| Check out the following links for additional information and helpful resource. DJ Drake Co-Host of "Larue's View: The Wedding Show Triple Threat Band My Favorite Band All Access Weddings Disc Jockey Joe Marino |
After 25 years of being a DJ, I have met a lot of DJs who are great DJs and some who
should choose another line of work. The difference is the passion! Many of us came to this
line of work out of a desire and love of music. Others came out of necessity or simply put,
looking for a job. I will tell the upstarts that it is truly a great job if you know and love
music, but if you don't, it will be the worst job you will ever have and it will show in your
performance. Most people who venture into the wedding music business will quickly
depart after only one or two years. To be a successful DJ requires a lot more work than
most people assume, and the learning process NEVER ends. It takes no less than five
years to become a good wedding DJ as opposed to just a decent
DJ. Most DJs never make it this far. I've seen hundreds come
and go in the past 25 years and I believe their undoing was lack
of passion. It requires five years to become good, but a lifetime
of learning to become great. You never stop paying your dues!
We are constantly learning new songs, and discovering old songs
every day. I may be allowed to call myself an expert at this point,
but I too am still learning. I learn from my clients, from my clients
guests, from other DJs - both older and younger, and of course from
the radio. I began my music career as a live musician at the age of
16. I played in big bands as a bassist and with my college's ensemble of classical guitars. I
also played in a blues band, a Punk band, a Rock band and had the good fortune of holding
season tickets to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. All the while, being a very busy Wedding
Disc Jockey. A typical week for me would be spinning records in a club on Monday,
Tuesday and Thursday night; Playing with my Punk Band on a Wednesday night, my Blues
Band on a Friday night; Disc Jockey a Wedding on Saturday night, and then catching the
afternoon performance of the Lyric Opera on Sunday. Although this sounds like enough for
most people, it was never enough for me. I would find my way to other clubs to listen to
other DJs and other Bands to see what they were playing and to see what ideas I would
steal from them. If there ever came a time when I was unfamiliar with a client's song
request, I would spend time getting to know their music. This did happen to even me and
happens quite often to this day. The biggest complaint any party goer will tell you is that the
DJ did NOT play their request or their favorite song. The biggest reasons why DJs do not
play a request, is because they are unfamiliar with it. I've discovered some of my favorite
recording artist simply by playing songs that I did not know until a client requested it. This
is why I let the customer pick as much music as they like and I play as much of it as time
will allow. I am considered an expert of course, but only you are the expert of your taste in
music. People always ask me what my favorite songs are, and I always reply, whatever
makes the customer happy!
should choose another line of work. The difference is the passion! Many of us came to this
line of work out of a desire and love of music. Others came out of necessity or simply put,
looking for a job. I will tell the upstarts that it is truly a great job if you know and love
music, but if you don't, it will be the worst job you will ever have and it will show in your
performance. Most people who venture into the wedding music business will quickly
depart after only one or two years. To be a successful DJ requires a lot more work than
most people assume, and the learning process NEVER ends. It takes no less than five
years to become a good wedding DJ as opposed to just a decent
DJ. Most DJs never make it this far. I've seen hundreds come
and go in the past 25 years and I believe their undoing was lack
of passion. It requires five years to become good, but a lifetime
of learning to become great. You never stop paying your dues!
We are constantly learning new songs, and discovering old songs
every day. I may be allowed to call myself an expert at this point,
but I too am still learning. I learn from my clients, from my clients
guests, from other DJs - both older and younger, and of course from
the radio. I began my music career as a live musician at the age of
16. I played in big bands as a bassist and with my college's ensemble of classical guitars. I
also played in a blues band, a Punk band, a Rock band and had the good fortune of holding
season tickets to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. All the while, being a very busy Wedding
Disc Jockey. A typical week for me would be spinning records in a club on Monday,
Tuesday and Thursday night; Playing with my Punk Band on a Wednesday night, my Blues
Band on a Friday night; Disc Jockey a Wedding on Saturday night, and then catching the
afternoon performance of the Lyric Opera on Sunday. Although this sounds like enough for
most people, it was never enough for me. I would find my way to other clubs to listen to
other DJs and other Bands to see what they were playing and to see what ideas I would
steal from them. If there ever came a time when I was unfamiliar with a client's song
request, I would spend time getting to know their music. This did happen to even me and
happens quite often to this day. The biggest complaint any party goer will tell you is that the
DJ did NOT play their request or their favorite song. The biggest reasons why DJs do not
play a request, is because they are unfamiliar with it. I've discovered some of my favorite
recording artist simply by playing songs that I did not know until a client requested it. This
is why I let the customer pick as much music as they like and I play as much of it as time
will allow. I am considered an expert of course, but only you are the expert of your taste in
music. People always ask me what my favorite songs are, and I always reply, whatever
makes the customer happy!