Interview with DJ SOUNDS

[ChrisPointon 0]

Here is the Next Interview, this time with "DJ Sounds"

 

 

How long have you been DJ'ing?

 

Since July 2003, although I had done a few freebie for my fathers Diving club for the last 2 years Christmas & BBQ's

 

What inspired you to become a DJ?

 

I’ve had an interest in music since before I can remember; I play the drums, keyboard, and a little guitar & regularly perform with a steel band. After seeing a live Christmas show that I was playing in with the steel band, I became fascinated with the sound systems & lighting. This led to me going to collage for 2 years doing advanced music technology. From this I wanted to go

into recording studios, become a sound engineer for live performances.

 

Unfortunately trying to get work in this field was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Two years a go my fathers diving club had a DJ booked for their BBQ, they were let down only 2 weeks before the date. I already had a Matrix 300W amp & a pair of 150w RMS AXL speakers. My father said I could probably play some music for them, and when he asked me if I wanted to I said, “Yes I’ve always fancied being a DJ”. The next day my father phoned me from work asking “was I serious about becoming a DJ?” I said, “Yes why” He had just seen an advert on the web for a Numark double CD player with mixer & flight case for £350. He said he would lend me the money to order it if I wanted. I jumped at the chance & it arrived 2 days before the BBQ.

 

I had a good time & everyone said they enjoyed it so much so they asked if I would do their Christmas dinner disco, they still keep asking me back even though I’m now charging them (all be it about half price) I don’t mind doing it for that because they gave me the opportunity to practice on them.

 

What type of "Do" was your first gig?

 

As stated above it was a freebie for my fathers diving club, but the first paid gig was a kind of wedding reception. The reason I say kind of is because they had actually been married for about 6 months. The bride was from Sri-Lanka & the groom was from Australia, they had already had receptions in Sri-Lanka, Australia, and another country before coming to the UK for another one. This was a baptism by fire there were people from all over the world there, with only half being able to speak English.

 

All those who could speak English would get up and dance to all the usual stuff, while the other half would just sit & glare at me. Then a Sri-Lankan would come up with one of their own CD’s & ask me to play something from it (I didn’t have a clue what it was) but it got them up & dancing while the half that were dancing sat down & glared at me. The rest of the evening was spent trying to get a balance between the two. I thought the evening had gone badly & couldn’t wait for it to finish, but at the end they came up and said they had a good time (they were even asking for cards so they could book me for next year) AAARRRGGGGHHHHHHH

 

How much did you charge (Mikeee please convert this from Shilings and pence to decimal when its your go..)

 

Well the first was a freebie but the one i got paid for was £100

 

What equipment did you have to begin with?

 

Matrix 300w amp

A pair of AXL 150w RMS speakers

Numark double CD & mixer

 

 

Whats the worst/most embarassing thing you've done in front of an audience?

 

Last night while everyone was dancing everything went silent, I didn’t have a clue what had happened at first, it took me about 25 second to realise it was a dodgy CD (it had just locked up but every time I touched something it would start again) needless to say that CD is now in the bin.

 

What is your favourite type of function now? EG: Wedding, 18th Birthday party, funeral wake..

 

The diving club do's they are always up for a good night.

 

Is there anything that you include in your show now, that you wish you'd done/known when you started? (Not equipment, but in human/performer terms)

 

Use the microphone, when i started it frightened the life out of me at first, i'm now starting to get used to it & a good quality mic helps a lot.

 

What do you feel you offer your public, that makes you a better DJ than "the next guy/girl"?

 

This is a difficult question, I feel everyone must have something to give the customer, and because I’ve only been doing it a short time I have a lot to learn from the more experienced.

 

Have you ever bought something for your show that you wish you hadnt? and why?

 

Geni wild blaze, Because it’s difficult to get in a position that doesn’t dazzle someone.

 

Whats your next DJ purchase likely to be?

 

Larger amp & speakers.

 

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

 

Everything to be half as big & half as heavy would be a good start.

 

What do you think is the best thing about DJ'ing.

 

Seeing everyone enjoy themselves.

 

What do you think is the worst thing about DJ'ing.

 

The nutter at every gig who thinks he is the only one with taste. You know the one, when everyone else is up and dancing he or she comes up and says stop playing all that cr@p and put something decent on. Oh and trying to get car insurance when you are a DJ.

 

What would make you stop DJ'ing (if anything).

 

Probably if I managed to get a job as a sound engineer & didn’t have the time for DJing

 

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

 

Do you have anything with a beat in it?

 

 

Best advice you were ever given by a fellow DJ?

 

Be yourself & watch the audience

 

And worst advice you were ever given

 

I havn't been givern any bad advice yet, it's all been good.

 

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

 

ABBA - Dancing Queen

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen

Wham - Wake me up before you go go

 

 

Age

19

 

Location

Swanley Kent

 

Martial status

Single

 

Education level

 

A hand full of midlle of the road GCSE's 'A' in GCSE music and BTEC national diploma in advanced music technology

 

Mode of transportation

 

Parents cars until i earn enough to get insurance & a car of my own

 

What equipment do you currently use?

 

Numark CDN205 double CD player

Numark DM1090X mixer

Stageline STA 400w amp

Matrix M300 amp

Aleses microverb 3

AXL 150w RMS speakers

2x Behringer mic's

4foot Pro Disco stand with lighting bar

Geni wild blaze

NJD light chase controller

2X Puma Acme MH275-2ae

Geni spinmaster 1

Geni XTC

8way spot box

 

 

How much have you "invested" in equipment?

 

everything so far, about £2500 on equipment pluss about £2000 in CD's

 

Approximately how many gigs have you done to date

16 since July

 

[C.S 0]

Well done and good luck to you Sir http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[ChrisPointon 0]

Don't forget, if you are looking for courses within the UK to study Sound , Lighting, Stage or Music Technology, we do have a section on the forum linking to courses. It can be viewed HERE http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

[Paul Smith 0]

Good on ya Dad - he got your first gig & supplied the decks. Nice interview & good luck for this year.

 

PaulS

[YourBigEvent 0]

QUOTE

I’ve had an interest in music since before I can remember; I play the drums, keyboard, and a little guitar

 

How small is your little guitar ?

 

Good interview from a newbie http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/thumbup.gif

[kazzachi 0]

Well done.... may it all go well for you!

[Ian Stuart 0]

QUOTE

How small is your little guitar ?

 

Thanks for that joke ADS, it made me laugh alot. In fact, much more than I should have done; must have o/d'd on christmas cracker jokes

 

Regards to all, Ian Stuart