D-Jam

Here’s the problem:

Tiesto and Emery haven’t realized that their names and brands have grown bigger than themselves as artists. “Tiesto” isn’t Tijs Michiel Verwest now as much as it’s become its own brand. People who flock to a big massive with Tiesto playing are flocking to get the Tiesto experience. They want the big epic trance thing, not some new commercial pop thing.

So one could ask how/why David Guetta got away with this? The answer is two-fold. Number 1, Guetta wasn’t known commercially until his commercial album came out. DJs and clubbers knew him before that, but after he blew up, only a chunk of them were willing to abandon Guetta, despite that he gained millions of new fans now as a pop music producer.

Tiesto though was already a household name, and his branding was known as the big trance massive. Suddenly deciding to go commercial/pop is only going to hurt that. I know in his eyes he wanted to blow up more like Guetta, but he should have aligned that with what he is. Go get known singer/songwriters and make a more house-sounding trance with them. Trying to do what Guetta did in many ways drastically took him away from his brand. It would be like when Coca-Cola tried to dump the classic flavor for a new formula…or if they decided to stop making cola and make “Coke” a fruit drink.

Tiesto and Emery are victims of their own success, and they realized their branding would not just carry anywhere they go as artists. Tijs Michiel Verwest should have come up with a new name, and did commercial music as that…or stayed more in a producer role and let the singers/performers have the name spotlight. There was no way he could easily change the “Tiesto” brand into commercial music and not have a backlash. Emery was worse in calling his own fans “pathetic”. He does realize if all those fans stopped coming out, he would be DONE…period.

This is a popularity game, and these headliners are taking it for granted that they won’t ever lose said popularity no matter how they change. Doesn’t work that way. The moment Tiesto or Emery has a few empty or near-empty events, that’s when they realize why their brands have gone beyond their artistry. If they want to try new things, then attach that to a new brand…or force the new sound in and start over.

Look what happened when Bob Dylan tried to get away from traditional folk. He lost all his old fans and had to rebuild to being a pop sensation.

I like jog wheels. Just makes it easier when I need to nudge or move a track around.

In all honesty, based on my experiences, when a GIRL says she wants “rap music” and she’s not dressed as some b-boy culture queen, then it REALLY means she wants POP MUSIC that isn’t fast-paced like house.

“Can you play some rap, like Britney Spears or Beyonce?”

I kid you not…someone actually asked me that.

I didn’t get mad, but understood what the average person sees as “rap music”. They simply lumped any pop tune with that slower tempo and beats as “rap music”. You might want to find out how “deep” this girl is in hip-hop culture. I guarantee she’s just wanting popular stuff like Black Eyed Peas, P Diddy, Missy Elliot, Beyonce, Notorious BIG, Jennifer Lopez, etc.

We’ll have to see. I’ve seen this discussion come up elsewhere, and most simply felt that if Pauly D and other non-DJ celebrities get to be resident DJs in a city, then it will never compare to Ibiza.

Personally, I don’t think it’ll happen. Vegas in my book is simply the #1 vacation spot for douchebags and Jersey Shore wannabes. I never see the musically-minded all go off about Vegas the way they do about Ibiza, Fabric in London, and the WMC. Ibiza is also different because of the beaches, loose drug laws, and especially of how wide a music scene I’ve heard coming out of it. In Vegas it’s still about celebrities and big name DJs who play popular music.

I think LV is going the direction NYC did in the past. Like when Sasha and Digweed had their regular residency in NYC back in the 90s. We’ll just have to see how this grows.

I personally like Torq…but that’s me.

DJ T3ch Hu5ky, post: 9156 wrote: Trademark the name and sue sue sue!

There is a truth to this.

If you can get legal ownership of the name, then he has to give it up. It doesn’t matter who had it first or who is more popular.

I’ll look at it in the morning and get back to you.

Here’s what I’d do…

1) Find any message boards, online forums, social media groups, blogs, etc…that have to do with a promoter or group of folks locally who are into stuff that you’re into.

2) Join them and just chat. Don’t go in immediately saying you’re a DJ looking for gigs and then you start spamming your mixes on them. No one will listen and some will tear into you to the point you leave in frustration. The goal isn’t to promote but to gain the favor of these people. Chat, communicate, act like you’re just a patron.

3) After a bit, post a mix, ask for opinions. Let them chime in.

4) Go to the events this promoter throws. Be a patron…since many promoters frown on the DJs who never come to their events except when they think it’s a chance to spin.

5) If you get to know the promoter even more, try to see if you can get into their inner circle. Help them promote, be a part of them. If you’re at least “in good” with them, give a demo and ask them what they think.

That’s what networking is. Gaining acceptance from groups so they trust you to play music for them.