DJ's
and Financial Security
by Aaron "the
Pimp" Scofield
May
2002
The following
article is by Aaron Scofield, an accomplished radio mix-show
DJ (Hot Mix Radio Network)
and remixer for services such as Powerhouse, Hot Tracks, Culture Shock, and
more. Aaron also provides music for motion-picture soundtracks.
Paul Oakenfold. BT.
Danny Tenaglia. Magic Mike. Funkmaster Flex. Until you have world-wide
fame like these turntablists, there are a few rules of thumb
to keep in mind while climbing the ladder of DJ success. The
following is to show how to better understand the business-end
of this thing we call "DJing."
Rule 1 - Don't
Quit Your Day Job
YOU WILL NEED THE
CA$H -- Many of us nightclub/mobile/rave jocks certainly don't
earn enough to make a decent living off DJing from the get-go.
Therefore, it is important to have alternate forms of income
to bolster your bank account (you do have one, don't you?). All
too often, I have seen DJs spending all their cash on records,
even though they only spin once every month for an hour (This
usually refers to rave DJs more than anything). Don't get into
this bind! Keeping up-to-date with your music is at the core
of disc-jockey success, so make it a point to have another means
of income to reduce the financial burden of music collection.
Job Security is
King
As much as I hate
to say it, DJs are generally an insecure, egocentric sort. There
are exceptions to this rule, but there is nary a resident DJ
at a nightclub who doesn't get insecure when an upstart jock
starts encroaching on his or her turf. Because of this--and a
whole litany of other factors--DJs may quickly find themselves
moving from the back office to the unemployment office. Protect
yourself from the financial hardships of job-loss trauma by keeping
a day job that earns at least enough to pay your bills. It can
be any job, as long as it brings-in enough cash to keep you at
a decent comfort level. This will work for you when you are
DJing, as all of the cash you earn from your gigs will be gravy!
Again, DJing is a job with horrible job security. Don't get caught
with your financial pants down. Create a fiscal situation in
which you do it for the love, not necessarily the living.
Be Able To Refuse
A Job
In negotiations, the
ability to walk away from an offer is quite empowering and effectively
puts the ball in your court. It's kind of like buying a car--you
need to be able to walk away and say "no." More often
than not, people will be more apt to negotiate with you if you
take this stance. This ability only comes when you break the
shackles of financial servitude to a nightclub by having alternate
revenue streams. If you use it to your advantage, to be able
to say "I want more money to work for you, because DJing
doesn't feed me" is a very liberating feeling and will eventually
put you in a higher pay bracket. Just be sure not to take it
too far -- you don't want to be labeled as a prima donna.
So, what have we learned
here, kids? OK, repeat after me: DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB. Your
income will be more consistent, you will have increased job security,
and it will give you greater leverage in negotiations. Keep an
eye out next month, when I will discuss the theory of "Syngeristic
Projects" for business models. Take care!
