have to play requests. You put out requests slips etc then you are inviting people to make requests and they can be worthless to you but important to them. Who made the dj a god who decides whats good and whats bad? And what are the consequences of playing such a request at eg a wedding ? you lose the dancefloor perhaps ? What a tragedy,it will take you at least one record to get them back. Unfortunately the a4 way of playing music means that 100s of djs now play more or less the same tracks at every gig,no matter what,but at least they have full dancefloors of people who just shrug their shoulders and say " its a wedding ,we cant expect any better"

[Dukesy 0]

Agree, I can see what CS is saying here

[Tonsk 0]

I agree with what CS says too, but I also disagree..

 

I do play similar songs week in week out - is this reading a dancefloor? Possibly because I know what will work and in what order to keep it full or people dancing....

 

If someone asks me for a track that they love, but won't "fit in" with a party atmosphere (Hotel California for example was requested last weekend - great song to sing in the car too, rubbish in the middle of a party/dance set) then I will ignore the request.....

 

Why? I know I'm not god, and what I think is irrelevant to a lot of people, but the hirer is booking ME to get the party going and investing in me and my experience...

 

If they wanted someone that would play any song requested and in any order, then they would have gotten an IPod.....

 

Just my thoughts though....

Edited August 10, 2007 by Tonsk

[digitaldistortion 0]

I agree with what CS says too, but I also disagree..

 

I do play similar songs week in week out - is this reading a dancefloor? Possibly because I know what will work and in what order to keep it full or people dancing....

 

If someone asks me for a track that they love, but won't "fit in" with a party atmosphere (Hotel California for example was requested last weekend - great song to sing in the car too, rubbish in the middle of a party/dance set) then I will ignore the request.....

 

Why? I know I'm not god, and what I think is irrelevant to a lot of people, but the hirer is booking ME to get the party going and investing in me and my experience...

 

If they wanted someone that would play any song requested and in any order, then they would have gotten an IPod.....

 

Just my thoughts though....

 

I would tend to agree with Tonsk...I think Gary is correct in his thinking, as is CS, but CS puts his thoughts a little too literally.

 

It's somewhere inbetween, and I for one do ask that people make requests...I also clearly state that making a request does NOT constitute a contract and that the final arbiter is MOI!

 

 

[DJ SPARKO 0]

What are the other cliché requests that you get, that really just aren't worth more than a few seconds of airtime?

 

was asked last week well mivered to play ball room blitz so i played it near the end as the floor was pretty good throughout the night and didnt want to risk a clearance as i wasent sure how it would go down well after many requests over and over again by the same woman i played it.... guess what happened

 

 

 

but i saved the day by getting them back up any how smile icon

 

 

 

 

 

p.s.

The patron saint of Fish and Chips

 

 

:bouncy:

 

 

cracking one liner

[C.S 0]

what formal qualifications do any of us have that show we know better than the next man what is a suitable request and what is not ? What makes you think that everyone thinks its so important to have a full dancefloor?

[digitaldistortion 0]

what formal qualifications do any of us have that show we know better than the next man what is a suitable request and what is not ? What makes you think that everyone thinks its so important to have a full dancefloor?

 

Absolutely none...thats not the point!

 

Any maybe you don't measure the GENERAL success of your gig to be how filled the dancefloor...here it's usually a good indication.

 

Whats the equivalent in Norway then......a pile of fish heads?

 

And yes...I do know that you are a Brit and used to work here....maybe you been too long in Scandinavia....and I DO know what the clubs are like there...liver there for over 15 years all told!

 

[kenny wisdom 0]

Well, I don't take myself too seriously in this game, it's only about spinning someone else's tunes, but on the whole I see my job as creating a good party atmosphere and that atmosphere should have mass appeal.

 

I can't think of any inappropriate songs, as per the threads theme, but I can think of many songs that were requested at inappropriate moments - someone asking for Dr. Hook in the middle of a dance set, that type of thing. I feel bad if I can't play everything people want, but it always comes down to timing, and having enough time. I won't sacrifice a good dance floor just to be a good guy - to be honest, it's often a case of mob rule!

 

I detest more random CD-R's being thrust in my hands with requests to play off them. I won't do that. At a wedding last Saturday, where I actually knew a lot of the guests I had some new Bryan Ferry download shoved in my hand - 1) I haven't heard any of it 2) I don't agree with piracy. The person giving it to me just said any track will do, they're all good. Well, that was his opinion. I wasn't going to take that risk to satisfy the whims of one guest only.

 

Had he come up to me early on, I might have sampled a few tracks, made a decision, played him his song and then give him back his CD.

[C.S 0]

Absolutely none...thats not the point!

 

Any maybe you don't measure the GENERAL success of your gig to be how filled the dancefloor...here it's usually a good indication.

 

Whats the equivalent in Norway then......a pile of fish heads?

 

And yes...I do know that you are a Brit and used to work here....maybe you been too long in Scandinavia....and I DO know what the clubs are like there...liver there for over 15 years all told!

 

 

 

Yep thats the point ,we arent qualified and therefore calling other peoples requests valueless is wrong. what works in Norway aint going to work in the uk as what works in Plymouth dont work in Newcastle. I dont feel i could do a gig in the uk and i do find it a bit sad that you chose to have a dig or two at me with your "maybe you have been here in scandinavia" too long comment. If you had lived in Norway then you would have known that a pile of fish heads was not an alternative, we were not talking about club gigs either we were talking about weddings. You obviously feel that you are at the centre of the universe and thats ok by me. Yes a dancefloor is a good way of judging a successful evening but i was just fielding an opinion that was to make people think a little. Shame you couldnt respect that and continue the thread in such a way that it could be of benifit to other people. Perhaps the amount of work you have is also a way of judging what a good job you do. Unfortunately as you chose to take it to the level you have i shall withdraw from the discussion

 

Last thought before i go , at a wedding gig i would assume that there is a larger percentage of people not dancing than those who are. Does that mean its a bad gig ?

Edited August 10, 2007 by C.S

[danger mouse 0]

put your hand bags away! try to play requests , try to fit them in if its a different style when you can . overrule if you think your going to get a fair or lot of grief if you think its going to go down like a lead balloon, my opinion ,

[Gary 0]

One key factor here is that when people at a party make a request its simply that.

 

It's a request...

 

...not a demand.

 

(unless its the bride, the groom, the paying organiser etc... it's almost literally the old saying of "He who pays the piper, calls the tune" - just with less puff - in some cases).

 

Whilst lofty comments might query us as being of deity status, we have, usually by contract been put in charge of the music - thats part of what we're there for. We've been told to paint the event with atmosphere and our colours are the music - if someone yells that some psychedelic purple paint is what they want, in amongst the pastel shades that everyone else is enjoying, someone needs to step in, before one persons preference taints the overall atmosphere.

 

In more day-to-day (or should that be night-to-night) terms, it's not uncommon for me to get more requests in than can be played in the time remaining - and we all love those requests that come in from customers 3 minutes before the end of the night, don't we.

 

For example - on nights where we've got say 30 requests (2 hours of music) and only 1.5 hours left to go, then around 6 requests are simply not going to get played - unless we start ruthlessly chopping and splicing tracks to the call of "Oi !!! we were dancin' to that. Where's the rest of it?". Anyone gonna suggest that the 6 tracks to be rejected (or smitten by a lighting bolt, perhaps) get selected by using a blindfold and a pin?... no, I suspect that most of us, indeed probably nearly all of us would look at all 30 requests and start valueing them- "thats a good crowd pleaser", "I'll save this one for the slowies", "this one gets people yelling for it to be turned off", "these 3 will go together well", "this ones the same genre that they liked lots earlier", "this ones by the group that the bride likes, and its a good sing-a-long track too", "this is very slow, not sing-a-long, not dancy, not romantic...I'm ditching it"...etc. A process of elimination.

 

Other alternatives might be to write the time that the request was made (10:03) and work on a "first come - first served" basis. I could see that this process might be seen as very fair, but what if great requests come in after terrible ones - "Sorry, we dont have time to play Somebody Elses Guy, coz we played Crazy Frog...".

Suddenly the clocks been put in charge?

 

 

Back onto the titled topic - perhaps we should call them Joke requests, rather than valueless requests. Lets consider the 4 minutes of playing Madonna - "Like a virgin" when its been dedicated to the bride.

 

Scenario #1) "The go along with it, hook line and sinker" route.

 

DJ: "And now everyone we've been asked to play a track for Barbara the Bride. This track has been dedicated to her by Tracy, Sharon, Davina, Hanna, Sara and all her girlfriends from her Hen night, with the message --enjoy yourself later tonight with Howard, your hubby... here's "Like a Virgin". (Presses PLAY).

 

All the mentioned requestors cheer - The bride swoons and rolls her eyes, Tracy, Sharon, Davina etc all laugh at/with her etc. 30 seconds later - the jokes gone.

 

3 and a half minutes later, the joke song/request ends.

 

 

Scenario #2) "The get the cheesy joke out the way and move on" route.

 

DJ: "And now everyone we've been asked to play a track for Barbara the Bride. This track has been dedicated to her by Tracy, Sharon, Davina, Hanna, Sara and all her girlfriends from her Hen night, with the message --enjoy yourself later tonight with Howard, your hubby... it's Madonna's "Like a Virgin"...

 

Play the first few bars - the first few lyrics - All the mentioned requestors cheer - The bride swoons and rolls her eyes, Tracy, Sharon, Davina etc all laugh at/with her etc. 30 seconds later - the jokes gone.

then...(if no-ones interested) - go for...

 

DJ "But Barbara, to save you feeling any more embarrassed on your big day, we've got a great track here...it's...

 

and move on with the requests where the whole song will have value.

 

 

 

[Dukesy 0]

The way your painting the picture Gary ( ) could imply that as a DJ, we are an artist, that music is the texture and that we can blend or mix that texture on our pallet of equipment to an audience, pretty much as what other 'artists' would do?

 

I'll explain further. DJing is indeed conceptual and focused and like art, DJing uses textures and mixes like one would with a collage to make new textures so essentially, it should be considered no less as an art form; considering that painters, photographers, musicians and composers are all artists that have learned a skill, the sophistication of the 'DJ' can equally capture something unique which can be made available to an audience which is what was put to the Secretary of State recently.... but I suppose this is detracting from the initial post and thread topic :ads:

 

 

One key factor here is that when people at a party make a request its simply that.

 

It's a request...

 

...not a demand.

 

Well, to a point... but it would depend on a lot of factors really Gaz. Already elsewhere in the threads, the perception of the 'mobile DJ' is varied both publicly and also within the profession.

Where one type of DJ performs regularly at just one type of venue to that of another who performs all over the place for different occasions may find variance and not just in attitude towards!

I see what you are saying but the ability to give so much attention to a subject which keeps it steadily in the mind, till we have surveyed it accurately on all sides is one thing, but sometimes being a little, dare I say (with respect) 'deep' on such things may turn up unexpected answers...

 

 

BTW - There are all sorts of sayings and famous quotes that one can use to reflect on so here's just three more I find as a source of inspiration - from time to time...

 

1) We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.

2) There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.

3) Only a fool :poo: where he eats.

[Norfolk DJ 0]

I agree with what CS says too, but I also disagree..

 

I do play similar songs week in week out - is this reading a dancefloor? Possibly because I know what will work and in what order to keep it full or people dancing....

 

If someone asks me for a track that they love, but won't "fit in" with a party atmosphere (Hotel California for example was requested last weekend - great song to sing in the car too, rubbish in the middle of a party/dance set) then I will ignore the request.....

 

Why? I know I'm not god, and what I think is irrelevant to a lot of people, but the hirer is booking ME to get the party going and investing in me and my experience...

 

If they wanted someone that would play any song requested and in any order, then they would have gotten an IPod.....

 

Just my thoughts though....

 

 

agree with Tonsk here.You can get caught out though. eg an obscure request could be a family song or college song from the bride or grooms past, and a floor filler, but just on that occasion, so soem caution is required.

 

[Secret Disco 0]

DJing is an ART

Lets break it down here friends

You're job initially is to make people dance, as well as entertain the wee guy/girlie who's hanging onto the bar tapping their feet to the beat of the music (trust me, their being entertained)

Now when i first started DJing, i was a snotty nosed little kid of 13 pooing my pants when people got up to dance.

At first it was a game for me to see how long i could keep them up there.

From that it lead into how far could i push them into doing things whilst dancing e.g. singing, funny dances, taking their clothes off etc.

This is where we tend to split using the "Peter Kay Parody of a DJ"

Can the public make out what we're saying over the Mic

Silly question i know, but would the public or bar staff tell you at the end of the night " you were brilliant big man......but we couldn't make out a :aa thing you were saying.

OR

they can make out what you're saying but.....you never shut up :shaun:

The Requests:

Now i know this will come to a bit of a shock to you BUT DJ's are just human the same as everyone else.

They can have their off nights the same as anyone else doing another job.

The basics of taking requests is a big can of worms, sometimes , if your a club DJ, you simply don't take requests.

Whereas the poor mobile jock makes his bread and butter taking requests at Weddings, Birthdays etc

There is a few ways to handle these.

1/ "Play Safe" and only play the ones you personally think will hold you're floor.

2/"The Sandwich" play a hot track, mixed in with "The Guffy One", then play another belter hence holding the floor.

3/"Russian Roulette" play all their requests and watch you're dancefloor crash and burn. ALL the guests leave and ITS ALL YOUR FAULT Boo Hoo

An Ex-Julianas Jock once told me "It's not what you play....It's the way that you play it".

At the time i thought he was heavily medicated or he had some strange talcum powder hanging from his nose :ads:

But when you think it over, its all true.

We are the chosen ones

IT'S AN ART

Be careful out there.

 

[Dukesy 0]

"It's not what you play....It's the way that you play it".

Music is universal...presentation is everything.

[Norfolk DJ 0]

Music is universal...presentation is everything.

 

true, but some requests just don't fall into this, and like some have said, are valueless. It's what we oldtimers call 'lounge or car music'.

[old soul 0]

Is a full dance floor always the guage for a good evening though?

 

Never done a gig when you've worked your proverbials off all night, felt everybody hated you, never had more than 25% dancing, and then had a stream of people coming up saying what a great night it was at the end?

 

P.S. I never (well rarely dance at discos, and will still enjoy them, my wife might dance all night yet say it was poo)

[C.S 0]

:scared:

DJing is an ART

job.

We are the chosen ones

IT'S AN ART

Be careful out there.

 

 

Been standing too close to the fire Jim? , its an art ! its especially a high form of art introducing ymca for uncle bobs 60s birthday ! No mixing , no sampling but art ! Dont agree ! I decided to hop back in despite being told that i had been in scandinavia too long !(quite true). I had a problem at a wedding a few weeks back where one side of the room wanted trance and the otherside of the room wanted polka and the ones who thought i was an artist wanted anything new, I basically stopped the music and informed everyone that for the rest of the evening i was going to play 15 minute sets of both kind of music followed by 15 minutes of requests and if they heard music they didnt like then they had 15 minutes to go out and smoke,have sex,fight,buy a drink , discuss the art of the juke box :scared: ,how long someone should be allowed to live in scandinavia before you lose the right to an opinion on a uk forum :shaun: tongue out icon or how mad firemen are :ouch: . Anyway the rest of the night worked really well and i do agree ,you can play anything but its how and when you play it that decides if it will work or not.!

Edited August 11, 2007 by C.S

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

I won't play requests thare are hopeless ones. No point.

[rictic 0]

i'll play them if i think they will fit, or if not if its a decent tune i'll make a small set around it. sounds daft but it works for me ,sometimes a sudden change can keep people on their toes so to speak, it can also backfire, but with a little bit of thought and inventiveness it can seamlessly segue into a cracking little set.

[Secret Disco 0]

:scared:

Been standing too close to the fire Jim? , its an art ! its especially a high form of art introducing ymca for uncle bobs 60s birthday ! No mixing , no sampling but art ! Dont agree ! I decided to hop back in despite being told that i had been in scandinavia too long !(quite true). I had a problem at a wedding a few weeks back where one side of the room wanted trance and the otherside of the room wanted polka and the ones who thought i was an artist wanted anything new, I basically stopped the music and informed everyone that for the rest of the evening i was going to play 15 minute sets of both kind of music followed by 15 minutes of requests and if they heard music they didnt like then they had 15 minutes to go out and smoke,have sex,fight,buy a drink , discuss the art of the juke box :scared: ,how long someone should be allowed to live in scandinavia before you lose the right to an opinion on a uk forum :shaun: tongue out icon or how mad firemen are :ouch: . Anyway the rest of the night worked really well and i do agree ,you can play anything but its how and when you play it that decides if it will work or not.!

 

 

CS you've been drinking that norwegian moonshine again..............i've never heard so much dribble.

DJing is an ART, not only for reading your dancefloor but also to inject the funnier side of life, hence people enjoy themselves more. Even more so when the DJ knows what he's doing

I cant beleive you stopped the music to explain to your public that you didnt know what to do and were comfused with diffrent genres of music TUT TUT.

The juke box subject is on another thread...if you dont understand it i will EXPLAIN IT SLLLLLLLOOOOOOWLY for you if you want.

On a more personal note, drop the firefighting stuff its getting a bit boring and i'm sure the general public appreciated what i did for 8 years of my life, but its back to the DJng life for me now AMEN

DJing is very much an art, and even with todays technoligy, the cheesy DJ will reign supreme.

BBC2 are looking for one more contestant for "grumpy old men" chris ,i've given them your number

Get off your high horse wee man and stop dribbling out the side of your mouth.

[TonyB 0]

I don't think there is a one answer fits all reply to the original post. Every gig is different and I always make every effort to play every request within the given constraints of time limits and suitability of the request.

 

Sometimes there are period when the dance floor empties and you can play some of the less suitable requests before banging out the next floorfiller or slot them in during a quiet time such as the buffet. Other times with the best will in the world, you can't play everything thats requested but you can only do your best.