Who Inspired You To Become A DJ

Thats an easy one. JTV

I modeled myself after several DJs I had seen at parties.

I do the opposite.

There you go. That should be everyone's answer.

Actually, I was molded by seeing what NOT to be.

About 20 years ago, me and my current spouse were getting invited to a lot of weddings, and at all of them.....the DJ was usually rude, obnoxious, or fat (or a combination of all three)....the final straw came in the "Stripper" incident (bride embarrassed by garter music)....the groom at that wedding knew I had a taste for music, a large collection of CDs (350 as of 1986), and a more tactful demeanor. He implored me to become a DJ, actually providing me with a name & a pair of nearly-new Klipsch Heresys(original heavy oak cabs made in Hope, Arkansas) ....below cost ($400 for the pair).

Bottom line, I was molded by BAD DJs, with the inherent knowledge that I can do a better job.

Little did I know: YOU MUST BE AN EMCEE because nobody just wants someone to "push play."

that is why I absorbed a LOT of good advice & training from Mr Mike Love (not the Beach Boy), a Sacramento area veteran DJ, someone with radio experience, who was very good at interacting on a microphone with a crowd. Many area DJs thought he was over the top, but he ran the most popular oldies club booth for nearly 10 years. In my early days, I got to sub for him several times whenever he needed a replacement. Like myself, he was 100% Compact Disc (no records).

So it was "crappy DJs" who inspired me....but Mike was far from a crappy DJ...he was rough around the edges, but he really knew the technical side of the business.....contracts, equipment, etc. He was able to make some dough selling the gear to me, but he used to beat PSSL catalog most of the time (between '86 and '90).

This is all ancient history....but I wanna give props to Mike Love for mentoring me, back when.....otherwise, I would never have developed any personality whatsoever....he "inspired" me to figure out how to be an emcee without being perceived as invasive or swarmy.

Mike was somewhat "old school".....he embraced disco and never chucked the polyester shirts and his chain-smoking habits. I remember when my wife Lorena hired him for my 40th birthday party in 1994, he offered to do it for free! I've never forgotten that...... (although he did get into an argument with my brother about smoking at the event, although this was long before smoking indoors was prohibited). Seeing someone who's mildly abrasive in action, you can develop your own style and avoid the potential pitfalls in your own events.

After moving north to Sequim, Washington for a few years, Mike is now a collie-kennel operator in southern Cali. He gets free room & board in exchange for 20 hours a week caring for the doggies.....he also "voice tracks" a Country radio station in West Virginia somewhere, using remote equipment, and they pay him 3k a month. I guess he hasn't done a "Mobile" in several years....

When I started their wasn't really many "mobile" DJ's.
I just did an event because I had the music and the equipment and did an office Christmas party. They gave me $150 at the end of a 3 hour event. I looked at it and said to myself..."$150 for playing somebody elses music??? That's for me"!
The rest came from the school of hard knocks.

Nobody as I remember. But I was 12 or 13 when I fist DJ'd for $$$. I remember always watching the DJ as the disco, but I never really knew who he was.

Really my boss I am currently working for, djjef, he is a mentor more than an employor to me, he taught me a lot about the industry, and I filled in the blanks. it worked out quite nicely.

Opposite

See? I just saw this on craigslist--in an ad!

Aside from the obvious things (playing music; using pro equipment) I do the opposite of this guy.

For example: I stand; I watch the crowd; I put down the mic when I'm focussed on the music; I don't use an iPod...

Hey, nobody's answered "Scott Susor" yet.

My "inspiration" came while I was working as a doorman in a club northwest of Detroit. The DJ frequently either came in drunk or didn't show up at all, so I asked him one day (when he was there, and sober) if he'd teach me just so we'd have somebody to cover for him other than the club manager (who was a terrible DJ). He was actually an excellent DJ when he was there and he was sober, so I learned from a pretty good one. Not a legend like me, of course, but not bad.

Scott

Oh, ya. Scott Susor taught me everything I know. He's so good, he taught me even though I never even met him.

The rotten DJ at a company party I attended. Inspired me to become a DJ. I had forgotten more about music and people than that dope and said to myself....

scottsusor said:

Hey, nobody's answered "Scott Susor" yet.

My "inspiration" came while I was working as a doorman in a club northwest of Detroit. The DJ frequently either came in drunk or didn't show up at all, so I asked him one day (when he was there, and sober) if he'd teach me just so we'd have somebody to cover for him other than the club manager (who was a terrible DJ). He was actually an excellent DJ when he was there and he was sober, so I learned from a pretty good one. Not a legend like me, of course, but not bad.

Scott

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Where at Northwest of Detroit? I'm originally from the Tri-Cities aread(Midland, Bay City, Saginaw).

jfactor1 said:

Where at Northwest of Detroit? I'm originally from the Tri-Cities aread(Midland, Bay City, Saginaw).

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I'm in Houston TX now but I grew up in Livonia MI. The club I'm talking about was called Scandals and it was in the Holiday Inn at Telegraph and 12 Mile, across from Tel-Twelve Mall, in Southfield MI. That was in 1978-1979, so I don't even know if the hotel is still there, or if it is, if its still a Holiday Inn. Back then, it was the only high-rise and the most beautiful Holiday Inn I'd ever seen.

Scott

First inspirations came from radio disc jockeys.

First of all I'd have to say, Larry Lujack on WLS out of Chicago (way back in the old days). Truly a funny man, without being profane.

Second, a local radio & tv personality, Bob Murray. Bob was an advisor for our Explorer group (early 70's) that was geared for radio broadcasting. Bob was the man who taught me how to cue up vinyl, use a microphone properly, to write and produce commercials, and to have a love for the business. He was truly a mentor and is still on the radio to this day. He was a professional all the way, and a truly nice man...and still is!

Those two people planted the seed, and it was many years later that I took what I learned from each one and truly developed my own style.

Club DJs had absolutely no influence on me, as I usually partied where the live music was being played.

Flashback

I remember at one local club, when they had a cool little DJ guy in a cool safari hat--spinning vinyl.

I was just enthrawled about watching him, LIVE, as he continuously pulled back and sampled in, "Red (back) Red...", the beginning of RED RED WINE, while the other song played. I still do it often before I play RED RED WINE.

I still remember my teenie bopper shows where the DJ played certain songs, I still play those old school hits (when they were new school) today. Ahhh the good old days. I think I'm the only School dj that actually beatmixes

I remember it exactly. My girlfreind and I went to her sisters house for something quick. Her neice was on the computer talking to friends and playing Kid Rock Bawitdaba or Cowboy through Winamp. This was probably the summer/fall of 1999.

I was amazed that songs could be played via computer. I then went home and did what every other teenager did to get music back then......

I never did gigs or showed interest in them until about 3 years later. I bought some Pyle Pro 18" 7 way speakers and a Pyle Pro amp from ebay for under $500. I then got into purchasing cd's and a light show and landed a gig 7 months later.