D-Jam

Let the haters hate.

Play on what you like. If you’re being booked and promoters like you, then the hate from the snobs is meaningless.

Look at me…I play on Torq with an Xponent. A software many snobs call “substandard” and a controller first called “a toy” and now called “obsolete”.

Play solid sets…what you play with means nothing as long as you play well.

Depends on the crowd.

I never bother with stickers on my laptop. I dunno…I just like the clean black of my Thinkpad.

double.deez, post: 10268 wrote: That’s pretty impressive given it’s only three sentences. I’m from Chicago too, would you mind if I used your last line; I like the “sounds of the Windy City” idea.

Go ahead. The whole thing is something I just threw together for this topic.

double.deez, post: 10268 wrote: -What spots do you spin at btw?

Nowhere. My life is more now my normal job/career and such. I just wasn’t willing to do the heavy lifting it takes to “blow up”. Plus combined with a disdain for requests and most mainstream music, I just wasn’t very marketable. BUT…I’m happy…and that’s what more counts in my eyes.

DJ GRE, post: 10274 wrote: I hate these… I know they’re essential but it seems so weird to write something like this about yourself. Like I saw a DJ that had this – “his ability to read the crowd and rock the party are uncanny and unteachable.” … and all I could think was – he had to have written this himself. I keep it simple like D-Jams up there is good, grounded but still putting his “pros” out there.

I think the big trick is what one says has to call out to NORMAL PEOPLE. “reading a crowd” is something only DJs and promoters worry about. You have to think more of when it’s your name on a flyer and normal people as well as clubbers/ravers see it…will your description accurately describe you as a DJ, make you stand out, and pump you up to be a viable reason why people should come out?

It’s up to you. How far do you want to go with it all?

When DJ AM blew up, some felt I should change my name. I didn’t simply because at that point I didn’t dreams anymore of going further than just playing locally on occasion. The only time AM and I crossed paths was when he would come play in Chicago. Even then, locals knew who I was compared to him.

If you’re looking to go big, then you might want to think a rename and rebranding. If you’re just looking to play locally, then I wouldn’t worry about it. You maybe want to use “D2” (imagine the 2 is super scripted) as opposed to “D Squared”.

First off, what’s your target market? Who are you aiming at with this? DJs? Clubbers? Non-Clubbers?

That’s what should dictate what you post. If you’re aiming at DJs, then you want to post stuff like gear and music reviews, tips and tricks, even the “philosophical debates” on club culture, sync, vinyl VS mp3, etc.

If you’re aiming more for Clubbers or Non-Clubbers, then you need to talk abou things that relate to them. Non-DJs aren’t really going to be interested in an article on a new Midi controller or even debates on media. Talk about current events, things happening all over…from political to social to entertainment. If you have a funny bone, perhaps get comedic like Jenna Marbles or something. You need to post stuff that people get into and thus will come back over and over for more.

Being consistent is the hard part. I try my hardest to post stuff on my blogs and even make time to make new mixes, but a busy week at the office followed by some freelance web work, and suddenly my blogs go silent. Such is life. If you can be consistent, then you can win in this. Look at how Phil always has a new article every day.

How you write things also helps. There’s been debate on short VS long. I personally won’t cater to the ADD generation in any way, shape, or form. If they have no time to read something longer than 2 paragraphs, then I don’t want them looking at my blog. If I can’t write something meaningful, then it’s pointless. Others would disagree and believe everyone should sum up their points into a short length. However you want to do it is up to you. I would say you should show a reader what they’re getting into in the first paragraph though.

The one bigger tip I’d give though is to end with a “Call to Action”. Look at how Phil’s articles and many other blog articles end with some question or statement…goading you to comment. Think that way…even when you post it on Facebook you notice many blogs will post a question with the link, so people comment there or on the blog.

The rest is just about promoting the entries like you have, and being patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day. I’ve had the D-Jam blog since 2006, and still now I don’t get a lot of comments, but I see visits. As your blog grows in content, you get more people who come across it. Nothing comes quick…but those who are consistent will grow bigger in the long run.

The Pet Shop Boys are a great example of how artists can maintain their fan following, but grow. You listen to their stuff from their first album to now, and they have always grown as artists, but never went too far away from their original sound. New Order is another example.

Right now the only thing killing those two bands are age.

Best, world is one where a DJ can choose if they want them or not. 🙂

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