aside from it being a poor representation of what customers actually sound like (she is WAY too sober) the video itself was an attempt a viral video since the author she is asking for is a fictional author. Read Stephen King's Misery. or if you must watch the movie.
Justifiable homicide. This is actually different from a request, as what she is asking for, does not affect the rest of the people around her. I look at a request as a selfish act, in a club or a guest at a private affair. If you hired me, you are entitled to some request, but even then, I am not a jukebox, and we have already discussed this before hand. My thinking is, if the club or the bride wanted your opinion about what music should be played, there would be a jukebox there, or they would have hired you. There is a reason clubs don't have juke boxes. Just think about the guy who keeps asking for the boring, cry in your beer record. Now imagine he has a pocket full of quarters. You want to hear Van Halen, go out into your car, and listen all you want. I even cut off the guys that are tipping big money, because they get out of hand, and think they are in charge. I have a $5.00 minimum on ask the dj at the club, and will soon be $10.00. I am also surprised that a lot of people don't have Paypal.
My knowledge of music was given to me by my customers over many long years of service. With each request I learned what worked. I've cleared and packed many a dance floor on the suggestion of the customer. I've served my time.
I'm reluctant to share my play-lists, particularly from the 50's, 60's and 70's. One day. They are close to my heart. Each song is often a gift from an audience member long ago. I then just put these songs together by beat, key, and mood.
I don't know everything, about every kind of music. However, I have been playing a long time, and spend a great deal of money on music. I base my purchases on what "I know" will work. I also spend money on music "I want" to work. It's like when I was in a record pool, and also going to three record stores a day. I hear a lot of new music, and can see a trend. The difference is, today everybody can hear the same new music, some even before me. I am not playing to every person in the world, I am looking at a group of people in front of me, and can usually tell what they want to hear.
When someone ask me do I take request, I usually say, I listen to what you have to say. Occasionally, they will ask me for something that I don't know about, but I am not going to play it until I hear it. I believe that if a song is that great, I know about it, and it will be played when I see fit. I do not believe one song will make or break a party. Again, if everybody in the room wants to hear it, I know about it. I am not here to please each quest individually, and that is not what I was hired to do. I was hired to please the majority of the guest in the room, and that does not always mean dancing.
People hire us because they want us to take that responsibility away from them. If we rely on the guest to make the night a success through request, why are they paying us? They can let cousin Billy do that. As for the oldies you describe, I grew up in that time, and started playing in the late 60's. I seriously doubt someone will ask me something I don't know about. Again, if it was a hit, I know about it.
I was booked last Saturday to strike a balance between the musical tastes of a 21 year old and her parents who paid for her birthday party. I did well, only the father complained saying "turn the volume down" on a house set, whilst later I played the Drifters for her mother very much louder! These people spent a lot of money on their party, and they're given what they want.
Done 21st/50ths before, tough crowd on paper, triphop dubs fill the warm up, northern soul, ska fills the floor, for peak cater to the young end of the floor,
After party - all bets are off, (Might of hooked up with women whom should know better)
He can't do anything well. Even when they don't want me to play..they want there to ensure everything works. Cousin Billy is liable to destroy a pa system, and everyone knows that apart from Cousin Billy.