DJ

There’s an old saying about running around in circles or maybe that life is a cycle or something like that. I don’t remember the details. Perhaps I’m making it up. I don’t remember, but there is a point to be made and I’ve completely forgotten what it is.

That being said, I spent part of yesterday working out a deal with a local bar to become their Friday night DJ. So starting Friday I’ll be in the new booth at the old bar I worked at from 1992 until 2001 doing the DJ thing. If Earl and I are unavailable on a given Friday night, I’ll provide the music for the evening through modern technology (custom mixes on an iPod or flash drive).

Ain’t computers cool?

I’m excited about returning to the (virtual) turntables for a couple of reasons. First of all, it allows me get my hands on something that I enjoy doing very much. While I admit that I didn’t really enjoy that experience in a corporate venue (i.e. radio station management), I must say that I do enjoy spinning up music that packs a dance floor, prompting hunky guys to take off their shirt and sweat while they dance. I’m an equal opportunity sweat maker, if the girls want to do that they can as well (they usually don’t though).

Another reason for my return to the turntables is that it’s going to give us some much needed pocket cash. In today’s economic climate and financially driven world, cash is good.

When talking with the owner of the bar, we also discussed putting a bear night together for the first Saturday in March. Now this I find equally exciting. I’ll share more details when they are available.

I’m looking forward to the new little side job and to compliment my school work. I have another sound engineering gig in the works that I’m even more excited about so I’m feeling good about the path that lies ahead. I think it’s important to find your path in life, it makes the journey so much easier.

One of my favorite workout songs and one of the first tracks I played as a baby DJ, here’s “Right Back Where We Started From” by Sinitta, from 1989.

Last Friday when we were driving through Belfast I took the opportunity to listen to the BBC’s Radio One for the first time. I really like radio over in Europe (at least in the U.K. and Ireland), because the format seems to be considerably different (and much better) than what we have here in the States. There was more personality from the air talent and I find the music to be markedly better.

One of the songs I heard was “The Weekend” by Michael Gray. After a little bit of Googling I discovered that the track is a couple of years old but I still find it quite enjoyable.

If I were still in Top 40 radio, you’d hear this song A LOT on Wow-FM. Oh, I also really like the cinematography in this video. I’m not used to this much boobage, but the video is awesome.

In late 1999 I found this import CD in a record store in Albany. I was program director of Wow FM, “The Beat of Central New York” at the time and it somehow ended up in a fairly heavy rotation on the playlist (ooh, the powers I had with the title of Program Director.) The track was never released in the United States and it predates “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” by two years.

Here’s Kylie Minogue with “Spinning Around.” Kudos to those that can name the sample in the track.

Diggin’ the 60s vibe of this song always puts me in a good mood.

From 1969, it’s “Grazin’ In The Grass” by The Friends of Distinction.

Back in 1990 or so when I was first DJing this song was quite popular. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear samples of “How Soon Is Now” by the Smiths, which was also sung by the group Love Spit Love and featured in the opening credits of the television series “Charmed”.

Here’s “Hippychick”, by Soho.

Time to get ready for the weekend! There’s a new mix available on the DJ SuperCub Page. It’s called “Hillside Prep”.