ShyneGTA
Last night I did a gig where a well known dj ive known for over 10 years (an amazing dj when he has his crap together) was supposed to do a guest appearance. This guy showed up 2 hours late and completely smashed, and i mean wasted! It took him over half an hour to set up his gear, and when he started playing it was completely incoherent it was a disaster, the crowd was looking at the booth wondering what the hell was going on.
It took the manager less than 5 minutes before he came to the booth and told him to take a breather, so i got back on got the crowd going again. He came back about 45 minutes later tried with the same result...
Long story short, after the second try the manager told him it was enough. as he was packing his gear he sat down and passed out on the stage behind the booth. security tried to wake him up, smacked him in the face, cold towel on his forehead, moved him to a couch, shook him a bit and nothing worked...
after the gig i was told he was begging for booze at the bar, tried to get people to buy booze for him, etc. apparently this guy has been doing this for the last 3 months, he has become an alcoholic and refuses to listen to anyone!! has a sense of entitlement and his ego has gone to his head...
I love my job, but this crap is sad, someone with great talent and potential (has been on tour with various international recording artists) has become a victim of the free bar tab. just because its free doesn't mean you have to go crazy with it...
Remember : This is a business, a job, just because you can drink while you are doing it doesn't mean you have to abuse it...
It took the manager less than 5 minutes before he came to the booth and told him to take a breather, so i got back on got the crowd going again. He came back about 45 minutes later tried with the same result...
Long story short, after the second try the manager told him it was enough. as he was packing his gear he sat down and passed out on the stage behind the booth. security tried to wake him up, smacked him in the face, cold towel on his forehead, moved him to a couch, shook him a bit and nothing worked...
after the gig i was told he was begging for booze at the bar, tried to get people to buy booze for him, etc. apparently this guy has been doing this for the last 3 months, he has become an alcoholic and refuses to listen to anyone!! has a sense of entitlement and his ego has gone to his head...
I love my job, but this crap is sad, someone with great talent and potential (has been on tour with various international recording artists) has become a victim of the free bar tab. just because its free doesn't mean you have to go crazy with it...
Remember : This is a business, a job, just because you can drink while you are doing it doesn't mean you have to abuse it...
geposted Sun 27 Mar 11 @ 3:33 pm
Dj-Milz.Assam
well said mate. wonder who that dj is.....
geposted Sun 27 Mar 11 @ 3:54 pm
Simon Bailey
I have experienced this also, with a "known" DJ...the only difference with your scenario is that I didn't give him as long as you did...
I never drink when playing, always turn up with time to spare and never have anything stupid in my rider...
I never drink when playing, always turn up with time to spare and never have anything stupid in my rider...
geposted Sun 27 Mar 11 @ 4:18 pm
SuperAceMan
A few years back, there were 2 residents at the club I am currently working at: I was one of them. The other DJ had New Years Eve fall on his night and booked another gig without telling the manager until a week before the date. My manager came to me after my Saturday night set and said "It'll be great to have you in hear on New Years Eve." The guy had volunteered me to cover his night without consulting me or anybody else involved. [He had an ego bigger than his talent as well, but that's another story.]
I had plans for NYE, I couldn't do the gig. I tried for 3 days to get a hold of the other DJ. He wouldn't answer my calls, texts or emails. I ended up doing the gig out of respect for the establishment, plus they covered my NYE expenses and doubled my rate for the night! My wife on the other hand was not to impressed.
Skip ahead, skip ahead: I guess management made his life a living hell after that and a month later the guy has a meltdown over the mic. He called the door staff gorillas, the bartenders greedy, the management perverts, and then told the patrons that they didn't know what good music was and they didn't know how blessed they were to be in his presence (something like that anyway). I wasn't there that night but I still hear stories about it.
He is now trying to re-invent himself under a different name because he couldn't get a gig to save his life under his original name.
Why would you ever insult your audience?
I had plans for NYE, I couldn't do the gig. I tried for 3 days to get a hold of the other DJ. He wouldn't answer my calls, texts or emails. I ended up doing the gig out of respect for the establishment, plus they covered my NYE expenses and doubled my rate for the night! My wife on the other hand was not to impressed.
Skip ahead, skip ahead: I guess management made his life a living hell after that and a month later the guy has a meltdown over the mic. He called the door staff gorillas, the bartenders greedy, the management perverts, and then told the patrons that they didn't know what good music was and they didn't know how blessed they were to be in his presence (something like that anyway). I wasn't there that night but I still hear stories about it.
He is now trying to re-invent himself under a different name because he couldn't get a gig to save his life under his original name.
Why would you ever insult your audience?
geposted Sun 27 Mar 11 @ 9:27 pm
djsherz
There but for the grace of god...
geposted Mon 28 Mar 11 @ 12:54 am
Dazmax
Hi all
Its always sad to watch, even worse when you see it happen to someone you know and feel helpless. Its seems almost impossible when someone is following a self distructive course. You end up trying to help but feel useless because they get beyond the point of reasoning very quickly.
If you see this starting to happen to a friend or work collegue. Try to get them some help FAST. The sooner you spot it the more chance you have of helping them!
I have seen young guys 18 20 years old with the potential to become realy good DJ's who start with the "I just need a little something" to "Buzz me up" before they go on. Then you see them a few years on having blown the lot and with nothing to look forward to. It makes me want to puke!!!
I still do this job after 20 plus years because I get "Buzzed up" playing the music, knowing that i'v just pulled off a killer mix, interacting with the crowd and getting the feedback from a good gig. That kind of Buzz will not come with a health warning or a hangover the next day.
Glad to have the support of my friends and family. Sometimes thats all people need!
Daz
Its always sad to watch, even worse when you see it happen to someone you know and feel helpless. Its seems almost impossible when someone is following a self distructive course. You end up trying to help but feel useless because they get beyond the point of reasoning very quickly.
If you see this starting to happen to a friend or work collegue. Try to get them some help FAST. The sooner you spot it the more chance you have of helping them!
I have seen young guys 18 20 years old with the potential to become realy good DJ's who start with the "I just need a little something" to "Buzz me up" before they go on. Then you see them a few years on having blown the lot and with nothing to look forward to. It makes me want to puke!!!
I still do this job after 20 plus years because I get "Buzzed up" playing the music, knowing that i'v just pulled off a killer mix, interacting with the crowd and getting the feedback from a good gig. That kind of Buzz will not come with a health warning or a hangover the next day.
Glad to have the support of my friends and family. Sometimes thats all people need!
Daz
geposted Mon 28 Mar 11 @ 3:56 am
ShyneGTA
the can understand the idea of having a few drinks while doing your job, its one of the perks of our job to be able to drink for free.
Ive been offered free bottles (and sometimes non legal things) when negotiating or arriving at gigs.
I will enjoy a few beverages on the house, generally 2 to 3 drinks and 2 to 3 bottles of water... the whole night
Even though i have been offered bottles at most gigs, ive only taken 1 in the last ten years, and it was because i had some relatives from out of town come to visit.
My mentality is this "its my job, if i take care of it, it wil take care of me"... so far ive expanded my services to private events and ive got bookings all the way to early october, simply for treating it like a job! ...
I know of a guy who went to this same venue, drank 17 beers in the same night... made a mess, threw up on the stage, all over the house system etc he is no longer in the biz because he went around doing the same thing at various clubs..
Ive been offered free bottles (and sometimes non legal things) when negotiating or arriving at gigs.
I will enjoy a few beverages on the house, generally 2 to 3 drinks and 2 to 3 bottles of water... the whole night
Even though i have been offered bottles at most gigs, ive only taken 1 in the last ten years, and it was because i had some relatives from out of town come to visit.
My mentality is this "its my job, if i take care of it, it wil take care of me"... so far ive expanded my services to private events and ive got bookings all the way to early october, simply for treating it like a job! ...
I know of a guy who went to this same venue, drank 17 beers in the same night... made a mess, threw up on the stage, all over the house system etc he is no longer in the biz because he went around doing the same thing at various clubs..
geposted Mon 28 Mar 11 @ 7:54 am
ShyneGTA
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geposted Mon 28 Mar 11 @ 7:59 am