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I actually was awakened by a nightmare. I had a dream involving my equipment. I swear to God. I have been DJing a lot lately and I think it is just bleeding through.
To be honest, I have had a great week since my last post; I had a family reunion in town, I picked up some extra work (which I definitely needed. Big-up, DJ Limelight) and I booked a buncha gigs. I will be in the mix quite a bit over the next few months. I'll probably be in the mix long after that.
I was talking with a friend online and she informed me that she always felt like she wanted to learn to DJ. I told her if she could count to '4', she could do it. It just takes time and practice. You just hafta start doing it and part of starting is investing in gear. When I started DJing, I had no gear, no records, nothing but the desire to DJ. I started out by talking my way into a gig. I can honestly tell you that if the Patio didn't have their own set of wheels back when I was prompted to start, I might not have ever become a DJ.
Since then, I have collected three separate sets of wheels. I bought my first used set of turntables when I rediscovered the love of the mix around 1998 or 1999. I had been outta the mix for a few years, leaving DJing alone until further notice.My buddy, Noah The Arkitect, had bought a set of wheels and a record collection. He was nice enough to let me come over and mix when he wasn't on his decks. I made as many tapes as possible, listening to myself and relearning the art of the blend and the scratch. I was also roommates with DJ Paul Bunyon at the time. He also allowed me to get on his wheels when he wasn't working. Once I felt comfortable enough with mixing again I put the word out that I was in need of a set of wheels while I was working at Rockin' Billy's. I had started to assemble my wax collection already and catching up was relatively easy, as I worked in a record-store. I was bumping into DJ's all day every day, so it was just a matter of time. There were always guys coming in there to flip gear and I knew there was no way I could afford a brand-new set of decks. Finally, someone had a set of Technics 1200's that they were getting rid of. I think I paid $500 for the pair, which I took to Top Speed immediately for checking out, tuning up, and retooling. He let me know they were in great shape. I took them home and set them up downstairs in the kitchen. I made the first and second mixtapes that I sold at Noah's house. I made my third mixtape that I sold right in the kitchen. I made 'em all with the two crates of records that I had at the time.
Once I realized that I was fully in it to win it with the wheels again, I really got serious about my record collection. I collected all the current stuff (gotta have the stuff people are listening to NOW), everything that I remembered as funky or rockin' as a child, breaks, old-school...I bought it all. I was in the record-store all day, so I would spend any down time digging for wax. On my off days, I hit the other record stores and practiced or made tapes to sell. When the hustle was good, I was making more money off mixtapes than I was at my job, but it was all going back into the work. I needed to augment the hustle with club gigs. DJ Indiana Jones and I started a Wednesday night party at The Patio called TASTE where we mixed live with 4 turntables. It was a big success for that summer. No party was like it in this citry and there hasn't been a party like it since. People were actually tuned in to hear what we would throw on the wheels, not their 'jam'. We were fearless, playing any and everything. It was as much fun as I have ever had DJing. It's still one of my fondest 'work-related' memories. We jammed. The skills I learned DJing next to DJ Indiana Jones made me feel comfortable enough to go and work in other clubs. I picked up a lotta hustle during the year or so that we had TASTE at The Patio poppin'.
At this point, my life was changing immensely. My living situation changed and I had way more financial, household and job responsibilities. I was working on the radio now, as one of the first four mixers to be on-air. We did a mixshow weekend that led to the formation of a 'mix-squad' at the station. I was playing a lotta Music in the house that I didn't want to, but I was so in the game that there was no turning back now. The practice was paying off.
I began pumping out tapes as fast as possible. I had to focus on what was hot and get that into the street as soon as possible. There were more DJ's than ever competing for counter-space and gigs. I had to stay ahead of the game, so working at the radio station helped. I was receiving records in the mail every day, which I would immediately open and time. If it was hot it went into one of my four 'working' bags, the four bags that went to every gig. I was also booked more in clubs, so I was taking my wheels everywhere. Realizing that if something were to happen to one of my wheels, I started thinking about a second set for safety. I would've been so assed-out if something had happened to just one of my decks. DJ Kenny Kixx came into the radio-station and said he had a set of wheels to get rid of. I asked him what he wanted, got the money together, and had him bring the decks to my house. Now, I needed to have two sets; one for club gigs, one for making tapes at home...and if something did ever happen to one of the decks, I now had back-ups. I still use those decks on the road.
I came into work at the radio station and saw Paul looking weird. He didn't have his record-bag. He just had this little computer. I watched him set-up his little computer and this little box into the mixer. He set everything up and turned on his computer. I had no idea as to what he was doing. I watched as he pulled up a program called Serato SCRATCHLive. He looked through the library and pulled up 'records'. I couldn't believe what he was showing me and talking to me about. With this program, you could mix with MP3's, meaning that you could have all those four 'working bags' and then some with you at all times. You could mix as fast as you could think. This SCRATCHLive was gonna change EVERYTHING and I knew it as soon as I saw him do the mix that day. Dag. I had no less than 7000 records; all of that stuff was gonna be sitting in the crib soon. I needed a computer. I bought my first computer (and SCRATCHLive) ever ever ever later in the year and immediately began the process of getting all that Music I needed into MP3 format. Quite simply, that is one of the best investments I have ever made; it made it so that we could play ANY Mudkids songs, as long as we had the instrumentals and THAT in and of itself, was reason enough to have it for me.
At this point, I had been DJing for about ten years, most of that time professionally. I had never had a brand-new set of wheels. I had always worked with what I could afford and made it happen, but I had never had a new set. I don't even think I had ever DJed on a new set of wheels. When I finally did have enough money to reasonably afford a set, I invested in the 'Black Beauties'. Ohhhh, they are gorgeous; black finish, blue LED displays, pitch control that goes to plus or minus 16 (I never use that function, but it's nice to know it is there). They're gorgeous. I set these decks up at home for studio work and bring them out for special gigs. I really love this set of wheels. They bring me a joy that I can't explain; when I am on these decks, I am on the nicest decks that I have ever owned, decks that I paid for with money that decks earned me. Nobody was on these before me, they're mine and they're immaculate. I treat them like babies. I keep the dust-covers on them, I have invested in serious road-cases for them (and they don't travel much), I take care of them. That's six decks; a road set, spares, and the 'Black Beauties'. Now, if anything goes wrong with anything I am ready.
There was a while when I didn't really wanna DJ anymore. The Beauties sat in the room, chilling. I was focused on other things and my spirit was getting kinda crushed in the clubs. But, the fact is I will always find a way to love to spin records. It is something I have invested a lotta time and money into and I believe I always get it back. I love it so much that I upload mixes to share with y'all on the regular, on the free-free. I love it so much that I have back-up wheels so I can continue to spin if anything were to happen to my wheels. I get ideas in my head and immediately run home to mix them and share them with you. I started out just wanting to do it and I have had to invest that time and money to keep up with it. I've had to sell other things to keep up with gear, because this is what I do. I am a DJ, so I hafta be able to at least provide the gear to do my job. DJing takes sacrifice and dedication, because while you are in the crib, brainstorming and working on your weak hand, someone else is booking gigs and digging for records...and listening to you. There is always a kid that wishes he was in the booth, doing what you are doing. ALWAYS.
You hafta stay in touch with your sound and you hafta stay on top of your gear. You ever been at the club and the Music skips or stops completely? What did everybody do? I never wanna be that cat. The DJ is really the most important person in the club; he gets you to pay cover, he makes you wanna go see the bartender, he makes it so you can talk to that girl over there when the 'jam' comes on. The DJ is truly the foundation of most good nights out, whether you acknowledge it or not. I get so many folks who want me to teach them to DJ. No one ever taught me; I watched, I listened, I jumped on it and stayed in the mix. I can happily invite someone to watch and listen. I don't know how well I would do at 'teaching', per se. What I do tell them is that if they can count to '4', they can mix...now, it's a question of keeping your gear up, practicing like crazy, being wiling to work damn-near for free on many levels, and learning something whenever you get in the 'mix'. I have had my times when I have wished I did something else, but who hasn't hated their job for a minute or two?
(This joint won't be on 'We Are Dynamic And People Like Us'. It don't fit the concept of the album, but it's fun...wiff my grumpy ass...)
When I realize that I actually get paid to play and reinterpret Music, I know there are soooo many worse ways to make a little bread.
Hope you guys are enjoying the mixes and get a chance to hear me spin live some time. I just wanted to give you a little history on some of what it has taken to get there. I love what I do and that is more than a lotta people get outta this life.
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