Will I Ever DJ Again?
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Well it has been more or less 18 months since the night I co-run at the Purple Turtle was ended and I haven’t been behind a pair of decks since.
Not in a club and not even at home – my vinyl decks occasionally are used to play vinyl, but never to mix – the cramped bit of floor where I would stand has become my dumping ground for the things I intend on taking to charity shop but never do.
I’ve not asked anyone about the potential of playing out. I barely dust my CDJs and haven’t played them. I haven’t released a mix in two years. I never practise mixing. I have no intention of ever burning any more CDs!
Perhaps the real question is, “do I even want to DJ again?”
My life has moved on.
My priorities nowadays are becoming a really good JavaScript developer – which is something that the more I practice and the more time I spend on, the more successful I become. DJing is a lottery.
Other priorities are improving my health, eating lots of roast dinners and travelling the world. None of this is really compatible with trying to find the odd DJ set in London.
It isn’t like I can just go out and DJ – getting a set is far too much effort for my liking – generally involving licking the arse of promoters and I have no care for that. Or attending nights that I don’t want to attend because I’m old and quite happy to be in bed by 10pm on a weekend now.
The other alternative is having my own night, but that is so fraught with financial risk in London – not to mention the huge amount of work to promote it. And I certainly don’t have the time to do so.
The Purple Turtle gig was easy – we just needed to turn up and bring a few mates if we could. There is nothing like that for an unknown and not especially great DJ in London.
I also think that I don’t have an especially novel story to tell – I did in Reading, nobody really played what I did. But in London my music wouldn’t be anything unusual.
Plus I’m not exactly an amazing DJ and don’t have the time to put in to improve.
And fuck late nights nowadays!
That doesn’t stop me having moments where I’d love to be behind the decks in a bar, playing some of the disco I love, or playing little-known house tracks to people. I still have occasional such daydreams, especially when I’ve just discovered a new track I love and would love to see the reaction of others.
I have very fond memories of DJing, even if I wasn’t the best ever DJ.
Who knows, I may well DJ again – I’m only involuntarily semi-retired. I had so much fun that if the right opportunity came about, I’d probably jump at it.
Maybe I should tidy all the shit in my room so I can actually access my decks. Fuck, just realised it was 2017 that our night ended – nearly 2.5 years ago.