Metal DJ?!
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DJ Stone Crazy.
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November 7, 2011 at 10:09 pm #9503
signal_lost
MemberAlso thought about developing this kind of skills.
But the complicated thing is that Metal and Hard Rock have a very wide variety of sounds and each song has a different BPM.
But I guess with time it can be mastered : there’s that Metal bar in my area, where the DJ seamlessly mixes tunes. I went there once and kept wondering how he was doing this it since I’m not able of mixing metal!
But I am sure there is a market for this, because very few people do it. Many rock and metal bars over here just put CDs in their radio and let them play through the night. I guess a DJ could put some more life at those places 🙂
November 7, 2011 at 10:37 pm #9508CaptainMorgan13
MemberThat’s my thought, too. I called a local bar that used to do metal nights but with bands just to see if they still did it. The dude seemed interested, which is rad. I just need to come up with a plan for the dude.
November 8, 2011 at 9:20 pm #9556Phil Morse
KeymasterSounds like a challenge! DJs can play ANY type of music better than a CD player, IMO.
November 8, 2011 at 9:43 pm #9558MemberI was also curious if anyone had any tips for putting together a pitch for the idea. I’ve reached out to a local dive bar that used to have a metal night on mondays, only with bands. When I spoke the guy, he semmed interested in starting it back up (it ended two years ago) but I didn’t have a real, well thought out idea. Since it’s not, technically speaking, a club night does anyone have any suggestions on how to approach it?
November 9, 2011 at 12:46 am #9565Fxn-L
MemberI agree with you CaptainMorgan13. There is a large hole in the market for individuals who want to DJ rock and its myriad of subgenres.
If you choose to go this route, I don’t believe beatmatching is the way to go simply because of what signal_lost brought up– the varying BPMs and extremely varied melodic structure depending on what you choose. I know a few DJs who work at local bars and such; when they are throwing some rock, metal, ballads and whatever else into the evening’s atmosphere, they appear to just throw it in on the one…with usually some kind of attention to what the previous song was doing (throwing in at the peak of Song B immediately after Song A built to a climax, for example).
Regardless, I wish you the best. If you ever record yourself, please do make a thread and show us how it’s done!
November 12, 2011 at 7:43 pm #1002124DJ Stone Crazy
ParticipantI would go retro. Maybe, 80s and 90s metal. I had success with an eighties metal night. I don’t know what kind of metal you referring too. Yet, in my experience, the ladies prefer Quiet Riot and Ratt over Cannibal Corpse. (Yea, I dug up old stuff.) You really don’t have to beat match. Yet, I would harmonic mix just like I would any other music. Hope this helps.
November 12, 2011 at 10:16 pm #9758MemberI would love to play a massive variety, but you’re probably right. Hell, if I could get a large crowd of chicks headbanging together to some Cannibal Corpse or Nile, that would be amazing. Thanks for the feedback.
Last question, how does one make a proposition of something like this to the bar owner?
November 13, 2011 at 9:23 pm #9789ParticipantOkay, before you do a proposition, pick a dead night the bar has. Then, see if there’s any drink specials on that night. Some dead nights have them. Now, tell the bar owner you want to do something on the dead night. Then, if he or she has a drink special, promise to promote that too. “I want to do a metal event on this night. I plan to advertise whatever specials you may have because I realize as a bar owner you want to make money.” The keyword is “money”. You might might want to work for booze at first. Then, when the night picks up, that’s when you ask for money. Maybe, percentage of the bar. Phrase your proposal on how the bar CAN make money. Don’t go making huge promises the bar WILL make money. If the night fails, it makes you look lame. There really isn’t any magic, bro. Just speak from your heart.
November 15, 2011 at 9:35 am #9884KeymasterListen to that man Stone Crazy. He is pragmatic and practical and has done all the things he advises.
November 15, 2011 at 7:13 pm #9909Cool Cats
MemberCaptainMorgan13, post: 9554 wrote: I was also curious if anyone had any tips for putting together a pitch for the idea. I’ve reached out to a local dive bar that used to have a metal night on mondays, only with bands. When I spoke the guy, he semmed interested in starting it back up (it ended two years ago) but I didn’t have a real, well thought out idea. Since it’s not, technically speaking, a club night does anyone have any suggestions on how to approach it?
There is metal-ish night here in D.C., but it’s an electro-subgenre night. Mostly Haezer, The S – guys who have a dark, hard electro-rock sound. E.g. http://soundcloud.com/zak-electrohead-kilmister/metalectro-mixtape-vol-11. Draws a huge crowd of metal heads and is pretty popular.
Designer Drugs & Le Castle Vania (my favorite DJ ever) have similar sounds and crowds, too. Check them out.
November 16, 2011 at 6:26 pm #9949D-Jam
ParticipantIn Chicago, I’ve seen a few clubs try to do a metal night on weeknights, but they all failed. The reason is most true metal-heads are into hard dive bars, punk bars, and biker bars. The place normally filled with “pretty people” buying bottles is a hard sell on most true metal-heads. Not to mention they want $1 beers as opposed to $6 domestics and $12 martinis.
PLUS…the music in these spots tends to be formulaic. You think the DJs would come in playing stuff from local bands and unknown talented bands, but the night ends up more being the typical hair band favorites most normal people will ask for. So rather than some unknown band, you end up with Journey, Poison, Ratt, Winger, Bon Jovi, and maybe some Metallica and GnR. I have yet to hear any of these guys try even Slayer or Anthrax. Again, the crowd wants happy bar favorites.
The die-hard metal guys I also notice like live bands, but will tolerate DJs who know the music. Places I’ve seen that do metal will combine it with punk and hard rock. Usually spots like Exit or Neo in Chicago. I just have yet to see anything similar to the LA scene of the 80s where “pretty people” go to the posh clubs and dance all night to rock music,
November 18, 2011 at 1:13 am #10018ParticipantD-Jam, post: 9945 wrote: In Chicago, I’ve seen a few clubs try to do a metal night on weeknights, but they all failed. The reason is most true metal-heads are into hard dive bars, punk bars, and biker bars. The place normally filled with “pretty people” buying bottles is a hard sell on most true metal-heads. Not to mention they want $1 beers as opposed to $6 domestics and $12 martinis.
PLUS…the music in these spots tends to be formulaic. You think the DJs would come in playing stuff from local bands and unknown talented bands, but the night ends up more being the typical hair band favorites most normal people will ask for. So rather than some unknown band, you end up with Journey, Poison, Ratt, Winger, Bon Jovi, and maybe some Metallica and GnR. I have yet to hear any of these guys try even Slayer or Anthrax. Again, the crowd wants happy bar favorites.
The die-hard metal guys I also notice like live bands, but will tolerate DJs who know the music. Places I’ve seen that do metal will combine it with punk and hard rock. Usually spots like Exit or Neo in Chicago. I just have yet to see anything similar to the LA scene of the 80s where “pretty people” go to the posh clubs and dance all night to rock music,
The spot I had success was a dive bar. Somewhat. Your words reinforce my belief on going retro.
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