At what age should mobile DJ's retire?

[rob1963]

I'll be 44 soon, and I was wondering when you think mobile DJs should retire.

I already stopped doing 18ths & 21sts a number of years ago, as I thought someone who was having an 18th birthday party would probably prefer a DJ of the same age...rather than a DJ in their 40s.

Most of my work now is weddings & 30th, 40th, 50th & 60th birthday parties.

After 23 years, I still love the work, but don't want to be in the situation where I turn up at a gig & someone asks "Are you the DJs dad?"

So when should I hang up my headphones? :confused:

[Dragonfly]

i think when you no longer enjoy the job its time to call it a day ......this is one of those jobs that if you dont enjoy it 100% your performance will suffer and therefore youre clients.

when you cannot physically drag yourself out of the door to play the monotonous drivel that is the over hyped simon cowell driven talentless sludge that clutters up and pollutes both the minds of todays youth and just about every airwave known to humanity.

when you find that that ability to read a crowd seems to be evading you at more gigs than you have the place jumping its time to throw the towel in.

to be honest talking to alot of guys on here the best djing years of their lives are their 30s and 40s and i know 1 or 2 still great at what they do in their 50s.

[Sapphire Disco]

You youngsters make me laugh , you got 10 to 15 years left yet :)

[Corabar Entertainment]

....and there's plenty around who are older than that and still doing a great job.

[Corabar Steve]

Where's Old Father Time (Colin) these days ?

I would say.....

A) When you can't lug the gear about
B) When you stop enjoing yourself
C) When your performance is consistantly below par

[Dragonfly]

Where's Old Father Time (Colin) these days ?

I would say.....

A) When you can't lug the gear about
B) When you stop enjoing yourself
C) When your performance is consistantly below par


anyone wanna buy a disco ??? :D :D :D :D :D

[Corabar Steve]

£2.50???

[Dragonfly]

erm this is the finest in active sound reproduction ill have you know none of your red carpet ear bleeding stuff in sight got to be at least worth a fiver.

[Corabar Entertainment]

OK - Sold for a fiver Dave! When can we come & collect? :p :p

[Corabar Steve]

& it's in print, you can't get out of it

[spin mobile disco]

My dad had been DJ'ing for 40 years + and only gave it up last year due to injured knee joint. Up until the end he was doing 2 gigs a night of all types. I think he just thought it was time to put his feet up and let others entertain him for a change. Both myself and my older brother now run seperate disco's full time, so I think his legacy lives on.
Time to give it up is as the others say when the joy has gone out of it. Must admit had some bad nights with trouble makers when I've just wanted to hand in the towel.
But then you have a good night and it makes it all worth while somehow.

And dragonfly il have your cortex for a fiver as a spare lol

[mikeee]

Old, there's no such thing as old in this business, just you at that chap from Solitaire :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Corabar Steve]

Old, there's no such thing as old in this business, just you at that chap from Solitaire :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :DLess scotch, more concentration http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gif

No such thing as old?

Michael, you're ancient!!! :d:Dhttp://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gif

Bless me father for I have sinned
http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gif


Up until the end he was doing 2 gigs a night

Into astral projection is he? http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gif

[mikeee]

No scotch, just a typo - lol

[Corabar Steve]

Or senility? http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gif

[Danno13]

30 :d:d:d

[leighinstoke]

Dunno when you should stop - Keith Minshull - one of the old time Northern Soul DJs is still going strong here in Stoke and is well into his 60s and pulling in the crowds and buying and selling music as much as he did 40+ years back!

Leigh....

[BeerFunk]

Different market of DJing, but when did Norman Cook hit it big? Late 30's I believe, and that was him just getting started. Also the likes of Paul Oakenfold still going strong. I don't know when I'll quit - when I feel like it I suppose :)

[DK Karaoke]

I'll be 44 soon, and I was wondering when you think mobile DJs should retire.

After 23 years, I still love the work, but don't want to be in the situation where I turn up at a gig & someone asks "Are you the DJs dad?"

So when should I hang up my headphones? :confused:

Answer:= No I'm his son!!!!!;)

As long as you still enjoy it, are still in tune and can judge the audience, and play the latest stuff, and deliver with confidence, your are still in there.:) :)

[Pierre Le Sound]

I'm 46. Yes really!

I'm still doing 18th Birthdays and the like. I've found I get more respect from a young crowd as I get older.

I do this job because I WANT to, and that's the key. It's all in the mind. If you feel you are doing a good job, then carry on.

If you manage to get into 'black tie' functions, they expect the DJ to be more mature, so there's plenty of scope to work for alot longer.

There's a DJ around my way called Steve Kingsley. He's been going since the Jurassic period, he's still good, he's still in demand and he's about 60. (He's a jolly nice chap as well).

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

When I started, I thought I'd have retired from DJing by the time I was 30 and must admit up until a few years ago, thought DJs over 40 were ancient!

When I started using forums a few years ago, I was shocked to find that there were a lot of DJs over 30, 40 and even 50, so it kind of changed my mind about older DJs.

I have a guy who works for me who is 50 this year and he does me proud every booking.

[Silver]

I'm 56 in June and I'm getting busier and busier http://planetsmilies.net/ill-violated-dead-smiley-5383.gif http://planetsmilies.net/happy-smiley-611.gif

[Vibrant Sounds]

Doesn't look like I've got long then (short career). I only started last year at 47.

Do it coz I love it. Makes me feel young again.

[theoloyla]

I am 57 this year and have just taken a booking for a wedding in 2009. The couple insist that it is me who they want for their reception. I still do most gigs for any age but inevitably not too many school/teenage do's these days.

[Dragonfly]

I'm 46. Yes really!


omg shows how much attention i pay ...... thought you were about 20 years junior!!!!

[Corabar Steve]

I'm 56 in June Is that why you're called Silver? http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gifhttp://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gifhttp://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gif

[Silver]

Is that why you're called Silver? http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gifhttp://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gifhttp://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gif

In one! Silver Fox, Silver Simon, when I get a digital camera you'll see! http://planetsmilies.net/person-smiley-1262.gif

[rob1963]

Thanks for your thoughts guys...good to know I can go on for a while yet if I want to without any problems, but I think I'll probably retire at about 50.

[Corabar Entertainment]

you say that now........... ;) :D :p

[Excalibur]

Thanks for your thoughts guys...good to know I can go on for a while yet if I want to without any problems, but I think I'll probably retire at about 50.

Funnily enough that was my cunning plan!

Didn't happen though. As long as you have the music people want, and are prepared to play it, there is no problem.

[Pierre Le Sound]

omg shows how much attention i pay ...... thought you were about 20 years junior!!!!

That's just because my mental age has always lagged behind my chronological age.

Ask any of my previous wives!!:D :D :D

[Dial a disco.co.uk]

if you keep up to date with new music then i personally think you can carry on and finish when you want to