DJ'n MJ Appreciation Post

vinylstalker

Just getting this through my head.In addidtion to all of the '80s memories(I'm 38) of MJ beingexpressed so well here, I find most of the thoughts in my headturning to my memories of being in the club playing Michael.I mean, mygod, you just couldn't go wrong when the needle dropped.I distinctly remember when I finally got how essential his dancemusic was to being a sucessful DJ. EVERY single gig I have everplayed since then, MJ was in the crate, wether he got played or not,wether it was a funk night, disco, whatever.I got paid $100 to play smooth criminal from a coke dealer in the '90s.I bet I have played "billie jean" over 50 times at the club. Easily.For that matter, how fun is that record to mix?And Blame It On The Boogie? Sheeeeiiit. Was there ever an artist that is more of a sureshot on the floor?I don't think so.Please add on your local DJ'ing MJ experiences.

Kinetic

For sure... it was only a year or so ago after DJing a regular funk night that i realised the effect of MJ in a disco/funk/soul set. And not long after playing regularly at a place in Syd called the Tonic Lounge, i realised that the most consistently requested artist was MJ. For a year every time i played at Tonic, i would get an MJ request.

phatmoneysack

i realised that the most consistently requested artist was MJ.

with out a doubt!

Gary

It doesn't matter how bad of a DJ you are, if you dropped MJ you were safe.... every single time.

Pony

I was talking to B-Cause about this once, we basically came to the agreement that if you play "Billie Jean" at a gig and there's little to no reaction then you know for certain that people are not ready to party. That being said I can't think of many times that his music hasn't moved a crowd.

Kinetic

I actually DIDN'T play MJ at Tonic lounge last Saturday and I felt borderline guilty about it... but I was doing the early slot so i forgave myself saying that if I was on the second half of the night, I would have dropped him then!

pickwick33

My soul nights around town mainly focus on 1965-75, so obviously this means that nothing from MJ's Epic Records years will be played ("Thriller," "Billie Jean," etc.). But I always find room on the turntable for the classic Motown sides like "ABC" and "The Love You Save." That is dancefloor catnip, right there.

nzshadow

Absolutely.

My memories will be tied to playing his music, from ghetto-ass bars to bourgeoisie weddings, from real heads get togethers to corporate gigs, you always got the same reaction to MJ.

ALWAYS.

His music was and will remain so damn powerful.

shiiit, just think of all the dancing and good times 'dont stop till you get enough' has provoked...

vinylstalker

I haven't played out in over 2 years(retirement-from-the-game-related), and I just got an offer from a club in town to do a monthly MJ night.
That was quick.

Made me start thinking, who else in dance music would this even be possible for? Besides JB, obviously.
I mean, with Janet, Jermaine-n-em, the J5 stuff, the Jacksons disco stuff, and the solo Quincy stuff, you got 3 hours easily, all dancefloor ready.
Hell, you can double up BillieJean for 15 minutes.
Just an incredible body of work from a dancefloor perspective.

I want to hear some working DJs chime in on this thread.
Batmon,Cosmo et al, I'm sure yall have some rad MJ on the turntable
stories or memories.

Bonus Beat- What working DJ has NEVER played, or owned MJ?
(I'm lookin at you, Frank! )

Snagglepus

Like I was getting at in the other MJ thread, you better have the right records lined up after you drop that MJ cut ... especially at a wedding when you are playing to a mixed crowd. Noone has the same level of universal appeal. When in doubt, the best follow up to an MJ cut is another MJ cut. At least it buys you more time to dig out the sure shots.

djkingotto

i've been so tired of MJ requests over the past few years. sometimes i'll play them and lately its been ruining my dancefloor. looking forward to playing them tonight though!

discos_alma

Hell, you can double up BillieJean for 15 minutes.

I can't believe I'm agreeing with you, but

jammy

I played a corporate party recently and nobody was overly feeling the music, but as soon as "it's great to be here" dropped, people went nuts and continued to dance after it ended, like the song was their green flag to party.

mrmatthew

I think its safe to say that MJ has always been the most "guranteed go-to" artist for DJs in the history of DJs. Weather its a corporate event, a wedding, the Club, the Hipster Club, Block Party, House Party or wherever...i cant think of any place that MJ wouldnt go over. There is no other artist that you can say that about. Not even Hall and Oats

vinylstalker

I can't believe I'm agreeing with you, but

What about me is so disagreeable?

vinylstalker

I think its safe to say that MJ has always been the most "guranteed go-to" artist for DJs in the history of DJs. Weather its a corporate event, a wedding, the Club, the Hipster Club, Block Party, House Party or wherever...i cant think of any place that MJ wouldnt go over. There is no other artist that you can say that about. Not even Hall and Oats

Yes.
This is why I started this thread.

I am officialy claiming the following is a fact:
Michael Jackson made the most DJ-able music in the history of music.

We can all easily agree on the import of his music in pop culture.

There are alot of DJs here, tho, and I would like to hear from that perspective.

LaserWolf

I think its safe to say that MJ has always been the most "guranteed go-to" artist for DJs in the history of DJs. Weather its a corporate event, a wedding, the Club, the Hipster Club, Block Party, House Party or wherever...i cant think of any place that MJ wouldnt go over. There is no other artist that you can say that about. Not even Hall and Oats

Yes.
This is why I started this thread.

I am officialy claiming the following is a fact:
Michael Jackson made the most DJ-able music in the history of music.

We can all easily agree on the import of his music in pop culture.

There are alot of DJs here, tho, and I would like to hear from that perspective.

I'm not a dj.
How much better is MJ than JB? (naturally by better I mean better at filling a dance floor.)

Are there songs (perhaps Brick House or Respect) that work as well as GBSS or Billie Jeane by artist that don't have a second song to back it up?

All those songs were on pause tapes I made for dance parties in the 80s.


Edit: Their/there

georgeibrahim

How much better is MJ than JB? (naturally by better I mean better at filling a dance floor.)

it depends on what dance floor's you're on about. MJ>JB in teh hipster club or weddings or other non music fanatic dance floors, but you get into a club that has a reputation for playing out good music and has good crowds then i'd say it would be MJ=JB. But this is just what i think, im no Cosmo Baker or DJ Ayres.

mannybolone

dancefloor catnip.

mannybolone

How much better is MJ than JB? (naturally by better I mean better at filling a dance floor.)

it depends on what dance floor's you're on about. MJ>JB in teh hipster club or weddings or other non music fanatic dance floors, but you get into a club that has a reputation for playing out good music and has good crowds then i'd say it would be MJ=JB. But this is just what i think, im no Cosmo Baker or DJ Ayres.

I think, in terms of the easiest stuff to DJ with? MJ >>>>> JB (this assumes J5 material is fair game).

No real contest actually.

vinylstalker

No real contest actually.

I actually agree with this sentiment, and I am a JB fanatic
to extremely embarasing proportions.

this is the crux of what has struck me the most since the death of MJ.

The modern DJs most trusted ally just died.

I'm not even a working DJ now, and it is at this place in my psyche,
the place where music is an expression, a chance to act, a chance to share,
a place for fusking get-together-wit-the-world type shit, where this strikes the hardest.

All rael DJ's feel me on this, I know it.
Dude, our boy passed.

Don't know what else.
Really feeling a true sadness and respect/appreciation mix for all this man has
provided for my personal enjoyment at the process of turning others on with
the magic that is his music.

Oh, and to those that snidely scoff at an emotional response to
the death of MJ, I am truly sorry you never got the chance to get emotionaly
involved with his music on a perfomance level.
It is the best evr, playing his songs and lighting up whoever is witness.

Out.

mannybolone

I am officialy claiming the following is a fact:
Michael Jackson made the most DJ-able music in the history of music.

I wouldn't agree with this insofar as I don't think MJ made music to be DJ-able. It just happens that when you are responsible for something like 30 million+ albums sold (I'm including J5 stuff here), your catalog is going to be recognizable to a huge cross-section of people and therefore, the odds that you can get the party started with one of his songs are incredibly good.

vinylstalker

I agree that MJ probably did not have DJs in mind whilst making his music.
I do not, however, see how this contradicts my statement.
Intention is not a facor here.
Pure playability, my hominy.
He wins.
By a landslide.
Who else?

batmon

MJ went to Studio 54, he knew what was good on the dance floor, especially in the Disco era.

Shake Your Body Down To The Ground is so DJ friendly.

But that doesnt mean he's the "easiest" to play.

Its all context. What crowd are you playing to.
Some Deep Funk crowd might find Thriller too POP.

"Most DJ-able" music to way too wide of an idea. That's like the most servable food ever -illusion.

And that whole notion lends itself to the idea that all u have to do is throw on a MJ hit and the party is instantly heat. Its what u play around these joints..IMO.

Pop crowds might might find Burn This Disco Out too deep.

SIRUS

Pop crowds might might find Burn This Disco Out too deep.

i have made this mistake before. the crowd needs context if you are going to deviate from offthe wall/thriller singles.

mannybolone

I think the problem with the claim is that the term "DJ-able" is rather vague.

I think, however, it's safe to say that MJ has the biggest catalog of "set the party off" singles for mixed audiences.

vinylstalker

"Most DJ-able" music to way too wide of an idea. That's like the most servable food ever -illusion.

And that whole notion lends itself to the idea that all u have to do is throw on a MJ hit and the party is instantly heat. Its what u play around these joints..IMO.

Well, let me clarify, and I think this goes back to what o-dubble said.
I am saying that his universal appeal, combined with the PUNCHING-ASS
production, combined with the vast catalouge of hits, makes his music
a very solid foundation for a DJ set.

So, yes, what you play around it is key, but IMO you are more liable
to have a proper party using MJ as a roux.

I'm saying he his alone in this distinction.
If I'm playing to a roomfull of gay dudes, JB aint gonna cut it,
but MJ will, right alongside the DivaHouse.
Playing to a roomfull of corporate revellers, JB will get them
all nostalgic, but MJ will light them up,
right alongside OPP and whatever else.

SIRUS

I think, however, it's safe to say that MJ has the biggest catalog of "set the party off" singles for mixed audiences.

yeah, becky, chad, hector, oliver and omari get down to mj.

mannybolone

Yo - why you leaving out my people? AZN heart MJ

Mr_Lee_PHD

I've always enjoyed dropping an MJ into the set... can't fail to get butts out of seats.

I have the 12 of Thriller with the instrumental on it. I like throwing that down on its own.. sometimes with an accapella too

vinylstalker

Ha.
Back around, I dunno, '98-99, I played the close out 2-4am
slot at an all-ages after hours spot in Nola, well, FatCity
really, but anyway, this was an Xtacy crowd, and by the time
my slot came up, most of the crowd was 17-22y.o. AZN raver
kids with green visors and size 40 pants.

I had to play funkybreaks/floridabreaks/bigbeat type crap,
and this is strange, but I would always mix in some MJ
around the last hour, and EVERY time I did, a b-boy circle
would break out and the asian raver kids would go buckwild.
Nothing else made them do that, not DMX crew, Bambatta, Uberzone,
nothing. Just DSTYGE.
That always made me smile.

So yeah, you AZN cats Luuurrrvve yall some MJ.
Or at least, yall do when you're on X.