Everyone has an opinion. Repeating this statement to yourself can save you a lifetime of anxiety and worry about what other people think. Especially, when you come to the realization that most opinions will differ from yours in some way.
People all over the world are paid to give their opinions on everything from foreign policy to who is going to win the big game. Over the last six months, I've been providing my opinion on whether or not I believe certain high school students should be admitted to a particular university. This is my job, and there are several parents, guidance counselors, students, and other interested parties who do not agree with my opinion. All of this has kept me away from my turntables and this blog.
As a release from (among other things) having others try and poke holes in my opinion, I DJ. It has been a great stress reliever since I first picked up the craft in 2006. When the headpohones are on and the wheels are spinning, it is almost as if nothing else matters. I play what I think sounds good, for what mood I'm in. IMAGINE HAVING THE ABILITY TO CREATE YOUR OWN PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK FOR EVERY MOOD!
Taking this craft to the public forum is what sometimes destroys its calming effect. When you DJ for an audience, it is like having a continuous performance review. Instead of being judged on objective measures, you are being judged on how well your opinion matches the opinion of the audience. In many instances, you MUST play songs that you hate, but everyone else loves. Sounds more like work, and less like a hobby. SO WHY DO I DO IT....??? The previously described low points pale in comparison to the highs. When the DJ and the audience are in sync, even the most statuesque of wall flowers will break their scarecrow poses, nod their heads, and mouth the words to the song pumping through the speakers. The DJ drops the gain on the mixer to reveal the crowd singing in unison, then brings the gain back drowning out the off-pitch audience participation. If you weren't able to pull an experience like that from your memory, then you have never been to a live party. I would dare to say you haven't lived.
So I truly try and balance the types of gigs I do with some quality time with my favorite audience... myself. I've come to realize that the songs that I think are great, might go unnoticed by the general public, receive no radio airplay, and/or never be played by a DJ at a party. And judging by what I hear on the radio over and over again, I can assume that there are even more songs that are very popular with everyone EXCEPT me and a select few. Not saying that either population is right or wrong, but I think we can agree to disagree on which songs are hot, and which ones are not.***
So here is a mix of songs over the life of my (close to five-year) experience DJing that I really liked, but they never seemed to get any airplay on the radio, in the clubs, or anywhere outside of my immediate circle of influence. Let me know what you think. Could any of these have been hits?
***I can agree to disagree in most cases, but I did have a girl come up to me at my last gig and tell me that I needed to change the song after the dance floor cleared. She said that I was playing a really bad song and that no one would ever dance to "a song like this." The song I was playing was Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. I strongly suggested that she leave the area designated for the DJ after explaining to her that what she was listening to IS/WAS/FOREVER WILL BE one of the greatest songs in the history of all hearing. Then I played her Lady Gaga request. :-)
