DJ Bios

[Shanabanana]

I hate writing them. It's always beyond me that something I write about myself makes any difference to someone coming to an event. Nevertheless, I see that they have merit, and my old one is stale.

So here's my plea: post your DJ bio so that I (and everyone else) have something to go off of. The Lindy gods will reward you for your kindness.

(Not sure where this topic belonged. Please refile if necessary)

[Swifty]

There are some DJ bios here: http://www.rhythmpursuits.com/ulhs/music.php

Mine was written to cover both judging and DJing, if I do just one I usually tweak it a bit.

Also, Jesse always posts the monthly DJ bio on the Yehoodi Radio thread.

[julius]

Lindygroove has a list of DJ bios too.

[Bob the Builder]

If you want to know what Melbourne DJ's are like look at:
Diga Diga Doo

Brian

[djstarr]

Here's what I wrote up for the Seattle Lindy Exchange:
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DJ Brenda Starr has been DJ’ing since May 2003 when she was asked to participate in an all girl DJ night at Seattle’s premiere Lindy Hop venue, the Century Ballroom. She is now one of the Century Ballroom’s house DJs and spins regularly for Seattle area dances, including One O’Clock Jump. Brenda has DJ’d in Vancouver B.C., Hawaii, Los Angeles, and was featured at DCLX ’04. June marks her Portland debut. Brenda loves swing music of every era ranging from Charleston through modern blues; she draws her inspiration from the talent and versatility of the Seattle dancers.

[gatorgal]

I personally don't mind writing them, but I like writing.

Here's what I wrote for ALX '04.

Tina Davis (South Florida) has been dancing for five years and was bitten by the D.J. bug in late 2002. Luckily, she doesn't need shots. In addition to spinning at the weekly Lindy dances for Swing Affair, Tina has also DJed West Coast dances for the South Florida Swing Dance Society.

Tina was one of the host DJs for Swing Affair's South Florida Lindy Exchange (SoFlex 2004) and had guest slots at Lindy Hop 411's Third Anniversary Party (2003), Swing Out New Hampshire (2003), the Atlanta Lindy Exchange (2004) and the Toronto Lindy Exchange (2004). She's also a scheduled guest DJ for the St. Louis Lindy Blues Exchange (Sept. 2004) and the inaugural Orlando Lindy Exchange (October 2004).

Tina's love for spinning and dancing is rivaled only by her devotion to the University of Florida Gators.

Tina

[Doug]

...It's always beyond me that something I write about myself makes any difference to someone coming to an event. ....

Maybe not, but be careful what you say. After a local promoter complained about my song choices, I prepared a new bio. I got fired:

"DJ Doug here. I am partial to hard driving up-tempo classic swing. Taxi War Dance and Cottontail are sure bets. Oh; and up-tempo Spang-a-lang Bebop. You are also guaranteed to hear Charlie Parker's Ornithology and Sonny Stitt playing Scrapple From The Apple. If you have a hard time dancing to 170+ BPM jazz all night, well Thursdays are Westie nights. And if your primordial dancing skills are overly taxed by rhythmically interesting music, Club blu plays House & Techno. Have a good time."

I wonder which sentence got me fired?? Or maybe it was just the overall tone? Oh well.

[Toon Town Dave]

Perhaps the lack of references to ballroom and country music?

[LindyChef]

Well, let's see ... you are insulting part of the potential customer base's dancing skills and you announce a "DJ knows best" attitude when it comes to knowing what's good music (which isn't the same as what people like to dance to). It comes off as haughty and condescending.

Yeah, hard to see why you got fired ...

[Doug]

It comes off as haughty and condescending...

Ya. If ya don't know better it kinda looks that way don't it. I thought I'd take a few lessons in sheepatude from Kyle. Help me with that seeming attitude problem.

Good thing I didn't want that gig anyway.

[GemZombie]

I think it would have been best to quit and let them know you just weren't the write DJ for their venue than to piss them off But that's just me.

[mousethief]

Insulting the customer is never a good way to go. Doing it with a broadside of DJ knows-best-preferences is even worse. Everyone would have been better off if you had turned the gig down and referred it to someone else.

For example, I knew the organizers for America's Classic (Westie Event) and they wanted to reach out to Lindy Hoppers for their Houston contest. I recommended Jesse and Rayned, who I knew would be professional and well-suited to the task. I could have gotten a paying gig myself but then everyone would have been unhappy, dig?

Kalman

[Doug]

... I recommended Jesse and Rayned, who I knew would be professional and well-suited to the task. ..

Indeed. It's a good thing you didn't recommend me. I was into Celtic music at that time. Would'da made 'em do clogging all night long.

[funkyfreak]

Coming in late, but how did your new bio turn out, Shana?

I've always left my bio longer, so that promoters can take what pieces they want for their particular event, if it all. Anyway, I've always thought the hardest part was writing in the third person...

http://www.mezzjelly.com/dj/

-FF

[SweetLowdown]

You know I always have issues with how to advertize myself, too. Mostly because I tend towards self-deprication and am weary of writing anything that makes me sound too much like the shit for fear that people will expect to have some sort of transformative experience.

I also hate giving references to my 'style' of music . . because so many crowds are so closeminded about what they want to hear, if they are aware that I even own music that might not fit their neat little pocket of 'what is good' they are apt to write me off even before I get through the door. I mean I get railroaded for promoting hot jazz and trad dance in my home scene by one set of folks and then snubbed by their counterparts for playing the occasional blues event. I'd rather just show up and do my thing. Oy Veh.

--Kelly