Friday 13 May 2011

DJs supporting each other

I saw a status update (one of many!) on FB from Spencer Parker - a fine spinner... It went:

"saw Mike Huckaby dj for the first time last night - he was fucking great !!!!

got me wondering though,i've always thought it's kinda weird how rarely you see dj's give OTHER dj's props... don't they go out if they are not playing/see other people spin...?"

Now I thought this was interesting coming from Spencer, and can see two conflicting views:

1) Professional DJs are just like anyone else - they treat DJing as work, as the money earner, and who wants to go to work out of hours?

2) Other DJs treat DJing as their idea of fun - their ideal job, I have a feeling that Spencer falls into the latter category and theres nothing wrong with that!

As someone that works 5 days a week in a regular job I can sympathise with the 1) category, but with someone with DJing as a hobby then I can understand 2) as well.  Those with families and children may not want to go out anymore than they have to although treating nights out as research projects sounds like my ideal job!

The giving props to other DJs is another matter - it smacks of competitiveness, theres no reason why DJs at the top of their game shouldn't do that - they know that no one can really challenge them.  I would understand it lower down the ranks where competitiveness is even more rife, people challenging for fewer and fewer spots.  

I'd love to see a mentor scheme come in where the top DJs are given 5-10 DJs to look after and guide through their careers - kind of like Dennis Ferrer and the Martinez Brothers.  It is refreshing to see honesty from someone like Spencer and I hope his post inspires DJs to go and see people they haven't seen before.  I hope his research projects go well!

Come down off that stage and mix with the lowlifes on the floor!

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