Interview With Dave Moody

[Paul Smith 0]

Next in the hot seat - Dave Moody. Read, enjoy & ask even more questions ....

 

1. What is your DJU Forum Alias?

Not very original as its davemoody

 

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

What a surprise my real name is David Moody, 41, Staffordshire and Married

 

3. What is the Name of your Disco?

The last few years we have been known as DJM PROMOTIONS

 

 

4. How long have you been a DJ?

Too long! Started out in about 1984 so about 24 years

 

5. What inspired you to become a DJ?

By accident really. Was at a family wedding and the DJ was having problems with his gear and I volunteered to give him a hand. He let me have a go for half an hour (unheard of nowadays) but I think he was a bit cheesed off. Sort of got the bug since then really.

 

 

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

I am a part time DJ. Just weekends for me. My day job if you can call it that is I look after my 2 year old daughter 2 days a week and the rest of the week I am at University studying for a Graphics and Illustration MA degree

 

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

I mostly do weddings now as I enjoy playing a mix of music. I did do a 21st a few months ago and absolutely hated it!

 

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

Bit of a difficult one this…..The most embarrassing has to be on one new years eve. Doing the countdown…..7…6….5…and then the whole place plunged in to darkness. A power cut with the whole hotel completely without power. A lot of not very happy punters and everybody blaming each other.

 

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)

Everything is fine with hindsight but the main things I would do differently now would be better promotion and not rely on just giving out leaflets and word of mouth. Also purchasing better quality equipment but saying that it all comes down to cashflow in the beginning

 

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

Not being big headed at all but they are buying my personality. Most of us have similar looking rigs these days so you have to sell yourself (not in a bad way!). Its about how you present yourself and your whole professional demeanour.

 

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

How long have you got! Off the top of my head probably expensive lasers and then never being able to use smoke machines in the hotels I play. Also stuff from cheaper manufacturers just to get by but then they only last a few weeks so false economy in the end.

 

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

Not quite sure. Was going to buy some LED lights but they are a bit overated and everyone is buying them at the moment. Have been looking at a new amplifier, either the Behringer 2500 or the Peavey 2500W versions. Need a bit more oomph!

 

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

I would get someone to design me an all in one light. Would have to be lightweight and be about 4ft long and fix to the overhead bar and contain a couple of scanners, couple of LED effects, centre effect. Would make setting up so much easier and quicker.

 

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

Worst has to be at a wedding in Northamptonshire. Was at a sailing club in the middle of nowhere. All running fine until everything went dead. Place was run off a generator and it had blown all my power supplies. Club denied responsibility but luckily a friend of a friend had some equipment and he brought it down for me to use. It was a pile of rubbish and that kept switching off every 10 minutes or so. The mic never worked and we had no lights. Funny enough I have never played there again!!

 

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

The best thing has to be a full floor of happy guests dancing away, you change the track and then more come and join them dancing. Plus when you get a round of applause at the end of the night you know you have done your job right.

 

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

For me has to be dealing with the occasional idiot who thinks he can do better. Setting up and packing away and the long hours driving up and down the motorways at god knows what time in the morning.

 

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

To be honest I am packing it all in next year. Next New Years Eve 2009 is going to be my last ever gig. I will have finished my course by then and I am going to work full time either for an agency of as a freelance designer.

 

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

Looking in to my crystal ball I predict that because of the music industry at the moment and what people listen to, I think that the mobile DJ is going to find it harder to get gigs. There will always be the specialist mix DJ's in clubs but as for weddings, bands are charging less and lets be honest, good live music is always going to be better. Equipment is getting cheaper so more younger people are having a go at being a DJ and unfortunately this is diluting the market and making it more competitive for everybody when it comes to price. The phrase 'less is more' does not apply.

 

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

Again, take your pick……

'Hello, I do a bit of DJ'ing and was wondering if I can have a go?'

' I want you to play ***** and I want it on next'

'Can I have a look through your music because I know what will get everyone dancing'

 

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

Don't take it personally. We all have bad nights occasionally and just do your best on every gig.

 

21. And worst advice you were ever given?

'You want to talk more, get some banter going. Tell a few jokes and take the micky out of the guests, they love it' Unfortunately this is true and was said a few years ago now. Funnily enough he doesn't DJ anymore!

 

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

Used to buy the lastest mastermix but now I just buy the odd single from Itunes and the NOW cd's. I get asked for the same requests most weeks so stopped buying any promo stuff to be honest.

 

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

These are always going to be subjective as we all have different trigger tracks but mine at a wedding which have never failed (touching wood)

Barry White – My First, My Last, My Everything

The Velvelettes – Needle In A haystack

The Jam – Town Called Malice

 

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

Always try and play some of the clients requests, no matter how strange they may be. Always dress smart, be punctual and above all look like you are enjoying yourself all night.

 

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

Still use CD's mainly with a laptop for a backup. It's got all the number ones on it, all the classic cuts and a basic database on it so I can quickly search for requests.

 

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

Not really. The only one I can think of is a topic about ohms law and how to work out the wattage needed to run your rig safely from a generator.

 

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

I can't really single one out off the top of my head but I think a gig where you haven't been looking forward to it for some reason and then you have an amazing night.

The worst ones for me have been, sorry to say it but, ones in pubs or working men's clubs when all they want to do is get drunk and hurl abuse.

 

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

For me its mainly through the Hotels handing out my details, wedding fairs and yellow pages.

 

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

Not at the moment. If it was a legal requirement then yes!

 

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

I have thought for years that we need some form of regulating. I would be part of an association if it was nationally recognised by most people. Meaning that they could book a DJ knowing he was legally professional. This may upset a few people but until we get rid of dodgy uninsured DJ's we are never going to get the respect and recognition we deserve. Until we do we are always going to be seen as some Peter Kay Parody for years to come.

 

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

At present I do about 100. I wouldn't really like to do any more as I have other interests.

 

32. What is your average charge for a booking?

Our average is now £300

 

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

Considering I only play about 50-60 at a gig I carry about 40,000 with me on CD and the laptop.

 

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

Never had anyone try to claim off me

 

35. What is your favourite music genre?

When I was younger I used to be in to Heavy Rock, Scorpions, Rush, Sabbath but nowadays its more like popular club classics and 80's.

[Gary (GDK) 0]

Interesting read.

I think Q22 is quite common these days, as there is not such a demand for such new stuff apart from the odd 18th or 21st.

[Dukesy 0]

Really enjoyed that! Great interview! :Thumbup:

[Andy Westcott 0]

Good read!

 

Quote:

"...ones in pubs or working men's clubs when all they want to do is get drunk and hurl abuse."

 

Same here - I often wonder why they even hire a disco in these cases.

 

Anyhow, hope you have a storming night on your last NYE - be good to go out on a bang! (and not an electrical one!!)

[Mattaious 0]

Excellent Read :Thumbup:

[jukeboxdj 0]

Thanks Dave that was an excellent read

all the best in the future

[supersound dj 0]

great read dave and good luck in the career change.

 

 

Paul