Interview With Julian Maule (bluejools)

[UKHero 0]

Ok Time for another interview. Here are the thoughts of Julian AKA Bluejools.

 

 

 

 

1. What is your DJU Forum Alias? bluejools

 

2. What is your Real Name, Age, Location & Marital Status? Julian Maule, 35, married

 

3. What is the Name of your Disco? Diverse-Disco

 

4. How long have you been a DJ? this time round about 4 years

 

5. What inspired you to become a DJ? my brother who started out before me and gave up and the joy of entertaining with loud music.

 

6. Are you a Full/Part Time DJ? If part time what else do you do? definately part time.... i mix in a busy life with computers as well

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7. What is your favourite type of function now (eg: Wedding, 18th Birthday party, etc)? weddings - well really civil partnerships - though the corporates are pushing hard on that title

 

8. What’s the worst/most embarrassing thing you've done in front of an audience? Ripping the crotch of my trousers front to back while looking for something i dropped - since my spares were shorts i felt them worse than the remains i was wearing. We all talk back up equipment - how many people carry backup clothes (i still dont by the way)

 

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 dont think so - i have enjoyed it all and learnt and grown with each experience........certainly nothing major

 

10. What do you feel you offer the public that convinces them to book you rather than "the next guy/girl"? a very open approach - i am part time and i sell that partly as my edge. I also accept playlists - whatever length - and stick to them - but i wont accept running orders

 

11. Have you ever bought something for your show that you wish you hadn't? and why? an NJD Physcho when it first came out - i wanted a scanner and it was dreadful. And a bubble machine - for me - what a waste.

 

12. What's your next DJ purchase likely to be? i am now seeking a star cluster laser since they are getting such good reviews be nice to have something that is visible in even the brightest sunlit rooms

 

13. If you could get someone to invent a new piece of disco equipment for your show, what would it be? a sturdy stand that doesnt go into lots of pieces that are easy to leave places

 

14. What was the worst equipment failure suffered during a gig? something i never did get to the bottom of - i lost one side of sound when i was starting up again this time round. No backups at the time. Everyone had a good time - a few people noticed - but i just felt worse and worse as the night went on. After that I replaced mixer, decks and went biamped active in one go. The other stuff (which was old anyway) went.

 

15. What do you think is the best thing about DJing? Seeing a happy crowd and a thank you at the end.

 

16. What do you think is the worst thing about DJing? nobody dancing - not matter how much everyone says they enjoyed it - and we all have those nights - i hate that.

 

17. What would make you stop DJing (if anything)? i think my back - I am already one OP under the bridge, the next one may finish me. The other - bad as it sounds is football. I would like a season ticket for my team again (see 4 year gap) and even being part time events always fell on home match days.

 

18. How do you think DJing will change, in the next 5 years? I think this will be driven by the music business and how it changes more to the digital age - this will have a knock on. I also think that people will aim more and more at niches.

 

19. Most stupid thing anyone's ever said to you at a gig? You got that song - that ketchup song......... it was playing at the time.

 

20. Best advice you were ever given by a fellow DJ? i admit to always having been fairly insular - which is why i love the forum so much - the advice is good here

 

21. And worst advice you were ever given? like many others.......at weddings....... "i'm a top london dj play X/Y/Z and they'll love it"

 

22. How do you keep up to date with music? (eg Promo monthly CDs, Downloads, Purchase from retailer) i buy pro disc monthly mostly now because i like how the collection looks......i buy NTWICM but often find they come out a few days too late for a gig (read this time round). So many of my bookings require very little recent though

 

23. Name 3 songs that 95% of the time will fill the dance floor for you! Brown Eyed Girl, Superstition, Dancing Queen

 

24. One piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting out. Sound is king - any lights can flash - very exspensive lights can look great - or dazzle people. High quality sound will always impress.

 

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

 

26. Have you embraced/adapted any ideas that you've read about on DJU - if so what? PLI and PAT were two notable things. I also bought the dreaded L1's because of this forum. no debate with anyone - i love them

 

27. What is your best gig ever and your worst? Best gig would have been a wedding - hot hot summer - essex countryside. It started slowly while everyone wandered the grounds (they were gorgeous). however people filed in for a first dance and i never lost the floor. The proclaimers 3 times in a row to keep them happy - you know people want to party. Worst would be another wedding - i liked the couple (one of my criteria for playing for people) - however on the night the bride just wanted R&B. I played to her and her mates (total 5) all night. No one else ventured in not even the groom. Still she was paying the bill - and i got a very nice thank you card - but i felt a total failure

 

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

 

29. Are you a member of a DJ Association / Union and how does being a member benefit you? musicians union - and that is for PLI. I will move to @DJ when this expires this year

 

30. Have you ever had someone try to claim off you? (eg: Public Liability Insurance or other such legal action) never - thankfully.

 

31. How many gigs do you do a year, how many would you like to do? it varies alot - but one a month would suit me fine........

 

32. What is your average charge for a booking? 295

 

33. How many tracks do you have in your music collection? 15139 so catraxx tells me - though kylie must be in there more than once :->

 

34. What is your favourite venue to perform in? I dont have one - in the past 4 years i have played in only two venues more than once - i love playing different places it never gets stale - the grosvenor ballroom was exceptional though

 

35. What is your favourite music genre? i like a bit of everything - but to pick a real favourite - 80's pop - or what my wife calls Camp Euro pop

 

36. Do you use a roadie? very occasionally - January last year was last time.

 

37. How long does it take you to rig your equipment and then pack it away? to rig is anything from 45 to 75 mins depending on the heat of the day and how traffic has been on the way there. Break down is now 35 mins

 

38. How far do you travel from your base to perform as a DJ? furthest i have been is 130 miles. I try to keep below 40 miles now due to my gear being in storage (not at home) i have an extra hour on every journey normally

 

39. What other services do you provide (if any) on top of being a DJ? none

 

40. Add any additional comments which you would like to include here... i am in awe (and a little scared) of the guys on this forum who do this for a living

 

 

If you would like to take part in an interview please contact UKHero by PM.

[Dukesy 0]

Very interesting! Cheers guys! :Thumbup:

[Kingy 0]

Nice one! Interesting read.

[UKHero 0]

Nice one! Interesting read.

 

Andy, would you be up for doing the interview?

 

Nik

[Dukesy 0]

Andy, would you be up for doing the interview?

 

Nik