djles.co.uk
Nope, surprise surprise, asked to collect my money tomorrow morning 11am.
Hope I'm not wasting petrol and my time.
Hope I'm not wasting petrol and my time.
Posté Wed 23 Jul 14 @ 5:59 pm
djles.co.uk
Ha! Job sorted. Finally got my invoice paid today.
Also got some info, apparently the Brewery is taking over the Pub/Club and could be open next Monday. They have asked for the staff to return and specifically asked would the DJs stay. Keeping my fingers crossed I could be back working next Friday.
Also got some info, apparently the Brewery is taking over the Pub/Club and could be open next Monday. They have asked for the staff to return and specifically asked would the DJs stay. Keeping my fingers crossed I could be back working next Friday.
Posté Thu 24 Jul 14 @ 6:45 pm
dcomo
Good luck!
Posté Thu 24 Jul 14 @ 11:48 pm
Backflipboy
Nice One Les ....... Good things come to those who wait !!
Posté Fri 25 Jul 14 @ 4:28 am
djles.co.uk
Terrific!!! Things have gone from bad to worse!!! Left my regular Saturday rock gig to cross the road to an upmarket posh bar for more money and a full night DJing. Didn't want to leave the rock bar but couldn't live on 2 hours work per week. The owner of the posh bar has sent a text that he is putting another DJ in next Saturday who has worked for him before, but, he can't work all the time. Also he has several DJs that wanna work there so he has decided to keep moving the DJs around. He says he will have me back sometime, but, on an 'ad hoc' basis, that's no good to me, I do this for a living and I need regular work, it's not a hobby for me.
I've been in touch with the owner of the rock bar but they have someone else now, grrrrrrr.
So, currently I have no income whatsoever!!! The only glimmer of hope is that my old residency will be back and hopefully get my regular job back. There's no guarantees, keeping my fingers crossed that it happens ASAP.
Messages have been sent out to all my current contacts............
I've been in touch with the owner of the rock bar but they have someone else now, grrrrrrr.
So, currently I have no income whatsoever!!! The only glimmer of hope is that my old residency will be back and hopefully get my regular job back. There's no guarantees, keeping my fingers crossed that it happens ASAP.
Messages have been sent out to all my current contacts............
Posté Mon 28 Jul 14 @ 6:51 pm
splao
That is terrible news. This industry is very unpredictable. I have had gigs where everything is going great, then the owner decides to change things up and screw the DJ. You have to expect the unexpected in this industry. I wish you luck.
Posté Mon 28 Jul 14 @ 7:40 pm
djles.co.uk
Thanks.
Been self employed at this for 12 years, during the last 18 months it has gone downhill rapidly due to the 'credit crunch'.
Doesn't help that I'm not a youngster either. :-(
Been self employed at this for 12 years, during the last 18 months it has gone downhill rapidly due to the 'credit crunch'.
Doesn't help that I'm not a youngster either. :-(
Posté Mon 28 Jul 14 @ 8:16 pm
djles.co.uk
Latest info today is, with no work and no prospects I was resigning myself to giving in and going on Welfare. Was actually on the Government Website checking out what I needed to do to go from self employment to Welfare..........
then..........
I got the call...........
be available for Friday night!!!
My residency, like the phoenix rising from the ashes, they are hoping to be up and running sometime on Friday. Phew!!! :-)
I've never been so stressed out for 2 weeks, lost a stone in weight with worry. Hell of a way to lose weight.
Thanks to all those who have supported me.
Cheers
Les
PS Just need to find something for Saturdays now, shame I lost the rock club, was enjoying that.
then..........
I got the call...........
be available for Friday night!!!
My residency, like the phoenix rising from the ashes, they are hoping to be up and running sometime on Friday. Phew!!! :-)
I've never been so stressed out for 2 weeks, lost a stone in weight with worry. Hell of a way to lose weight.
Thanks to all those who have supported me.
Cheers
Les
PS Just need to find something for Saturdays now, shame I lost the rock club, was enjoying that.
Posté Tue 29 Jul 14 @ 3:48 pm
djles.co.uk
DJSoulman wrote :
Thanks.
Been self employed at this for 12 years, during the last 18 months it has gone downhill rapidly due to the 'credit crunch'.
Doesn't help that I'm not a youngster either. :-(
Been self employed at this for 12 years, during the last 18 months it has gone downhill rapidly due to the 'credit crunch'.
Doesn't help that I'm not a youngster either. :-(
Just brought my annual accounts up to-date and this past year I have grossed half the previous couple of years. :-(
One benefit, I don't make enough money to pay tax. :-)
Posté Tue 29 Jul 14 @ 8:26 pm
A Man and His Music
DJSoulman wrote :
Doesn't help that I'm not a youngster either. :-(
Yep, it's not getting any easier.
Posté Tue 29 Jul 14 @ 9:08 pm
djles.co.uk
Oh crap, the new owner is wanting to shake things up a little, my services are not required next Friday. :-( He's bringing in a DJ from his City bar. Well good luck with that one, what works in the big City doesn't necessarily work out in the sticks. Haven't missed a Friday night in 8 years. Dunno if I'll be back there anymore, this could be the end of my 37 years in clubs. :-( Our customer numbers have dropped dramatically in the last 18 months, but then, so has the next town.
To be fair, he is also splitting the Saturday 'bedroom DJs' so he can see each one do a full night and if they are not up to scratch...... There's also 2 DJs upstairs that only get a handful of customers in on Fridays and Saturdays. I'm fully expecting him to close upstairs or pipe the music from downstairs. It's been poor for years. It always seemed pointless paying for a barman & a DJ for an average 6-8 customers every week upstairs.
I was kinda half expecting something like this happening, just thought it wouldn't be as soon. I've already started moving into the wedding market DJing for a friend who is a multi-op. Feeling bruised & battered. :-(
To be fair, he is also splitting the Saturday 'bedroom DJs' so he can see each one do a full night and if they are not up to scratch...... There's also 2 DJs upstairs that only get a handful of customers in on Fridays and Saturdays. I'm fully expecting him to close upstairs or pipe the music from downstairs. It's been poor for years. It always seemed pointless paying for a barman & a DJ for an average 6-8 customers every week upstairs.
I was kinda half expecting something like this happening, just thought it wouldn't be as soon. I've already started moving into the wedding market DJing for a friend who is a multi-op. Feeling bruised & battered. :-(
Posté Fri 08 Aug 14 @ 10:22 pm
djles.co.uk
How things can change in a few days.
My friend who is a multi-op in Hotels mainly doing weddings and corporate events asked me to do a wedding last Saturday. He said do a good job and there may be more work. Well, I did the wedding and blew the socks off them! Today he rang me and offered me a residency at that same Hotel :-) It would be regular work, mostly 2 nights per week all year round and loads of Christmas parties in December. Last year I did 12 Christmas parties for him in that Hotel and that was only half of them, he had another DJ do the other half.
I have been told by one of the other DJs at my current residency on Sunday morning that after asking the Manager what was happening with DJs, in the conversation she told him that I was only off this Friday and should be back to normal the next week.
Hmmmmm, now I have to make a decision. Do I stay at my current residency one night per week for good money and take the risk with a new owner that I will be kept on working there long term? Would need to find somewhere on a Saturday night keeping in mind there's no openings around my area. Or is this the time to get out of the clubs and bars and into the wedding market? Also, I'm 63 next week!!! Not bad to be still DJing in a nightclub. If I do move, it will be for considerably less money and more travelling expense, but, 2 nights per week and regular. Also I won't be doing Video, which is what I have based myself around for the last 6 1/2 years. I'm fairly sure I will move and looking at it as a new challenge, but, I want to see what my current residency has to offer first tomorrow.
Any opinions?
My friend who is a multi-op in Hotels mainly doing weddings and corporate events asked me to do a wedding last Saturday. He said do a good job and there may be more work. Well, I did the wedding and blew the socks off them! Today he rang me and offered me a residency at that same Hotel :-) It would be regular work, mostly 2 nights per week all year round and loads of Christmas parties in December. Last year I did 12 Christmas parties for him in that Hotel and that was only half of them, he had another DJ do the other half.
I have been told by one of the other DJs at my current residency on Sunday morning that after asking the Manager what was happening with DJs, in the conversation she told him that I was only off this Friday and should be back to normal the next week.
Hmmmmm, now I have to make a decision. Do I stay at my current residency one night per week for good money and take the risk with a new owner that I will be kept on working there long term? Would need to find somewhere on a Saturday night keeping in mind there's no openings around my area. Or is this the time to get out of the clubs and bars and into the wedding market? Also, I'm 63 next week!!! Not bad to be still DJing in a nightclub. If I do move, it will be for considerably less money and more travelling expense, but, 2 nights per week and regular. Also I won't be doing Video, which is what I have based myself around for the last 6 1/2 years. I'm fairly sure I will move and looking at it as a new challenge, but, I want to see what my current residency has to offer first tomorrow.
Any opinions?
Posté Tue 12 Aug 14 @ 5:53 pm
djles.co.uk
Well, officially left my residency this morning and have now moved into the wedding market. Had great pleasure in handing over that darned Facebook and Facebook Page with over 4,000 people on it that I've maintained for 7 years. The manager said in not so many words "stuff that, I'll get one of the bar staff to look after it" lol.
It's the end of an era for me, 37 years working in Nightclubs has come to an end. The Club and Pub scene here in the UK is in a mess. Customer numbers have dropped dramatically over the last 18 months and every kid with a laptop, pirate software and stolen tunes calling themselves a "DJ" and have flooded the market working for pocket money. There's just no money in the clubs now for professionals. I feel it's the right time to move on.
Cheers
Les
It's the end of an era for me, 37 years working in Nightclubs has come to an end. The Club and Pub scene here in the UK is in a mess. Customer numbers have dropped dramatically over the last 18 months and every kid with a laptop, pirate software and stolen tunes calling themselves a "DJ" and have flooded the market working for pocket money. There's just no money in the clubs now for professionals. I feel it's the right time to move on.
Cheers
Les
Posté Mon 18 Aug 14 @ 7:58 pm
splao
Good luck on your journey and thank you for sharing your life with us; it was a very interested read. I learned that the club scene was non-profit early in my DJ career; a ton of djs tying to play at clubs and basically begging promoters to put them on the roster for little or no money. I quickly ran away from club gigs and made a living doing private events. Private events pay much more, I don't have to deal with promoters and I don't have to promote.
Posté Mon 18 Aug 14 @ 8:09 pm
djles.co.uk
Thanks splao, keep thinking I should write a book of my life in the music industry lol. Started as a band roadie in 1969, DJ from 1976/7, played sax in a band 1999-2000. Happy days. :-)
Posté Tue 19 Aug 14 @ 7:36 pm
djles.co.uk
OMG!!! My former residency have asked me today to go back as the place has died since I left. Wow!!!
Gonna do Friday night and see how it goes. :-)
Gonna do Friday night and see how it goes. :-)
Posté Mon 08 Sep 14 @ 7:03 pm
MrDjLinton
Geez, what an emotional rollercoaster you're on - good luck though
Posté Tue 09 Sep 14 @ 4:51 am
kradcliffe
I know it's your main income Les but I couldn't stand getting pissed about by incompetent bar owners like that.
Good luck
Good luck
Posté Tue 09 Sep 14 @ 5:39 am
A Man and His Music
Will the competent bar owners, please stand up?
Posté Tue 09 Sep 14 @ 2:30 pm
kradcliffe
Are there any Rick?
Posté Tue 09 Sep 14 @ 3:09 pm
