Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Oh Pitbull, Didn't Your Mom Ever Tell You That Stealing is Bad?

Am I against sampling? NO, but what I am against is artists who have built their career off stealing other peoples music.  At least when De La Soul and The Beastie Boys used other records, they buried the sample.  Pitbull is blatantly capitalizing on the commercial success of these classic records.  It would be like me sampling Usher- Yeah, DJ Kool- Let Me Clear My Throat, or Jay-Z Empire State of Mind to make a new record.  Make something original and then maybe I'll take you seriously.  Let's take a look at Pitbull's 10 biggest records:

1.  Shake samples Din Daa Daa by George Krantz
2.  Fuego samples When I Hear Music by Debbie Deb
3.  Secret Admirer samples My Boo by Ghost Town DJs
4.  The Anthem samples Calabria 2007 by Enur feat. Natasja
5.  Move Shake Drop samples Satisfaction by Benny Benassi
6.  Hotel Room Service samples Push The Feeling on by Nightcrawlers
7.  I Know You Want Me samples 75, Brazil Street by Nicola Fasano and Pat Rich
8.  Pearly Gates samples Heaven by DJ Sammy and Yanou
9.  Give Me A Bottle samples Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes
10.  Bon Bon samples We No Speak Americano by Yolanda Be Cool and D-Cup

An even sadder commentary is that if I were to play the original of one of these samples, people nowadays would more than likely get mad that I didn't play the "Pitbull" version.

I don't care if you cleared and paid for the sample.  What that tells me is that you've got plenty of money,  but no creativity.  Congrats!

Monday, August 30, 2010

August 2010 Top 10

I went back through my history this month and compiled my top 10 most played records this month.

1. Taio Cruz- Dynamite (Stonebridge Remix)
2. Usher- DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love (DJ Kue Remix)
3. Kanye West- Power (Original and Remix)
4. Far East Movement feat. The Cataracs and Dev- Like A G6
5. Jump Smokers feat. R. Kelly and Pitbull- Superstar
6. Gucci Mane feat. Swizz Beats- Gucci Time
7. Cee-Lo- Fuck You
8. Usher feat. Jay-Z- Hot Toddy
9. Yolanda Be Cool and D-Cup- We No Speak Americano (Original, Chew Fu and MYD remixes)
10. DJ Khaled- All I Do Is Win (Original and Remix)

Friday, August 27, 2010

Can I make a request? Yes, but please think responsibly

Requesting songs from a DJ seems like a pretty simple concept.  When you go out you want to hear songs that you like.  Duh!  Here's the way we see if from the DJing perspective:

As a DJ we receive three types of requests,

The song we’re obviously going to play:  If you are in a predominately mainstream nightlife establishment and request a song that is on more than one of the current mainstream radio stations (iPower, Q94, Hot 100.9, or The Beat) it’s highly insulting to the DJ. Do you think that we aren’t in tune with what songs are current and popular? (Sadly enough, there are some working DJs who aren’t, but that is beside the point) On the flipside, if you’re at a party where the format is a little more underground, don’t ask for the current scenester anthem (*YBC & D-Cup: We No Speak Americano*). Trust the DJ and his ability to appease the crowd that’s in front of him/her.  If they haven’t played a record that you think is perfectly suited for this crowd, there’s probably a good reason for it like he’s building up to it. I don’t play records twice so when I play it, I need to make it count.

The song that we’re never going to play:  Please think responsibly when you request a song.  If you walk into a club, bar, wherever, try to gauge what kinds of music the DJ is playing.  The DJ is there because the owner is comfortable with his judgment in selecting songs. If the DJ is playing a eclectic mix of mainstream/familiar records, don’t go ask him to play the Dub Mix of Bonkers by AVH or that 14-minute-long live version of your favorite Disco Biscuits record. Adversely if you’re at a party like Brain Drain or RVAlution, don’t ask for Justin Bieber (Although asking for Justin Bieber anywhere is just WRONG). Also, if at an underground party the DJ plays a remix of a mainstream song, don’t a) get mad that he didn’t play the original b) think that it’s an open invitation to request more mainstream.  He probably played it to pacify the people like you who, for some reason, ended up at a party where they don’t really belong.

The song that peaks our interest: 1 time out of 1000 there will be someone who comes up and asks for a song that is perfect for the mix; a song that evokes good feelings for us as DJs; a song that is, as my friend Tony T would say, in the pocket. There is a lot of music out there for DJs to keep up with and sometimes tracks will just slip our minds.  Usually situations like this don’t’ happen while we DJ, they happen outside of work. Case and point, when I was talking to an employee at Baja after we closed one night, we got on the topic of music we grew up on and that formed the basis for our musical taste. Limp Bizkit’s ‘N 2 Gether Now’ came up and I had a “holy shit I loved that effing record” moment.

So to sum things up, the next time you walk into an establishment that has a DJ, take a good look around and listen to at least 5 songs. Then try to think about what song would fit perfectly and be generally accepted by everyone there.  Also try to do your research before you go out. Find the places and DJs who play music you like so you don’t have to worry about leaving the dance floor to request a song.

If you can request a song that blows my mind, shots are on me! I'm at Baja on Wednesdays and Big Daddy's on Saturday. Also you can catch me at New York Deli on Sept. 3rd, The Grand Opening of Fishbowl Sept. 10, and on the Big Green Bus for  The RVA Bar Crawl Sept 11th from 1-4.

Friday, August 13, 2010

So apparently...

We No Speak Americano samples an anti American Song. Here is the English Translation:


You're acting all american,
american, american,
but you're born in Italy, listen here:
there's nothing you can do,
ok napoletano?!
You're acting all american,
american, american,

How can your loved one understand
if you're speaking half american?
When you're out loving uder the moon,
where do you get a phrase like "I love you"?

You're acting all american,
american, american,
but you're born in Italy, listen here:
there's nothing you can do,
ok napoletano?!
You're acting all american,
american, american,
...whisky soda e rock and roll







I still don't care. The song is dope!!!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

A Midsummer's Daydream

This is probably one of my favorite mixes that I've done in a while. It spans the current hits with a sprinkling of my favorite summer classics Download and enjoy.


A Midsummer's Daydream by DJ Ghozt


1. Oasis- Wonderwall (A cappella)
2. Travy McCoy ft. Bruno Mars- Billionare
3. Eminem ft. Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
4. Arrested Development- Everyday People
5. Fresh Prince & Jazzy Jeff- Summertime
6. Sublime- What I Got
7. Train- Hey Soul Sister
8. Drake- Find Your Love
9. Len- Steal My Sunshine
10. Bobby Brackins ft. Ray-J- 143
11. Jay-Z ft. Pharrell- I Just Wanna Love You (Give it to Me)
12. Flo-Rida ft. Ke$ha- Right Round
13. Usher ft. Pitbull- DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love (DJ Kue Remix)
14. Lil' Jon ft. 3OH!3- Hey
15. Ne-yo- Beautiful Monster
16. Yolanda Be Cool & D-Cup- We No Speak Americano (Original Mix)
17. David Guetta ft. Chris Willis, Fergie & LMFAO- Gettin' Over You (Original Mix)
18. A-Trak ft. Lil' Wayne & Gucci Mane- We Don't Want No Goblins
19. MGMT- Kids
20. Chiddy Bang- Opposite of Adults

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Honey, I Shrunk the Nightclub

Nightlife in this town isn’t dying, it’s downsizing.  It’s a phenomenon that is happening all across the country. I’ve played both big and small venues and both have their pros and cons.

With a big crowd it’s almost impossible to play a record that bombs.  This is due to a few factors, the most important of these being that people in a large group are as equally stimulated by the situation as they are the music.  Simply put, being in a large crowd of people that are all ready to get down, is an intense experience by itself.  A lot of people in Virginia have no idea what it feels like to be in a room full of 500+ people and the song breaks down to almost silence and everyone around you is screaming in anticipation of the beat dropping back in.  Go to RVAlution at Hat Factory on a Tuesday if you want to get a glimpse of what it’s like. Also with a crowd that large, once it gets rolling, it’s momentum will carry it through to where you could drop something completely random like polka and they probably wouldn’t care.

The downside to a big crowd is that you lose the intimacy of programming for the individual.  Whenever I DJ for a big room, I look out and find one or two people that seem to be an accurate representation of the whole and program based off their reactions.  Another thing that I dislike about big crowds is what it turns DJs into.  I absolutely hate DJs that pre-plan sets knowing that the crowd is so big that no one will care.  I’m a huge advocate for spontaneity while DJing. I played a party with Steve Aoki in Chicago on July 18th and I walked in having no idea of what I was going to play.  I went with the flow and played to the people and they enjoyed it.

Small crowds are a lot harder to play for simply because the mindset of a smaller group tends to be more judgmental.  If you’ve got a room full of 100 and half the people aren’t feeling it, that 50 person negativity is going to spread a lot quicker than half of 1500 at a large party. You can lose a dance floor at a small club a lot easier than you can lose a one at a big club. My first experience with DJing to a smaller crowd was 3 years ago at Lucky Buddha.  It taught me that I could be more selective with my music, but that I had to gain the trust of the crowd first because if 5 people left the dance floor the rest would follow suit quickly.

The upside to the smaller crowd for me is the challenge of trying to keep as many people happy as possible. Sometimes a smaller crowd has a much more refined taste and are looking for a little bit more than your typical programming.  When I DJ for smaller crowds, I tend to look more at the individuals than I do at the whole group. It also allows me to interact more personably with the crowd.  Usually the DJ booth is more accessible in smaller venues.  This allows me to take requests easier and talk to people who want to talk to me if I so choose.

In Virginia, the trend is moving towards smaller venues and parties, but it’s not a bad thing.  Having a lot of smaller parties to choose from ensures that you will eventually find one that’s right for you as opposed to having to settle for going to that one big club where the music is okay and the people are tolerable.


Friday, July 23, 2010

My Set From V-Live in Chicago

@ V-Live in Chicago by DJ Ghozt


Hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed playing it. This was totally improved. Nothing about it was planned out in advance. I played to the crowd. That's what real DJs do.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Lack of Originality in RVA

This post was sparked by a comment on a general Facebook status update of mine last night.


"You have a website, 3 facebook pages, a twitter account all with contradictory or old information and I bet you're still scratching you're head wondering why your club is empty."

Note that I didn't mention any club by name.  And yet the owner of a local "nightclub" decided to post the following:

"Now I understand why ur such a douchbag. Always easier to criticize others when u have nothing to look forward to in your own life. Go make something of urself instead of spending ur time worrying about my success"


For the record:

I'm a self-proclaimed nightclub snob.  I've partied and/or DJed in the big cities/nightclubs across the world. When I walk into a nightlife venue, I can't help but be super critical of everything. I have three main mantras I follow when evaluating the legitimacy of a nightclub:

If it looks like you bought it at Wal-mart, it shouldn't be in a club.  Whether it's plastic cups at the bar or cheap futons in the VIP, it's not right.  People pay money to get into your club so they shouldn't feel like their sitting in the confines of a cheap Fraternity party.  I know of two clubs that even have brought in inflatable pools to try and wow their patrons.  One of those clubs is now closed.  We'll see how the other fairs. However, the most egregious violation of this concept is christmas lights.  Really? I don't even feel the need to elaborate as to how cheap and tacky this makes your club look.

Just because it worked somewhere else, doesn't mean it will work here.  Trust me, I've been to Vegas, Chicago, DC, London and a laundry list of other cities that have really cool nightlife, but Richmond is a completely different city. You have to factor in all of this city's subtle nuances into your concept.  One of the things that I love about this city is that the people want a simple experience. They don't want super glitzy over the top decor or flashy concepts.  If you look at the longest lasting nightclub in this town, Tobacco Company, the decor is simple and subdued. The farthest they stray from being a "four walls with a bar and a sound system" night club is a blackjack table and cigarette girls. Leave the ice bars, aerial performers, dueling pianos and other cheeseball add-ons to the spots in touristy markets, because no one here really cares. I understand why you do it, but get the basics right before you try to get flashy.

Atmosphere is more than just music.  As a DJ, I can't stress this enough.  While music is a very important part of it, there are so many more aspects to a club's atmosphere.  It should start as soon as you get in line.  The outside of the club should be as clean and well kept as possible.  Your door people should keep the line moving as quickly as possible.  If you're at capacity, they should preemptively check IDs/dress code and wristband/X those waiting to ensure as quick an entry as possible. They should be better dressed and far exceed your dress code expectations. Also they should be personable and not standoffish.  There is nothing more off putting and likely to start a confrontation than a security person who looks like they're looking for a fight. In fact your entire staff should exceed your dress code, but don't go over the top.  I hate seeing bartenders who are supposed to be dressing "sexy" who come off as slutty. They type of music that is playing is inconsequential in comparison to how it is presented:

1.  Your DJ should be visible, but not overly accessible.  If your internal marketing people or outside promoters have done their job correctly, the DJ will be playing the right music and requests will not be necessary.  The idea is to not just open your door for whoever wants to come, but to target a specific crowd that you want in there.

2.  If you have an MC, they need to be audible and creative with their delivery.  Repeating your typical Lil' Jon or Fatman Scoop like vocal catch phrases gets really annoying, really quick.  Unless you feel like it's absolutely necessary, avoid a "hype man" all together.

3.  Most importantly. INVEST IN A GOOD SOUND SYSTEM.  Take the time to do your research about what kind of sound you will need to accurately fill your establishment.  You want good quality sound so that the sound isn't distorted or too loud.  Also be mindful of placement.  If the bartender can't hear my drink order, that's a bad thing for both the bar and I

The last part of the atmosphere can be summed up in three words, Lights, Camera, Action.  Clubs need lights to properly accentuate the music.  I'm not talking about a disco ball and some moving heads that are sound triggered.  I'm talking about a true to life club lighting system that is either controlled by a programmed computer or by a lighting director. Also someone with a camera whether it's an internal employee or a contracted photog snapping pictures, it's another way for the patron to connect to the club.  The action I'm talking about is movement. Go-go dancers or something of the like to provide the appearance of constant energy in the club when there is none.

I can't help but think that some of the club owners in Richmond are taking advantage of the fact that most of the people here haven't had the opportunity to experience a well executed nightclub concept. In talking to others, I know that I'm not the only person to feel this way.  It feels like many things are half-assed. A couple of places have done it right, but most fall short and I think it has more to do with unwillingness than lack of knowledge.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Daggering 101

 You've heard everyone talk about daggering.  Major Lazer made this video to clear up any confusion.


Mash-up Magic

I've found that Mash-ups are the logical follow up to DJing. I was spinning at Baja, a local spot here in Richmond, and I tried to do both of these live, but the phrasing was off on either the vocals or the instrumental.  Ipso facto I threw them in Acid and within 10 minutes each were finished.


1. A 1901- Lil' Wayne vs. Phoenix:  I saw someone try to do this on HypeM, but it was horribly executed so I tried it live, figured out the problems and redid it.  This is a custom edit that is intended for DJing as it has an a cappella out ending





2.  Wishplanes- Skee-Lo vs. B.o.B.: The first thing I do when I listen to a new record is to think about what kind of story I can tell with it.  When I heard Airplanes, I couldn't help but notice the emphasis on wishes throughout the verses and chorus. It was either R. Kelly's I Wish or Skee-Lo's I wish.  I tried the R.Kelly, but Skee-Lo worked better.  I did an entire Mash and a custom re-edit for DJs with an a cappella out



Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Don't Play Music...Feel Music

Do I like the fact that this dude is like 100?
Do I like the fact that he's playing on a laptop?
Do I like the fact that he's not even mixing?


The answer to all is a fervent NO, but what I do like is that he has more energy than 99% of the DJs who have top of the line kit.


I'm looking at you Nick Cannon


Sunday, July 11, 2010

No Parliamo Italiano, but this track is AWESOME

Quick story:  I was hanging with my boy Tony going through one of the millions of downloads he had acquired.  I swear I need to submit his story to Intervention or MTV True Life: I'm a Download Whore. Anyway, we ran across this track and I vividly remember saying: "What the fuck is this? This is either the best or worst idea ever."

Fast forward one week. I was in Chicago at Crescendo and this song comes on at about 1:00am, peak hour in Chi-city, and the place ERUPTS.

If you hear this and don't wanna dance, you might be dead.  This is the epitome of happy music.


Download
Original Version
Chew Fu Remix

Friday, July 9, 2010

Dancing Ban in VA

On July 12th, the city council of Richmond will vote on an ordinance that will place restrictions on what they have vaguely labeled as "dance halls." Everyone is quicker to throw around Footloose references than to examine the reasoning behind why this legislation was even conceived in the first place.  Violence, drugs and disorder are common amongst all aspects of nightlife.  From concert venues to clubs, I feel comfortable in saying that on any given night the possibility of problems arising are equal regardless of what kind of music is playing or what the age/gender/race/sexual orientation the crowd is.  People in large groups are dangerous.  Look at what kind of catastrophes have happened at sporting events.  This isn't due to the size of the crowd as much as it does the energy surrounding it.  Whether it's a sporting event, concert, or club people get amped on the idea of being surrounded by a bunch of like minded people who have made the conscious decision to congregate together. They become energized when something happens that collectively resonates with everyone.  This energy can be either positive or negative.



The disturbing part of this entire situation is that even though the intentions of trying to better handle crowd control in negative situations are valiant, they are being done under the presupposition of this only being a problem in places where people dance.  Has there been a lot of club related violence? Yes.  If you said no, you're lying to yourself.  Don't believe me? Get on the Richmond City Police website and search the address any of your favorite nightclubs or bars in their crime reports section. Shit happens. Does that mean it's because of the dancing? NO! It's a combination of a lot of different variables.  Alcohol and demographic composition are the main catalysts to violence.  Please do not misinterpret this as a form of sexism or age discrimination, but I'd gather that the majority of problems that occur at these "dance halls" involve males 18-26. Does this mean that every dude under 26 should be seen as a threat to start trouble? No.  I'd like to think that if I walk into a bar being a 26 year old male, that I wouldn't be considered a possible threat.




Long story short, I think that the way to tackle this problem is to look at who is causing the trouble as opposed to what is. 

Monday, July 5, 2010

DJ Intervention...effing hilarious

This is how a lot of us feel about the so called DJs that are infiltrating the scene







Bang That Box Setlist- New York Deli 7/2/10

Don't bother asking me about my logic, even I couldn't tell you what I was thinking :-)

10:00pm

Nappy Roots- Good Day
Nas & Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley ft. Lil' Wayne- My Generation (Clean)
Sublime feat. Snoop Dogg- Doin' Time (Snoop Time Remix)
The Pharcyde- Passin' Me By
Bobby V./Ludacris- Pimpin' All Over the World
Toto- Africa
Mos Def- Ms. Fat Booty
Drake- Find Your Love
Nicki Minaj- Your Love
Outkast- Ms. Jackson
Fresh Prince- Summertime
Sublime- What I Got
Kid Cudi- My Time
Radiohead- High & Dry (Isaac Jordan ReDrum)
B.o.B- Airplanes Part II
Lupe Fiasco- Supastar
Train- Hey Soul Sister
Fatboy Slim- Weapon Of Choice (Junkie Xl Mix)
Black Sheep- The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)
Beastie Boys- Super Disco Breakin'
Limp Bizkit- N 2 Gether Now
3 Bad Brothaz™- Walk of Vain
Run DMC- Walk This Way
INXS- Need You Tonight
Prince- Kiss


11:00pm


Groove Armada- If Everybody Looked The Same
Asher Roth- She Don't Wanna Man (Ft. Keri Hilson)
Far East Movement- Girls On The Dancefloor
Jesse Rose- You Know It (Jesse's Made To Play Edit)
The Roots ft. Dice Raw- How I Got Over (Dirty)
Crookers- Superiore
MC Flipside- In The Zone (Bart B More Vocal Mix)
Sean Finn- My Sharona (Hook Grip Edit)
A-Trak ft. Lil' Wayne, Gucci Mane- We Don't Want No Goblins
Uffie- Add Suv feat. Pharrel Williams - AVH Vocal Remix
Mr. Vega- Don't Kiss The Kroc
Lionel Ritchie- All Night Long (Mightyfools Remix)
Yello- Oh Yeah 'Oh Six (Bodzin & Huntemann Remix)
Deadmau5- Ghosts 'n Stuff (Original Instrumental Mix)
Tag Team- Whoomp There It Is (A cappella)
LMFAO- La La La
Black Eyed Peas- Meet Me Halfway (Club Killers ReDrum)
Daft Punk- One More Time
MGMT- Kids (Soulwax Remix)
Kidda- Under The Sun - Herve Remix
Pitbull- Culo 2009 (CrowdCTRL Quick Edit)


12:00am


Oliver Twizt- Rich Bitch (Original Mix)
Cold Blank- Raver Booty (Original Mix)
Boogie Pimps- All Day And All Of The Night (Tune Brothers Alert Mix)
Dennis Ferrer- Hey Hey (Vandalism Remix)
Mike Posner- Cooler Than Me (Alex Dreamz Bootleg)
Three 6 Mafia- Feel It (Jump Smokers Extended Remix)
Lil' Wayne- A Milli Transition
Excision & Datsik- A Milli (Remix)
David Banner - Like a Pimp
DJ Khaled Ft. Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes...- All I Do Is Win (Remix)
Lil Wayne- Lolli-Hot Transition
Ice Cube- You Can Do It
Big Freedia- Azz Everywhere
DJ Kool- Let Me Clear My Throat
DJ XMind- Faithfully Fucking Tonight Anthem Out
Major Lazer- Pon de Floor (feat. VYBZ Kartel)
Major Lazer- Pon De Foley (Ludachrist Remix)
Reel 2 Real- I Like To Move It (Klaas Remix)
A-Trak- Loonies To Blow (ft. Drake, Birdman)
A-Trak- O Let's Overdo It
Coco Brown- Fuck My Face
Usher vs. Oliver Twizt- OMG (Original to ClubKillers Edit)
LMFAO- Shots
Lil' Jon- VA Drinks!!!
Fatman Scoop- Wanna Get Wasted (A cappella Loop)
DJ Felli Fel- I Wanna Get Drunk


1:00am


Excision- Whalestep feat. Stickybuds - Original Mix
T.C.- Wheres My Money (Caspa Remix - Jack Beats Re-Edit)
Bad Boy Bill- Do What U Like (Push That Feeling Remix)
Wolfgang Gartner- Clap (Original Mix)
Sawgood- Ctrl Ur Brain (Calvertron's Jedi Mind Trick Mix)
Switch, Diplo- Get Off - Jack Beats Remix
The Prodigy- Invaders Must Die
Brooklyn Bounce- Sex, Bass & Rock N Roll
Steve Aoki- I’m In The House (Herve Remix)
Jay-Z Feat. Mr. Hudson- Young Forever
O-zone vs. T.I. & Rihanna- Live Your Life Transition
Missy Elliott- Get Ur Freak On
Bubba Sparxxx ft. Timbaland, Missy Elliott- Ugly
Dr. Dre- Still D.R.E. (feat. Snoop Dogg)
Dr. Dre/Snoop Dogg- The Next Episode
Snoop Dogg- Gin and Juice
Ludacris- Southern Hospitality
Ludacris- Ho
Naughty By Nature- Hip Hop Hooray
Kriss Kross- Jump
House of Pain- Jump Around
Bell Biv Devoe- Poison
Boyz II Men- Motown Philly
Vanilla Ice- Ice Ice Baby
Sugar Hill Gang- Apache (Amen Ra Edit)
Fatman Scoop/DJ Kool- It Takes Two Remix
Fatman Scoop/DJ Kool- It Takes Rock (DJ A.M. Remix)
Lady Gaga- Just Dance
Lady Gaga- Just Dance (A cappella)
Journey- Don't Stop Believing
La Roux- In For The Kill (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix)

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

My Grandma, She DJ

This is what the world is coming to.  I don't discredit any DJ for their talent, but what I will do is complain about people buying into hype.  It doesn't matter whether you're male/female, young/old, black/white, gay/ straight, if you are good you're good.  I should be able to judge your skills with my eyes closed and my ears open.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Scream 2.0 Setlist...Got Diversity?



10:00pm


RJD2- Ghostwriter
Outkast- Ms. Jackson
Fresh Prince- Summertime
B.o.B- Airplanes Part II
A Tribe Called Quest- Check the Rhime
Sublime- What I Got
Train-  Hey Soul Sister
B.o.B- Mellow Fellow
Modest Mouse- Float On
People Under the Stairs- Trippin at the Disco
Mark Ronson- Ooh Wee
The Ting Tings- Shut Up and Let Me Go
Franz Ferdinand- Take Me Out
Daft Punk- Robot Rock
Kevin Rudolf- Let It Rock
The Roots- Seed 2.0
Gym Class Heros- Cookie Jar
4 Strings Feat Mack- Return Of The Mack
Kurtis Blow x Lady Gaga- Love Game x The Breaks
DJ Hero- Bustin' Loose vs. Time Of The Season
Armand Van Helden- Full Moon
Damian Marley & Nas- As We Enter
The Doors- Peace Frog

11:00pm


MGMT- Kids
M.I.A.- XXXO
Chic- Le Freak (Le Principle Brooklyn Fire Bootleg)
FLG vs. Grandmaster Flash- Don't Push No Shhhhh
Lady GaGa- Telephone (Electrolightz Remix)
Passion Pit - The Reeling (Calvin Harris Remix)
Classixx- I'll Get You (Treasure Fingers Remix)
Biggie vs. Katy Perry- Back To Cali Gurls
Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg- California Gurls
N.E.R.D.- She Wants To Move (Bassment Jaxx Remix)
Jay-Z- Jockin' Jay-Z Transition
Oasis- Wonderwall (A cappella)
Kanye West & Dwele- Flashing Lights (Instrumental)
Blackstreet- No Diggity (A cappella)
Travie McCoy- Billionaire
Jay-Z- Run This Town
Jamie Foxx ft. Justin Timberlake, T.I.- Winner
Big Pun - Still Not An Anthem Transition
Pitbull- The Anthem (A Cappella)

12:00am


FM ft. The Cataracs & Dev- Like A G6
The Black Eyed Peas- Rock That Body
Federico Franchi- Cream (Original Mix)
Kid Cudi- Pursuit Of Happiness (Steve Aoki Remix)
Usher vs. Oliver Twizt- OMG (Original to ClubKillers Edit)
Silvio Ecomo, Chuckie- Moombah (Afrojack Mix)
Major Lazer- Pon de Floor (feat. VYBZ Kartel)
Major Lazer- Pon De Foley (Ludachrist Remix)
A-Trak- Loonies To Blow (ft. Drake, Birdman)
Benjamin Boom ft. Lil Jon- Put Your What Up
LMFAO- Shots
Lil' Jon- VA Drinks!!!
A-Trak- Trizzy Turnt Up
DJ Ghozt - MJ Tribute
Jay-Z- Young Forever (feat. Mr. Hudson)
DJ Khaled- All I Do Is Win (Remix)
Drake- Over (Dirty)
Eminem- Despicable (Freestyle)
Lloyd Banks ft. Juelz Santana- Beamer, Benz, Or Bentley
Timbaland- Say Something feat. Drake
Kanye West/T-Pain- Good Life Feat. T-Pain
Ludacris ft. Nicki Minaj- My Chick Bad
M.I.A.- Paper Planes (Album Version)
DJ BeatBreaker- Paper Planes Into Electro
Crookers- Sveglia (Original Edit)
Tittsworth- WTF (Nadastrom On Drugs Remix)

1:00am

Jay-Z- On to the Next One (feat. Swizz Beatz)
Jay Z feat. UGK- Big Pimpin (Transition)
50 Cent- In Da Club (A cappella)
Trey Songz ft. Fabolous- Say Aah (Instrumental)
Trey Songz- Say Aah (feat. Fabolous)
The Black Eyed Peas- Imma Be
Duck Sauce- Anyway (Dirty Noise Remix)
Uffie- Add Suv feat. Pharrel Williams (AVH Vocal Remix)
Yolanda Be Cool- We No Speak Americano
A-Trak- We Don't Want No Goblins
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)
Fatman Scoop- Wanna Get Wasted (A cappella Loop)
DJ Felli Fel ft. Three 6 Mafia- I Wanna Get Drunk
Villains x Classixx- I'm On It (AC Slater Remix)
Lady Gaga- Alejandro (Rusko's Pupuseria Remix)
Excision, Datsik- Swagga (Original Mix)
David Banner- Like a Pimp
Lil' Wayne- A Milli
Kanye West- Power
The Game- Shake
Donnis- Yup
California Swag District- Teach Me How To Dougie
Eminem feat. Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
The Fugees-  Fu-Gee-La
Gang Starr- You Know My Steez
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Give It Away
Disturbed- Down With the Sickness
Rage Against the Machine- Killing In the Name

Friday, May 21, 2010

Preview of Scream @ New York Deli Tomorrow Night

Recorded this live Wed.
Scream Preview by DJ Ghozt
1. Alright- Pitbull ft. Machel Montano
2. Babylon- Congorock
3. LaLaLa- Fashen
4 Headbanger- Oliver Twizt
5. Fuck Love (Alex Dreamz Bootleg)- Lily Allen vs. DJ Chuckie
6. Bangduck- Afrojack
7. Cooler Than Me (Alex Dreamz Bootleg)- Mike Posner, Gigamesh vs. Dada Life
8. Feel It (Jump Smokers Remix)- Three 6 Mafia, Tiesto, Sean Kingston and Flo Rida
9. Put Your What Up- Benjamin Boom vs. Lil' Jon
10. Shots- LMFAO ft. Lil' Jon
11. VA Drinks (Alex Dreamz/DJ Ghozt Bootleg) Lil' Jon vs. Santiago & Bushido

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Things You Shouldn't Say To The DJ...

1.  "Play something good."  Really? Whose definition are we talking about here? Because your predictable mainstream tastes leave something to be desired.  What you really mean to say is "play something dumb that everyone knows."


2.  "Dude, if you play it now, it's gonna set this bitch off." Dude, it's 10:15pm, there are 20 people in here, and you're expecting me to bang out shit like DMX- Party Up.  DJing is like sex.  If I give it to you hard and fast right off the bat, you're gonna get bored with it. Do me a favor, go hang at the bar for a minute, have a couple drinks, chat up some members of the opposite sex, and leave the music to me.


3.  "I know you played it already, but can you play it again?" I don't care if it's because you weren't there when I played it, playing songs twice is just not good programming.  If I played a song that you didn't like twice, it would leave a bad taste in your mouth. Get there earlier next time.


4.  "Why haven't you played my song yet?" The simplest answer is probably because the song you want to hear isn't going to work.  As much as I love Morris Day and the Time, it's my JOB to look out at the dance floor and decide what songs to play.  If I don't think it's gonna work, I'm not gonna play it. The more complex answer is that you've requested an extremely popular song, one I know that everyone will react to and I am not yet ready to drop that eargasm on them just yet.


5.  "Play (insert song title) next." You've made two mistakes.  First, you're assuming that the song you insist I play is one that I was going to already.  Second, you're assuming that I am going to drop everything for you.  I don't care if you throw $20 at me or offer sexual favors, I'm not going to play your song next just because you said so.  I've got a club full of people to attend to.


6.  "It's my birthday!!!" Happy birthday, seriously, now leave me alone.  There are at least 10 other people in here celebrating their birthday too.  Go find them and annoy each other.  You don't have to remind me and ask for a birthday shout out every 10 minutes.


7.  "Why don't you let the whole song play?" Simple math dictates that given an average length of 4 minutes per song, it will take 60 songs to play a 4 hour night. If I play a record that kills the mood because I read the crowd wrong (it happens to EVERY DJ), do you really expect me to keep letting it play? If you're listening to your iPod and a song comes on that you don't wanna hear, do you force yourself to keep listening to it? I've got 60+ decisions to make a night. Also, contrary to popular belief, I'm not an iPod, I'm an artist.  I take other peoples music and use it to evoke reactions from a crowd.  Sometimes this means only playing the best parts of a song back to back. (p.s. That's how hip-hop was invented)


8.  (Reaches hand toward turntable) "Can I try."  If you're a guy who does this, stop trying to be a douche because every time I call your bluff and say yes, you immediately back down.  If you're a girl who does this, I understand you're trying to flirt, but (and maybe this just goes for me) please leave me alone while I'm working.  If you're really interested, get my attention at the beginning or end of the night.


9.  "What time does this place get busy?"  It is this mentality that has resulted in crickets chirping at a lot of nightlife venues until 12:00+.  I understand the whole "I don't wanna be the first person there" mindset, but it is ruining club life in this town.  Don't be afraid to be the catalyst that starts the party.


10.  "You know where I can score some..."  I am a DJ. This DOES NOT mean I have access to drugs.