thee unwritten 'rules'...????
downtown72
125 Posts
SS brethren, a question for ye... either from a collector or DJ standpoint, are you for or against the practice of keeping records/groups/etc a 'secret'? I have acquaintences on both sides of the coin, and frankly, I feel if you didnt:1) write the tune2) play an instrument on the tune3) press the recordyou really have no valid reasoning not to share the love, other than some daffy duck 'it's mine mine all mine...' steez.please esplain this, 'cuz it aint 1977 and you aren't going VS. bambaataa tonite...
Comments
1. some things can get played out if heard too much
and
2. i love secretly knowing shit other people don't
but i always seem to get caught up in either
a. i enjoy sharing things with others, because it's fun to enjoy alongside someone else
b. i enjoy showing others i know more than them, partialy an insecurity thing i think
c. i just don't know shit about records compared to a lot of people, so I'm almost never
Everyone and their sister now think they can DJ. Clubs/bars/promoters are on a whole, hiring DJ's that can semi play for cheap. Sure they are still looking for big name DJ's with followings, but if they need just anyone, they will hire a dude who can just put on a record (Ipod DJ's).
Now with mp3's, nearly anyone can have a tune. Back in the day, even if you found out what tune Bam played, it didn't mean you could have it or find it.
I don't think it's greedy. It's just that with the net now, you can find out almost anything if you look hard enough. You don't need to cry when dudes won't tell you the name of a record.
Work on ur reading the crowd and less on what DJ plays what.
IMO, nothing is worse as being at some gig and seeing 10-15 dudes looking to see what records a famous DJ is playing and writing them down.
But whatever... That's JMO.
This secrecy is bullshit! I feel that people who dont have shit going on in their life are the ones concerned about hiding shit. Like, "this is all i have in my life! Im not sharing!" Dawg, its music. If you like it then cool. Dont worry about some herb writing shit down. Who cares? what is it going to do? If you like the music, then some dude writing shit down shouldnt effect that.
Get perspective.
"who does this song"
"Im not telling you/na na na boo-boo/stick you head in doo doo"
ah yes. the playground.
grow up and share that shit.
(this was directed at noone in particular)
It's only all about the music when it's the crowd. But I think, business should be business when it comes to being a DJ or producer.
I guess I understand the "Business" end. But I have always thought that skills, not selection wins out. I mean, if a dude with no skills breaks a record, not that many people will care. A cat with skills and a following can play the record that other dude with no skills broke and get the place jumping and be known for that record..
Of the DJ's who play out in your town, how many have crazy skillz compared to ones that don't? I mean... Dude's will DJ for free nowadayz...
The biggest skill you have as a DJ is knowing and playing to the crowd. Song selection is #1. Not if you can cut n scratch or even mix nowadayz.
Think of it like this... Would you give some dude a list of all ur business contact info if he asked? Would you give him a copy of everyones # in ur PDA so he could call them up and be like "Hey, I have the same music as *****, give me a try, I'll play for $100 bucks less!"
I mean.. It's just music right???
as far as "everyone wants to DJ"...true...but some jackass/jackassette that wants to be a DJ and wants to have "those cool tunes that no one knows what they are" isnt going to be able to find said "secret record" even with the fucking matrix numbers tattooed on their hands...the Joe six pack DJ is a neophyte and doesnt know how to procure said records, doesnt know about digging...so I aint afraid of one of these folks stealing someone's thunder because they know the name of a tune and/or record. I have told people the name of stuff before and I know they walked into a Tower or some other corporate store looking for the raer, only to be confounded that they couldnt find it...I aint worried.
Share, it was good enough for kindergarten, it is good enough for the grown folks.
Of the DJ's who play out in your town, how many have crazy skillz compared to ones that don't? I mean... Dude's will DJ for free nowadayz...
The biggest skill you have as a DJ is knowing and playing to the crowd. Song selection is #1. Not if you can cut n scratch or even mix nowadayz.
Think of it like this... Would you give some dude a list of all ur business contact info if he asked? Would you give him a copy of everyones # in ur PDA so he could call them up and be like "Hey, I have the same music as *****, give me a try, I'll play for $100 bucks less!"
I mean.. It's just music right???
Hey sharing is kewl... Remember that when some dude wants half your playing time at ur next gig...
so very very true....
also, in the 40's, musicians were worried about the jukebox putting them out on the street. The 70's again threatened to kill it all off when the DJ began to reign supreme in the niteclub. So really, is some lightweight with 8000 songs in their Ipod who can't read a crowd really going to take over? I think not. Sure some gigs will be lost, but not for long as said club owners will need good Dj's to make the room bounce.
hypothetically, let's say I have a hot unknown record - why should I go out of my way to make it known?
it's not like there's a shortage of good obscure music out there.
the last time I posted up a couple mp3s it apprently caused some purchases by certain bitchmade 'UK bods' - how does that help the world, the orig artist, or even me?
Im thinking of it as just a collectors stance not as a dj.
im not saying go out of your way. What I am saying is that if someone asks about it or if you know someone who would really enjoy it, why not hip them to it?
I mean... It's as almost as saying... Hey, can I borrow your records to play this gig. When ur a DJ, it's not your job to share with others. It's your job to set you apart from everyone else and have people enjoy themselves.
BUt the public will dance to the same 30 songs at the same 30 clubs. This gives the neophyte a chance to knock the experienced cat out of the box. I've seen this shit happen.
Well...it helps the artist certainly. Anyone who makes music and puts in out into the world, wether it be a 45, Lp or MP3 is doing it to share with the world. Sure there is always the idea of money, women and all the rest of the motivators, but I truly believe that all artists make music so that people can appreciate it on as large a scale as possible. The world benefits from having heard a great new song. The track could be truly uplifting and raise the spirits of many. Finally, it benefits you in many ways. You can play it in a DJ set and move the crowd, get paid, meet women, get drunk and have fun all to this soundtrack. Also knowing that you helped in a small way to spread the message about this excellent music. Spiritually this is a tremendous thing. It may sound corny in writing, but I believe it to be true.
I go diggin with a large group of people, we all buy records. We go back to someones house for beers and to listen to what we found. One dudes puts some shit on the turntable that is insane crazy good. Everyone asks what it is.
Dude wont say and hides that shit. Babyshit.
or
"Hey, thats a dope mixtape. track 13 is really great. Melts my face. Who does it?"
"Cant Say partner. SOme things gotta stay secret"
thats whack
Truth.
Plus, y'all flatter yourselves when you think you have a secret tune/band/LP etc. Could it be that the same record was old news to an old head 10 years ago? Hmmmm....
Rules are for driving and safety at the pool.
1. discover hot unknown record.
2. obtain every possible copy.
3. reveal the record to the greater world.
4. sell sell sell.
5. repeat.
a couple times in the past I played some hot dollar-bin scores for dj friends only to see them later laughing all the way to the bank after they pulled stock.
So true... The amount of DJ friends of mine that have told me they lost gigs to some dude that would play for almost nothing is getting silly.
A good friend of mine (Who has 10,000 records and almost more music knowledge than anyone I know) who has almost been DJing to 20 years lost a gig to some dude who's been DJing for 3 months. Because he told the promoter he had 20,000 mp3's and final scratch. At first the promoter didn't care, cause my friends nite was always packed. But then dude came back with "I'll play for $50 bucks for the nite" and the promoter saw that extra money in his pocket. Fired my friend and is totaly happy with dude doing radio mixes all night. The numbers have dropped off about 25% for the last 3 months and my friend has gotten other gigs, but I still say ur crazy if ur a DJ sharing everything.
In either case, the record doesn't stay secret for long - there's too much info out there for that to happen.
But remember folks, the whole soul, funk, breaks, rare groove collector thing came out of these scenes where secrecy was important - whether you're talking about northern, park jam DJs, "glory-era" hip-hop producers, psych moves, or whatever. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Respect why these people kept secrets, and why some folks still do today.
I'm not talking about "ooh I found this weird Ez listening record with a sample" I'm talking about totally unknown records that are seriously rare and good.
Thats kinda wack... I mean.. if u got friends over and playing stuff and you have label covers.. Thats not kewl.... If ur do it for the first 10 seconds, just cause u wanna have some fun, thats alright IMO and once you got dude hooked and you pull away ur hands... it's all good!
Truth4dayz...
In fact, I've never even posted audio of it, because I don't want somebody else to know it and tell everybody. I'm dead serious.
Everything else I share with the internets, but this one is mine mine mine. Funny thing is, its not from an unknown artist. In fact he's pretty well know I think, but I swear to god most people have never seen or heard this record. In fact, since I bought it I've never seen it again.
The only way you'll get to hear it is if you come to my house. I'm a herb, and I don't care.
remember premo going "stop doing that, you're violating straight up and down"? but jp is so right here, I totally agree. If rare gems are ur bread, why should u share it? There are still some that don't tell you in the first place (like Soulrabbi or haitian star over here)...it's all a matter of respect and foresight.
And the thing with everyone and their mom's djing...i mean, doesn't every "creative profession" have that issue? Just ask webdesigners about their jobs...if you're good, people will always want to book you. Or you will always find your niche. That's just it, stay original and don't worry about all those scumbags djing for 3 months...they will vanish or stay and get kewl...