Image Credit: Chew Fu / http://www.annamarcella.com

The Black Eyed Peas have made the number 1 charts with their Electro influenced single Boom Boom Pow. There’s a few remixes available on iTunes, but this one by Brooklyn based producter Chew Fu brings the track back to its influence. There’s only one word that can describe Chew Fu’s remix, bumpin’. If you have a subwofer, crank it up to this song.

Artist Information

Track: Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow (Chew Fu GhettoHouse fix)
Get it from  White Folks Get Crunk
Artist: Black Eyed Peas
Remixer: Chew Fu
Get More: Black Eyed Peas (Amazon | iTunes), Chew Fu (MySpace | Twitter)

I had to search the depths of my archive for this weeks Free Music Friday. Shipping Secrets, Fagan’s album released in 2007, has this silky smooth song Dante that calms and energizes the soul. Starting with a smooth female vocal, piano, and beat, the song continues an ambient style with a soft male vocal, layed next to a spoken word rap creating a silky smooth song. I just love how all of these elements merge together to create a wonderful track without being overbearing or destroying the songs element.

Artist Information

Track: Fagan – Dante
Artist: Fagan
Album: Shipping Secrets
Label: (Sugar Rush – Sol Records)
Get More: Amazon | iTunes

I really appreciate the listeners, fans (and the “stalkers”) who attend my events every week. You are the reason I perform my weekly shows, the reason I stay up late some nights and keep on playing, the reason I DJ in Second Life. You guys make the experience worth it, and I want to show my appreciation! The next Thursday Night Dance Party is about the listeners, the fans, and you crazy stalkers who come, enjoy, and attend my events! In the next few days I’ll detail the shows particulars, but being it’s your night, let me ask: what would you like to see?

Artists Kristy Kruger, Amy Speace, Richard Julian

On May 7th, 2009 the Independent Music Awards presented Story Songs, an evening of story telling intertwined with music. Artists Kristy Kruger, Richard Julian and Amy Speace were asked questions concerning their life’s stories by host Anythony DeCurtis playing the role of James Lipton, but without a stack of blue cards. Story Songs was the intermingling of MTV’s Unplugged, through its intimate setting and Inside the Actors Studio. Each singer-songwriter presented the background to their song including it’s story or creation.

Richard Julian’s initial song, alternatively titled “Still Crazy After All of These Years” (I can’t quite remember the actual songs name) was a humors and delightful story of a Brooklyn Taxi ride to the airport. Of all the artists, his music best represented a novel, each song representing an actual story of his life, whether it be God’s grandson, travel or relationships. The foundation of each song was unique, interesting, almost as if each unique story was a part of the song.

Amy Speace touched me the most with her voice and her approach to the “story” songs. Each song seemed to represent her and an event wrapped in a heart felt southern foundation. Her presentation best embodied the event, making it seem more like a campfire song and tell, rather than an auditorium space with lights, camera, and amplifiers. Lyrics such as “The killer in me loves the killer in you,” demonstrated the emotional and rocky roads of life.

Kristy Kruger was the most unique of the artists on stage, resembling a 1930‘s/1940’s style with overtones of Betty Boop. Tthat description does not represent Kristy’s range. Playing 5 instruments (a piano, a guitar, a standup guitar, a tambourine, and fiddle), Kirsty’s music was reminiscent of old style radio. Kirsty moved the audience from the novels of Richard Julian and the campfire of Amy Speace to a classic more innocent era, even when the lyrics were filled with sadness and sorrow. While her music was darker, her stories were interesting with a touch of humor and distinctness.

Story Songs was an intimate evening paired with three different personalities. It’s was a good introductory event for the Independent Music Awards with talented artists and a wonderful host. To see musicians actively expose themselves on stage rather than just playing music creates a bond with the audience that won’t be long forgotten. Story Songs ties these two elements in a very unique and I hope continued manner in future events.

Edited: Typography Error.

Selling services as a DJ requires developing a marketing package and portfolio. In real life this includes having access to a demo and maintaining several copies of a business card on your person at all times. In Second Life offering free event time can act as a demo. Another method is recording 15 minutes of an event and distribute it to club managers and owners interested in your services. Before this step, there are three items every Second Life DJ should have.

The first is a note card that includes your bio, name, list of recent gigs, website address and rates. This acts as your business card, you can distribute it to potential clubs and managers without needing to repeat the same information in IM’s. At the end of the notecard I would include a line “last updated” with the date you last updated the card. This helps you keep track of the last time the information was updated. I would review this card every three or four months to determine if if it needs sprucing up.

The second item is a poster It should look professional, but not be overwhelming. The idea of the poster is to use it as a display during your event. The poster should include your name (at the very least,) a a form of communication outside of Second Life (website, e-mail, etc). Posting it on Flickr or Koinup provides additional marketing value.

Last, every DJ should have their own website. If your not planning on updating it often, I would recommend developing a static website that contains your information, list of recent events, pictures of event events, and a means of contact. That information can be embedded on your website if you use Google Calendar or Flickr.  For those who are going to update often, I highly recommend using WordPress to manage your website. The benefit is you can also blog and generate a lot of attention through your postings. If your blog goes cold, it can have a negative impact.

Once you have developed these essentials, additional items such as links to shoutcast streams, mp3 demo’s, twitter accounts can be integrated providing additional ways to sell and promote your services.

Image Credit: “Paid to DJ” is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License, for appropriate attribution visit Flickr Page.

Mix dubsteps texture, a soulful female voice, underlay ambient male voices and beats and give it a name reminiscent of Ghost in a Shell, and you have a perfect track that takes you back to the day The Matrix was popular. I can’t help describing Burial’s – Ghost Hardware without referencing Cyberpunk/Anime culture. It’s the musical version of the Animatrix, part tech, part soul, part ambient and creepy, all artistic with plenty of atmosphere to share.

Artist Information

Track: Burial – Ghost Hardware
Artist: Burial
Album: Untrue
Label: Hyperdub
Get More: AmazonMP3 | iTunes

Word of Mouth

The best way to be hired for an event is by word of mouth. There are plenty of non-club based events, such as weddings or private parties, that require the services of a DJ. This is how I am hired for a majority of my performances, even for large corporations. Nothing is better than a friend vouching for you as a quality DJ. The hard part is not making your friend look foolish.

The trick about word of mouth, is generating it. For unknown, beginning DJ’s this is the most important aspect in obtaining your next gig.

Offer A Free Gig

Becoming recognized is hard in Second Life, it seems everyone wants to be a DJ. Club owners have shared their frustrations concerning hiring quality DJ’s for their events. Often event owners overpay for a low quality result and restart the process for seeking a new DJ. In the past, I would frequent offer my services for free for an event, usually for an hour. This acted as my demo, and provided a way to generate word of mouth to event attendees, managers and hosts. If they liked me, they would tell their friends, tell other managers of clubs they worked, or were eager to join my event group. Additionally, if the club owner or manager was pleased with my hour performance, they were eager to hire me for a reoccurring event at their venue. Even if your not offered a slot, you’ve put your name out there for the world to hear.

Create Your Own Performance Area

The same way a clothing designer or pose maker requires store space, I believe a DJ requires their own performance space. While many can read this as “create your own lounge/club”, it’s not necessary. you can create a loft, a landfill, a stadium, but some place where you feel comfortable hosting your own. Doing this requires money for land rental or land-tier but it has some long term benefits. In your space, you are in charge, you can obtain sponsorships or sell advertisement for events, and you can perform at your own schedule. This is especially helpful when many events aren’t occurring in Second Life. Another benefit is your creating your own word of mouth, in your own space. Often times I find people hanging out in my performance space when not utilized. They knew who I was from the space alone and began to attend events. This methods takes some time to develop. In the long term, it provides a great avenue for future paying events. You can also invite potential clients to one of your own event.

Search the Classifieds and Places

While the classifieds search cannot search for the term “DJ” (too short of a word), searching for “DJ Club”, “DJ Wanted”, or “DJ Hire” provides enough hits to clubs and venues that you can approach with your services. I would also search classifieds for newly opened clubs, their attendance may be low, but they are always seeking new DJ’s. Performing the same search in places can provide the same results.

Create a Classified Ad

I’ve never had much success with classified advertisements, but they don’t hurt. There are not many classified for DJ’s, and most of them run between 50 – 250 $L (at the time of this writing the highest classified ad for DJ services was $L 1000.) The advantage of classifieds right now is regardless of the price, your advertisement will appear on the first page.

Post on the Forms

The Second Life forums has always been hit or miss, but a lot of eyes look at it. Having a forum post detailing your services does not hurt at all.

Other Suggestions

There are many Second Life specific social networking sites, advertisement programs and groups that can be used to help generate leads to gigs. Some are very effective, others not so much. The most important aspect is to get your name out in the open, among a group of people who would either attend your events or refer you to those seeking DJ’s.

If you have found success through a method not mentioned above, feel free to share!

Image credit: Raven Haalan (http://ravenhaalan.blogspot.com)

The end of your week has just gotten better. I’m going to be performing at Club Fusion (read as taking over the club) in Second Life, every Friday Night from 8pm – 10pm PDT (that’s 11pm – 1 am on the East Coast.) Club Fusion is a part of the Fusion Crossing an elite shopping district with a collection well known stores including *BOOM*, *Malt*, 7th Poses, ANA_Mations, BLACKLACE, Body Doubles, Cihuae Jewelry, Digit Darkes, Doux Petit Dahl, Fukmi Clothing and More, Heart & Sole, Heavenly Bodies, Kalnins Fashion, Karma, Kiana Dulce, La’ delicate, LustY, Magika, Mashooka Designs, Modd.G, MudHoney Designs, PIDIDDLE, Pretties by JB, Republica, Riviera Couture, RockBerry, Siamink Designs, Silhouette Shapes, Sugar Mill, Total Betty, Touche`, Zaara, ZHAO Shoes, and [marked].

With all of this great fashion and music, not only will you look great on Fridays but you’ll feel it as well.

I’m a huge fan of Jizz in My Pants, I cannot get enough of this song (much to my listeners chagrin). Last month I stumbled upon an awesome remix and a few days ago I stumbled upon the female response, Puke In My Mouth, by the Pantless Knights. I’m not sure if the response to jizzing in my pants is puking in your mouth, I always believed there to be laughing, ridicule and “it’s okay, it happens to everyone.” Either way, it’s a funny remix to a funny song about funny things that happen. Add to the humor that the video sponsors Ms. Taken, a fake engagement or wedding ring aimed to ward off douchebag men. Oh and you can download the free mp3 of the song too!

Heather Park’s song, Woman Warrior, was an unexpected but powerful find. Beauty Publicist by day, R&B/Soul Singer by night, the NYC based Korean-American singer impressed me with the strength of her voice and the way she coveys’ feeling through her music. Woman Warrior (inspired by Maxine Hong Kingston book) is an empowering, upbeat song about being taken “for all I have to offer”. The hook of this song is powerful, starting with “Here I am,” and follows with an uplifting message.

Heather Park states she’s wrapping up her 2nd album may be released in Spring 2009, and you can get a sneak peek of other tracks on her website. While your checking out her music, watch the music video to “Leave Me to Dream” (embedded above) from the soundtrack of the film West 32nd.

Artist Information

Track: Heather Park – Woman Warrior
Artist: Heather Park
Get More: MySpace | Twitter