What is a DJ?

[regretfullySaid]

Man, JJ Abrams really does have his hand in everything these days, doesn't he?

As amazing a turntablist DJ shadow is, he's not the man to see if you want to dance continuously. Never seen anyone talk as much between tracks as when I saw him.

Since you mentioned it, the first thing that came to mind at the beginning of that video is a few years ago when I was overhearing someone talking about a guy who wouldn't stop explaining himself and he kept going on and on and on and when he finished saying "just STFU dude and play" I asked who he was talking about and now you know the rest of the story. Still, Shadow=relevant.

[beats me]

you're going to a lights and video show with some music playing in the background

I wouldn't disagree with that, but until lighting and video people start getting the name recognition that producers, DJs, and musicians get there will still have to be some kind of music figure head that will draw the crowds. Technically these visually stunning shows could be pulled off without any kind of music related person on stage that would still be a great experience.

This is going into different territory, but I look forward to a time when visual artists' work can stand on their own without a "performer" needing to be the face of what they do. As you insinuated the performer is becoming almost a background set piece. So take them out of it altogether. Just great music and visuals. Of course I'm not saying DJing and live music will just disappear. I'm saying this will become another type of show to experience. I think what is being experimented with in 3D space is the next great creative frontier and we shouldn't need Katy Perry to bring it to the people.

^^ this exactly … allot of those visual artist are talented as fuck and installation folk should get their do it's about time, ffs so many of these music artist wouldn't be anything without them!!!!
I'd rather see them on their own as well.

I’d say the likes of Shadow and Amon Tobin (yes, I know he is not a DJ) have gained more fans thanks to collaborating with brilliant visual artists over the last couple years. For many their music isn’t accessible by just listening, but drag that same person to a live show and they’ll probably be so amazed at the visuals that they’ll revisit the music with new ears and memories.

Right now the visual artist is codependent on the music artist, but I could see that shifting in favor of the visual artist. The visual artist could put on a great show and thrive without any direct involvement of the music artist. I don’t think I could say the same for a music artist who hits the stage sans visuals. The standard has been set.

[ikeaboy]

Right now the visual artist is codependent on the music artist, but I could see that shifting in favor of the visual artist. The visual artist could put on a great show and thrive without any direct involvement of the music artist. I don’t think I could say the same for a music artist who hits the stage sans visuals. The standard has been set.

Ouch! generally you've got a point. Now please don't tell anyone else.

[starving student]

i disagree, shadow is the best example of this, he has added some very nice visuals to his performances but for the majority of his fans the visuals aren't even secondary they're more like 3rd-ary seriously, that's why he can even pull off stuff like what he did at the boilerroom and even though his large venue shows come with excellent video I always here people talk about them as if they are almost a distraction. Personally I know how to enjoy both the visuals and the music but it comes down to this, his music makes a great partner for any visual artist that wanted to do a show for themselves and wanted some background music and a visual artist needs background music but shadow doesn't need background visuals and he's not like say a daft punk or something where you know next year they'll be trying to build it bigger and blow it up more, in contrast shadow might not even use visuals next year, if it was that vital it would be more a part of a necessary routine for him.

[footsy]

Very interesting read, it does bring up the real question. What is DJing to a whole other level.

[regretfullySaid]

Yes, I'm sure Socrates would've spoke volumes to get to the heart of such a complicated issue.

[H20nly]

the only other DJ, besides Phat Kat ^ is:

the X-ecutioners... too faded to link phuck youz

[regretfullySaid]

That opens up a can of worms of great dj's...er...turntablists....er...

(to me a dj is more about letting most of a song play without much interruption, while the turntablist is the scratcher artist/use tables as an instrument, etc, but it's not a semantic I'm too keen on getting sand in my crack for)

[stringtapper]

…but for the majority of his fans the visuals aren't even secondary they're more like 3rd-ary seriously…

There's, like, an actual word for that.

[beats me]

I’m DJing my office right now. I pressed play on my roommate’s DJ podcast on my iPod. Heads are bobbing. Nobody is gathered around my desk staring at my iPod, although one employee occasionally comes over to my desk to Shazam the track that is playing so he can pirate it later. Mission accomplished.

[cmcpress]

http://youtu.be/AyRDDOpKaLM

[cpyatak]

…but for the majority of his fans the visuals aren't even secondary they're more like 3rd-ary seriously…

There's, like, an actual word for that.

Okay, since you're not gonna drop the knowledge I'll be that guy.

Tertiary. [tur-shee-er-ee, tur-shuh-ree]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tertiary?s=t


Sorry. I tried to resist but after that awesome forehead-slapping emoticon I couldn't help myself.

I am probably going to hell.

[regretfullySaid]

Personally I wished that happened more often. No one wants to be "that guy" with the perceived sense that they're smug and self-righteous and it's belittling to the person who fucked up but how about it just being a simple correction and constructive criticism in order to improve the use of the language. The shit gets taken too personally. Tertiary, THANK YOU. It's good to be reminded.

[knotkranky]

Musicians that can't DJ, but can probably play a mean 'Launch Pad' -->> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZQ4VmicDeM

I rest my case.

[H20nly]

^ nice.