Table of contents for Skate DJ-Denver
- Is Your Skate DJ Getting the Job Done?
- Is Your Skate DJ Getting the Job Done? (Pt. 2)
S.O.S. From a Denver Skater
What do you do when the DJ’s just not getting the job done
“All we want is a GOOD roll,” is a motto all true skaters can relate to, respect and expect from the skate sessions they attend religiously in cities all over the country. Are you getting that kind of roll in your city? Are most skaters in your area satisfied and getting the roll they deserve to get for the money they are paying? Or are many dissatisfied for one reason or another? If your skate DJ knows how to get the job done and satisfy the skaters, what are the things he/she is doing to achieve this? What makes her/him stand out from the DJs who aren’t as successful? Why am I asking all these questions, you might be wondering. Well, “here’s a little story that must be told ….”
Actually, it’s not a little story, nor is it very short so you might have to take it in when you have some time to sit and read the mini-novel and drama about what skaters have experienced trying to bring about change and improvement in the DJing in Denver, Colorado since 2001. Even with that, the same DJ crew who was at the helm then, remains in place today and skaters – for the most part – are still complaining and dissatisfied.
From what I’ve been told, such a situation would never have been allowed to go on for so long in some of the major cities on the East Coast or Midwest. I don’t know how true it is, but some have said when skaters in those cities aren’t satisfied, DJs better look out – they might meet an angry mob in the parking lot after a session, or folks might bombard the DJ booth with skates to get their point across rather than let him/her continue with the madness …. for nearly a decade. Obviously, skaters in Denver are of quite a different breed than that and yes, it’s true, skating here is not as much a part of the culture, nor is the (overall) level of passion for skating as high as it is in areas like Detroit, Chicago, ATL, New York/New Jersey, L.A., and St. Louis.
I recall from my days living in ATL in the early 1990s, there was a successful effort to have a DJ replaced, I believe his name was “Joe” and he used to play at the Sparkles rink in Riverdale on Sunday nights. I was not involved in that effort but I remember many were dissatisfied with the music and, after continued complaints to management, a new DJ was brought in.
How are things in your city? Have you seen where skaters have to almost stage a “coup” in order to bring about a DJing change? Or are you finding that, like in Denver, many skaters just don’t want to rock the boat and simply choose to go along with the status quo because it’s what they’ve become comfortable with or they happen to be friends with the DJ and therefore don’t want to offend or embarrass her/him by demanding a change. Final question, have you ever skated in Denver at the Sunday night adult session and, if so, what was your experience like?
Feel free to share your comments, experiences, suggestions, solutions and opinions on the RST blog. Your input may be helpful to many skaters not just in Denver, but other areas as well.
This is an urgent S.O.S.
Op-ed by Kim Muhammad
(Believe it or not, the novel still hasn’t been written about specific incidents and experiences that have occurred since 2001 trying to bring about change. They will be detailed in the next post in this series.)
© 2010 Roller Skating Today
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I have skated in Denver, CO and was like many skaters dissatisfied with the dj’s. I think having a simple sheet of paper to take request, playing requested songs ( 3 or 4 ) from the best skaters in that particular rink would help. I have taken the time to write down particular songs and these request sheets were tossed. The DJ’s need to do their job and home work (mixing in previously requested songs). You figure these DJ’s make about $125 every week and they need to do there job. That is why they fight to keep their gigs. ipods, xm radio there is no reason these guys cannot bring a variety material.
dj not gettin the job done in San Antonio, TX. either. Wednesday nite = adult night the dj is very bad, does not take request; where do these people ( sorry no rhythm dj’s come from ? ) many skaters use ipods and skate to their own music. It is worst than dj’s in Denver by far. There are skaters that come through here on temporary military assignments and bring good skate skills (moves) but are turned off by this lame dj and do not return to teach or show what they are doing in other states. This one needs to be tarred & feathered.
wow! i didn’t think that there were too many places as bad as what’s going on here in the denver area. are there any efforts in san antonio to have a new DJ brought in or have any of the skaters tried to talk with the DJ to see if that will help?
other than that, it’s good to hear from you. the diehards here are still skating on sunday nights but i’ve opted to regularly attend the saturday night session in westminster. i get a better roll out there even though the crowd is much different and there are interludes of lady gaga and other top 40 songs that get played. they still play enough r&b that i work up more of a sweat than i do on sundays. plus, they take requests and if enough of us “true” skaters get our requests played, we all can get a good roll.
Everybody knows that the music makes the roll. What I hate is when the DJ gets around to playing a skate jam and they slow it down so you can’t feel the groove. Just as bad as going to a session and not getting my roll on because the DJ didn’t play any “skate jams” all night.
The DJ at the rink here in San Diego is ok – I don’t want to knock him too much or he’ll never play my requests! But yeah, it’s pretty weak and I try to make as many requests as I can to keep the old school going. A lot of times when I ask for a song, it’s like ‘no one requests that so I don’t know where that is’. Seriously, So Ruff So Tuff, you don’t know where that is? He’s got some pretty typical disco crap that he always plays. I just try to stay on his good side so he’ll at least play one of my requests!
Ok so as Miss Muhammad posted in her blog yes there are problems with the skate in Denver and yes some things probably need changed but by far and above most Sunday nights go and go well. Not calling the skate crew out in Denver by any means but they do need to step the game up at least one of them admits that and is trying to by at least my observations change the attitude in Denver. But in the same regard Miss Muhammad was it not you who brought in your Brother to run the third Sunday Skate to not much success? Instead of perpetuating the problem be a solver of said problems……Go to the heart of the problem and be the solution i honestly think that you have a “personal” issue with one of the dj crew that is far more reaching than you are letting on so again Miss Muhammad be the mature one approach the situation as though youn are and explain your personal issue with him so that you may move forward
yes, after a petition campaign, my brother was brought in to DJ but it’s a matter of opinion as to how much success he had. there have been more than 1 or 2 who only were coming on 3rd sunday because they liked what big mike was doing. there have been more than 1 or 2 who have asked what happened to him and there have been some who’ve wanted big mike to come in and dj on other sundays. so, again, it’s a matter of opinion as to how much success he had in what he did.
and please let me know which one of the denver dj crew that i have a personal issue with. i’d really like to know which one it is. all 3 – kevin, bobby and archie – know what i think of the sunday session and all 3 know that i’m the same person who started a petition back in 2001 entitled ‘it’s time for a new dj.” it’ ain’t nothing personal and if any of the 3 think it is, that’s too bad. and for anyone else to believe in the delusion and fallacy that i have a “personal” issue with any of those 3 men, that’s too bad as well.
the sunday session “sucks” and it has been that way for at least a decade, in my opinion and in the opinion of many, many others. that’s the bottom line. there’s nothing personal about it. as far as “solving the problem,” after 10 years … i’m through. the only solution i see is for kevin & bobby to get out of the way and let somebody new and fresh come in. kevin’s had more than 20 years … and still can’t get it right, bobby’s going on 10 years … and still can’t get it right. move out the way (along with your egos,kevin & bobby), that’s the solution i see. meanwhile, i’ll continue to put my money where my mouth/opinion is and that’s why i only come to the sunday skate less than 10 times per year.
i never did post the rest of the soap opera about efforts to bring change in denver … and don’t know if i will … but these comments were intended to be part of the saga. i received these comments by email from a skater who also is dissatisfied with the regular sunday sessions:
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2010
From:
Subject: RE: Skatecity
To: rollerskatingtoday(at)hotmail.com
…Question do you think you can have your brother DJ atleast 1 time during regular Sunday Night sessions, I think its time for a changed of the guards for DJ’s, last week had it going on, this week the music selection was really bad, could not wait until the session was over…
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010
From:
Subject: RE: Skatecity
To: rollerskatingtoday(at)hotmail.com
…something has to change, I cannot take another Sunday, I do not know what they was doing this Sunday, but the[y] stole my joy…..
and that is fine but are you sure that the ego is not yours? your post came after Archie pulled your brother from the skate which mind you alot of the true skaters cheered!!!! i personally dont know but you have in my mind accomplished what you have set out to do congratulations Miss Muhammed your soap box is clean
I have skated Houston, Dallas , Southern Cal, and Atl the thing that these Cities have that we do not here is the sheer fact that they skate 3-4-5 nights a week so if you do not like one night you skate another night simple math. I am done speaking my peace on this subject Ma’am i wish you luck in your endeavours with you http://www.rollerskatingtoday.com web page and your quest to change skating in Denver….God Bless One Love
whytry, as you say – in other cities there are options. archie did not “pull” big mike, archie decided – without even consulting the members of his club who signed a petition to have bobby replaced – that he didn’t want to be locked into one DJ. he wanted to use mike (not pull him), bobby and some other person.
the thing is, for people wanting another option besides kevin and bobby – they had it for one sunday per month. those who didn’t like mike, didn’t have to come on the one sunday he played. just like those who don’t like what kevin and bobby have to offer had at least one sunday a month to get something different. now they don’t.
so just to be clear, mike was not “pulled” by archie, mike chose not to return after the ‘x’ number of times he was completely disrespected by archie. the last straw being bobby and archie making an arrangement for bobby to play the 3rd sunday in january and not even bothering to tell mike until less than one week before he was scheduled to play. if i had not of been at the rink the night bobby announced he would be DJing the 3rd sunday, mike never would have been told. how disrespectful can you be? and i, for one, am glad mike decided not to return to that type of disrespect. he deserves much, much better than that.
and djbside – are you bobby s?
again as i have stated good luck with your endeavours
and no i am not dj bobby s
thanks for the well wishes. hopefully something positive and better for skating in the denver area is on the way soon.
Just to set the “record straight” I am DJ Big Mike, and I was brought in by Archie and others who asked me to spin for the old school 3rd sunday. I would have adults ask me to play on sunday and I said “I will not step on anybodys shoes.” after a year of people asking me I decided to do it. Now to fill you in, I have dj in clubs and radio for over 10 years and as whytry469 didn’t say for over a year we would get 400 to 600 every friday & saturday nite to come. That rink got closed down and had to move to a place far away. The first nite we had 135 skaters by the following weekend we had 400+ come thru the door. By the time we had closed the doors on that saturday nite there were 600+ skaters who came in that nite. Now it came time to do the “adult skate” and not sure where whytry469 was but some things I do as a DJ is 1) take request & 2) I always ask everyone I talk to “how did you like the nite” and everyone I talked to (over 50 skaters) said “it was good” and “will you be coming back”, so I am not sure where they were but they never came to me to say “they were not happy” and there were skaters who came in for that sunday I was spinning from california and st.louis & atlanta. I also have been asked to play out of town for it, so I must have done something right. Last but not least I choose not to go back due to the dis-respect and archie always interfering with “the show.” I hope this clears “the air” and puts to rest what happend on the 3rd sundays.
one “bad” thing about this situation is that, because the dj involved in the above mentioned situation is my brother, people automatically assume that i’m only doing this because it was my brother and i’m taking it “personal.”
that’s why i posted the above comments from a skater who liked what mike was doing so much and wanted him to DJ at least one other sunday every month. there are plenty of others who also liked what mike was doing. so i’m glad to be able to show that i’m “not just saying/doing this because i’m his sister.” true, there were some who didn’t like mike’s DJing but as was pointed out, they didn’t have to come on the one sunday night that he played. plenty of others were happy to have an option other than what’s available on the other sunday nights and it’s really a shame that giving people just that little bit was apparently too much to ask, or too much for some to give up.
so, i think i’m going to – just for the record – go ahead and continue posting about what i’ve experienced and witnessed here in denver and maybe those things can benefit skaters in other areas who may be encountering similar things.
like i said above, “i’m through” as far as doing petitions and attempting to foster some changes here. after nearly 10 years, i feel i’ve done my part and the last piece may be to record my experiences here for others to read. i do, however, firmly believe that something better for denver is on the way …. hopefully in the form of another skating rink opening up that’s not part of the family of rinks that currently hold a monopoly on skating in the denver area. actually, there are no rinks in the city limits of denver, the sunday session is held at the aurora rink which is 15+ minutes from central denver.
an independent rink opening is my hope for the future of skating here, so any investors out there – the market is absolutely, positively and thoroughly WIDE OPEN as far as opening and operating a quad roller skating rink IN the city of DENVER. *hint-hint*
look for part 2 of “is your skate DJ getting the job done” – hopefully to be posted by week’s end.
update….
to give credit where it is due, i’ve gotten reports that the 3rd sunday sessions that bobby dj’d this month (march) and in january were very, very nice. some people said they were very surprised by that, as i was, but i’m happy for the skaters if they are being given the kind of session that they should be getting all the time, not just once or twice every few years.
so…..*applause* for the improvement and effort bobby is putting forth.
Solution, find a “skating” DJ. That will solve your issues about getting your roll on. Since a “skating DJ” is a skater, he would know what songs to get the grown goin. The majority of the “skaters” will skate off of Maxwell, Jaheim, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Roger and Zapp. I can’t skate off of Lady Gaga???? So, maybe you need “train” your current DJ on what music needs to played. But, you might be running into “ego” issues will the DJ.
Plus the DJ needs to get into a “flow”. Get the crowd “groovin”. I’m sponsoring skate event here in Northern Cali. (Check out my Facebook page, Grown Folks Sk8) And I refuse to “train” a DJ to play skating music. All my DJ’s that I bring in are “skating DJ’s” , translation they are “skaters” and know what to play.
oh q! i want to cry, right about now. i absolutely hear you and thank you for the advice but what do you do when the DJs in question ARE skaters?yes, they should know better than non-skaters how to give a good roll but that’s just not the case.
and i have to clarify, the DJs in question are at the sunday night r&b session in the denver area. the rink that’s playing the lady gaga, has a saturday night session where they simply use their rink employees to play the music. that night started out as an “old school” night but has transitioned into more of a top 40 session which is starting to make it not even worth going to, for me.
i know on the national circuit, big bob is one of the best and i don’t think he’s a skater but he’s just good at what he does and has the ability to keep crowds rolling. i’m not familiar with the other popular national DJs: wiz and spin, whether they are skaters or not but sometimes, a non-skating DJ is able to get the job done better than DJs who know how to skate. on the other hand, showtime out of ohio is a skater and he’s also a DJ on the national circuit who knows how to keep the roll going.
oddly, some of the skaters who have said they could turn it out at a session as a DJ, either are too scared to get in the booth or don’t feel like going through all the headache that would be involved in even being given a chance to play.
I cannot believe that so much energy is being wasted into this ridiculous website. Kim if you have that big of a problem with the skate djs, why don’t you go purchase some turntables and get up there and try to satisfy an entire crowd of skaters? How dare you criticize those men for doing what they love! you ought to be ashamed of yourself…
LOL. no WTF, i’m not ashamed of myself but thanks for investing so much energy and emotion in placing a comment on what you find to be a “ridiculous” website.
maybe it’s upsetting to you and others that this topic is being discussed but, as you say, “how dare you criticize” anyone for doing what was put on their heart and mind to do. …. and people accuse me of taking this “personal.” looking at some of the comments that you critics are posting, it appears some of you are taking this personal and not me.
Kim, here’s a solution. Do a once a month skate party (like what im doing) and get a big name DJ to spin it. Then once you a couple under your belt, maybe you can get a “up and coming DJ” in the area that wants to learn. Hey I feel your pain, but going down this road will give some experience and deal with the poor music play. Just hang in there. I wish you could come to Cali and can show u how its done.
these guys have no clue…skate music has a flow…just because lil wayne or ne-yo or whoever these new sounds are coming from sings it, doesn’t make it skate music..if i wanted to listen to ks 107.5 i would just turn on my radio…this is all we hear at our skating rink and it’s horrible…half of the time i don’t pay because i’m not getting my money’s worth anyway, yet it still show up..and ole school nite doesn’t have to just be old ass songs..i’m tired of rock skate roll bounce and flashlight….there’s plenty of good music from the late 80’s through early 90’s…with great hip hop and r&b sounds…but you will need to do your homework. there’s so much music out there…we shouldn’t have to hear the same songs over and over and over and o…..my bad if got stuck just like they do, same song week after week after week………..you know what i mean…stop it please…make notes to yourself, i will not play the same songs for at least 3 weeks….remixes are the sh…t, new and old…find them and play them…do your homework…make us sweat. one more thing. pay attention to your floor, if you see everyone standing in the middle waiting for someone to excite them there simple means that the dj can’t excite them with their selection of music…peace
thanks to all who have posted comments about their experiences skating in denver, or in the area where they regularly skate. also , thanks to those who have posted some advice/suggestions.
q, as i continue sharing the “soap opera” of what my experiences have been here since 2001, it might become clearer why, after almost 10 years, i’ve said “i’m through.” back in 2001-2004, i was very active on the national skate circuit and attended a lot of events, some with dr. brokeankle (bandele) – and we made quite a few friends across the country and were able to see how people from other areas skated and what really nice sessions other areas had. i always wanted to see that for this area but, like i said in an email to bobby yesterday, i don’t believe skating here in this area is going to get to the next level with him and kevin sitting in the seat that they’re. it’s just not gonna happen.
the DJ crew has been invited to post in their own defense if they’d like to but i wanted them to get it directly from me that i am posting on this site and have decided to tell “my story” – some of which, unfortunately, is not going to be favorable toward them.
the “hits” for this post have skyrocketed so i imagine they may have spread the link to their network. which is fine but let me say …. well, let me put it this way ….
this incident will be more detailed as i continue telling “my story,” but around 4-5 years ago, another skater here organized some late night saturday sessions that were well attended. BS ensued all throughout that process but continued into one of the sessions when friends/supporters of the current DJ crew came to the session and 2-3 of these men stood at the back of the rink and started booing. also, one of the current DJs and another person were constantly up at the booth trying to tell the DJ what to do, how to do, what he wasn’t doing, etc. unfortunately, the DJ playing (who was not my brother, but someone else) got so shook, he packed up his stuff and left in the middle of the session, accusing me and the event organizer of “putting him in the middle” of some mess. after all that happened, a member of the current DJ crew took it upon himself to get in the booth, as tho he was going to be playing the music, even tho the whole point of the night was to provide an alternative to what the regular crew had to offer. i ended up telling that DJ to get out of the booth and yes, i was very angry and “hot” over that incident. more on that later.
anyway – my point is this: i’ve seen the foolishness and silliness that supporters of the current DJ crew resort to at times in their efforts to “defend” their friends (the current DJs) and/or sabotage anyone else’s efforts at trying to do something with skating. if any of them have that in mind, i.e. bringing some foolishness to this comment section, it’s not going to happen.
so, if any of those “defenders” are reading and contemplating posting here, keep it mature and on topic and if you can’t do that, don’t bother posting because you will find your comments deleted and your ability to post disabled.
thank you.
Kim, are your DJ’s between 20-30 yrs of age? If so, they don’t know what “skating” music is plus they don’t know how to get and keep a flow of music going. DJ’s need to develop that “art” and that dosen’t come over nite. The DJ needs to be observent of his crowd and see what makes them “roll hard”.
I had my event last night. My DJ was all over the board. He advised me that he’s a skater DJ. He played old school music and some 90’s and current. But his flow was inconsistant. A lot of folks was sitting and waiting for some song to get them back on the floor.
The biggest problem you will need to overcome is the DJ ego and pride. You need to estiblish a common ground with the. My last event, I had a skate DJ from LA. The majority of the skaters “loved” him. But there was 2 issues with him. 1.) He talked too much, 2.) He played too much old school music, i.e. The Dells, The Manhattans, etc. That music will work with his crowd in LA, but not here in Sacramento. So, he asked me how did he do and I was very honest with him. I could tell that in his voice he was shocked, but he was willing listen and make the next adjustment for the next event.
So, if you go the “high road”, maybe that DJ is willing to listen and have an open mind. Check out my Facebook page, I have some videoes of my March Skate Jam. And leave a comment I would like to hear your comments.
thanks q. the DJ who’s been at it 20-some years is, from what i understand, in his early 50s. the other DJ is in his 30s, i believe.
i also believe that ego and pride are a factor in the matter and only resorted to the 2001 petition because DJ1 was unwilling to hear what skaters were saying. it was some weeks/months after that petition that DJ2 was brought in for “change.” unfortunately, not much change happened. and for me, like i told DJ2 yesterday, it’s a matter of the fact that sooo many skaters have stopped coming over the years and don’t intend to come back, and many – when other events are scheduled – say they’re not coming if DJ1 and 2 are the ones playing. so i guess it’s the bad reputation thing that prevents me from seeing any hope for change with these particular DJs. over the years, there have been reports of people getting cussed out or told off for making requests or suggesting ways the sunday could be improved.
then there’s the things of – to me- if a skate DJ, after 10-20 years still doesn’t know how to do it, i just don’t think there’s any change coming. none of us would be allowed to remain on a job 10-20 years with consistent poor results. if i find myself not being productive in a thing or activity, i move on because i know i can find other things to do that i can be efficient at. i’d like to believe that i wouldn’t be found trying to hold on (and certainly not for 10-20 years) when all signs were showing me that it was time to move on.
i sense that DJ1 wants to be honored as one of the ones who, i understand, got an adult skate going back in the 80s, and he should be honored for that but that doesn’t make him the “king of skating” in colorado. i don’t know if he holds on like this because of the $$ … maybe what he’s getting is helping him pay his mortgage or car payment every month. i hope that’s not what it’s about.
but it’s for somebody else to deal with because after almost 10 years ….. i’ve done what was put on my heart to do and i’m going to move on. it’s for others to take it further on up to the next level. maybe the 2 sunday DJs plan on holding on for another 10-20 years and, if so, more power to them. i won’t be hanging in there with them.
on another note, there is a new group who will be starting an “every first friday” skate this week, on apr. 2. i’ve been helping spread the word on that and hopefully it will be “off the chain,” and a lasting alternative for the many people who would like one. so once it gets up and running, hopefully you and others from your area will come down for a visit.
and for others who might be interested, do you plan a full weekend of events at some point? i’d like to come out and hopefully get 2 nights of skating. is there a nice sunday session in the area?
q, did you or someone from your group skate here in denver a few months ago at the 3rd sunday session? my brother said he got an invite from someone who was there from california who really enjoyed himself and wanted to bring him out to cali to play.
it’s funny you bring up the “old school” issue about the manhattans, dells, etc. because that was an issue with the third sunday. the organizer of that “old school” night wanted music from the 60s- on up to be played but the crowd that is coming out now just isn’t a fit for that. big mike sensed that from the beginning and intended to keep the music primarily from the late 80s into the 90s but conflict arose when “A”, the organizer, kept wanting older stuff … even tho a lot of members of his own group didn’t want to hear that stuff, like kc & the sunshine band, tower of power, artists most skaters weren’t even familiar with, etc. so that ended up being a problem.
i think that’s another issue with the sunday night – the difference of ages and music preferences. it’s supposed to be 21+ but the age limit isn’t enforced so a lot of the 18-20 folks might like all that club, “booty shake” music but people 30+ want something different, of course there’s always exceptions to the rule….LOL …. some of the 40+ sistas like to try “booty shake” too. but i think the music definitely caters to that younger set of folks, sometimes whom are even less than 18.
so, it’s gonna be good for the area to have another type of adult session that’s gonna cater more to “mature” skaters … if that’s the right word.
everyone is a critic…
that’s true, WTF – even you are a critic. and since the topic of this post is about how the DJs are doing in your city, would you like to chime in on the topic? if you are having a fabulous time at the sunday night session, you have failed to mention that. we/i see your criticisms but do you think you can address the topic at hand now?
plus, you asked me earlier – (and i’m kind of surprised you’ve returned to this website that you find to be “ridiculous”) – why don’t i purchase turntables and get up there and DJ. well, i don’t have to do that. any time i’ve done a skate event in this city i’ve used a DJ … my brother. so i don’t have to do that – he has turntables and he has the skill and ability. so if you think that is the solution – why don’t you suggest to the sunday night organizers that they let him get up there and DJ and try to satisfy an entire crowd.
it was really a tremendous FEAT just getting him in on 3rd sunday and he stood and withstood a whole lot of BS but he didn’t get punked or run out of the rink, packing up his stuff in the middle of a session. so, that’s my answer to your question. now …. are you going to address the topic? please tell us about the good roll you’re getting every sunday.
thanks.