A Look Back in Time For DJ Times’ 30th Anniversary

As DJ Times celebrates its 30 th anniversary – yes, issue #1 was published in late 1988 – we take a deep look back in time and present parts of some of the more memorable interviews we conducted over the past three decades. But, in order to give the piece some form, we assembled it in such a way that spotlights some of commonalities that each interview subject tackled. Not to say that there’s a particular template for DJ Times cover stories, but many of the same themes do tend to be discussed. After all, DJs – no matter what genres they spin or what level of fame they achieve – often share similar experiences. So, we broke it down into six categories: Beginnings; Influences & Inspiration; Gear; DJing; Advice & Business; and Music & Legacy. And with the help of our tech writer DJ Deets, we’ve also assembled a “DJ Gear Hall of Fame.” We hope you enjoy it all.

“I began as a mobile DJ because there were no barriers on the music I was playing – whether I was playing country music or playing R&B or playing funk and soul music… your job is to entertain people.”

– Carl Cox, July, 1997

“I started as a street DJ—me and Eazy E, actually—DJing high–school luncheons in the L.A. area, parties and wedding receptions… If my homeboys liked what I was doing, then I was really onto something.”

– Dr. Dre, February, 1997

“Anything that spun I was drawn to.”

– Questlove, January, 2016

“Larry [Levan] and Frankie [Knuckles] started working for me at The Gallery in 1972… I was one of the first DJs to actually slip–cue and beat–match, so Frankie and Larry saw that first–hand when no one else was doing it.”

– Nicky Siano, August, 2000

“When I was younger, I used to hang out with a bunch of hoodlums… Music actually changed my life. It straightened me out.”

– David Morales, February, 1990

“Around ’74 or ’75, when the first Technics 1500s with pitch controls came out, everyone bought a strobe light and a $15 mixer and got started. I did, too, and I definitely started out as a mobile DJ.”

– Tony Humphries, April, 1995

“My older brother bought a pair of decks, and that’s when it all started for me. They’d keep me schooled up on hip hop and reggae, the whole thing. It was Yamaha P300 turntables with a Gemini mixer.”

– Roni Size, December, 2000

“My first gig was at a wedding – it’s true. These were antiquated days when it wasn’t so easy to do this stuff. It started with two hi– fi turntables stuck through an amp and a bunch of records.”

– Pete Tong, August, 2000

“I started as a mobile DJ. You’re talking the early 1980s, man. I was doing high-school parties, Sweet 16s. I was really young.”

– Louie Vega, March, 1997

“I got into breakdancing. My crew and I would find great songs for our routines…we made mix tapes with the pause button.”

- Markus Schulz, May, 2012

“I was 13. I was basically an apprentice, not really DJing—except when my boss had to go to the bathroom or something. There were weddings, bar mitzvahs, Sweet–16 parties, school parties.”

– Josh Wink, June, 2017

“Like many kids that find the rave scene during adolescence, I was an outcast. I didn’t know where I belonged in the world, but I was looking for some place to call home.”

– Mija, May, 2018

“I basically dropped everything for music. I wouldn’t let myself have any distractions. I had found my passion.”

– REZZ, January, 2017

“Twenty years ago, when you were a fan of dance music you literally had to seek it out. It was being part of an underground tribe.”

– Kaskade, September, 2013

on Trance, MeloDy & Why Vinyl is DooMeD“This all started as just a hobby, and then exploded from there. I created and launched ‘Animals’ from my bedroom with some plug– ins on my computer.”

– Martin Garrix, March, 2014

“Being a mobile DJ really taught me about the business. It was the difference between a hobby and turning it into a business.”

– Victor Calderone, November, 1999

“I did come up in the club world. When I was 16 or 17, I was a light tech at [a club]… I was generally known as the tech, the whiz kid, the computer guy.”

– Deadmau5, June, 2008

“I had a 2–channel Numark mixer with a modified cue so that I could hear the master output. I also had two JB Systems belt-driven turntables. But when I got Technics 1200s… that was a moment for me.”

– Armin van Buuren, April, 2014

“I got my first professional DJ job when I was 19, and I would make $50 in a night and that was it. So, it was really just for fun. I started off with mobile dates, then I had a small club residency in Holland.”

– Tiësto, January, 2003

“Jazzy Jay, Larry Levan, David Mancuso, DJ Raoul, Kenny Carpenter, Jellybean Benitez, Bruce Forest, Tony Humphries.”

– Louie Vega, March, 1997

“Walter Gibbons was an absolute technical wizard. Also, Larry Levan, who didn’t just play fierce records, he decided what the party was going to be like and how he would make the party.”

– François K, February, 2002

“My heroes were people like Jean– Michel Jarre. For me, he was a pioneer in making electronic chill music, relaxing music. I wanted to do music like that, but make it danceable.”

– ATB, June, 2011

“Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa and Larry Levan.”

– Paul Oakenfold, December, 1994

“Getter... also, Rusko, Caspa, Benga, Skream, Excision… Skrillex, obviously.”

– JAUZ, February, 2017

“As I learned about DJing, I learned of the history of the artists I love like Armand van Helden.”

– Steve Aoki, February, 2012

“The biggest inspiration to me was, through these other DJs, that I’d hear these stories about the Paradise Garage and Larry Levan. “

– Markus Schulz, May, 2012

“So many producers and DJs have influenced us —from Daft Punk and Quincy Jones to The Chemical Brothers.”

– Steve Angello/Swedish House Mafia, July, 2010

“Sven Våth. He had the Eye Q and Harthouse labels, and they influenced my sound a lot at that time.”

– Tiësto, January, 2003

“David Mancuso at The Loft taught me about sound and about the true essence of a house party.”

– David Morales, February, 2005

“Jeff Mills – he combines innovation, energy and minimalism.”

– Thomas Bangalter/Daft Punk, May, 2001

“Kool DJ Herc… I was into super heroes and that’s how he looked. You couldn’t get next to him. He had this incredible sound system. He was a big guy. He was heavily guarded.”

– Grandmaster Flash, March, 2003

“Walter Gibbons at Galaxy 21 – so innovative, total control over his audience. Nicky Siano and David Mancuso were great, too.”

– Jellybean Benitez, March, 1997

“A radio DJ, Electrifying Mojo, set the tone for music in Detroit… He was playing a lot of funk, but not disco.”

– Juan Atkins, March, 1998

“Jazzy Jeff and Bambaataa – those are the guys to me. They made a dent when nobody was doing it. They’re my blueprint.”

– Z– Trip, June, 2005

“I listened to Stretch Armstrong and Red Alert on the radio, and I went to clubs to see Clark Kent and Funkmaster Flex.”

– Mark Ronson, August, 2007

“Cash Money for scratching and juggling… Jazzy Jeff taught me how to swing the scratch and make it funky. Mix Master Mike taught me to be original and make your own rules.”

– QBert, January, 2009

“When [A&B] started, we were trying to mix together the best bits of Ferry Corsten, in terms of the music; Paul van Dyk, in terms of the banging–ness of the tracks; and Matt Darey, in terms of production finesse.”

– Tony McGuinness/Above & Beyond, April, 2015

“Albums by Jazzy Jeff, Premier, and Pete Rock to hear scratching. Later, some other DJs put me onto DMC videos with guys like QBert and Roc Raida.”

– A– Trak, January, 2007

“Everything’s in Ableton Live, my production, mixdowns, everything.”

– Skrillex, July, 2011

“Now, it’s more accessible for anyone to make a record anywhere – an airplane, a bus, at home, etc. You no longer need an SSL, Neve or a 24–tracks board.”

– Paul Oakenfold, January, 2004

“With me, the old Technics is like my wife. I know how she feels. I know what she does. I know how she operates.”

– Grandmaster Flash, March, 2003

“When I got my first Technics 1200s, man, I was the best muthafucka in the world after that [laughs]. I just got so good.” – Jam Master Jay, June, 2000 never intended to be used the way we’re using them.”

– Dave Dresden/Gabriel & Dresden, July, 2006

“In the future, DJs will go more towards digital files. It’s gonna be a lot more like ‘Star Trek.’”

– Roger Sanchez, August, 2006

“The scene has become so huge that DJs need to bring something more of a show. It doesn’t have to be a big spectacle, but the DJs definitely have to have something more than just the music.”

– Avicii, March, 2011

“When I started scratching in ’85, I had a Realistic mixer that didn’t have a crossfader, so I learned how to cut with the up and down faders.”

– QBert, February, 2000

“When they start building controllers for software, that’s when things get interesting.”

– Sasha, June, 2004

“The last time I went to Sam Ash Music, I saw [Numark’s] DJ in a Box – you get two turntables and a mixer for $299. I love it! I was like, ‘Where was that when I was 16?’”

– Danny Tenaglia, September, 1998

“In my mind, the DJ market is five or 10 years behind the pro–studio market.”

– Richie Hawtin, July, 2016

“As MIDI technology grows, electronic music cannot be stopped and will someday surpass all styles.”

– Lenny Dee, December, 1994

“I started DJing at 10 years old, but my set-up was minimal — a BSR and a Lafayette turntable.”

– Prince Paul, June, 2003

“The tide is changing because of technology, and I think that’s a really awesome thing because it empowers the DJ to experiment. The DJ is becoming more of a live remixer.”

– BT, October, 2006

“What I love about Ableton Live is that it wasn’t made for DJs. What’s great is that what’s been accepted by dance music are things that were

“I used to play on stolen equipment acquired during the [NYC] blackout in 1977. We were gangsters, you know – we weren’t paying for things. It was a Radio Shack mic mixer that converted to connect two turntables that didn’t even match – no pitch control, no cuing.”

– David Morales, February, 2005

“Biggest breakthroughs? The Technics 1100s, then the 1200s, because you went from belt– driven to direct– drive. For mixers, the UREI 1620 – being able to cue and hear the program at the same time by flipping a switch.”

– Jellybean Benitez, March, 1997

“We busted lamp posts open and played in the parks.”

– Jam Master Jay, June 2000

“I started DJing in 1980, and that’s when the DJ really didn’t get any respect. Back then, the DJ was just there to provide a backdrop for the party.”

– Juan Atkins, March, 1998

“Scratching is a form of mediation. When you get into a zone, you’re only thinking of one thing – the music being created at hand.”

– QBert, February, 2001

“I’m weird because I DJ as an artist. There are some DJs who play for a crowd. I basically play to a crowd.”

– Josh Wink, July, 1998

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think that me taking duplicate copies of vinyl and repeating and rearranging the arrangement would catch on.”

– Grandmaster Flash, March, 2003

“I’m a DJ, not a pop star. My job is to make people dance and get lost in the moment.”

– Mija, May, 2018

“DJing is such a fine art with such depth, and when performed correctly, so much more powerful than a lot of the mediocre, top– name producer sets we get.”

– Laidback Luke, September, 2017

“In 1996, when I first started DJing, beat–matching was very easy for me… I wanted to bring in strange noises.”

– Bassnectar, September, 2011

“There are two types of DJs. You’ve got your hardcore turntablist that doesn’t give a damn about nothing else but turntablism.

And there’s a DJ… rocking the crowd.”

– DJ Craze, September, 2000

“If you’re in a club and you’re worrying about what format the DJ is playing, then the DJ isn’t really doing his job.”

– Tom Rowlands/Chemical Brothers, July 2007

“There are DJs like Richie Hawtin, who is really like an ‘art DJ.’ Then there are DJs who play for the people, like I do.”

– Tiësto, June, 2007

“There’s something indescribable about having to go through a record–store listening process–having guys in the store with amazing ears that can turn you onto new sounds.”

– Charlie Levine/Soul Clap, March, 2016

“We are so incredibly disorganized [during shows], but still we pull it off every time. That’s [our] magic.”

– Axwell/Swedish House Mafia, July, 2010

“What gets me is that people are doing [mash–ups] on a computer at home. Awkward. For us, we were mixing, blending records – that was it.”

– Z– Trip, June, 2005

“To win DJ battles, you have to practice–there’s no way around that. Routines have to be air–tight, even under pressure, so you have to be able to do them in your sleep.”

– A– Trak, January, 2007

“I love expanding people’s horizons a bit when you DJ for them. Getting people to like a track they didn’t know they liked is very rewarding.”

– Mark Ronson, August, 2007

“Mixing now is not as difficult as it was with vinyl or with the first CDJs. Now the thing practically mixes for you – I mean, you have to be a real idiot not to be able to mix with CDJs.”

– Armin van Buuren, April, 2014

“For DJs I look at it like this: You got the best job in the world.”

– DJ Jazzy Jeff, June, 2015

“Our DJ-mixing style? Twelve vodkas and not really giving a shit. The music is more important than the mix!”

– Felix Buxton/Basement Jaxx, June, 2001

“Dance music has a leg up on other genres because it has a point. If you dance, it works. You can actually measure it.”

– James Murphy, July, 2005

“My three-deck mixing approach came from wanting to be a hip-hop DJ, but coming from house music...”

– Carl Cox, July, 1997

“I had no idea that I could make this a profession. DJing was just something to help me pay for school.”

– Frankie Knuckles, June, 1995

“Do it because you love it… If you’re a DJ and you’re playing for 50 people at a bar on Friday or you’re doing $50,000 at a club, it’s all success. If you’re playing, you’re successful.”

– Funkmaster Flex, August, 1998

“I owe my entire career to Beatport! The ease of being able to put something out digitally at such a low cost and low risk… not everyone has $5,000 to press 500 vinyls.”

– Deadmau5, June, 2008

“Successful just means making music that I love and hoping that other people love it, too. That’s the only criteria for success that I have.”

– Moby, February, 2004

“Give a service that no one else provides. As long as you have something new and worthwhile to offer, you’ll find that business side of things just fall into place.”

– QBert, February, 2001

“Make a track that other DJs play because that’s how you’ll get noticed. Also, make something that sounds current, but is unique.”

– Armin van Buuren, April, 2014

“A big part of being successful in today’s DJ market is making your own productions… I’d also encourage everyone to know what happened before them. Know about the Paradise Garage. Know what records Sasha was playing in 1991. These things are important and meaningful.”

– BT, February, 2011

“All the feedback and posts on YouTube and Twitter make our fans a part of the shows. In turn, that creates more demand for more shows. It’s a vital source for marketing.”

– Steven Angello/ Swedish House Mafia, July, 2010

“My goals? A Top – 40 No. 1? [laughs] No, not really… I’m just focusing on the music, on the gigs and making a good impression on everyone – and have fun. If you think too much about it, then it becomes something else. Let’s keep it fun for now.”

– Avicii, March, 2011

“DJs that are more connected [to clubbers] are better DJs.”

– Ellen Allien, May, 2017

“There’s always a more perfect beat.”

– Liam Howlett/ The Prodigy, December, 2004

“With hip-hop and DJing, I like being part of something that you believe in with your heart and seeing it grow into where you have magazines like DJ Times because it is so big.”

– Jam Master Jay, June 2000

“What’s important is choice of music, originality, understanding the crowd, technical ability and knowing how to play records together. And having one’s own sound and being original gives a DJ longevity.”

– Paul Oakenfold, January, 2004

“I’ve turned down a gig for £100,000… I needed to get an album finished. But, I actually did one for that amount in Norway.”

– Fatboy Slim, January, 2001

“It’s going to be a numbers game. This whole scene of DJs being popular in America is eventually going to die because of that. When they stop caring about the actual music, it’s going to become a business 100-percent and it needs music to survive.”

– Diplo, July 2013

“When you scribble some thoughts down at 4 a.m., turn that into a song, then have 8,000 people singing them back to you… that’s the most fulfilling thing you can have.”

– Tony McGuinness/ Above & Beyond

“Dance music has been bubbling in the underground for 20 some years. This is our moment and nobody is going to take this away from us!”

– Kaskade, June, 2012

“You can definitely see how house is used in a lot of pop music worldwide these days. Let’s just hope that it doesn’t get watered down and people get really tired of bad house-influenced pop tracks.”

– Axwell/Swedish House Mafia, July, 2010

“Trance is all about happiness, whereas other genres bring a message of ‘you need to be cool,’ and all that.”

– Ferry Corsten, January, 2011

“We like the idea of sounds you haven’t heard before. It’s an interesting place to be on the dancefloor and you hear this sound you can’t believe it’s coming out of the speakers.”

– Tom Rowlands/Chemical Brothers, July, 1999

“That’s what house music should be – constantly destroying the rules and making new ones.”

– Thomas Bangalter/ Daft Punk, May, 2001

“I opened the door for many of my colleagues. I’m glad for everyone. Dance music has never been as big on every level with big names like me crossing over and also on an underground level. Altogether, we’re all creative and strong, and it makes all of us stronger.”

– David Guetta, October, 2011

“Kids always start out with EDM stuff because that’s what’s being played for the masses but eventually, kids grow into adults, and their tastes in music mature, and change into something more.”

– Boris, April, 2016

“The underground-vs.- EDM thing? Who cares? Really, really—who cares? If everyone just focused on making good music… Why do people spend any time thinking about the thing they don’t care about?”

– Jamie Jones, March, 2017

“In clubs and at raves, the sense of community is what’s important because we’re breaking down barriers between races and colors and creeds and religious denominations. And we’re realizing that we’re actually all the same!”

– Mr. C, November, 2000

“We have certain media specialists like DJ Times getting the word out around the world…The infrastructure has changed a lot, but we’ve made our own mark. We DJs are an industry.”

– Carl Cox, March, 2006

“[Run–DMC] would show up at the gig and we’d come in with one Calzone case with one big-ass GLI mixer in it. The promoter would ask, ‘Where’s the rest of the gear? Where’s the band?’ And I’d be like, ‘Yo! I am the band.’”

– Jam Master Jay, June, 2000

“My getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [in 2007] is for DJs of all genres. From Fatboy Slim to Paul Oakenfold, from the Invisibl Skratch Piklz to Craze, from A-Trak to Theodore, for all the street DJs, for all the mixshow jocks – this one’s for them.”

– Grandmaster Flash, March, 2007

DJ GEAR HALL OF FAME

EARLY MIXERS

Going back to the Nixon Era, disco DJs used the Bozak CMA-10-2DL rotary model. Later, the UREI 1620, a more popular Bozak clone, found favor. Further into the ’70s, the Meteor Clubman 2-channel models filled discos and skating rinks nationwide. As suppliers like Gemini (with models like the PMX- 2200) and Numark (with DM-1975 sampling mixer) thrived, Rane claimed U.S. clubland with its basic, but solid MP24. Meanwhile, turntablists enjoyed the Vestax PMC-05 Pro and Rane TTM-57 mixers.

MORE MIXERS & AUDIO INTERFACES

Pioneer DJ DJM Series: This series has redefined how DJ mixers are used and how they operate. They introduced many DJs to channel faders, crossfaders, filter effects, and many more features that are now taken for granted on controllers, all-in-one units, and mixers the world over.

Rane SL: The SL “breakout box” started the Digital Vinyl revolution and allowed DJs to manipulate vast digital libraries of music stored in their laptops.

Allen & Heath Xone: With its pristine sound, robust construction and legendary EQ section, there’s a reason that Xone mixers are the choices of many of the world’s top touring jocks. The Xone:92 was one of the first DJ mixers to incorporate MIDI for control of software or external devices.

MEDIA PLAYERS

Pioneer DJ CDJ Series: Ever since the CDJ-1000 stormed onto the scene in 2001, DJs have been hooked on the ability to manipulate their music in a tactile way. Bringing them into the digital age, Pioneer DJ has continually improved upon them with newer features and more connectivity, giving DJs the perfect blend of reliability, build quality, and club standardization.

Denon DJ SC5000/ SC5000M: Awesome units with a smartphoneesque touch screen, performance pads, in-unit music analysis, and the ability to control two decks from a single media player.

TURNTABLES

Technics SL-1200: The time-tested turntable has graced DJ booths for several decades and has earned a devoted following. It ushered in a new era of DJ turntables and still continues to be the goldstandard for vinyl systems.

CONTROLLERS

Pioneer DJ DDJ-SX: No controller has set the standard for what a controller should be quite like the DDJ-SX. It was the first controller to offer support for Serato DJ, and its design and layout have set the tone for a long line of present and future DJ controllers.

Numark NS7: This piece changed the game when it was launched in 2009. With two 7-inch motorized vinyl jog wheels, DJs could feel the experience of playing on spinning vinyl through an all-in-one controller. Subsequent iterations have added more performance features and blurred the lines between turntablism and controllerism.

Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S8: Interestingly, this piece gained notoriety not for what it had, but what it didn’t: jog wheels. Ditching them allowed engineers to cram a host of features, including color screens and STEMs integration, into a compact, reliable form factor. Couple a set of turntables or media players running DVS and you get a powerful DJ system that unlocks the full extent of Traktor’s features.

DJ SOFTWARE

Serato DJ: Used in front of thousands of fans every week, this software offers native, plug-and-play support for a wide selection of world-class hardware, many devices of which have been designed through collaborations between Serato and the respective manufacturers, and features some of the best digital vinyl integration of any DJ software.

Native Instruments Traktor: With each update, Traktor brings increased stability, widened support, and world-class features to the legions of DJs who swear by its rock-solid beat grids, thrilling effects, and impressive hardware integration. For certain genres of techno, house, and electronic dance music, Traktor has defined how that music is produced and performed.

Virtual DJ: Far from just a freely downloaded laptop-based DJ software, Virtual DJ is celebrated throughout the mobile and event DJ sphere because of its reliability, ease-of-use, and library organization features. It also brought an army of new DJs into the culture through its laptoponly free version.

Algoriddim djay: For smartphone and tablet users, this software opened up the DJ world to millions of users. Its simple, easyto-use layout made learning the art and mastering the craft accessible to entirely new audiences, and it shows with tens of millions of downloads worldwide.

Hard to believe DJ TIMES has been publishing for 30 years — since the last year of Ronald Reagan’s presidential term, a decade before inter-league play in Major League Baseball, and well before digital information became omnipresent. So, for this anniversary edition of DJ TIMES, we asked a group of veteran mobile DJ/entertainers to help us reminisce.

Brian Doyle, Denon & Doyle DJs, Pacheco, Calif.

Brian Doyle, Denon & Doyle DJs, P acheco, Calif.

How did you generate most of your gigs 30 years ago? “I reached out to the Yellow Pages – the Google of that day. Once the calls started coming in, I quickly found I was not competing with other DJs, but with bands. Quite a few of the calls had never seen a DJ at an event, they but were curious. So, I got my sales pitch down and started booking events for $350 a night. “Where we used to design and print expensive literature, we can now do so with a website template and stock photos. Need some great reviews? Simply make some up. Want to advertise for events? We no longer have to commit to a year in the phone book, do a direct-mail campaign or put expensive advertising in a [local] magazine. Instead, buy some Google AdWords or hop on Craigslist or Thumbtack.”

Shani Barnett, Shani Barnett Productions, Chicago, Ill.

How much were you charging 30 years ago? “I started out as an interactive dancer, then interactive MC and now DJ and all-around entertainer. When I started mitzvahs, our basic package was around $1,500. Now the basic package before upgrades is $3,950.”

What changes have you seen on the dancefloor? “Phones! Everyone on the dancefloor now are dancing less and taking pictures, posting on Snapchat—you can make a custom filter for the event. Also, they’re on Instagram in the moment, going Facebook Live and other apps. Back in the day, people were just dancing and living in the moment. But don’t get me wrong — the ones posting are still having fun. It’s just a different type of dancefloor fun now.”

Cindy Ormond, Ormond Entertainment, Syracuse, N.Y.

How did you generate most of your gigs 30 years ago? “Hustle! We entertained at all kinds of parties... kids’ birthdays, fundraisers, picnics, nightly karaoke shows, corporate parties, grand openings, fashion shows. You name it, we did it. We participated in bridal shows, Chamber of Commerce functions, radio-station events, anything that would put us in front of an audience. “We also ran creative co-op ads in the Syracuse New Times, a weekly entertainment paper, which truly stood out at the time. Now most of our work, thankfully, comes by referral.”

KC KoKoruz, Keith Christopher Entertainment Group, Arlington Heights, Ill.

How much were you charging for a wedding 30 years ago? “I started DJing for a multi-op company that has since gone out of business. They charged $300- $400 per wedding, and I was paid $75 to pick up the gear four hours prior to the wedding, drive to the venue, set up, typically perform a six-hour wedding, tear down, drive back to the warehouse and put everything away. It was typically about 11 hours for $75. Despite the pay of $6.82 per hour as a 1099’d contractor, it was still awesome. We all have to start somewhere.”

How did you generate most of your gigs 30 years ago? “I left the multi-op I worked for and started my first company in 1990. I put up Kinko-printed flyers with business cards stapled to them, to be pulled off of the flyer on community bulletin boards in grocery stores and restaurants. I also DJed a ton of fraternity and sorority parties and went door-todoor dropping off cards and Kinko flyers to the social-chair people from each fraternity and sorority house. “I scraped together enough money and signed up for two shopping-mall bridal shows and called every person who came by our booth until they either agreed to meet with me or until they threatened to call the police if I called them one more time. “My last way of generating gigs was going door-todoor at venues and dropping off cards hoping and praying they would hand them out.”

Did you ever imaging you’d still be DJing all these years later? “I never wanted to be a celebrity nightclub or radio DJ. My goal was to own the largest mobile company in Chicago. My goal was to have DJ partners in multiple offices throughout Chicago and its suburbs and oversee the company. I never thought I would stop DJing and, at a certain age, I also never thought so far into the future that I ever wondered if I would or wouldn’t be DJing 30 years later. “I do remember being engaged to be married at 22-years old and I was DJing a 40 th birthday party on the deck of a very nice house in a very nice area. I looked at the ‘birthday boy’ and thought, ‘I want this someday when I am 40.’ Forty seemed so far away and, yet for me, that was nine years ago. Ferris Bueller said, ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’”

Mark Brenneisen, Total Entertainment, Glens Falls, N.Y.

How much were you charging for a weding 30 years ago? How much are you charging now? “When we started, $500. Now, it’s $2,000 and up, as high as $5,500.”

How did you generate most of your gigs 30 years ago? “Newspaper and flyers, tiny bit of radio. Most of our work came out of the bar gigs we did and school dances.”

What are the big changes that you think have most impacted the DJ business? “Online sales — more people using web now versus older methods, which means a larger pool of pros to search for and more competition. “Also, more genres of music — it seems every week there’s another genre or sub-genre. It’s harder and harder to be an expert than it was 20 years ago!”

Did you ever imagine you’d still be DJing all these years later? “Not really. When I started, I was a public-safety officer and didn’t think DJing would ever be a full-time thing. I’ve also diversified, too, which has helped, starting photo/video, rentals, wedding planning and travel brands to make up the differences, and keep us busy.”

Joe Bunn, Joe Bunn DJ Company, Raleigh, N.C.

How much were you charging for a wedding 30 years ago? “I was 17-years old and doing small weddings for folks in my hometown of Wilson, N.C. I didn’t have a clue of what I was doing. I think I was charging what I did for any party, which was $50 an hour. Times have definitely changed!”

How did you generate most of your gigs back in the day? “Back then, it was all word-of-mouth around my town. Most people either knew my parents or knew me, and I was who they called when they needed music.”

What were three big changes that you think have most impacted the DJ business? “Equipment — smaller, better, faster, lighter. I really don’t think I would still be DJing if Serato and powered speakers had not been invented. “Social media — you don’t have to be at every wedding show these days to get your name out there! “Music — there is definitely a trend towards having more current music at weddings, but some songs like Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing,’ for example, never seem to go out of style.”

Did you ever imagine you’d still be DJing all these years later? “Honestly, no. After college, I thought it was over. I felt like it had been a great hobby and lots of fun from ages 13-21, but never knew you could make a career out of it. Guess I was wrong!”

Gregg Hollmann, Ambient Music DJ Services, East Windsor, N.J.

What were three big changes that you think have most impacted the DJ business? “The explosion of global ‘DJ culture,’ which gave the public a greater appreciation for the craft of DJing, increased the mystique of the DJ and helped to make us more marketable for upscale weddings and events. “Also, the prevalence of online review sites such as The Knot and WeddingWire that provided discerning shoppers a wealth of information to make an informed choice. The internet in general has allowed the prevalence of digital marketing and reduced the need for ‘in-person’ showcases like bridal shows. Our company performs at just one bridal show per year, yet books over 500 events – including 150 weddings. Thirdly, digital DJing. It was incredibly liberating to switch to spinning MP3s, yet losing little of the tactile element of turntables. Spinning with MP3s with pre-set cues and loops allows me to spend more time on entertaining guests than searching through crates of CDs or vinyl.”

Did you ever imagine you’d still be DJing all these years later? “No, I never imagined that I’d parlay a passion for music into a profession. The continuing education afforded by DJ Times’ DJ Expo and New Jersey Disc Jockey Network were the sparks that helped to ignite my DJ career into a full-time profession — NJDJN’s Marcello Pedalino, Darryl ‘Jake’ Jacobsen and Jeffrey Craig Siber have been particularly inspiring. “I was beaming with pride to see Asrtem Lomaz win 2018 ‘Entertainer of the Year’ at this past DJ Expo. I can remember when Artem was a beginner and soaking up information from professional associations and colleagues — just as I had.”

Denny McConnell, Denny McConnell’s Music to You Entertainment, Reading, Pa.

Did you ever imagine you’d still be a DJ all these years later? “In the very beginning, people would ask me what I was going to do when disco died, and I always answered that I would play whatever became popular – and here I am 44 years later. I always said that if it started to not be fun, I would probably hang it up. Well, as you know, I’m still having fun riding the wave I jumped on back in 1974 when I started my company – and have not looked back ever. I’m still having fun. “I don’t DJ quite as much since I added photobooths to my company, and the typical bride doesn’t want a 70-year old DJ unless they know me or my reputation. But I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.”

Mike Wieder, Ultimate Sounds DJs, Hightstown, N.J.

Did you ever imagine you’d still be DJing all these years later? “Not at all. I really thought I’d be on Wall Street – I was working for a brokerage firm. I only got into DJing to meet girls.”

Mike Walter, Elite Entertainment

Mike Walter, Elite Entertainment, Tinton Falls, N.J.

DID YOU EVER IMAGINE YOU’D STILL BE DJING ALL THESE YEARS LATER? “Hell no. I started with Star DJ’s in my early twenties and thought this would be a cool thing to do for a while until I decided what I really wanted to do. Thirty years later… yeah, we both celebrate the same anniversary! I still haven’t found anything better – I stopped looking a long time ago, in fact.”