Interview With Big Mac

[Paul Smith 0]

1st up for this new round of DJU Interviews is BigMac - have a good read and then ask further questions or comment below...

 

 

 

1. What is your DJU Forum Alias?

 

Big Mac, Chubby Chaser

 

 

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

In Tescos, I'm Bob McKenzie, 38 years young and living in non-coastal staffordshire. I'm very married with a pretty angel :love: and 3 pudgey cherubs Billy, Willow and Aryadne

 

 

3. What is the Name of your Disco?

I run two seperate discos Flash-Back , a retro 70's show and Perfect Weddings for big posh jobs.

 

 

4. How long have you been a DJ? I've been dj'ing on and off for about 15 years now and full time for the last 4 years.

 

5. What inspired you to become a DJ?

I was a night-club bouncer and even crappist dj's ever still got way more money than we did with no grief. I kept all the drunks away from them and they just played to fade & got laid ! HMmm I could do that better, I'm at least sober and clean. so I did !

 

 

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

I dj full time and hold down another full time job which is really hard going sometimes, but having lots of contact which non-punters is good - cuz i keep intouch with the real world and get normal conversations

 

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

I love doing weddings and look forward to each one, its a real buzz and your making a difference to their day that they will remember long after my wife has spent the fee !

 

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

I've played the wrong first dance, it was track 6 not 9 ooops ! worst gig ever though was just a few months ago.

I was asked for a mic for the Bestman Speech. He staggered forward and proudly announced that the groom was a lucky t~@t as the fat bride was the best s#@g he had ever had. then walk out with my mic never to be seen again ! :rant:

 

 

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 of never used Bobby Dazzler as a stage name again, it haunted me for years and lost me work. I'd buy a van on day one instead of hiring for each gig. that must of been thousands wasted.

 

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

THe bloke next door is an AA mechanic and doesn't DJ so i dont mend cars. I also sing, dance, perform, tell poor jokes, balloon modell, table magic, face paint, play games and have kit that makes most DJ's cringe with embarrassment and shame.

 

 

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

I went to themed wedding and the couple were very strict that EVERY ONE had to come as Cowboys and Indians so I went as Ghandi and My Techie went as a Cockney Plumber. Oh dear, they would not let us in so our money was wasted going to hire new custumes!

 

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

 

some new revo3 by ADJ . we have two but NEED more !

 

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

 

A reliable robot roadie / techie / driver with good timing would by a sound investment, or a sturdy folding ladder rack goalpost :scared:

 

 

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

 

I once had 2 soundlab speakers go down on me during a wedding, luckily very near the end. but they still kicked off big time at me even though there were 4 other playing fine on stage. THey just wanted to find a reason not to pay really !

 

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

 

Easy one £50 an hour.

 

 

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

 

I miss my kids falling asleep on me and carrying them to bed. Snogging my angel and early nights.

 

 

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

 

Death would make it difficult :aa

 

 

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

 

i think pcdj will be the main and only media and LEDs will open up new lighter worlds of play

 

 

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

 

Everyone here loves Rolf Harris Man ! bang it on ! Now !

 

 

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

 

Get a good powerful Signiture Song and play it every night !

 

21. And worst advice you were ever given?

 

Just Be yourself ! i'm bi-polar.

 

 

22. How do you keep up to date with music? (eg Promo monthly CDs, Downloads, Purchase from retailer) Mix miester Cds and bbc charts website prove handy

 

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

The Cha-Cha Slide, I'm in the mood for dancing, simply the best. Easy, Job done. It covers most girls from 20 to 60 and they are my target audience to get new / repeat bookings. :toot:

 

 

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

 

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

I use CD but take a back up of DVD supercompiles with Sunfly 8 player , a mp3/4 player and a Laptop just in case. I cover every chance i can as I mostly do hi-end weddings.

 

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

Some of the kids games ideas have been brilliant for us before the disco starts, the client know they havent payed for it, so it value added and get return bookings.

 

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

 

I played/ mixed live on stage at Staffordshite county Festival in front of 10,000, what a rush then the stage started to collapse ! county council Bodgers ! :sad:

 

 

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

My best form of advertising is my boots kilt and ghillie shirt. I wear it anywhere and every where. and give out hundreds out business cards to anyone who talks, smiles , looks at me. this really works well for me. ! tongue out icon

 

 

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

 

Wdja dont want me ! oh ! im in musician union, Equity and Nadj, mostly for insurance reasons tbh.

 

 

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

My favorite track that people know me for is La Bomba by King Africa , I do a crazy dance to it and always finish with Nelly the Elephant. They love it but i cant think why .

 

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

 

I do between 80 and 100 gigs a year, last year i did 86 and I got about 120 this year already but I really pushed the agents around.

 

 

32. What is your average charge for a booking?

 

We charge £250 for a normal sized wedding at a sensible distance. I think that if your too cheap people will look else where for a professional DJ for their big day.

 

 

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

 

I have about 25,000 on cd, a 150,000 on supercompile DVD and another 450,000 tracks on pc/laptop

 

 

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

I had a drunk stumble into to my 20u mixer-desk a few years ago and knock some cds and cases off, he said sorry and then i got a letter from his solicitor claiming a trip injury from my cables,

 

We sent abrief letter back by my legal reps at Pavillion insurance stating the cable port is at the back where the DJ stands and that he is making a fraudulent claim and we are counter claiming for the damage to my cases and CDs. they dropped their claim and so did we. :wall:

 

 

35. What is your favourite music genre?

 

GlamrockRules.

I love rock and Rock.

Put another dime in the duke box baby ! then dance with me !

 

 

well thats all i know

Love and light

Big Mac

 

 

 

[Dream Catchers 0]

Good interview Bob :toot:

 

Just one question, what name do you use for NADJ? I can't find you on that?

 

Jim

[Dukesy 0]

Great read! :Thumbup:

[Gary (GDK) 0]

enjoyable read. dare i ask what song u played after he knciked the mic?

[supersound dj 0]

Good read

 

think the song wudda been Baby Come back - Equals

 

Paul

 

 

[Dream Catchers 0]

Silence is golden :bouncy:

 

Jim

[Ste Owens 0]

Good read, enjoyed it!

 

 

[Cheesey1975 0]

Im impressed

 

Good read !!!!!

 

 

[Mattaious 0]

Excellent Read!