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

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adj2ent

DJ Extraordinaire
Oct 20, 2006
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Long Island NY
It’s a Documentary about the beginning of House music. The mid 80’s was really a crazy time for me DJ wise. While I was busy with my Video Dance Parties in the college market, two of my DJs were introducing everyone to House music and Reggae. Although I was familiar with Music they played at the Paradise garage as I put garage music in my mixes go be aired, it was never really played at the colleges. House music was different. More basic, rhythm orientated and geared to dancing. It found its way into the college scene is a major way..

View: https://youtu.be/9Rah1F1zq1k
 
Thanks and for me I know a lot about the history of house music. There was disco in the Seventies and it turned into house music. At that time is when people went out to a bar or club to hear a DJ play and didn't worry about if a fight was going to break out. There was no need for security unless it was a super big club. You didn't need someone checking you at the door to see if you have a weapon on you. That's what I miss. People just went out to have a good time.

Now some on here will play in a place where fights break out don't see a problem with it. Me if I'm put in a situation like that, I will be long gone never to return again. I'm not talking about a little incident that quickly gets handled and the people causing a problem are quickly thrown out. When I played in the Private Place Lounge a little stuff did happen occasionally but nothing to major.
 
Thanks and for me I know a lot about the history of house music. There was disco in the Seventies and it turned into house music. At that time is when people went out to a bar or club to hear a DJ play and didn't worry about if a fight was going to break out. There was no need for security unless it was a super big club. You didn't need someone checking you at the door to see if you have a weapon on you. That's what I miss. People just went out to have a good time.

Now some on here will play in a place where fights break out don't see a problem with it. Me if I'm put in a situation like that, I will be long gone never to return again. I'm not talking about a little incident that quickly gets handled and the people causing a problem are quickly thrown out. When I played in the Private Place Lounge a little stuff did happen occasionally but nothing to major.
I don’t recall anyone of us on here talking about playing in places where fights happen. Clearly me and you don’t go to the same places, as I’ve ever gone to places where I had to worry about fights or weapons. Check out places like waterside in edgewater... great house music, ppl dress well, no fights, no weapons, older crowd, etc.
 
I don’t recall anyone of us on here talking about playing in places where fights happen. Clearly me and you don’t go to the same places, as I’ve ever gone to places where I had to worry about fights or weapons. Check out places like waterside in edgewater... great house music, ppl dress well, no fights, no weapons, older crowd, etc.
I don't worry about weapons around here either .. everybody has one .. :)
 
Mix you are the only one who brings up fights at some small local spot. It’s been mentioned before repeatly. Usually things happen at the small local spots not at the larger spots. But trust me there is some sort security there you just don’t see them.

Now the way music went is Disco to Garage to House to Dance. Well at least in the US. It is Interesting to look and see now everything unfolded as a whole. So much was going on in the 80’s, so many different types of music gaining popularity as people mixed. House, Reggae, Freestyle, Rap, Latin, MTV new wave and what I called Long Island Disco all hit about the same. It’s funny how people think Disco died but disco hits like, Celebration, it’s raining men, Flashdance, So many men, Lime are all are from the 80s’ not the 70s’
 
House music for me is what I find to be safe. As far as someone on here mentioning about playing in a place where fights break out. I remember a DJ on here saying they play in a place that every other week there's a fight in the place. They said they still play there. What I know is places that they allow a DJ to play explicit music all night long and just crazy music of today turn into a hot mess. Unless they have super tight security and more than one person checking you at the door.

Some owners are cheap and don't want to spend the money for security. Those places normally don't last long unless they make serious changes. Let me ask this question. How many of you remember the time when there was no need for security when a DJ played in a place besides a big club?
 
As has been discussed many, many, many times previously - if you would take a ride outside of the 5 mile circle you stay in, you would see a much different life. Taso works the same exact market you do .. and he has none of these complaints. As relates to time - time always moves forward. Cars now have self driving capabilities, we have the Internet, etc.
 
As has been discussed many, many, many times previously - if you would take a ride outside of the 5 mile circle you stay in, you would see a much different life. Taso works the same exact market you do .. and he has none of these complaints. As relates to time - time always moves forward. Cars now have self driving capabilities, we have the Internet, etc.
Let me say this. The location of a place is not the big issue. The issue is how a place is being run. I can give you 2 examples of places that were run what I call tight to the right. The Private Place Lounge was a great place to play at. It was my favorite place to play at of all times. I didn't worry about a big drama scene happening there. Twice the police came in there. Once a girl in there got into it on a Thursday night that I was playing there with a regular who came there. The police came there to calm things down. All it was is the girl had too much to drink and needed to sleep it off. No major thing happened. The other time people were still in the place after 2AM. The law is for patrons to be out before 2AM. The people working there including the DJ could be in there after 2AM. Those are the 2 incidents. A little incident here and there that would quickly get handled and the people put out of the place that were causing a scene. It was a friendly peaceful place for people to come to and a DJ to play there.

Now across the street was J & A sports bar. The police had to stay in the parking lot when they were letting people out every time a DJ played there because they didn't know when a big issue might happen and the police would get a call to come there. I was told once a lady took a beer bottle and busted a guy upside his head in the place. It's now a restaurant that the guy who bought it out had some entertainment in the place. Nothing like that happening there.

Now about Level 10 on North Center street which is in the next block. It was run by another owner under a different name. Back then it was a rough place to go to. The place kept the police there all the time. Either when it was closing time or before then. At that time 2 people got shot outside. Another guy became the owner and since he has been running the place (which is before the shut down) not one issue inside or outside of the place. Police didn't have to come there at all. Same place but run totally different from the way it used to be run.

My friend played there on Monday nights. I was trying my best to get to play there because of how great the place was being run. The owner set it up just right. No DJ playing there was allowed to play any of today's crazy music. Only music you were allowed to play there was Classic Soul, House Music and Club Classics. Just so you know people used to love to come there. I do mean even the older crowd of people as well on certain nights. He didn't have to depend on a bunch of 21 year olds coming in the place to keep the doors open to pay the bills. The age limit was 27 on up and he bought a ID detector to see if someone had a fake ID or not. He was serious about 27 and older. So my point is it's not all about the location of a place but more about how a place is being run. If an owner allows the drama people to come into their place what do you expect to happen? I expect drama and places like that most times only last so long. That's unless the owner figures out the mistakes they are making and make changes cleaning things up.
 
Let me say this. The location of a place is not the big issue. The issue is how a place is being run. I can give you 2 examples of places that were run what I call tight to the right. The Private Place Lounge was a great place to play at. It was my favorite place to play at of all times. I didn't worry about a big drama scene happening there. Twice the police came in there. Once a girl in there got into it on a Thursday night that I was playing there with a regular who came there. The police came there to calm things down. All it was is the girl had too much to drink and needed to sleep it off. No major thing happened. The other time people were still in the place after 2AM. The law is for patrons to be out before 2AM. The people working there including the DJ could be in there after 2AM. Those are the 2 incidents. A little incident here and there that would quickly get handled and the people put out of the place that were causing a scene. It was a friendly peaceful place for people to come to and a DJ to play there.

Now across the street was J & A sports bar. The police had to stay in the parking lot when they were letting people out every time a DJ played there because they didn't know when a big issue might happen and the police would get a call to come there. I was told once a lady took a beer bottle and busted a guy upside his head in the place. It's now a restaurant that the guy who bought it out had some entertainment in the place. Nothing like that happening there.

Now about Level 10 on North Center street which is in the next block. It was run by another owner under a different name. Back then it was a rough place to go to. The place kept the police there all the time. Either when it was closing time or before then. At that time 2 people got shot outside. Another guy became the owner and since he has been running the place (which is before the shut down) not one issue inside or outside of the place. Police didn't have to come there at all. Same place but run totally different from the way it used to be run.

My friend played there on Monday nights. I was trying my best to get to play there because of how great the place was being run. The owner set it up just right. No DJ playing there was allowed to play any of today's crazy music. Only music you were allowed to play there was Classic Soul, House Music and Club Classics. Just so you know people used to love to come there. I do mean even the older crowd of people as well on certain nights. He didn't have to depend on a bunch of 21 year olds coming in the place to keep the doors open to pay the bills. The age limit was 27 on up and he bought a ID detector to see if someone had a fake ID or not. He was serious about 27 and older. So my point is it's not all about the location of a place but more about how a place is being run. If an owner allows the drama people to come into their place what do you expect to happen? I expect drama and places like that most times only last so long. That's unless the owner figures out the mistakes they are making and make changes cleaning things up.
You constantly give us examples of places long gone .. and of music that you like (and was a hit at one time). There's a reason these clubs and this music (for the most part) is long gone. There's a reason that the Model T is no longer in production and is a collector car. There's also a reason that very few people have one. You keep reflecting on times long gone and consistently refuse to adapt to now. You have absolutely no input on how a 'place is run'. You have a hard time running your own 'business' let alone judging or telling someone else how to run theirs. You have one simple task .. you can either perform .. or not.

Businesses from the past and now need / needed everyone to survive. The age of a person does not always reflect their maturity. I can show you a bunch of older people that can cause more hell than a similar group of young people. What you speak of is a form of discrimination.

Again, you refuse to get out of your 5 mile circle to see that life is better - while fussing about how life is inside that circle. This is not new .. you've been running in the same circle for at least 10 years, refusing to change even the smallest bit. Until YOU change, nothing else will. Life will not adapt to you, you must adapt to it. To move forward, you need to get out of your own way.
 
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You constantly give us examples of places long gone .. and of music that you like (and was a hit at a time). There's a reason these clubs and this music (for the most part) is long gone. There's a reason that the Model T is no longer in production and is a collector car. There's also a reason that very few people have one. You keep reflecting on times long gone and consistently refuse to adapt to now. You have absolutely no input on how a 'place is run'. You have a hard time running your own 'business' let alone judging or telling someone else how to run theirs. You have one simple task .. you can either perform .. or not.

Businesses from the past and now need / needed everyone to survive. The age of a person does not always reflect their maturity. I can show you a bunch of older people that can cause more hell than a similar group of young people. What you speak of is a form of discrimination.

Again, you refuse to get out of your 5 mile circle to see that life is better - while fussing about how life is inside that circle. This is not new .. you've been running in the same circle for at least 10 years, refusing to change even the smallest bit. Until YOU change, nothing else will. Life will not adapt to you, you must adapt to it. To move forward, you need to get out of your own way.
I see you and Jimmy missed what I was saying. I was talking about how a place is being run and not the location the place is in. The way a place is being run has a lot to do with if a place stays in business for a long time or not that long.

Also stop thinking when it comes to music I'm only talking about old school Disco/house music. I'm talking about house music that's a hit today.

Now some owners don't care who they let come in their place. All they know is that they are making plenty of money. Such places normally have a lot of issues. The places that last a long time are more selective as to who they allow to come in their place and have a fress code that they stick with. I'm not talking about having guys wearing a suit and tie and females wearing dresses with dress shoes. I'm talking about not allowing patrons to come in dressed any kind of way.

Another reason some places are a mess is because the owner is to cheap to hire security so they can work on keeping things peaceful in the place so people will want to come there.

Also stop making the mistake saying I'm telling an owner what to do. I'm just talking about the things I have personally witnessed why some places last a long time and others eventually get closed for good.
 
I see you and Jimmy missed what I was saying. I was talking about how a place is being run and not the location the place is in. The way a place is being run has a lot to do with if a place stays in business for a long time or not that long.

Also stop thinking when it comes to music I'm only talking about old school Disco/house music. I'm talking about house music that's a hit today.

Now some owners don't care who they let come in their place. All they know is that they are making plenty of money. Such places normally have a lot of issues. The places that last a long time are more selective as to who they allow to come in their place and have a fress code that they stick with. I'm not talking about having guys wearing a suit and tie and females wearing dresses with dress shoes. I'm talking about not allowing patrons to come in dressed any kind of way.

Another reason some places are a mess is because the owner is to cheap to hire security so they can work on keeping things peaceful in the place so people will want to come there.

Also stop making the mistake saying I'm telling an owner what to do. I'm just talking about the things I have personally witnessed why some places last a long time and others eventually get closed for good.
It's tough when owners are actually trying to make money. Bringing in 60+ year olds that sip on a drink or 2 all night isn't the way to prosperity .. especially if they're being told they should pay for a DJ" to entertain them with music that doesn't bring anyone else in.
 
It's tough when owners are actually trying to make money. Bringing in 60+ year olds that sip on a drink or 2 all night isn't the way to prosperity .. especially if they're being told they should pay for a DJ" to entertain them with music that doesn't bring anyone else in.
I'vody coming in the place. What I'm talking about is having a bunch e been saying to go after smart money and not just any money. What I mean is to have people coming in the place that will keep the doors open. Of course an owner wants as many people to come in their place spending money as they can fit in a place. The reason for a DJ being in the place is to draw people into the place spending money. I love an owner who is not desperate for money. What I mean is some owners don't care who they allow to come in the place. They are so hard up wanting bto make money they don't care. I have seen plenty places like that get shut down never to open again.

The place where I first met my partner was a hot mess. He told me he got the job there because someone had him do their birthday party there and the owner liked what he did. So they hired him to be the DJ there on Thursday and Saturday night. The place had no security. We tried to talk the owner into getting security while the DJ played there. He didn't want to do it. Since he owned the place, he's the one who takes the blame for letting anybody come in the place. I'm talking people under the age of 21 and drinking in the place. I know this personally because I for certain there was a female who was in the place that I know was under age because she used to go to the middle school that I used to work at. His last night playing there a brawl for it all happened. By time I got there because I was at the union Christmas party, the police where they are trying to restore order in the place. By that time all hell had broken loose.

Stop thinking all I'm saying is it's about getting a bunch of older people to come to a place only. An older crowd will come out to drink and have a good time. Not just any night of the week. The place has to setup a specific night for an older crowd to come out to hear a DJ play. The big key thing is to have a place that they will want to come to on that certain night. The place has to establish this so an older crowd will know where they can go to have a good time and on what day.

Usually the people coming there will come there because they want to hear the DJ play music that they want to hear. The DJ normally is a well known DJ that they know playing in the place. One big thing is to have different things happening on different nights. Giving patrons a variety and not the same thing every night. I played in a place that's shut down now. It's a hair salon now. I first started playing there on Friday nights and the owner in the beginning of me playing wanted me to play the same kind of music my friend played the night before. Those same people weren't go come there on back to back nights. I finally figured this owner out. He thought I was going to play the same kind of music the other DJs coming in at 10PM would play. The music they played was stuff I wouldn't even consider playing. The stuff they played was mostly songs with explicit lyrics using the B word, F word, MF, N and so on. Not me because I know that kind of music was going to bring in trouble, which it did causing the ABC board to come in and give him a fine for the under age people drinking in the place. I don't know how much the fine was. All I know is he stopped them from playing there for a few weeks till they got better security. I would have never agreed to something like that. The owner should pay for security and not a DJ. The good thing for me is the time I played there, there was no need for security. I played for a mature adult crowd that knew how to act. They were just there to hear me play, get their drink on and just have a good time.
 
I'vody coming in the place. What I'm talking about is having a bunch e been saying to go after smart money and not just any money. What I mean is to have people coming in the place that will keep the doors open. Of course an owner wants as many people to come in their place spending money as they can fit in a place. The reason for a DJ being in the place is to draw people into the place spending money. I love an owner who is not desperate for money. What I mean is some owners don't care who they allow to come in the place. They are so hard up wanting bto make money they don't care. I have seen plenty places like that get shut down never to open again.

The place where I first met my partner was a hot mess. He told me he got the job there because someone had him do their birthday party there and the owner liked what he did. So they hired him to be the DJ there on Thursday and Saturday night. The place had no security. We tried to talk the owner into getting security while the DJ played there. He didn't want to do it. Since he owned the place, he's the one who takes the blame for letting anybody come in the place. I'm talking people under the age of 21 and drinking in the place. I know this personally because I for certain there was a female who was in the place that I know was under age because she used to go to the middle school that I used to work at. His last night playing there a brawl for it all happened. By time I got there because I was at the union Christmas party, the police where they are trying to restore order in the place. By that time all hell had broken loose.

Stop thinking all I'm saying is it's about getting a bunch of older people to come to a place only. An older crowd will come out to drink and have a good time. Not just any night of the week. The place has to setup a specific night for an older crowd to come out to hear a DJ play. The big key thing is to have a place that they will want to come to on that certain night. The place has to establish this so an older crowd will know where they can go to have a good time and on what day.

Usually the people coming there will come there because they want to hear the DJ play music that they want to hear. The DJ normally is a well known DJ that they know playing in the place. One big thing is to have different things happening on different nights. Giving patrons a variety and not the same thing every night. I played in a place that's shut down now. It's a hair salon now. I first started playing there on Friday nights and the owner in the beginning of me playing wanted me to play the same kind of music my friend played the night before. Those same people weren't go come there on back to back nights. I finally figured this owner out. He thought I was going to play the same kind of music the other DJs coming in at 10PM would play. The music they played was stuff I wouldn't even consider playing. The stuff they played was mostly songs with explicit lyrics using the B word, F word, MF, N and so on. Not me because I know that kind of music was going to bring in trouble, which it did causing the ABC board to come in and give him a fine for the under age people drinking in the place. I don't know how much the fine was. All I know is he stopped them from playing there for a few weeks till they got better security. I would have never agreed to something like that. The owner should pay for security and not a DJ. The good thing for me is the time I played there, there was no need for security. I played for a mature adult crowd that knew how to act. They were just there to hear me play, get their drink on and just have a good time.
Again .. YOU aren't putting up the money, they are. When YOU open your place and focus on clients that want to spend very little money, YOU see what you can and can't do.

For everyone else, THEY need to do what keeps the place open and that usually doesn't include focusing on a limited clientele spending limited funds .. Business 101.
 
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I don’t recall anyone of us on here talking about playing in places where fights happen....

That's not entirely true. Quite a few years ago....

8:00pm - I started my gig as scheduled.
8:05pm - I get paid cash, in full.
8:10pm - fight breaks out in the parking lot.
8:15pm - Police end the event

My cash earnings for the night: $60 /min. :)
 
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Again .. YOU aren't putting up the money, they are. When YOU open your place and focus on clients that want to spend very little money, YOU see what you can and can't do.

For everyone else, THEY need to do what keeps the place open and that usually doesn't include focusing on a limited clientele spending limited funds .. Business 101.
Again you missed it. I said not having the same thing every night in a place so you attract a diffent crowd on different nights. Just to keep things consistent so people know what's going on on a certain night. One night be for karaoke and another night something else. Also no place is going to have a great night with a packed house every night they are open. Some nights it depends on the weather and some nights people are just not interested in coming to a place. Sometimes it's because they may not like the DJ playing there that night. I remember going to Level 10 on a Sunday afternoon to hear a DJ play I heard the name before. Worst DJ I ever heard! I never heard a DJ that bad. I left there pissed off because I wasted my time coming there to hear him play. Before I get beat up with someone saying he was there working getting paid and I wasn't, let me say this he didn't last much longer. After hearing him play I knew why he doesn't last long playing in a place. Enough people complained and he was let go.

Bob I hear you about getting paid no matter what. How's about not even being put in such situations so you don't have those things to worry about. Like I said if a situation like you described happens, I would be long gone never to return again unless drastic changes have been made where I don't have to worry about such a thing happening. I said it before and I'll say it again. No amount of money is worth risking my life because you never know what might happen. A fight could break out and someone either pull out a gun or run and go get a gun and start shooting. Better safe then sorry.
 
Again you missed it. I said not having the same thing every night in a place so you attract a diffent crowd on different nights. Just to keep things consistent so people know what's going on on a certain night. One night be for karaoke and another night something else. Also no place is going to have a great night with a packed house every night they are open. Some nights it depends on the weather and some nights people are just not interested in coming to a place. Sometimes it's because they may not like the DJ playing there that night. I remember going to Level 10 on a Sunday afternoon to hear a DJ play I heard the name before. Worst DJ I ever heard! I never heard a DJ that bad. I left there pissed off because I wasted my time coming there to hear him play. Before I get beat up with someone saying he was there working getting paid and I wasn't, let me say this he didn't last much longer. After hearing him play I knew why he doesn't last long playing in a place. Enough people complained and he was let go.

Bob I hear you about getting paid no matter what. How's about not even being put in such situations so you don't have those things to worry about. Like I said if a situation like you described happens, I would be long gone never to return again unless drastic changes have been made where I don't have to worry about such a thing happening. I said it before and I'll say it again. No amount of money is worth risking my life because you never know what might happen. A fight could break out and someone either pull out a gun or run and go get a gun and start shooting. Better safe then sorry.
No one wants the crowd you're describing on some of those "different" nights. Each night needs to make money. Places can't make money paying for a DJ and collecting from an older crowd that just doesn't open the wallet much. Show me a place that's killing it today with a 60+ year old crowd and a 60+ year old House music DJ .. any place ...
 
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No one wants the crowd you're describing on some of those "different" nights. Each night needs to make money. Places can't make money paying for a DJ and collecting from an older crowd that just doesn't open the wallet much. Show me a place that's killing it today with a 60+ year old crowd and a 60+ year old House music DJ .. any place ...
Maybe that's what goes on where you live at. Around here my friend is great at getting a older crowd to hear him in a place. That's because they have heard him play for many many years and loves what he does. When he has had a situation where a place gets shut down, his friends who love to hear him play will quickly find him another place to play at. Some places don't work out because the money isn't consistent with the agreement that was made. He will stay in as long as possible before he will leave a spot. Sometimes these things don't work out because the owner won't work with the DJ to get people to come to the place. The other thing is it takes time to build on a place that's a cold place. What I mean is when it's a place not a lot of people are coming there, so the crowd in the beginning maybe very small starting out. Then it depends on the size of the place. Some places it's a great thing that they are rather small places because it doesn't take a lot of people to make the place look like the joint is popping.

The place where my friend played at on Monday nights was Level 10. Through out the night he would get 30 people or a little bit more to come there and drink to hear him play. That's damn good for a Monday and he would mix the music up depending on the crowd that was there that night.