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Johnny Eckhardt

Los Angeles Disco DJ (1954 - still kickin')

DJ in Los Angeles at Greg's Blue Dot from 1980- 1984 best known for Sunday morning "church" . Also worked at Studio One, Probe, Spike, Apache, Renegade, The Compound (bath house), Rafters and The Detour between 1980 - 1992.

Did mixed sets as well as helped operate an underground radio station in Hollywood (100.7fm) from 1998- 2002.
Currently still doing mixed sets and pulling together an internet radio station (grooveboys.com). Still very much alive and kicking in the L.A. area.

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The following quote from Johnny Eckhardt was added after a forum discussion about how much today's DJs make:

"I can't believe what DJs get paid these days. It's almost obscene. Not only do they get paid well but the status they achieve really blows me away as well. I clearly remember in the late 70s and through most of the 80s that even though there were several DJs that drew a crowd, for the most part, we were all looked at as sort of quirky to say the least but nothing near the superstar status that some have today.

It was great to fill a room and keep everybody movin' but some of these DJstoday are filling stadiums and arenas everywhere they go....and it's not just a guest spot here and there, they are doing world tours. Incredible! And true, there are some that are damned good DJs. these days though, they have so many toys to play with in the booth and things to help them out. I'd be really curious to hear some of them if they had only a stack of vinyl, two 1200s and a Bozak mixer...and nothing more.

The DJ booths of today compared to those we worked in is like the difference between looking under the hood of your 69 Ford with a standard V8 and looking under the hood of a new car. What the hell is all of that stuff?! And to think what a breakthrough it was when Technics came out with their 1200s...the luxury of accurate pitch control was heaven sent. Now the stuff they have will adjust the pitch for you, match the beats and even do the mix for you as well as things that will change the tempo but keep the pitch and vice versa...not to mention being able to throw any song into a seemless loop allowing you to mix out of it at your leisure. (how many times I can remember having only 15-20 seconds left of a song and still undecided about what to mix out of it with).

As far as pay goes and hours worked.....wen I was at Greg's Blue Dot , I was making about $50 a shift....before taxes. I bought my own music as well. For quite a while my schedule was Tuesday nights, off Wed. but had to go in to do the sound for the live entertainment on wednesdays, I also worked Thurs. night, Friday night, often Saturday morn 6am, Saturday night, 6am sunday morning (every sunday) and then drag all my recoords over to Studio One to work Sunday nights there. I can't even imagine pulling hours like that now.There's just no way. It would kill me, After that, I pretty much made the same amount (between $40 & $50 a shift) everywhere I worked...except for parties...then it was a little more. nothing compared to what these guys are making today...and they only spin for about an hour or two. I guess we laid all the ground work to make that possible for these guys...at least that's how I feel a lot of times."

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Posted by: JohnnyEckhardt

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