Friday Frenzy (written Friday morning)

Not a very awe inspiring shot this morning – but the weather isn’t very conducive to be honest!

I had an earlyish night last night which hasn’t really had the intended effect. I had hoped to wake up feeling refreshing and zingy, but have in fact woken up still feeling like my brain is in hibernation. I did get the set finished last night, which means that tonight I can do all of the birthday events I had planned and still get to Dystopia with time to set up and have a drink before I’m on. I feel like I’ll need it tonight for the flack I’m expecting… it’s a funny old game this Deejaying malarkey. When I first started doing Radio shows (from about 2001), it was very clear cut as I did Goth and Rock shows. My taste hasn’t completely changed, but has evolved – especially when I’m doing a set for the dance floor and not the radio.

My love of Electro and Synthesisers has overtaken my love of Goth, Rock and Metal music. It means that my taste in venue hasn’t changed (as I love the rock clubs I frequent – full of friends and not too expensive), but the music in the club has changed dramatically. Whereas my staples used to be Rob Zombie, NIN and Type O Negative – I now heavily rely on Miss Kitten, Boys Noize and Girlpop (Freezepop, Hyperbubble etc.).

Some people’s tastes have evolved and now love the music I play in my sets – but I still regularly get complaints (mainly, “IT’S NOT GOTH ENOUGH!”). It’s always a thin line we walk as deejays… playing music you love and making a set “you” (so as not to sound like everyone else), and keeping all the parties in the room happy. The most annoying thing with deejaying a predominantly Goth/Rock club is that when you *finally* play that track have been requested 5 or 6 times, no one dances. People stand at the bar and sway. When you’ve spent your allotted time trying to build an atmosphere and encourage a busy dance floor – it’s incredibly frustrating.

Still. I really enjoy doing it. Even after all this time – I get a wonderful Buzz when just one person comes up to the booth to ask what a track was. I’m known for giving away the CD’s I create for my sets, just to get people to listen to something new and change their perspective on music. I found this quote from the Legend Miles Davies today, I found it fitting. “Don't play what's there, play what's not there.”