For Mix, Documentary - I was there I when House music took over the world

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Guys it really isn't worth arguing with him anymore. Mixy knows all and he is going to tell you how it is and how the industry works. I mean what would people like us who have successfully run DJ business or people like myself who have owned bars know about the industry. Mixy please give us more wisdom.
 
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Guys it really isn't worth arguing with him anymore. Mixy knows all and he is going to tell you how it is and how the industry works. I mean what would people like us who have successfully run DJ business or people like myself who have owned bars know about the industry. Mixy please give us more wisdom.
No not more wisdom and I don't know everything. If I did I would be God almighty and people I don't like would be out of here.

Now Itigger you said for a bar to pay a DJ $150 they have to make $500. I won't disagree with you there. Of course they have to make a certain amount of money to justify paying a DJ a certain amount of money.

Now what's needed is for a DJ to consistently bring in a certain amount of people spending money or they can't afford to keep that DJ. Now some situations the DJ will get paid less then agreed upon. Now if this keeps happening the DJ needs to make a decision on what to do.

Please keep in mind some nights the place may not draw many people. It happens from time to time. It doesn't even matter if it's a Friday or Saturday night. Some nights people may decide to go somewhere else. As long as it's only occasionally that this happens then that's OK. The beauty is having a owner who prepares for such times so the DJ still gets the same pay.

I remember getting told that the Private Place Lounge used to take money from a good night to cover for a bad night so everybody working that night would get the amount due to them including the DJ and that's a big reason why people loved to work there. I never had to worry about getting paid all the money due to me.

I remember getting offered $250 to play in a bar on a Saturday night if I could make the owner 1k. Now that was over 10 years ago when I was using CD'S to DJ with and I was using the Numark CDN 88. Long story short I never got to talk to the owner or find out where the place was at in Elizabeth, NJ. My friend I worked with told me one night 2 guys came in and robbed the bar. They shot the bartender and went to take the DJs equipment. Stupid fool was fighting to keep the equipment. God looked out for me bad as I wanted to get to play there and make the money.

Also Itigger remember this. Some clients have made the mistake of booking a DJ based on price alone and made a big mistake. I would rather spend a little more money for someone to get the job done right than take a chance on saving money and taking a chance on what I might get to do the job. The reason for getting repeat business is because the people booking you know what they are going to get instead of taking a chance on someone else doing the job.
 
Mixy has spoken. His wisdom knows no limits.
T here you go trying to be funny. knock it off. I will say it again. My 2 things of interest to me when possibly playing in a place. Safety first. Will I feel comfortable playing there and what is the amount I'm to be payed if I agree to play there? I went to one place and the barmaid told me they could use a DJ but they only pay $50. I kindly walked out. That place has been closed for many years now. Jimmy you said you were an owner at one time and decided to stop being the owner why?
 
Not trying to be funny at all. You know everything. I want to learn so please keep telling me the same stuff over and over again.

As for why I am no longer own the bar is because after 4 years we were approached by a gentleman that had just come into some money and offered us 3 times what we paid for the business. As smart businessmen we took the money and ran. Oh yeah he lasted one year because he changed everything we had in place and thought he knew better.
 
I remember getting told that the Private Place Lounge used to take money from a good night to cover for a bad night so everybody working that night would get the amount due to them including the DJ and that's a big reason why people loved to work there. I never had to worry about getting paid all the money due to me.
I remember getting told that at one time, the Model T used to be the #1 vehicle. Times have changed - and the Model T is no longer relevant to today. The scenario you describe (good night / bad night) is business 101.

I remember getting offered $250 to play in a bar on a Saturday night if I could make the owner 1k. Now that was over 10 years ago when I was using CD'S to DJ with and I was using the Numark CDN 88. Long story short I never got to talk to the owner or find out where the place was at in Elizabeth, NJ. My friend I worked with told me one night 2 guys came in and robbed the bar. They shot the bartender and went to take the DJs equipment. Stupid fool was fighting to keep the equipment. God looked out for me bad as I wanted to get to play there and make the money.
Long story short, this was because you didn't follow up. Getting an offer to play and actually playing are 2 very different things. Why did you never talk to the owner? As already stated, if you would get out of your 5 mile circle, alot of the 'issues' you talk about don't exist.

Also Itigger remember this. Some clients have made the mistake of booking a DJ based on price alone and made a big mistake. I would rather spend a little more money for someone to get the job done right than take a chance on saving money and taking a chance on what I might get to do the job.
If that red line had even one ounce of truth, you would stop buying equipment the way you do.

The reason for getting repeat business is because the people booking you know what they are going to get instead of taking a chance on someone else doing the job.
About that .. how much repeat 'business' do you have?

Are you claiming and paying taxes?
 
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I remember getting told that at one time, the Model T used to be the #1 vehicle. Times have changed - and the Model T is no longer relevant to today. The scenario you describe (good night / bad night) is business 101.


Long story short, this was because you didn't follow up. Getting an offer to play and actually playing are 2 very different things. Why did you never talk to the owner? As already stated, if you would get out of your 5 mile circle, alot of the 'issues' you talk about don't exist.


If that red line had even one ounce of truth, you would stop buying equipment the way you do.


About that .. how much repeat 'business' do you have?

Are you claiming and paying taxes?
To answer your question about why I didn't follow up. I never knew where the place was at. I kept asking my friend to take me there and never could get her to take me there. I never got to know the name of the place. Considering what happened I'm glad I never got to play there.
 
As already stated, if you would get out of your 5 mile circle, a lot of the 'issues' you talk about don't exist.

Agreed. He's been told this BASIC concept MANY times. But don't forget, he's a HOBBYIST.

But even a hobbyist should LISTEN to great suggestions offered here MANY MANY times.

Sorry for shouting. Me thinks Mix may be a tad hard of hearing...:sqrofl:
 
Let me ask this question. For those who have either played in a bar or club, what was your reason for playing there?
 
Mine's more like a business hobby, so I do it for "gas money and maybe something to eat." :)
 
I had two "regular" bar gigs.

One when I was VERY young...at a bar located in a shopping center.
It was a great place for dining, and did well during the day...
and had live bands that faired well on weekends,
but never really found something that would draw a crowd during a week night.

The other was a restaurant that hired me to play background music/requests on a Wednesday night.
The pay was not enough to be the reason I took the gig.
It was REAL close to home, I got to play music that made ME happy,
and they fed me whatever I wanted from the menu.
It never panned out as well as they had hoped,
but it was good while it lasted.
 
Mine's more like a business hobby, so I do it for "gas money and maybe something to eat." :)
I'm just realistic when it comes to playing in a bar and getting paid. When I played in The Private Place Lounge I got paid $150 a night. I wasn't breaking the bank and yet I didn't want to price nyself out of playing there. That was decent money for me to play there. I just added that on to the rest of the money I had in my pocket. I know some here wouldn't play in a place for only 4150. That's their choice. Igot to be well known in the place and some would ask me when was the next time I was going to play there? I couldn't say because I didn't know. It depended on when I got a call from the manager and I had the date open. One of my favorite things was when some people would come in there that never heard me play. They would be in skeptical about me. At the end of the night after I shut down they would compliment me on doing a great job and tell me I'm good.
 
Back to the PPL. I'm thinking this is the only place you have played. It's the only place that you reference - and it's long gone.

Of these compliments .. did any of these people hire you?
I played in a bar called Toronto many years ago when I first started. I played when I was needed. That was when we used records to DJ with. I also played in Club Marlos and Ashanti's before it closed down just to name some of the places I played at.
 
Yep Mixy practice. This way I could play any genre of music I was asked for. This way I was never just able to do one type like house music. Instead I can do everything and therefore have the ability to do many types of gigs and charge a premium for my services.

I didn't to it to try to impress my friends.
 
I played in a bar called Toronto many years ago when I first started. I played when I was needed. That was when we used records to DJ with. I also played in Club Marlos and Ashanti's before it closed down just to name some of the places I played at.
Again, all of these places are long gone.

Of these compliments .. did any of these people hire you?

Are you / have you been paying taxes?