The
Big DJ Dilemma, dispelling the myth & the double edged sword
Last updated Jan 26 2012
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INTRODUCTION:
This article was prompted by a number of
considerations, and hopefully acts as a guide in explaining the challenges of
being one of the world's very few totally blind DJ's on the mainstream club
circuit.
Despite Mikey earning his stripes at one of the top
clubs and harshest DJ environments in the UK, Mikey still faces a lack of
awareness of what blind people are capable of.
This is understandable and not surprising as over 70% of blind people of
working age in the UK are unemployed, not because they can't work, but because
society is unaware that blind people can pretty much do anything a sighted
person can do. Sighted people, seem to
have an inherent fear when a blind person approaches the stairs, but in the 12
years since losing his sight, Mikey has never fell on stairs once, and he loves
nothing more than to teeter on the edge on the underground escalators and put
the fear of god into those around him.
It is all about pushing perceptions and boundaries.
Mikey is no stranger to being a trailblazer, but with
this bold approach, and often being the first to do things, it means Mikey has
the initial task of breaking down the barriers. This happened when Mikey tried to get on a University film making
course about 10 years ago, and was told he couldn't because of health and
safety and it was then suggested that "blind folk do radio". So he tried to get on a post-graduate radio
broadcast course, but again experienced
resistance: How could he use the computer, how could he edit the interviews and
come back with Vox Pops in time for a
news report? Well Mikey soldiered on,
overcame the obstacles and proved elsewhere that he could do all these things,
by using a talking computer that can access most of the packages a sighted
person can use, and won a Sony Silver Radio Academy Award in the process.
Mikey also eventually managed to get on the video
production course, following a chance encounter with the then Secretary of
State for
The latest example of this, is a DJ head to head
between BB12 C5 winner Aaron and his girlfriend Faye. The gig was also slammed by Dale Howard, ‘Dale the Nail’, voted
the best looking BB housemate of all time, but incidentally can actually
properly DJ and tweeted:
‘Any mug can say theyre a dj now’
Mikey would not mind so much, if he was getting the
same chance as these jokers, but despite 5000 hours on the decks, Faye has none
and lands a gig. If mikey called the
club he would probably also get fobbed off and quizzed as to how a blind person
could use the equipment, but he bets Faye & Co did not get all those
barriers put in their way. Mikey only
gets to sleep at night, as he knows deep down, that if his mix was put beside
theirs, and nobody knew who had done what, Mikey’s would win hands down.
Mikey welcomes the new Simon Cowell DJ talent
competition, as it will finally put in the mainstream, what you need to do, to
be able to properly DJ.
Society is not used to blind people using technology,
stemming from the out-dated 'basket weaving' school of thought, club promoters
may be unsure how Mikey will use the equipment. Mikey is just as capable of using the Pioneer CDJ decks and mixer
as anybody else, and has even trained sighted DJ's on their use. he is also familiar with cables and
regularly sets up his own equipment.
With each new live gig, like every DJ, Mikey becomes more confident in being
able to quickly rectify any problems that arise. He also has his own sighted assistant who acts as a sighted
guide, but when Mikey is on the decks, he independently operates all the
equipment.
The challenge is communicating all this skill across the
board and making sure Mikey gets an equal chance.
BACKGROUND:
Before properly starting his DJ journey a few years back Mikey was adamant about 1 thing: The mix is King.
Luckily in the DJ world, anybody who knows what to listen out for, will be able to hear the solid sound of well beatmatched tracks. It is not as subjective as stand-up comedy where somebody can say you’re rubbish & you probably can’t disagree, as there is really no yardstick, unless you make em laugh so much they pee their pants. With a good DJ, it is a bit like a sportstar, hours of practice on Snooker will make you clear-up. So far, Mikey must have put in well over 5000 hours on the Pioneer decks and there are several good reasons, that will be fully explained for the first time below.
When Mikey put himself forward on National TV, he knew there would be critics who would and did say he was only there because he was blind, he’s only getting away with this because he is blind, he will only win because he is blind and the like. It seems to be OK to poke the disabled, but not ask similar fundamental questions as to other sections of society, everybody is picked for a particular reason and especially on TV, characters are usually of 1 strong central Unique Selling point e.g. attractive blond twins, WAG, Tory black Gay and the like. Usually though, this is not enough to get a leg up, you need something else, and Mikey certainly has this, ask anybody who knew Mikey before BB and they will say, he was the same then as they knew him on telly. The irony is, that Mikey would probably have had more chance of winning Big Brother had he went in being able to see, as it would have been amore equal playing field in the public perception. So what has all this got to do with DJ’ing?
Let’s start the story before BB. In 1998, the year mikey lost his sight, he was runner-up in a competition on Radio Clyde, on the popular dance music show hosted by George Bowie, called the GB Experience. It was a mini version of Brewsters Millions, one of Mikey’s fav films and he had to creatively spend £2000 in a few hours and have nothing to show for it at the end. George was walking by, just as a cinema assistant was up on a pair of ladders erecting a large sign in individual letters, it was Mikey’s big idea, the film of the day was ‘Mikey is Mad’ a last minute thought, when the woman asked Mikey what the hell he wanted to have up on the bill, having parted with so many green bills!
So there we have the first piece in the jigsaw, proof that mikey was interested in dance music, 10 years before Big Brother and had a connection with Radio Clyde. Mikey didn’t even tell the researcher on the phone that he could not see, when first entering the competition, it wasn’t really relevant, when you enter a prize comp on the radio, do you tell the researcher you are a lesbian? Though when actually taking part in the comp, it was said in advance, but still not really relevant.
But there is no getting away from not being able to see on National TV, though the inevitable haters or fans of rival housemates said Mikey was faking it. Mikey was well aware before going in, this would probably happen, as the programme sews in mistrust right from the start, but he welcomed the debate, that has the ultimate effect or raising awareness of the challenges of blind folk in the UK today.
So when Mikey began DJ’ing he knew there would be a few camps:
Those that say he only gets gigs as he is blind.
He only gets gigs because of Big Brother.
Blind folk can’t DJ.
Blind people can’t DJ in mainstream clubs, they need special equipment.
He’s OK for a blind DJ.
Let’s dispel each one:
1. Those that say he only gets gigs as he is blind.
Mikey constantly fights this double edged sword. There aren’t really any totally blind DJ’s in the UK in mainstream clubs, so he is always breaking down barriers. M&M is white and broke into a scene more associated with black people, but in a way, that is one of his Unique Selling Points (USP’S). There are thousands of people making electro House similar to DeadMau5, but even DeadMau5 says his worldwide popularity is probably in part due to his mouse head. You need more than one gimmick, a product, and that is where the mixing comes in, though having something a bit different could help or hinder, even models moan that folk are only interested in their boob size, then why did you get em done then?
There is such a lack of awareness about what blind folk can do, Mikey would probably have had more gigs, had it not been for being blind. No promoter has phoned up Mikey and said we’re only booking you as you are blind, it probably makes it harder, as he’s battling against all the factors discussed here.
2. Mikey only gets gigs because of Big Brother.
Kate Lawler who won BB3 had a terrible time, trying to be taken seriously as a proper club DJ. There are too many TV personalities doing DJ’ing, that really is nothing other than a jumped up PA with expensive fees. Some may be ghost dj’ed, but what you can guarantee, is listen to one of their mixes if they even exist, and they are nowhere in a million years up to the standard of Mikey’s mixing, but despite this, they are getting booked and paid with not a mix to their name, and previous DJ related PA’s or fancy looking agancies does not make em good DJ’s either, it is all about the mix. Kate is right TV appearance does not make DJ & neither does a 6 pack or big boobs, nor guarantee punters through the door. From the outset, it has always been about the mix for Mikey, in a dark club where nobody can really see the DJ anyway it should be all about the tunes on the dancefloor. There is a video online of Noel from Oasis in the early days having a row with Liam and saying to Liam it should be about the “Music, music, music” not getting thrown off boats, with Noel’s recent No 1 album, it looks like Noel finally got the edge.
Mixing is the only thing he has enjoyed doing and not got bored with since losing his sight. Though he does realise the combination of being known from TV can help a bit, and it certainly proves popular when he is out, chatting to folk and getting pics taken and the like.
3. Blind folk can’t DJ.
Blind people have ears and can listen to music, learn technology and hence DJ. It is lack of awareness that has this assumption, that Mikey has totally dispelled, but still battles against. Hence the branding of Blind Mikey, turning negative into a positive,
On the flip side, some people may think blind folk actually make better DJ’s, so Mikey wants to live up to this expectation. And is certainly true that Mikey:
Has a good ear for knowing what tunes go well together.
can hear even a slither of a beat not quite banging off each others centeral core
Has total concentration on the decks, is not distracted, playing to 1 or 10000, it does not phase him.
4. Blind people can’t DJ in mainstream clubs, they need special equipment.
The very reason, Mikey uses the equipment every other DJ uses, a pair of Pioneer Decks. Mikey likes the fun of the hardware, hence not really taking up the laptop software option. He has enough of his talking computer.
5. He’s OK for a blind DJ.
Why not listen to two taste style test mixes blindfolded, one by one of the world’s top 100 DJ’s and Mikey’s, and there is a good chance Mikey’s will be better. Mikey put in so many hours, as he had to exceed any it’s ok for a blind bloke comment. A lot of the DJ’s in the top 100, if you study closely, are not necessarily good at mixing, they are more there for producing and making good music, but there is every chance Mikey could mix it better than they can even do of their own stuff. DeadMau5 the top 4 DJ in DJ Mag, also did an interview where he said he did not even deserve to be there as “he has never touched a CDJ in his life”. DeadMau5 uses a laptop, and his beatmatching and sense of rhythm of his own music is not as good as Mikey’s mixes of DeadMau5, you can compare them and you will hear the difference, DeadMau5 tends to use the breaks to mix the tracks, wheras Mikey takes on the challenge of beatmatching and lining it all up fullon. Though Mikey does admire DeadMau5 for not encouraging his followers to vote for him, this is true grassroots stuff and there is no doubt DeadMau5 makes good music, but definitely the interpretation of dj’ing is becoming blurred, DJ Mag says evolving, Mikey says: the art of beatmatching and continuous rhythm is becoming a dying art, just like the Jedi Knight. Mikey is not a pure purist of the purist kind, but back in the day everybody had to use vinyl, but that does not mean everybody could beatmatch, nor the move to Pioneer CDJ’s or now software on the laptop & Mikey can accurately manually beatmatch tracks just as good or even better than any software.
Look at the longevity of Carl Cox, one of his main strengths is that he keeps a continuous rhythm, thus folk are still dancing to his music from when he was dj’ing back in 1992 and 20 years latter, his ideas about mixing have remained relatively untouched by technology and here is another thought. Karl Cox consistently get gigs, no matter what the music trends, as he can mix it all up. If you launch as an artist and do well with record sales, but your dj’ing is not up to speed, what will you do once the popularity of your music changes or the brand seems tired. This is why Mikey is calling for a raising of the mixing standards even amongst the big boys, they should all be forced to spend at least six months in their bedroom, never leave the house and learn how to beatmatch for 5 hours per day, using a variety of different genres and music from across the decades.
So where are we now?
Well in terms of the product, the mixing, Mikey’s Mix Cloud, is now full of a diverse range of musical genres, approaching each mix with 3 key criteria:
You can hear solid beatmatching
Well crafted & timed transitions between tracks
Songs that go well together, with no bad musical key clashes
In a way, Mikey has advanced so much, he probably far outstrips any mixing you are likely to hear from your DJ at your local club who has being doing it for 20 years, but probably never worked on his beatmatching, who of course will get defensive and talk Mikey down with blind DJ, reality TV, anti Mikey propaganda and the like. This is one of the reasons Mikey approaches the mixes the way he does, he does not hide behind effects in covering poor transitions, purely catching fades at the end of each track to go into the next one and the like. Mikey is not scared of the beat, and takes on the full fade beatmatching challenge, a lot of DJ’s shy away from this, as they simply can’t do it. Luckily Mikey has loads of mixes to proof this, and with more coming off all the time, improving ever more, there pettiness will become even more apparent. You can’t keep a good talent down, and before long, with the right promotion and support from far sighted club owners and promoters, Mikey has potential of entering the DJ Mag Top 100, so let’s up the game in 2012, every good business takes risks, with Mikey’s mixing, there shouldn’t really be any, but he is realistic enough to appreciate some people may hesitate, but if they stall for too long, Mikey will be a way ahead and leave them in the pit stop, but he stays loyal to those that have helped him along the way, Big Shout out to Colours one of the Countries top promoters for giving Mikey an opportunity at the Arches in 2011, it’s funny how it is the big guys that take the initial risk, so let’s all get on board together and ramp it up a gear in 2012.
The thrust of this “appeal” is to state that there are several factors that may make or go against Mikey, namely being blind, being on TV, but that other people are chosen for a variety or similar things, so give Mikey a chance. If the mix is not good enough, then fine, but let Mikey hear the mixing by the club residents, and if theirs is worse, then there is no answer. On several occasions Mikey has been in clubs doing free events and the mixing of the paid DJ on after was terrible. So if Mikey storms out a club, you know why!
The main reason for this article, is not to say Mikey is DJ’ing totally differently from anybody else, though few have all 3 hallmarks of a Mikey mix (in beat, perfect timing between tracks & in musical key). The main argument is, that many DJ’s are getting gigs, almost every weekend, and they may not be able to mix, but when Mikey tries to get agig in the same venue, a whole raft of excuses is given. Mikey knows it is hard for every DJ to break into the scene, but very few have the skill Mikey has, that are not getting gigs. We don’t want to see the day, where “Blind” CD’s are given out, with Mikey mixing but attributed to another name, in the secret shopper style, then court action taken. Mikey should be able to get gigs, being totally upfront from the start. There can be no doubt, something funny is going on, and it is not because Mikey’s mixing is bad.
Mikey has been getting support for this article with remarks like DJ’s got gigs back in the day, that could not mix and the like. Mikey is more on about the DJ’s now, who are consistently getting gigs in nightclubs every weekend, but their mixing is nowhere as good as Mikey’s. Mikey is not going on about the DJ’s that can beatmatch, but the jokers who just turn up and “play to the crowd”, that is usually a loose excuse for unprepared, badly timed transitions, reverting back to the catch the fade method, with not a single beat crossing over in their entire sets. Mikey has certainly played to the crowd and instantly assessed key clashes and managed to beatmatch entire sets without any plan, but this is only possible due to the hardwork and training that went in in order to master this, but nothing beats a well planned crafted optimally transitioned set. Mikey also believes that if you are booked for an electro house night, then you don’t work on a Gabba set, or if it is old school try and stick to the 1992-1998 side of things, but there might be a few years here and there, old school means tunes that people remember back in the day, try and not keep it too obscure, or if you do, at least have that old school vibe, there is nothing wrong with mixing old with new and if done properly it will all sound like the one era.
EPILOGUE
Mikey is storming the charts, has slots at the major festivals, but still to get a gig in his local club, two streets down the road.
So head on over to Mikey’s mix cloud and hear what all the fuss is about and why Mikey is determined to soldier on and ensure his talent and hardwork does not go to waste, he’s it in it for the long-haul!:
http://www.mixcloud.com/djblindmikey
ming the charts & has slots at all the major festivals, but has yet to get a gig at the club just 2 streets down the road.
There’s still a seat left on the DJ BLIND MIKEY supporters bus, so get your ticket today and sit alongside the following far-sighted clubs and promoters:
Colours, Ministry of Sound, Fubar, Behind the Wall, UWS & Karbon.
If you have liked what you have read, please copy and paste the following text into Twitter, & if you are setup for automatic Facebook posts, it will update your wall too:
@djblindmikey The DJ journey so far
http://www.mikeyhughes.com/2012.htm
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