SwingDJs

T'was the end of my shift. The following DJ came up to the booth and said: Damn you played all the songs I wanted to play. What am I going to do?

My thought, first of all, you snooze, you lose. Second thought, if that's all you've got maybe we should have a little talk.

What do you guys do when people do that?

Let me note that the guy is by no mean trying to be flattering.

S'happens. Odds are you were playing a good amount of favorites and he was planning the same thing. Maybe his set is stale.

Kalman

I would take it as a compliment that you played stuff that someone else likes.

And I thought that being a DJ meant that we lived for that sort of challenge. I would miss the occasional adreneline rushes if I knew exactly what to expect when I stepped in the booth.

I usually like it when the DJ before me plays music that I would play, as a dancer, it is like somebody DJed from my book and played good stuff.

In regards to your situation, who is the newer DJ, you or him? Are there an MP3 copy resentment issue at play? Is there another reason that he might not like you DJing? Is there more to the story?

(NOTE: The text below is not directed at any person, just a scenario where a DJ could get annoyed with a fellow DJ).

In my experience, I have gotten slightly irritated with DJs who are all copies and rips, those who DJ without investing hardly any money in their collections. It has been awhile since I really felt the irritation though, I have surrended to the inevitable. People are gonna copy and some of newer DJs see no reason to actually buy music (check the iPod story in the DJ thread).

Locally, some DJs have huge collections of store bought CDs that they rip from. Other DJs, have copies, network with other copiers and have pretty good collection (however, they often are clueless to what album the song came from or worse, they will believe false filename/tag info).

Nathan

you played all the songs I wanted to play.

I've had DJ's say that to me too, with out the

What am I going to do?

I would have started roaring laughing is that was said to me.
Take it as a complement on your own DJing.

Brian

Sounds like they need a massive ego adjustment. Instead of "why me" they should have responded positively.

Personally, whenever I have a DJ play stuff I wanted to DJ, I look at it as 1) a challenge to find better stuff 2) an opportunity because they were probably spinning in my groove and now I have a chance to continute that energy, which makes my life a lot easier, and 3) a signal that I might be playing the same old tired stuff if the DJ before me can nail everything I wanted to spin.

So, here is the thing... it's only one or two songs that I played coincidentally it's what he wanted because it's on this one CD he has. He is indeed a new DJ, and trust me our groove has nothing to do with each other's, what he got is a different feel to the same song I played. Point though, it's that why: the hell should he feel that he has the right to think that I took away his previledge to play that certain song?

Nate Dogg, let's not even get into the how one obtain one's music. Different topic.

But good point on the compliement, esp when I walked off the booth, people thought I had a concussion and just playing songs that has entirely different feel.

So correct me if i'm wrong, but he wanted to play a different version of the same song? But he was pissed off because he felt he could no longer play it?

Sometime the same song played in a different manner can work, or even make a neat segue. Even so, like LindyChef said - i'd look upon it as a challenge to bring out something different that seeks to achieve the same desired effect.

trev wrote:So correct me if i'm wrong, but he wanted to play a different version of the same song? But he was pissed off because he felt he could no longer play it?

I've done that in the same set sometimes ... no harm, no foul

I wouldn't worry about it if it is a newbie DJ.

So, does the guy understand that if he has a limited collection, he should request to DJ first?

And, if there is a DJ coordinator, was the DJ coordinator taking into consideration this person's limited collection when scheduling DJs (if there IS a choice, of course)? Are you comfortable letting the DJ coordinator know about the limits of this DJ?

What really matters is the quality of the first set and how it was received. Secondary DJs - while important - are an audience of one.

Kalman

He can't blame you if he can't think of anything different to play for his set.

The only way I'd think he'd have a point is if those 2 songs are staples in his collection, something he's known for playing or introducing in your scene and songs that the audience may associate with him. While there's some credence to that argument, it's best not to get all territorial or egotistical over a song.

It's happened to me once in awhile where a song I usually will belt out cause no one else does and because people like it, eventually gets grabbed by another local DJ or two. That's usually a good sign to retire it for awhile.

I feel if I've found good songs that are somewhat untouched in the past before, I should be able to find some new gems once again.

I can't envision it as anything other than an off-handed compliment in the sarcastic guise of a complaint. I say the same thing sometimes as a compliment, even though I am by no means at a loss for material.

to put another perspective on things, if you have a deep collection it's nice to be able to stay away from songs you know are their staples, especially if they are new. I dj'ed with someone last month who I know has a limited collection because a lot of their CDs were stolen; I kept thinking 'oops, I better not play that song' even though I kept thinking of a lot of songs they had just because they were there with me.

Funny enough, he played a lot different set than I've heard in the past, so perhaps he's starting to rebuild his collection.

I'm dj'ing at SONW with someone who I've never heard spin before, so that will be a nice challenge as far as what to contrast with etc.; at least they will spin for the first half hour so I can get a feel for their music.