Why would anyone want to be like someone else?

[DJ_Lane]

Ive gone through many phases and fads in my life. Done and gone through many things. I consider myself a loner sometimes, becuase 90% of my friends blair hip-hop or pop shit all the time . I only know 2 others that like trance, one likes it alot, and another is just getting into it i guess. The one getting into it, his name is Daniel. i once held a party and he showed up. Ive had a history with him, he doesnt have his own idendity, he copies others to find himself. I once bought a new GFX card (geforce 5700) 2 weeks later he did, there were a few other things ive done that he has copied aswell. a few days ago he calls me up and wants to get into spinning. I live in minnesota, the scene sucks, you cant just find a dj, there rarity. so he calls me up, trys to find things to buy, i tell him a little bit but, i get a little mad at him.
#1 he listens to dj encore and cheezy trance.... its horrible
#2 hes done alot of things ive done in the past
#3. mixing is something you need to have a PASSION for, it is a skill like painting.
#4 spinning takes alot of money (turntables, mixer, VINYL...)

these are the things running in my head. i think about why he wants to do this and i dont see a passion for trance or mixing i just see it as "i wanna be the star". he wants me to tell him info, what to buy, where to get records, how to find deals for him. i never got anyone to tell me this information, i had to learn all on my own. it seems like this guy gets everything he asks for, no work at all. do i really want to give him my hard earned information? This is just stupid. I wonder if any of you have any advice for me.

a few questions i have are:
#1 do i help him?
#2 how do i defuse his questions


if anyone has any advice please feel free to share
___________________

[djmental]

Hey lane. I agree with your thought that if someone wants to dj they should truely want to do it, and not just pick it up because someone else is doing it. I'd say the best thing to do to defuse his misguided "passion" is to ask him why he really wants to be a dj, and unless (until) he gives a satisfactory answer, just remind him that thats not what dj-ing is about. As for helping him out, if you decide to anyway, and you dont think he'll take it seriously, recommend that he get one of those lil 400-600 dollar start up kits. that way if/when he drops it, he wont have blown his money.

I don't know if this is any help at all, but its a start. draw from it what you will. Hit me back, i could have more input. Also, if you decide to get him spinning, for gods sake, make him picks some better tunes!

[Mark Kane]

Okay. I agree with you about the DJ passion part. However, I wouldn't give him my information. Since he doesnt seem too serious in doing it for his own reasons (just to be like you), I'd let him make his own mistakes in getting crappy gear.

Think about yourself. What good does it do you to help him out, when the interest isn't really genuine, and instead to be like you, or "copy" you as you said? He doesn't want to learn for himself, but instead would rather just take the easy way out by asking you and just go with whatever you say. Next thing he'll want you to teach him all about spinning, and the techniques of turntablism.

Is it really worth your while?

-Mark

P.S.

#1 he listens to dj encore and cheezy trance.... its horrible

Hahahaha!  :lol: (I laugh because I have a DJ Encore record)

[LaCow]

I dunno what to comment on this everyone pretty much has it covered...  I wouldn't tell him squat... that's just me...

then again... I'm an asshole and everyone pretty much knows that

[DJ_Lane]

thanks for the help guys, i appreciate it

[Eric Foard]

Passion or not…  I’d tell him.  I’d tell him the good stuff to buy or equipment that can get him by for the learning process.  Depends on his money.  You have to kind of think about your situation, you said it yourself DJ’s are hard to come by in your area.  So what’s wrong with a DJ buddy?  (that is if he lives near you)  I have tons, and it always help’s in the experience of getting better.  This is so true for me to this date, and I’ve been Djing with buddies since 1990.

But on the other hand he seems like an annoyance to you so, bringing him it just could open up a can of worm’s for you.


Good Luck hope everything works out.



And remember DJ buddies is a good thing.
(this message has been brought to you by Eric Foard)


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