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25 Years as a Disc Jockey.
The first disco I ever did was at the Castle Hotel in Bakewell. It was in 1970
(old git). Mind you I was only thirteen at the time. It came about because my dad (God rest his soul) used to hire out loud speaker systems for garden parties, concerts and things like that. Anyway he had a booking for a Wedding, where they wanted to hire a record player & speakers etc. When it came too they asked if we new anyone who could put on the records during the evening as well. Enter Me.... a small child... surrounded by loads of large drunken men (& women come to that - yes women did get drunk in those days, just as much as they do now) I don't mind admitting it.. I was scared. What a relief when me dad came to pick me up at the end of the evening.
Later in the year a friend of my brother was getting married so I did the same for them. It wasn't so harrowing this time because all my family were there too. This particular do was at the Royal Oak in Bakewell (those familiar with Bakewell will know that that establishment no longer exists). It was a damn good pub that was, I say this as the landlady was the only publican in Bakewell who believed I was old enough to drink.
Anyway after that I was away.... getting bookings for youth club discos right left and centre. I used to get paid three pounds a night if I was lucky. Still using me dad's equipment I had two turntables, speakers and amp, plus I lashed together some old car headlights with coloured polythene stuck to the front for effect, then manually switched them on and off during the music.
From then on I kept saving and eventually graduated to owning my own stuff and by the time I left school I had a nice little sideline in addition to my job at Farmers. |
25 Years as a Disc Jockey
