Recent content by Fred Wright

The recording industry hacks out product and throws it against the wall to see what sticks. As with any business, the bottom line is king. Do it as cheaply as possible. You don't spend a thousand dollars on a hundred dollar act. Not every track released to music services will sell. The industry...

Software is cheaper than session musicians. I agree. Rap should have died long ago but it has managed to stick around for some reason. I guess anyone can talk into a mic. Singing requires talent. :)

It's old-school now but Selena always went over well.

We avoided any venue where stairs were the only access. That's not a concern much anymore. The Americans with Disabilities Act pretty much rendered stairs-only venues obsolete. Also, unsupervised youth parties were a no-no. Any business can be sued and underage drinking is a lawsuit waiting to...

After rereading the original post I can relate. It's a wise man who knows his limits. Gotta respect Mike for that. This crazy biz isn't a good fit for everyone. I loved being a mobile DJ, ran the biz for 19 years. But we grew older and it had become more work than fun. Toward the end, by the...

Requirements seem to vary, depending on where you live, or your business is located. When I lived in Virginia DJs weren't required to obtain business licenses. We were in the same class as Boy Scout groups, etc. In Delaware, DJ companies are supposed to have a state biz license. If you live...

We ran a Carvin rig for many years. Never had an issue. Carvin gear owners used to say you can pay a lot more for a little more amp with other brands. Most folks know Carvin as a guitar store. They've always sold direct to the consumer. Without dealer markups they can keep their pricing low.

Oh yeah... I sure remember "those" house managers. :( Adding a contract clause about necessary space or location is all well and fine. However, you're contracting with a client, not the venue. A house manager is under no obligation to honor an agreement that he or she is not a party to...

We had all gear in SKB cases, speaker covers from the manufacturer. Many a night that equipment rode on the back of an open pickup through rainstorms and was loaded in/out in foul weather. Never a drop of rain got through. For outdoor shows we had a set of carpet mats to place the larger...

I don't see why not. Two 8-ohm speaker systems connected in parallel is a 4-ohm load. This is a recommended practice. You'll get more SPL from additional speakers. I'd recommend setting the unit up at home first with the extra speakers and put it through the paces. Nothing beats peace of mind...

For $175.00 I probably wouldn't show up either. ;) Honestly though, no-show DJs can be especially stressful for any event organizer. A lot of time, expense and work go into organizing these gigs. And when you say there's gonna be a DJ and there isn't one, you're the bad guy. I still remember a...

Long, boring speeches or what used to be called toasts, I agree with. The bridesmaid's or best man's toast was once just that. A brief word of encouragement and best wishes for the future. Toasts have become roasts. Honestly, does anyone really care that the bride fell off an amusement park...

Oh yeah... I sure remember that. Good times, great food and lotsa single women. And oh, how the money rolled in. :) Scheduling doubles was tricky, had to account for load out, travel and load in time before I could contract. On the days I did, I made sure there was sufficient time to get to the...

EAR Push Ins. Best I've ever used, been wearing ear plugs for over 30 years in manufacturing. Other brands can be painful to wear or a hassle to use, or both. The Push Ins are comfortable and reusable. These are corded; non-corded are available also. I prefer corded as I can hang 'em around my...

What Country music needs right now is another Marty Stuart. :) Dan, if you haven't heard his music, you might enjoy it. The Marty Party Hit Pack is a great collection of his popular tracks, available at Amazon for download. Today's Country is similar to pre-disco '70s - early '80s pop music...