Interview With Jamesareback

[Paul Smith 0]

Another new member has decided the best way you can get to know him is to take part in a DJU interview ..

 

1. What is your DJU Forum Alias?

 

Jamesareback

 

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

 

Mike, 31, Manchester, Married.

 

3. What is the Name of your Disco?

 

Lose Control Disco

 

4. How long have you been a DJ?

 

Just over a year now about 15 Months.

 

5. What inspired you to become a DJ?

 

I have always been into Muisc and have wanted to be a DJ since I was about 15, I spent 12 years as a Bingo Caller before deciding to pursue a career in DJing.

 

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

 

Im now full time and having the time of my life.

 

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

 

I tend to like doing Weddings now because of the variety of Music.

 

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

 

Probably when I was having an 'Interesting' conversation with a Female guest at one function I realized I had not turned the Microphone off (it was a headset one) it got a few laughs though.

 

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)

 

Err... maybe I would have bought better equipment I just wanted to get the stuff I needed, I just added to my gear regularly.

 

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

 

Personality, Choice of Music, Experience of entertaining.

 

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

 

I once bought some T-Max Lighting effects and they only covered the Buffet Table in front of the stage it looked awful.

 

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

 

More Speakers/Amp.

 

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

 

A Magic Wand that packs away the equipment.

 

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

 

My Software once crashed (Virtual Dj) and made a terrible sound I just Muted the sound and carried on using cd player.

 

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

 

Meeting different people, seeing people enjoying themselves and knowing you made that happen.

 

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

 

Silly requests 'play something good', when people dont dance.

 

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

 

My Health

 

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

 

Don't really know I guess it will go completly digital and the set ups will be much smaller.

 

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

 

'Nobody likes that song' when in fact there must have been 100 people on the floor dancing to it.

 

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

 

Announce last song about half hour before you intend to finish then this gives you time for the 'just one more' requests.

 

21. And worst advice you were ever given?

 

Don't play requests.

 

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

 

Usually I buy the latest compilation cds I have a 15 year old step child who tells me what to buy.

 

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

 

Tina Turner - Simply the Best

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with somebody.

 

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

 

Get all the advice you can and listen to it.

 

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

 

I use a Hard Drive and cds mostly.

 

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

 

Im a new member but I have been looking at the advice on here and most of it sounds helpful such as the interacting walking around getting requests sounds like a good PR exercise.

 

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

 

Best Gig was a friends Wedding where everyone was dancing all night and at the end I got so many enqiries and I got a few bookings from that. Worst one was an 18th where only about 20 people turned up and they all asked for hardcore rock music I had a headache at the end of the night.

 

28. Apart from 'Word of Mouth' what is your main (most successful) form of advertising your disco?

 

My Website generates a lot of buisness for me.

 

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

 

Not Yet.

 

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

 

Since finding this forum I have learned a lot and will put a lot of it into practice, I think if you can get a lot of tips and try to fit each one into your show without copying it will make me a better DJ.

 

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

 

In my first year I did about 50 then I decided to go full time because I enjoyed it better than my job, I would like to just be busy most weekends.

 

32. What is your average charge for a booking?

 

£150 - £200

 

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

 

Dont know I have been collecting Music since I was a kid id say a few thousand.

 

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

 

No and I hope I never do!!!

 

35. What is your favourite music genre?

 

Im a big fan of the Madchester scene favourite band is James.

 

[soundsgood 0]

Another new member has decided the best way you can get to know him is to take part in a DJU interview ..

 

1. What is your DJU Forum Alias?

 

Jamesareback

 

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

 

Mike, 31, Manchester, Married.

 

3. What is the Name of your Disco?

 

Lose Control Disco

 

4. How long have you been a DJ?

 

Just over a year now about 15 Months.

 

5. What inspired you to become a DJ?

 

I have always been into Muisc and have wanted to be a DJ since I was about 15, I spent 12 years as a Bingo Caller before deciding to pursue a career in DJing.

 

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

 

Im now full time and having the time of my life.

 

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

 

I tend to like doing Weddings now because of the variety of Music.

 

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

 

Probably when I was having an 'Interesting' conversation with a Female guest at one function I realized I had not turned the Microphone off (it was a headset one) it got a few laughs though.

 

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)

 

Err... maybe I would have bought better equipment I just wanted to get the stuff I needed, I just added to my gear regularly.

 

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

 

Personality, Choice of Music, Experience of entertaining.

 

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

 

I once bought some T-Max Lighting effects and they only covered the Buffet Table in front of the stage it looked awful.

 

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

 

More Speakers/Amp.

 

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

 

A Magic Wand that packs away the equipment.

 

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

 

My Software once crashed (Virtual Dj) and made a terrible sound I just Muted the sound and carried on using cd player.

 

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

 

Meeting different people, seeing people enjoying themselves and knowing you made that happen.

 

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

 

Silly requests 'play something good', when people dont dance.

 

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

 

My Health

 

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

 

Don't really know I guess it will go completly digital and the set ups will be much smaller.

 

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

 

'Nobody likes that song' when in fact there must have been 100 people on the floor dancing to it.

 

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

 

Announce last song about half hour before you intend to finish then this gives you time for the 'just one more' requests.

 

21. And worst advice you were ever given?

 

Don't play requests.

 

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

 

Usually I buy the latest compilation cds I have a 15 year old step child who tells me what to buy.

 

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

 

Tina Turner - Simply the Best

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with somebody.

 

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

 

Get all the advice you can and listen to it.

 

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

 

I use a Hard Drive and cds mostly.

 

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

 

Im a new member but I have been looking at the advice on here and most of it sounds helpful such as the interacting walking around getting requests sounds like a good PR exercise.

 

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

 

Best Gig was a friends Wedding where everyone was dancing all night and at the end I got so many enqiries and I got a few bookings from that. Worst one was an 18th where only about 20 people turned up and they all asked for hardcore rock music I had a headache at the end of the night.

 

28. Apart from 'Word of Mouth' what is your main (most successful) form of advertising your disco?

 

My Website generates a lot of buisness for me.

 

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

 

Not Yet.

 

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

 

Since finding this forum I have learned a lot and will put a lot of it into practice, I think if you can get a lot of tips and try to fit each one into your show without copying it will make me a better DJ.

 

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

 

In my first year I did about 50 then I decided to go full time because I enjoyed it better than my job, I would like to just be busy most weekends.

 

32. What is your average charge for a booking?

 

£150 - £200

 

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

 

Dont know I have been collecting Music since I was a kid id say a few thousand.

 

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

 

No and I hope I never do!!!

 

35. What is your favourite music genre?

 

Im a big fan of the Madchester scene favourite band is James.

nice read mmmmmmm just wondering how interesing the conversation was lol or colorfull as the case may be :)

[kevvyb 0]

where in manchester are you mate? i could do with popping in on one of you gigs cos i am fairly new ..just a though!!