Tag Archives: DJ culture

Strange Wax Documentary

Our coverage of Vinyl Road Rage continues shortly, but we take a quick break from that to take a gander at this documentary from LM Vision Productions. The clip here is part one of two available, and while it was published online last year we’re just now discovering this…a vinyl documentary always grabs our attention as it’s good to see this lifestyle through other people’s eyes. Sometimes that is a hilarious experience, sometimes slightly painful to watch, but always interesting. What do you think of part one here?



DJ Essentials Tools and Tricks of the Trade

Becoming a DJ isn’t easy, but fortunately for newcomers there are a lot of books available that can help you learn exactly what it takes to be a professional DJ. You can learn everything from the art of remixing to buying the right gear thanks to the books on sale right this very second. I was VERY AMUSED to see what was on just such a list recently..apparently buying the right gear and spinning those tracks to please the crowds ain’t enough. I found a collection of books on DJ culture while doing a search on Amazon.com. What does Amazon reccomend for those seeking tomes on how to become a paid DJ professional? Behold:


the-moble-dj-handbook-get-paid-to-party

The DJ Sales and Marketing Handbook starts off the list. So far, so good, right? Learn how to set up and get paid to party! That’s what author Stacy Zemon wants you to do. Why the hell not? Now granted, being a club DJ is alot different than being a MOBILE DJ, but a lot of people find the party DJ route easier to get into and they transition to clubs later. Not a bad career path if you ask me…

remixing-how-to-guide

The Complete Guide To Remixing is probably a good bet, as long as you’re buying DJ how to books. After all, what good’s a DJ who can’t remix on the fly?

Then, there’s THIS little entry in the Amazon list of books, which surprised me on one hand, but on the other, I thought “Well damn, I guess I have some book ordering to do.” Apparently, the Amazon people understand DJ culture better than you might think:

how-to-grow-exceptional-cannabis

And yes, How To Grow Exceptional Cannabis is STILL FOR SALE. Hurry, now.

So You Wanna Be A DJ?

Back in 2006, I was working as Managing Editor at Gearwire.com, interviewing musicians and DJs about all sorts of technical issues. Here’s one I did with Chicago DJ Chess Hubbard, AKA DJ Mother Hubbard, who spins all over Chi-town and beyond. I caught up with her at the Funky Buddha Lounge and interviewed her about what it takes to be come a DJ and get down to the fine art of turntabling for money. If you’re curious about what it’s like to stand behind those decks and control the party, check this one out…

I’ve got plenty of stories of my own, most of which are connected to my work in radio, but I’ll save all that for another time. Click this to check out the interview…