Never Been Paid Support Group thread

Message

Yakov · #1 Post by **Yakov** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 5:38 pm

We are badass DJs. We fill the floor when we spin. We spend our days and paychecks in search of the perfect tune. We practice sets in our room. We know what we're doing.

And we've never been paid a cent to DJ a dance.

Speak up and represent!

-yakov.

"I did not say that I am a millionaire. But if I kept the money I already spent, I would've been a millionaire a long time ago." - Howlin' Wolf

yedancer · #2 Post by **yedancer** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 5:54 pm

Frankly, it amazes me that a venue organizer would not pay the DJ. If any profit is made at the venue, the DJ should be payed, imo, even if it's only 10 or 20 bucks, although it should be more, especially if the DJ is working the entire night.

Yakov · #3 Post by **Yakov** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:15 pm

oh whoops, sorry, it's been done.
http://www.swingdjs.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=119

dana · #4 Post by **dana** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:56 pm

I too have never been paid. In fact, I often pay my way in and then DJ. Something is wrong here.. now I'm going to be on an after-Christmas rampage, if only to get a free beer when I spin!

d.

BryanC · #5 Post by **BryanC** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 3:13 pm

When I get free beer, Dana, then you get free beer. Hey, maybe we'll get free beer for being cancelled last time!

I know...I'll buy you a beer if you buy me a beer.

dana · #6 Post by **dana** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 3:33 pm

BryanC wrote:When I get free beer, Dana, then you get free beer. Hey, maybe we'll get free beer for being cancelled last time!

I know...I'll buy you a beer if you buy me a beer.

I wondered how long 'til you read this thread, Bryan

We need a collection plate on the dj booth so everyone will give us a dollar.. then we can drink in style.

d.

BryanC · #7 Post by **BryanC** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 4:21 pm

Laugh, someday we'll get paid. Someday... (though the equipment probably won't be nearly as nice)

"As long as I'm dreaming, I'd like a pony"--Susie from Calvin and Hobbes

lindyholic · #8 Post by **lindyholic** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 4:31 pm

I've been paid once. I'm doing another paid gig this weekend. I think it depends on the dance you're DJing at. If you're only DJing an hour, then free admission is perfectly fine with me. When you start pulling an all nighter, though, I think the DJ ought to paid something, because the DJ has invested hundreds or thousands of dollars into their own personal collection.

Harrison

Bob the Builder · #9 Post by **Bob the Builder** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 3:15 am

If some one is making money over dancers being at a venue, I'll not DJ there unless I get paid.
I spend a lot of money and time on my equipment and material in order to be able to DJ. Here in Melbourne takefully $20 per hour and free admin, is starting to becoming the standard.
Any money I earn in DJing is use up in new CD's. I would expect to get something out of it.
I have DJed a few non paying gigs, but they were free open air events or when I was getting my foot in the door, and on those free events, I would expect to get proper thanks for it afterwards.
After all, we are keeping dancers happy on the floor.

Brian

Petitetonya · #10 Post by **Petitetonya** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 2:45 am

I agree with this...if a venue is making money, they should totally pay their dj's something...even if it is a trade. It just seems disrespectful or like they are taking advantage of them. The DJ's ARE the ones providing the music for the dancers to dance to...I know it is hard to keep a swing venue profitable, so we stopped hiring bands cause we saved money by hiring dj's, but expecting the dj's to play for free is just rediculous (unless a venue is just starting out and they aren't making any money...at that point, they should at least do a trade).

Greg Avakian · #11 Post by **Greg Avakian** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 6:28 pm

Of course DJs should be paid -and paid well. And of course there are exceptions.

In most cases, a good DJ makes a stronger impression than the promoter does. If I were a DJ who wasn't getting paid, I'd start another venue. When people spun at my weekly dances, I paid them whether I made money or not.

As for what we do with our money, I'm willing to bet that it's the same for all of us: We buy CDs. If we had more money, we'd buy more CDs.

Yakov · #12 Post by **Yakov** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 8:58 am

so far whenever I dj, it's always on equipment supplied by the venue/the main DJ... i've never had to bring my own equipment... except for one venue where i bring a discman and 1/8"-1/4" adapter and plug it in to the band's sound system.

i don't have equipment and if i did i don't know how i'd get it around with my no car situation

Greg Avakian · #13 Post by **Greg Avakian** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 9:24 am

Yakov wrote:so far whenever I dj, it's always on equipment supplied by the venue/the main DJ... i've never had to bring my own equipment... except for one venue where i bring a discman and 1/8"-1/4" adapter and plug it in to the band's sound system.

i don't have equipment and if i did i don't know how i'd get it around with my no car situation

Are you saying you don't have any CDs? They are equipment. I assume you also have a talent -and that is worth something too.

Not trying to pick on you Yakov, because I honestly don't know anything at all about your situation or how the dances are run where you are, but I think DJs should start thinking they are worth something.

Some of us don't "need" the money which is very nice, but I'd like to suggest you ask for something and buy someone you like a CD as agift. Maybe even another DJ that you can mentor or whatever.

I care about this because I have started advocating to event directors that they pay the DJs better. A bare minimum for a big event that has a lot of DJs should be a hotel room, event pass and expenses. That doesn't happen -and I have heard more than one event director say with a straight face that there are so many DJs who are begging to spin that s/he doesn't really have to pay anyone.

I've been hired for two competition events in the last year where my hotel room wasn't included and the event director didn't even bother to tell me that.

But this isn't about me personally. Believe me, as an electrician I can make $200-400 a day if I work at it. It's just wrong to take advantage of the people who are providing SO MUCH of what makes an event good. Dancing on grass to good music is way better than a nice wood floor and crappy music.

But as long as we provide free DJs the event directors will only pay a very few of us.

Yakov · #14 Post by **Yakov** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 11:41 am

i hope it gets to that point.

in the meantime, i'm making $50 a week teaching music and uncounted thousands from mooching food, clothing and shelter off my dad, so I'm cool for now

gatorgal · #15 Post by **gatorgal** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 12:25 pm

Yakov wrote:i hope it gets to that point.

in the meantime, i'm making $50 a week teaching music and uncounted thousands from mooching food, clothing and shelter off my dad, so I'm cool for now

Never underestimate the power of free food.

Tina