Why do I care about the way it looks? Well when I’ve DJ’d at some places before I’ve used CDJs and people come up and say that it doesn’t look right, where’s the decks and vinyl? So that’s why I now think about how it looks to a crowd/audience/my friends/me. If you said I’m a DJ to people in the street then at least 8 out of 10 of them would think vinyl, decks and a mixer but there’s so much more out there!!! So much more can be done!! So much more!!!!!! WannabeDJs will bring it…f*ck CDJs, f*ck decks, f*ck it all!!! What’s that saying about a caged bird that wants to flourish or could flourish if it was free or something!? Answers on a postcard.

Ok from now on I don’t care how it looks as long as it sounds mint. Sounds. I feel I’ve made great strides today. This blog helps.

Oh yeah that’s what I was gonna say… for years producers who DJ – I think primarily of Fatboy Slim coz I’ve just been listening to him – have made their beats with a specific view of playing them on vinyl in a club environment. The stuff many pro DJs play on vinyl, and I’m talking about the good ones now, is tailored specifically to sound how they want so why not put together loops and stuff in Ableton and press to vinyl….bit expensive but then everyone’s happy. This will take some more time and thought. This guy does kind of what I’ve been thinking in terms of vinyl and Ablteon, he’s good though -

After using Ableton for about 3 months now I can safely say that it’s a fantastic tool for DJs and producers alike, probably more so for the former. The reason I say that is because it’s more of a user friendly effects driven kind of programme that you can load loops or songs into and fiddle around for ages making it squeak and squeal then drop and sound all crunchy. I don’t produce at the moment but if I did I would imagine that the capabilities of Ableton wouldn’t match the kinds of things that can be done in Logic in terms of drum and synth creation. However, if I produced stuff in Logic then I’d like to run it through Ableton and just fiddle around with it because it’d probably allow you to think about your tune in a whole new way.

Anyway, I’m getting away from my gimpy DJing observation…. I have used decks for years and really enjoyed it but as you’ll see from some of my other posts the capabilities are limited in comparison to CDJs or whatever. So recently I’ve been thinking more and more about DJing solely with live and midi controllers, but then I thought I’d go for Ableton and a deck, then I thought a CDJ a deck and Ableton…now I’m back to just Ableton and midi!! AAAAAHHHHHH!! I can’t really make my mind up for the following reasons…

Firstly I love vinyl and everything that goes with it, the sound, scratching and the all round feel. That’s why I thought Ableton and a deck but the kind of stuff I want to do with Ableton isn’t really compatible with a deck, looping and heavy effects use. Oh I dunno.

Secondly, if I was to just use Ableton on its own I then I’d just look like I was doing my e mails….if I was to ever get a set somewhere…..so sad. Having said that, one of the best sets I’ve ever seen was Luke Vibert on a tiny apple mac. If we/I were going to do everything on a laptop then I’d like to have visuals along with the set to take the focus away from the fact that I’m pressing keys and stuff but that might all change if I had a few midi controllers all whurling away.

Right, basically I want to do something with Ableton in a DJing capacity and I’d like to use a deck for scratching and stuff. I guess if it sounds good then nobody will care how I’m making the sound. There are plenty of people out there just using that PCDJ thing and nobody cares – where’s the skill though, where’s the demonstration of the skill? Is it needed? I say learn the trade on decks and vinyl then graduate to other mediums. No hang on…that’s not the point I was trying to make….I’m gonna use Ableton and midi and f*ck whoever wants to have a go coz I/we could take it to the decks too!!!

Watch this space for more incoherent and pointless ramblings. This is the kind of stuff I think about on a hourly basis whilst at work, rest and play – why? Because I love it!!

Playing Windowlicker by Aphex Twin doesn’t make you eclectic

Playing Billie Jean by Michael Jackson does not make you a DJ

Playing Back to Black by ACDC does not make you rock

Playing a theme tune from popular 80s or 90s TV has been done but it’s still fun

Pop bands can’t DJ – it’s marketing

Calvin Harris did not invent disco but fair play to him for trying

H&M loves nu-rave coz it sells florescent clothes

You should check out the Pacemaker Sebastian Ingrosso video on the Pacemaker website, it’s well funny. The way those two dance is brilliant. The Pacemaker is an mp3 player with built in DJing and effects capabilities really cool I reckon but only for people that can afford to just splash out the cash. Not much point if you’re serious about DJing coz may as well just get the real kit! But then again I’ll probably get one! Seriously check out the videos www.pacemaker.net – blatant marketing and funny.

For a while now I’ve looked at DJs, especially those playing in most bars and clubs around town, and asked myself the question, “Why are you bothering????” For the most part they aren’t doing anything new or remotely responsive to the industry today. There are audio-visual technologies around that have the ability to blow audiences minds, there are music programmes that (provided you take the time to learn) allow you to remix tunes in a matter of hours and even live, so why do you only see two decks and mixer in clubs and bars all the time?

Granted for the most part that may be all that’s needed to please a good deal of people going out but why don’t we push the boundaries!? I frequently ask DJs how much they get paid and invariably it’s at least £200 for anything from 2-5 hours work, i.e. (at least) £40 an hour for what is essentially playing one song after the other. Maybe that’s part of the problem, maybe it can be said that the money’s too easy to come by – play one or two sets a week and you’ve got a tidy wage coming in – Why improve? Why remix? Why change? I guess it’s down to the individual circumstances and aspirations of that DJ.

Allied to that is probably the club/bar owner and what atmosphere they want to create or what they think will get people through the door. But wouldn’t people want to come to see something new or unique? For the most part the Dance industry may be misinterpreted by many who have the finance and influence to instil some fresh approaches. I hope for the day where a semi –motionless person standing behind two decks and a mixer is no longer the norm.

If anyone knows anywhere in the Leicester, Derby, Nottingham Counties that stands out as abnormal to the above then let us know!

Me and GT went to Fabric in London for the first time on Friday night and much fun was had. Watched some electro band called Kill em all, they were ok. They were on just before Erol Alkan and I spent most of their set watching Erol set up and organise his stuff.

At one point just before he went on he slipped out of the dj booth and walked towards the toilet. This was a golden opportunity to get in there and ask him something. Something intelligent, the kind of thing he’d not been asked before.

I waited patiently outside the toilets pretending to wash my hands. He came out and I pounced, “Hey Erol!” I shouted
“Hey” Erol shouted back.
Not expecting such a swift and friendly response, I panicked and asked him, “erm er so how did you come up with your name?”
“I didn’t my parents did”
“Wow! No way! That’s cool!” I then proceeded to kiss his arse and escort him back to the DJ booth, “keep doing what you do Erol!” I said, he nodded a nod that simply said I will get you with my none stop electro rhythms…and he bloody well did!

Incidentally I also siezed the opportunity to ask for a high five to which he humbley obliged, Snap! and all I thought after was that he didn’t wash his hands after going to the toilet.