Can you make it as a dubstep dj without exclusives / dubs ?

[corpsey]

From OED: ''Making It'' 1. Sexual Intercourse, particularly with 13 year old. 2. Playing in front of 40,000 pilled up chartered accountants, having penis sucked backstage by naif wench while champagne dribbles down your caviar fattened belly. 3. Both 1 and 2 at the same time (also known as ''Merking It'').

[adruu]

hahahaha...oh the humble aspirations of dj'ing

[djshiva]

This thread has wandered onto what people think should make a top Dj rather than what actually does.

Exactly what I was going to say. Don't know about dubstep really but in dnb at least (at the top level especially) it's all about upfront selection- doesn't matter if you play the best tunes from whenever, you've got to play the newest stuff. I think this fuels some throwaway music though, stuff that is hot for about a month and then disappears from memory.

and THAT is exactly why i have always hated the dubplate stuff. makes for disposable tunes and less emphasis on timeless tunes and great skills.

one thing that has always bothered me about this is that it is such a great example of what i call acquisition syndrome. the need for more more more newer better faster. the emphasis stays on getting more tunes, newer tunes, and less on really quality stuff and a dj's skills.

i mean, really. why bother practicing all those years and honing your skills if all it takes is schmoozing and/or being in the right place and knowing the right people? cuz let's face it, that's what DnB turned into, and it's disgusting.

not trying to be negative, just throwing a different perspective into the works. i am contentious if nothing else.

[doctorkinetic]

sapphic mate, I agree that its shit that even if you can mix aswell or better than the top boys you aint gonna get a break, at least without the right contacts anyway (and thats something you don't really have control over), but the guy starting this thread was (i think) asking for opinion on the actual state of play- its the same in anything you do really, the old 'who you know not what you know'. If you're trying to play the game, you need at least to be aware of how it works (on the whole). And as I see it, the only way to get regular bookings (if you equate this with 'making it') is to have regular new material. And this is only really possible if a) you are actually mates with a bunch of producers, or b) have material that you can exchange with other producers

(I need to stop posting on this thread )

[doctorkinetic]

(If any promoters out there are reading this and disagree, and really would book a decent DJ with access only to material that is available to jo public, then get in touch- i'll send you a mix over )

youve got bare exclusives boss

obviously not just down to exclusives then!

[djshiva]

sapphic mate, I agree that its shit that even if you can mix aswell or better than the top boys you aint gonna get a break, at least without the right contacts anyway (and thats something you don't really have control over), but the guy starting this thread was (i think) asking for opinion on the actual state of play- its the same in anything you do really, the old 'who you know not what you know'. If you're trying to play the game, you need at least to be aware of how it works (on the whole). And as I see it, the only way to get regular bookings (if you equate this with 'making it') is to have regular new material. And this is only really possible if a) you are actually mates with a bunch of producers, or b) have material that you can exchange with other producers

(I need to stop posting on this thread )

true enough, i guess. i just really hate the boys' club mentality of dubplate exclusivity. it's what drove me away from drum n bass. i mean, even with techno there is a certain emphasis put on having promos and white labels and all that, but you can still catch a break just by being a damn good dj. i guess at the end of the day, DJs with dubs but no skills are just overpaid jukeboxes to my ears...

[m2j]

I dont think you do need the dubz, if you have skill and imagination on the wheels of steel them you will get noticed. them people will start sending you dubz.

Thats the way i think it works anyway