let’s turn back the way-back machine to the year 1982! I was living in Maine and would go roller skating every weekend at a place called the “Great Fox” in Newington NH. I had the itch and the focus to ask about djing & learning the art. Getting in that dj booth for the first time was very exciting & also very scary. I could not tell you what my first song was or what the crowd was like. The big hits were on 45 (No Downloads) and it was when New Wave was hitting hard. Back in black, I Ran, Ebony & Ivory not to mention Men at Work’s Who can it be now were the hits. Rock Bottom Records was the place to get your candy you could say. I remember getting Joan Jett & the Black Hearts lp with I Love Rock and Roll on it. Even Billy Squires lp I was told was a must to have in my collection at the time. Music consumed my life. My expression came from the turntables at hand. Mixing was just starting to be an art & I was all in.
The roller rink was the best place to start as you did not have to worry about people getting on the floor. They paid & rolled. It was a time American Top Forty was the radio show to listen to & you waited to hear what the next big song was. When I was not in the booth, I was on the floor skating. I learned a lot about life during that time and little did I know 30 plus years later I would still be playing the hits & having fun. I think the thing I miss the most about that time is i had to figure out my own way to mix things together. I used sound tracks to add excitement & it always fun to watch how people responded. I think djs should start out at places like this. It’s easy & you can work on your mix without the worry of filling a dance floor. As long as your playing the hits you will be fine. I’ll be writing more about my early years as times go on. I’ll leave you with this for now. I was lucky enough to find folks that helped get my start & show me the ropes to get things going!