Feeling old and out of touch...

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DJ Zac

DJ Zac

DJ
Dec 4, 2006
1,886
16
61
Upstate NY
www.djzacbarr.com
Had my first event of 2009 Friday night. A middle school dance for my daughter's school. I have never before felt so out of touch with the music these kids wanted... :sqconfused:

I mean, I've got a thirteen-year-old daughter, so I get to listen to it all the time, but almost NONE of today's top 40 stuff sounds like a hit to me, and I'm just not getting it... :sqmad:

Maybe I'm getting too old for these kinds of events. Maybe it's time to concentrate on Weddings and other "adult" events. (Maybe I just need to do more homework on today's music...)

It was a really LONG 2 hours. I'm still tired... :sqembarrassed:
 
Yes, I see it with my nephew. There's some stuff out there that I can't believe has been recorded.
 
DJ Zac said:
Had my first event of 2009 Friday night. A middle school dance for my daughter's school. I have never before felt so out of touch with the music these kids wanted... :sqconfused:

I mean, I've got a thirteen-year-old daughter, so I get to listen to it all the time, but almost NONE of today's top 40 stuff sounds like a hit to me, and I'm just not getting it... :sqmad:

Maybe I'm getting too old for these kinds of events. Maybe it's time to concentrate on Weddings and other "adult" events. (Maybe I just need to do more homework on today's music...)

It was a really LONG 2 hours. I'm still tired... :sqembarrassed:
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Zac,

Yer too old dude! So am I :)

Leave the kid events, to the kids -- we have no positive energy to commit to those shows. We'd rather be playing Bob Seger, Shout, Mony Mony, and We Are Family.


Don't try and market to everyone -- find yer niche, and rock it... ;) :)
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Zac,

Yer too old dude! So am I :)

Leave the kid events, to the kids -- we have no positive energy to commit to those shows. We'd rather be playing Bob Seger, Shout, Mony Mony, and We Are Family.


Don't try and market to everyone -- find yer niche, and rockit... ;) :)
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There fixed that plug for ya...
 
jokerswild said:
There fixed that plug for ya...
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Yer not allowed to talk Rob -- the secret service is watching you now... :sqerr:

There's a dude in yer closet right now (DON'T TURN AND LOOK) :sqeek:


Cue twilight zone music here... :D
 
As a DJ, I force myself to listen to the local Hip Hop / Top 40 stations. Here in Los Angeles, that would be Power106 and 102.7 KISS FM. Even if you dont like what you hear, you at least have an idea of what new and being played. The websites of these stations also have their Playlists posted, so its always a good cheat sheet. We all have our preference and favorite genres when it comes to music. But when we are getting paid, its all about what the customer wants. You can say, you wont do School events. But the mid 20's couple that are getting married will also want new Top 40 and Hip Hop. For that reason, I dont carry an MP3 Player with me or have very limited CDs in the car. I force myself to listen to the radio. I will keep fighting the "Old Guy" syndrome by not being "In Touch". Hey, you already know the downside. The music today sucks. The upside? You might enjoy 1 or 2 tracks. My favorite music is the 80's. They will be waiting for me when I get home. I'll just rip a quick 30 minute set and be happy.
Age is just a number. You just feel old if you allow it.
 
And while you're listening to that hip station be sure to keep a pen handy in order to write down notes.... I do this all the time, mostly while at stop lights, but sometimes while driving.

I've looked at my local radio stations for playlists and haven't found them.... if I tune into their webcasts I can get track info but then I have to be watching for it.
 
I too went through this a few years ago. It was at that point I decided no more kids/teen dances. It was a battle that I was caught in the middle of...The kids wanted one thing, the school told me no way could I play it. The pay was lousy & it was a game with the kids to see who could intimidate the DJ the most. (hip-hop/rap vs. the kids that wanted country vs. dance pop.

If you no longer enjoy doing it,..... don't do it.
If you hate it, the people there can see it. On the other hand, there's nothing sillier than seeing a 40+ yr old white guy pretending that he's really into gangsta rap.

Now a days I primarily DJ weddings & company parties.
You couldn't pay me enough to do a school dance.

You gotta do what you enjoy.
 
DJ Zac said:
Maybe I'm getting too old for these kinds of events. Maybe it's time to concentrate on Weddings and other "adult" events. (Maybe I just need to do more homework on today's music...)
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I find this funny it's only the last year or two I started doing teen dances again :sqerr:

I guess I am going through my second childhood....The real funny part is I was no good at them when I was younger now I feel pretty comfortable doing them
 
Brother Zac,

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, my friend. Wolfie hasn't listened to mainstream pop radio since the '90s when I was still DJing school dances.

Like yourself, I had a daughter in middle school. She knew all the cliques and all the oddball stuff they liked. I played it to a receptive crowd. It was a good run and, thanks to Chuck's suggestions I stayed with that school market for years.

In them days, you could spin the old school stuff once in a while and get a floor going. :)

Today, it's all rap and noise. We'll take on the occasional HS grad party for people we know and tolerate the crap that passes for music these days. But no more school dance shows.

I can mix a bit... but you can't mix chit and get cake. ;)
 
Fred Wright said:
I can mix a bit... but you can't mix chit and get cake. ;)
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That depends on what ya get at the store... I usually get Duncan Heines... seems to be about the moistest cake.... add a little coke instead of the water for a really light and fluffy cake... it's really not that hard.






































:sqwink:
 
I'm still going through it. I just has a party for my 13 year old daughter last month. I am 47 and I must say the kids have no problem rocking with me. I don't know all their music but they sure have no problem asking. And since I have a Verizon internet card I have no problem filling their requests.

I just did an event last night at our youth center. I was the MC for a fashion show. At the end of the night two young girls walked up and asked if I did high school dances. (No Jon, I know what your thinking, to play music not to hang around. You're a sick sick man.)

Anyway, I asked the girls "do you really want an old guy like me DJing at your dance". To which they said yes, you played some really great music and we had fun tonight. We don't get that at our dances. Go figure.

It's simple for me anyway I just don't try and act like I'm a kid. I respect them (those that deserve it) but I'm not friends with them. I entertain in a professional manner and give them (what I think is they need) what they want.

Even 2 of my other daughters who are now in college would come home from high school dances and say to me "what a lame DJ they had tonight, our friends all wish you were there". Now that felt really good. So you're never to old, just don't be afraid, be in control.
 
All I do is kid stuff. For the first events I had the kids give me play lists. I made sure that I had online access at the first few events and when the kids gave me requests for songs that I didn't have, I downloaded them on a secondary PC and give them a quick listen for explicit content. After the 3rd event I could almost stop saying that I didn't have a requested song. :sqrolleyes:

I listen to top 20 & top 40 on XM/Sirius in the car a few times a week so I can get the title & artist. I do the same with cable top 40 music channel. The kids around here will dance to top 40, but the floor doesn't really pack until I start playing hip hop. That opens the door wide open for explicit content. I suggest that you do not go to the lyrics websites and do not lookup odd sounding terms in a slang dictionary or you will drive yourself crazy. You are better off not knowing. :sqeek: I did look up some of the most popular songs and discussed it with my daughter. She said that she has no idea what the slang terms are and said it had never been discussed with her friends, they just like the music.
 
Ron Auger said:
It's simple for me anyway I just don't try and act like I'm a kid. I respect them (those that deserve it) but I'm not friends with them. I entertain in a professional manner and give them (what I think is they need) what they want.
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That is so important...We had a problem with one of our DJs being buddies with the kids at our regular teen shows and fortunatly it didn't turn bad but that potential is always there.

Mutual respect is nice and necessary but being buddies with 15 yr olds is not a good way to stroke your ego
 
You occasionaly see the parents who think they are one of the kids. They act like one of the gang. The last thing I need to to be friends with a bunch of 15 year olds. It's not like I have many friends now. Well maybe on DJA but that's a different type of friendship.:sqerr: I am good friends with Mr. Happy Palm!!:sqrolleyes: OK, I'm getting carried away again, I'll leave quitely.
 
hey with respect and relating to them I am just a big kid and hey Ron your the sick man not me. You unfortunately made me think bad things with your sordid comment. LOL
I love all music and pride myself for keeping up with most any fun music. I even have fun playing it.
 
Actually even with a top 40 list in my hand with all the newest songs ready
I was told that those songs are all old


I said "WHAT!"

lol now thats what you call out of touch
even if the top40 list is dated 1x day prior to playing a show how far are we all suppose to go!
 
Jon,
You know I love you man. You're like the second cousin on my mothers side who went to prison for stealing his own car, then got out and started a band while on a mission from God.:sqcool: Where's that damn avatar blowing a kiss.
 
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