(October 2005): We have completed this section, but will add new questions from time to time. Ask Mat in the new FORUM if you cannot find the answer you are looking for, or EMAIL him .
Back in 1987, I was out one evening in a tiny local pub near my home. I had actually gone down to have a beer with my brother - Armand.
My brother introduced me to the mobile DJ who was working in the pub at that moment. (thanks Lee Sanderson, wherever you are nowadays!) I asked if I could have a "play" at cueing some records (no CDs in those days!).
Technical proficiency in those days was unheard of - most DJs I saw at the time would speak over a record whilst placing the stylus on the next tune! Mixing was something that you did with a blender! Most DJs would announce EVERY record using a cheesy accent, saying something like: "...there you go, folks, that woz the super sound of...(blah, blah)...and here comes that classic track..." (wicked, eh!)
I used the "famous" beige GPO telephone handset to cue-up the tunes and even announced some of them. My (then untrained and technically ignorant) voice probably sounded awful at the time. Lee (for some weird reason) was impressed and offered to train me!
Well, after this I was hooked! I bought my own (new) mobile gear and started working for Lee. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, kids parties (yuk - sorry kids!), social clubs, pub residencies - you name it, I did it (and remarkably got paid too!)
I begged, borrowed, stole and bought as many records & albums that I could. My musical knowledge improved dramatically. Prior to DJing, my record collection consisted of one Madness single (Embarrassment!), two Tears for Fears singles and a Queen album!
I developed better equipment and mic techniques, and gradually worked my way around every pub, school, working men's club, social club and function room in a ten mile radius of my house. (Yippee - a world tour - not!)
After four years I hooked up with another DJ and we formed a DJ agency. We had fourteen other DJs on our books. The gigs got bigger, I bought more (and more) equipment: smoke machine, "moonflower" effects, "centerpiece" effects, strobes, etc...
The equipment started taking over the house! I had to ask my friend (thanks JD!) to bring his car along to gigs, aswell as mine! Both cars were crammed packed! Sometimes it would take us three hours just to set up! The gigs were worth it though!
In 1993, I met a guy called Brandon Kirkham (aka DJ Captain Kirk). Brandon was an accomplished mixing DJ, who could rap, sing, dance - the lot! He had made a small fortune working for a (then) large international leisure company who had asked him to record a LIVE MIXED album which sold around 80000 copies!
Brandon even made it to the DMC mixing championships final in 1987. Chad Jackson just pipped him to the post! (So that's why you liked the baseball caps, eh Brand?)
I was inspired! Brandon gave me the basics for mixing and rapping. He also helped me improve my mic voice (which needed doing!)
After purchasing the "hallowed" Technics 1210s, I started practicing mixing. I would go to house parties and use the people there as guinea pigs (sorry!). Slowly, the skills improved. By this time, the poor old GPO yellow phone had gone up to the "phone box in the sky" (good riddance - hehe!)
I started pestering club owners for a residency. Eight years had passed since I first put a needle on a record. I was tired of hauling gear around. Club work had to be better (and more glamorous?)...
Eventually, I was given a chance in a club in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Following this weekend "guest spot" I gained a residency at the other end of the country - Cheltenham, Gloucestershire! (Good planning - huh?)
As the club experience grew, so did the job offers. You can see the clubs I have worked in by checking out my biography in the "About Mat" section.
The diversity of music that I was asked to play at each different venue also grew: 70s / 80s nights; Chart/Party nights; RnB & Soul nights; Commercial Dance nights; Lap dancing nights; Male Revue shows (lap dancing were better - hehe!); Celebrity PAs / Tribute bands, etc, etc...
Gradually, I swung away from accepting chart/party
gigs. My passion for house music, particularly hard house and trance had
taken over completely - I couldn't suppress it any longer!
Following my heart and my love for dance music, the club residencies just got
bigger and bigger! My biggest crowd was 4000 people in Derby (New Year's
Eve 1999!) - playing banging tunes like "Mauro Picotto - Lizard" and
"Montano Vs The Trumpet Man - It's A Trumpet Thing". The gig was
seven hours (9pm til 4am) - awesome!
Although I have concentrated on developing a more "credible" style, I still retain my friendly, customer-orientated attitude. I think that all that "cheesy" musical experience has made me a better, more confident and less-arrogant DJ!
Thanks Lee Sanderson & Brandon Kirkham - I owe you both a beer!
Hmmm. Tricky question really. It depends on what type of DJ you want to be:
A mobile DJ needs to be flexible, patient, all-embracing in terms of musical knowledge, open-minded and keen!
If you want to be a party jock then a big personality, lots of confidence and a sense of humour have to be key, I think.
If you fancy being a mixing DJ then the ability to really "hear" the tunes you play and "feel" the music should be quite important. This ability will enable you to really feel the tunes when you mix them together. People who can't mix usually don't REALLY LISTEN to the tune - what it's really saying!
Don't forget though, most big-named DJs entertain by
impressing their crowd with their selection of tunes and the way they mix them
together to create "a journey". You have to know that what you
mix together is going to make the crowd go mad, BEFORE you play it!
Playing
credible dance music is different because you have to hope that the crowd
is on YOUR vibe. If they are not, they will let you know - one way or
another!
The power, the control, the buzz, the crowd, the chance to travel and meet great people, the perks, the beer(!)
Probably the fact that DJs are stereotyped (and classified) nowadays. Also, people get very jealous of DJs who are either very ambitious or who have already reached the pinnacle of their careers. Look how many people slag off the big-named DJs, saying they have no talent, etc. Those people are obviously jealous of success!
Haha! Well, you could argue that a "big-named" DJ who gets around £10k per night, jetting here and there is having a much easier life compared to the "Disco Dave" type bloke who lugs his gear around the local pubs for £80 a night.
You decide that one!
Judge Jules, Paul Oakenfold and Dave Pearce.
Well, personally, I think CDs! The start function on a CD player is more accurate that "throwing" a platter forward on a turntable! Decks are more fun to mix with, but it is great to use both CDs and vinyl when performing, even if it is just to confuse the vinyl "anoraks" who stand watching all evening, instead of dancing about, enjoying themselves!
Modern CD players have sample and loop facilities too, making them very useful for remixing and "bootlegging" over instrumental tracks, etc.
The latest Denon DNS 3500 and DNS 5000 CD players are awesome!
The Stanton STR8-150 turntable are my preferred turntable, by the way.
My preferred headphones right now are Stanton Pro-3000s. Excellent!
Favourite Mixer? Hmmm - Cloud CXM with kill module probably
If you can PROVE that you are a WORKING DJ (references etc), then you can apply to record label and promotion companies for DJ promos. I warn you that all details are stringently checked!
To keep on the mailing lists, you are expected to send charts WEEKLY to at least seven different chart compilers plus all the promo companies you receive product from!
This depends on the style of DJing you wish to
adopt. A mobile / function DJ will struggle to connect with his crowd if
he simply plays music ALL night without any mic!
A dance DJ would be laughed off if he cheesily chatted
away, whilst in the mix.
(I must mention here that I have experienced some awful so-called MCs who don't know when to shut up!)
I think the mic does have a function, but how well the DJ sounds is critical, also what he says (and when!)
Some people say that "cheese" is simply upfront music which is no longer upfront!
Others say that cheese is standard chart or oldies stuff (70s / 80s).
I say, play what you want to play! If you enjoy it, and your crowd like what you play, then you have succeeded! At the end of the day, a DJ's job is to entertain, rather than impress. If you can do both, BRILLIANT!
Phew! Here we go...
US House, US Garage, UK Garage, Progressive, Trance, Hard House, Funky House,
Hardbag, Hardcore, Drum And Bass, Techno, Jungle, Hip-Hop, Ragga, Reggae,
Filtered Disco...(anyone bored yet?)
It goes on and on...I sometimes wonder whether all these classifications were made up by bored (pretentious) music journalists who were trying to make themselves sound more important and knowledgeable than what they are!
It seems to be very "credible" to have a "style". In the old days, DJs played everything!
Like I said earlier, be true to your heart and your crowd and don't worry about what the type of music is, only whether it feels right for you (and your audience).
Again, it depends on what sort of DJ you want to be...
I started as a mobile DJ. This gave me lots of experience in dealing with unexpected problems! A lot of club DJs lack this! Basically, I stay relaxed even when lots of things go wrong (turntables die, mixer falls apart, PA doesn't turn up, fire alarm cuts the entire sound system off!) etc, etc. As a result, you are calmer and more in control!
I would strongly recommend that everyone should start as a mobile DJ. You can familiarize yourself with the gear and also build up a wide-ranging musical knowledge (and appreciation) quickly.
As for getting a gig - pester promoters, club managers, landlords, DJ agencies etc. Offer to do guest spots and auditions during a night. Make friends with these people!
I firmly believe that if you really want it - you show that you want it - eventually it comes to you!
Okay, I'm taking the mick!
How many times have you seen the above? Even club owners write it on posters and flyers!
I actually find it quite funny that people cannot write the plural of DJ!
The other one is on market stalls where you see "potato's", instead of "potatoes"
I am very pleased to announce that my new residency at the brand-new, 2400 capacity FLOATING nightclub - THE BLUE LAGOON, in Barrow-In-Furness, opens Friday 21 October 2005. I have been looking forward to this particular gig for several months, and have turned down other work offers because of it. More info can be found at the ship's site - The Princess Selandia: www.theprincessselandia.com. As soon as we sort out a site for the club itself, I will post it here.
For actual gig dates/times etc, you can visit my TOUR DATES page, which is updated weekly.
YES. I
have produced three
tracks under the Artist Names ZAQ Feat. DJ Mat Stevens,
and ZAQ.
1.
SONAR is a anthemic commercial trance
track with a hooky vocal and very catchy synth riff and melody.
This track was featured on the BEDA White Disc Volume 112 and received many good reviews. Remixers have already shown interest, as well as an American film company!
2. In 2003,
Mike Di Scala from ULTRABEAT remixed Sonar, and we renamed the track
"CALLING
FOR YOUR LOVE". Again, the track
received some great reviews, including NIGHT Magazine (see
www.djmatstevens.co.uk/stoppress.htm for more
info.
The DAILY STAR MAGNIFICENT 7 CD have
selected my track for a future album also, plus other parties are negotiating
with me as we speak. More news soon.
3.
OBSESSIVE is a more psychedelic / ambient
tune, which concentrates on an eerie piano sample throughout.
I have been playing both tracks at many of my residencies for some time, however
it still is a strange feeling to walk into a club and hear another DJ playing
your track. I still feel weird about it now!
SONAR, OBSESSIVE and CALLING FOR YOUR LOVE are copyright
© 2001 / 2003 ZAQ Feat DJ Mat
Stevens
I would appreciate your comments on my tunes or any of my site. Feel free
to email:
mat@djmatstevens.co.uk