What are you going to play in 10 years?
I don't think you can write of all chart music.
(I would like to though )

None, as long its relevant to the event and clientele, I'll play anything from the Macc Lads to waltzes. It's as someone else said, today’s chart music will be the oldies of tomorrow and if you don't buy it, with this approach you will corner yourself into niche market that will shrink year by year and be susceptible to what’s in fashion at that particular time. If that’s what you want to do fair enough, but even specialist DJ's will carry some up to date stuff as a back-up.

Personally I'd rather be working all the time, and, I find playing different styles of music part of the challenge and enjoyment in DJ'ing, it would bore me stupid to play the same type week in week out.

There is a lot of the music I play, that I wouldn’t play at home, but most of the time when I'm working I don't listen to what’s playing anyway, I'm to busy working out what’s going to come next, finding it, cueing it and generally interacting.

See, there you go Kev, thats your problem mate, you just ain't flexible enough; surely you should also be prepared to play the stuff you don't have

Can't think of anything that I'd refuse to play... apart from Come on you reds by Man USA
Obviously wouldn't play anything with unsuitable lyrics when kids or elderly people were about.

DOH!!!

I've started using Nero Wave Editor's mute function to make clean versions of tracks where there is no censored version easily available. I've already made a clean version of this, muting all three words.

Wave Editor comes with the Nero CD recording software, but I only discovered it, and what it can do a few months ago.

You could always just play the radio edit. Although, like all to may radio edits nowadays, the word "Sh*t" is replaced with "Shhh", which sounds almost the same, and makes it quite obvious what the original lyric was – hardly worth the effort, except for the fact that I can say I'm playing the clean version.

The way that I look at it, is that I wouldnt say the same 4 letter word 13 times over the microphone in 3 and a half minutes? I doubt that any of us would.

I wouldnt let my music say it for me 13 times in 3.5 minutes either.

I've No doubt that every 10 year old in the place would love to sing along to the song - very loudly in 13 places in particular, probably the only reason that they requested it in the first place. Much like Chubby Browns mutation of a certain song about Alice, is simply a good excuse for swearing in time to a beat - a simple feat which seems to help sell Eminem CD's when the accompanying black & white sticker is on the cover.

But neither you or i are pop artists singing/rapping on a cd, i believe its called poetic licence.,the morality of which is not for me to judge .

If a song is likely to cause offence I think there is every right to censor, especially at kids parties. I'm sure I wouldn't want any kids of mine exposed to any un-nesecary profanity, they hear enough in the street without mobile discos adding to it. (& before you ask, yes I swear like a trooper)

Hmm, this is certainly one to ponder... is the biggest tragedy that Steps ever actually received a recording contract, that they covered the song Tragedy, that they failed to see the irony in their covering a song with this title or the saddo's that actually paid money for that 'record'

Agreed. Although at general adult functions this would depend on whether there were any kids present and the type of function it was. I believe that perhaps generations today don't think twice about profanity although the older generations would cringe. I know that I have to make a concerted effort not to swear in front of my Grandparents for example, but thats my choice, certainly they haven't criticised me for not swearing enough .

I think there are some common sense boundaries, there are tracks which are dodgy but not profane in nature, and there are perhaps the odd tracks which contain mild profanity which wouldn't be noticed unless you had the lyric sheet in front of you. If these were popular enough tracks and floor fillers then I wouldn't see them anymore harmful than watching a 70's carry on film, or an episode of 'In sickness and in health' for example. However song tracks containing F:cense: you and Mother :cense:er wouldn't be on my playlist.

why not read what I wrote

I said if the client requests it,

He did, and he even quoted it verbatim.

I would say that a DJ's common sense, and sense of morality has to prevail, even if it means talking to the hirer. The old adage of "he who pays the piper calls the tune" is a nice guideline, but as ChrisP says common sense boundaries are needed.

If a B&G hired a well established, well known, renowned, wedding cake maker and agreed how many tiers, what colour, what stand and all that, and then said that they wanted a pound of salt chucked in, instead of sugar - I would understand totally if the cake maker took the time to explain to the couple with the unusual tastes, that errmm some of their guests may not find the cake edible.(Sp?). The opportunity for discussion has at least been opened and a solution can then be reached eg: 1 tier salty, 2 tiers sugar. I would understand The cake maker, being mindful of their established reputation even turning down the work, if they thought that 198 guests might associate their work with bad taste.

I've come across a few bride and grooms, and other hirers, who have asked for tracks which, in my judgement might cause offense and I've discussed with them, either on the night, or whenever their list was sent to me, if any tracks might cause offence, be taken the wrong way, or contained explicit lyrics etc.

Generally an agreement is reached - either the potentially offending tracks are ditched, or its agreed that they'll be played later after a psuedo-watershed, after any younger members of the audience have left, or the track is played after a verbal warning is given as to the content.

In all cases (and we're only talking a dozen or so in the last few years), the B&G/hirer have thanked me, either for pointing out something which they didnt realise might offend, or for checking with them even if they already understood the possible problems but believed that the risks were justified.

I've never got to the end of an evening without being on the right side of the hirer - its all down to communication leading to an amicable and mutually agreeable result.

I did read your post.

Hypothetical question: It's my 40th in a couple of years & I've booked you to do the gig. One of my favourite tracks is So what by the Anti Nowhere League & I reeeealllllllllly want it playing at my party that I'm paying for.

Guests at my party will include nephews aged 8 & 10 (by then) & my Grandmother & her 2 sisters (all still going strong & I see no reason why they won't be with us in 2 years). You spot them in the audience, what do you do?

& if the client is a 10 yo child who wants a bit of Eminmother em?? Yes I know they won't be paying, but if it's their celebration where do you draw the line?



Anyway why are you so bothered it's not as if there's many profanities or much to cause offence in Soul music

Who has't read whos posts now?

The answer to your last question is easy, tell them that you're a grumpy git who doesn't like to have fun

Seriously, I have encountered such a situation on a few occasions & pointed out that their host doesn't want any cheese. Most people will accept this quite happily, after all as you say it is the host's party.


Notice you didn't answer my questions

That is all I wouldn't play, I'm professional enough not ot let my personal taste in music get in the way of a job well done

What would I do, in this very different example - (after all, theres a grand canyon gap between cheesy and outright filthy swearing obscenities)

Same as stated above - communicate.

I would speak to you, show you the request slips that your guests were handing in to me for all their favourites which they want to enjoy themselves dancing to - and ask you how you wanted the evening to procede. If you stated "let my guests enjoy themselves", then I'd play their requests. If you stated "ignore the requests" then I would ignore the requests and explain your wishes/instructions regarding their requests, to those who come up to me with their questions of "wheres my request?" or "you've not forgotton my request for...have you?". If more than a handful of people started chasing their requests, I would politely explain on-mic that you, the host, has asked for only a certain type/genre of music to be played.

Again - communication.

Without communication between me (in your example), you would think that I was selecting music that you told me not to, rather than it being your guests requests.

Without communication between me (in your example) and your guests, they would think that I was simply ignoring their requests, rather than following your instructions.


By the end of the evening ok, either your guests wont have heard their requests, or you will have heard their favourites that you dont like, OR they'll be some kind of halfway/middle-ground...but either way - both you and your guests will know, through communication, the reason why the evening ran the way it did.