DJs - SET PLAY LISTS - GOOD, BAD OR UGLY

[QUINNY]

I'd be interested to know current and former DJs opinions on set playlists.

I for one, although having a core of say 100 or so current records that I'd want to spin if possible, always viewed the act of DJing as a journey which began with whatever I put on as a first record and ended up wherever the mood, the crowd or my own needs took me/us. The destination was very rarely known. Sure, there were groups of records that I'd end up playing together, 'cos they worked well, but I always tried to pull things out of the hat and shake up any illusion of 'sameness' that anyone might pick up on. There were always different little twists and turns and surprises, especially on good nights.

Compare that with what happens nowadays, especially with the 'name' jocks. Everything is premeditated in an attempt to attain perfection, to keep cred intact and therefore the DJ status quo too. Records are researched, classified into umpteen different genres and brownie points scored for rarity value. It all seems a little too clever for its own good to me.

What are your opinions?

[JussiK]

For a resident dj it's obviously easy to step into the booth and start the journey. For those of us who had to, and have to, carry a bag of 40 piecers of vinyl the concept of a pre-meditated set was/is a necessity. I recently programmed a party for well-to-do 30-something bankers and 40-something stockbrokers, straight out of the Tom Cruise film "The Firm". I know I know but it was something I had to do. So, yours truly set a course for adventure, my mind on old romance. I shoved stuff like Key-Mano's version of "The Theme From Love Boat" into the said bag, along with "Begin The Beguine" by Johnny Mathis, "Sway" by Bobby Rydell, "Disco Magic Concorde" by Michel Legrand, "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" by Tom Jones, "Ritmo De Brazil" by Ultimate and "The Girl From Ipanema(disco version)" by Astrud Gilberto, plus others in the same tropical/kitsch/technicolor camp, all set to get those obviously somewhat cranky hips into motion. All of the vinyls were sorted out beforehand by their increasing bpms. Might I be as bold as to add the tunes went down very well, too, I damn right know what I'm doing with titles like those 8) .
For twentysomethings, it's obviously a whole different bag, one that has to be indefinitely more carefully composed - one false move and the humiliation is unbearable.

[QUINNY]

Jussi: All sounds a little too safe to me.

As a Mobile DJ I'd carry at least a couple of thousand pieces of vinyl to gigs, but I'd also have to lumber into a venue with a van full of gear too (that was in the very early '70s, before I had my first residency and a full time career in clubs). :o

(please read as tongue in cheek) As for your taste in shlock. No one, but no one else could get away with what you play. Another word that rhymes with bankers come to mind for an audience that would dance to THAT!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Noman]

I'd be interested to know current and former DJs opinions on set playlists.

I for one, although having a core of say 100 or so current records that I'd want to spin if possible, always viewed the act of DJing as a journey which began with whatever I put on as a first record and ended up wherever the mood, the crowd or my own needs took me/us. The destination was very rarely known. Sure, there were groups of records that I'd end up playing together, 'cos they worked well, but I always tried to pull things out of the hat and shake up any illusion of 'sameness' that anyone might pick up on. There were always different little twists and turns and surprises, especially on good nights.

Compare that with what happens nowadays, especially with the 'name' jocks. Everything is premeditated in an attempt to attain perfection, to keep cred intact and therefore the DJ status quo too. Records are researched, classified into umpteen different genres and brownie points scored for rarity value. It all seems a little too clever for its own good to me.

What are your opinions?

Very well put.
I worked in the same way, with 1000+ to choose from and then followed the way the evening went or where I wanted it to go.

I had the privilige to work both in very posh discos with heavy soundsystems and nonstop dancing crowds to more conventional dance evenings where I played everything from Big Band to Rock to Disco. I've probably lost the touch since then, but if I ever should go for it again I should never use a playlist. The difference between a decent DJ and a very good one is the ability to improvise and still performe a tight set that is close to perfection

[RetroRuss]

A very interesting topic and very relevant at the moment giving what we are planning for the West End (in London) this Saturday!!

Basically we are 'providing' music for three hours (for a 5 hour night). The first hour (10pm - 11pm) is the warm up, so we will probably play more funk, and rare groove, with some Northern Soul, this is followed by the 80's disco done by someone else & then we are 'on' again.....our crowd are looking forward to non-cheesy disco......so rather than do a 'Joey Nigro' on them and play obscure stuff we are keeping it fast, pacey, intermingling relatively well known tracks like 'In the Bush', Delirium, Danc With You, with tracks that never made the 'big time'.....Feed The Flame, Chameleon, Freaky Deaky, etc....

Basically we will be taking between 40-50 records and playing 25-30 of them during the 120 minutes. If I took all my records I'd need a van!