On my morning run today I was listening to a brilliant episode of the excellent podcast Questlove Supreme, with the guest, the magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff. Early in the conversation, Jeff mentioned how, wherever he goes, he plays the same type of set – he doesn’t get to a city and start running the local classics, he doesn’t get to a country and start playing their national music. His point is simple – they booked him to come and play a Jazzy Jeff set. They didn’t book him to try and guess what the locals already hear all the time, and give them his version of that!

This got me thinking about the many different types of DJs there are. DJing at its core is simply selecting and playing amplified music, and there are a million ways to do it, even if some people think that their way is the only “real” way to do it!

And there are many different types of places where DJs play – be it the local dive bars, all the way through to giant stadiums with huge pop stars on the mic!

Often these roles overlap, with one DJ having to be several of these things at different times. Many DJs start doing one thing, and grow into other areas as they develop and their abilities, needs and wants change.

Over the coming weeks and months I will be writing a series of pieces about these corners of the DJ world, drawing on the experience of the Heavy Hits team, my own 2-decade career, and the insights of DJs who have been there and done it, all over the world!

We’ll be covering resident DJs, at all manner of venues (from small bars, to commercial clubs, underground clubs with big guest DJs, gig venues and more!). We will cover DJs who play at concert venues, DJs who do corporate functions. Wedding DJs, touring DJs, cruise ship DJs, radio DJs, battle DJs – if it involves playing music to entertain people, it is in!

First up next week – being a local resident!