Comm Thread: "No officer, I'm just a poseur"

[Doormatt]

ha its not a serious source of income unless you have like an agent or manager who can book you shows/clubs/whatver

Are you really a DJ dude?

ya

[Doormatt]

I might know of some jobs in Santa Monica... what area are you in?

im close enough to santa monica. what kind of jobs?

[Danny Darko]

about time to release a new album... I'm previewing one of the new tracks that features Jesse from SuperTramp and Dave from Fleetwood Mac and Fiona Apple... check it out *warning this track is moody honkytonk* I don't want Destro wondering why he feels the sudden urge to sit on hay and drink shinerbock


5th fo July

[miggs]

about time to release a new album... I'm previewing one of the new tracks that features Jesse from SuperTramp and Dave from Fleetwood Mac and Fiona Apple... check it out *warning this track is moody honkytonk* I don't want Destro wondering why he feels the sudden urge to sit on hay and drink shinerbock


5th fo July

DD climbing the charts!

[miggs]

ha its not a serious source of income unless you have like an agent or manager who can book you shows/clubs/whatver

Are you really a DJ dude?

ya

What do you spin? What kind of gear do you have? Could you DJ a club sized venue or like a quincenera or wedding?

[Wavy Q]

you can't live off DJing if you don't do it all the time, and it's hard to get sets if you don't know people in your city's club/rave scene.

[Father Time]

What's your DJ name? DJ doorgek?

[Doormatt]

i prefer jack house and nu disco but i like a lot of different types of music. i share my brothers djm 2000 and cdj 900. i dont usually play weddings because its not really the type of dj work im looking for (because its not really djing imo. kind of like saying a chef looking for work should go to mcdonalds) but you never know.

another problem is if you dont spin the same/"right" type of music you wont get any work. mark farina, who i consider to be one of the best djs in the world, got kicked out of a club because he wasnt playing what they wanted. granted they should have known what kind of music he plays, but it goes to show that you cant just play anything and get work.

[Doormatt]

What's your DJ name? DJ doorgek?

yes.

[ennui]

whos strangelove? Was it Doormatt or Stephano?

[Gek]

I know!

[miggs]

i prefer jack house and nu disco but i like a lot of different types of music. i share my brothers djm 2000 and cdj 900. i dont usually play weddings because its not really the type of dj work im looking for (because its not really djing imo. kind of like saying a chef looking for work should go to mcdonalds) but you never know.

another problem is if you dont spin the same/"right" type of music you wont get any work. mark farina, who i consider to be one of the best djs in the world, got kicked out of a club because he wasnt playing what they wanted. granted they should have known what kind of music he plays, but it goes to show that you cant just play anything and get work.

True, but at the same time those weddings and quinceneras pay out well. I know because I WAS DJing until I finally found consistent work. I DJ'd some house parties, a hookah lounge or two, some weddings and countless quinceneras. What I learned most was, while the music I enjoyed was being played in parties and lounges, the money was charging in from the weddings and quinceneras.

However, if you're looking at breaking into the rave scene, yea it's all about who you know in your area like Stephano said. Just start going to some parties here and there, I meet people in the rave scene quite often, got some friends who are bonded to that **** too, stuck on the X games if you catch my drift.

You could get a day job and bust your ass to get DJ gigs. That way you have consistent money AND you have time to focus on your passion. Of course, you'll miss out on going out at times or even on sleep but putting in work into whatever craft you're passionate about is truly something rewarding. More than showing your own individual talents and areas that need work, I feel it shows just how far the human mind can be pushed when you're doing something you're passionate about. Sounds kiddy but so far it's working for me, I work full time by day and run a band by night, it's gets better and better. Like I said, I don't go out much anymore and I don't sleep as much as I used to but the reward of having consistent paychecks and progress in my craft is all worth it.

[ennui]

I know!

So Doormatt then

[Doormatt]

i want to be a working stiff like miggs :'(

[Kilroy]

i want to be a working spliff like miggs :'(

Fixed.

[miggs]

i want to be a working stiff like miggs :'(

There are sacrifices brother, but it's definitely worth it. If I could make about $3-4 more an hour, I could get a place quicker but all in due time, all in due time.


Pros:

- Consistent paychecks
- No more **** from parents
- Moving out can be planned accordingly
- Don't have to window shop so much

Cons:

- Stuck here M-F 10am-6pm Sat 10am-2pm no matter what, except major holidays.
- Saturates any and all life out of you by the time you're off work
- You start to hate the fact you can't enjoy the sun, the longer you work FT 9-5 type grind, the worse it gets I feel.


Ways to counter Cons:

1) Hit the gym! Has been major in rejuvenating me the last two months. Started running 1/2 mile a day and walking my dog about a mile, that's it. Now, about 2 months later, I'm running 3 miles a day (12 laps around my block), Stephano's workout and weights (about 90 mins). I'm done working out by around 8-ish and can enjoy my evening.

2) Develop an activity (DJing, Guitar, Reading, Freebasing, etc) Something that you can see grow as you put in work, sometimes you'll feel as if getting a paycheck isn't enough and you want something more rewarding (unless you get paid bank of course, then you probably keep your sanity more easily, otherwise...). DJing can be that escape, where you're not some file clerk, cashier, barista or whatever, you're a DJ, you're not the top dog, you're the only dog. There's no clock, no fee, just you and all the sweat, blood and tears you want to put into it. The sky is the limit brother, I'm doing things I never thought I could in music (soon I'll be scraping the soles of DD ), it's not magic just work, a lot of work.

3) Party - Smoke weed everyday. Whiskey and weed keeps my sanity down to the dot on the i. This can also function as a networking tool if your activity requires it

small edit: the 3rd one can be substituted of course, the idea is to do something where you're not thinking in steps, you're just living. Paintballing, trail hiking, etc, whatever gets those endorphins out and moving

[miggs]

i want to be a working spliff like miggs :'(

Fixed.

MOD POWER!

[ennui]

weening yourself off computer games might be step one

I hear league of legends ruins lives

[miggs]

weening yourself off computer games might be step one

I hear league of legends ruins lives

but maybe it's keeping his sanity? When I didn't work reading about musician's and how they lived while listening to their records was my addiction. I would wake up at like 1-2pm and start reading and listening. Sometimes, I'd run out of stuff to read but not hear so I'd play video games (bless you Halo Reach for getting me through tough times). I'd then hang out for hours do not much of anything (faps until he's stuck to the walls) and finally the night came, I would listen and read some more, then I'd hear my mom in the kitchen putting the coffee to brew, by then I knew it was somewhere between 5:30-6am, I'd wake up my sis to go to work at 7am and would drop her off work so I'd be back home by 9am. I would eat breakfast, do my chores in the house and hang out with my mom (no $ so I pretty much never went out) until my sis would get off work, I'd pick her up then swing by and pick up my brother from school. Get home by 430 with everyone and have our coffee (mom sis and I) and watch terrible spanish tv shows about gossip of latin celebrities. By this time I was blown out of my mind, the daily usual frustration of not having a job and was sick of being in my room so this was some good down time.

these were hard times in that I didn't ever enjoy a day of being unemployed, it always **** sucked. I had the blues so bad I discovered blues music during this time and finally got my **** together as a musician and got serious about learning how to arrange and invent the sound i heard in my head. Finally got a job (temp only) but then this job as a Saturday only gig, months passed and I ended up getting the FT position here when my friend left. Has been great since, just **** sucked being unemployed so maybe the video games should stay before he goes postal.

[ennui]

I wasn't really serious, although I do have friends who shirk some responsibilities to play. My personal rule is if whatever it is you have going on interferes with your motivation, it might be a problem.