My career path (I use that term loosely) looks a lot like one of Billy’s walk paths from the comic strip “Family Circus.” For those that don't have a clue what I'm talking about, this is a Billy Walk Path...
One of the stops along my path was being a resident DJ at multiple clubs across the country. I get to say “across the country” because my first gig was in Phoenix, Arizona at a place called, Pinky’s… no, it’s not what you’re thinking – everyone kept their clothes on at this establishment.
Pinky’s was this total dive bar/pool hall on the north side of Phoenix where I and my friends would go every now and then to remind ourselves that pool wasn’t our strong suit. Pinky’s decided they wanted to bring in more people by building this small club off to one side of the building. Through a wild turn of events that involved my friend, Danny, lying about my DJ abilities, making up my DJ name on the fly, and then me doubling down on his lie, I became the first resident DJ at Pinky’s.
Within no time, I was beat matching, keeping the music interruption-free, and throwing down the way I imagined a DJ would. The “crowd” included all of my pool playing friends and the four other people who had been drinking at the bar. Essentially, Pinky’s didn’t bring in any more people, they just shifted us to the newer, bigger, “better,” thing. On top of that, I had no idea how to work a crowd – which meant that my tenure there as the resident DJ was relatively short-lived.
It wasn’t until I picked up another DJ gig in Birmingham, Alabama at Tiki Bob’s that I learned what it meant to be a good DJ. The best DJ’s don’t cater to the crowd, they create the crowd. Don’t get me wrong, a DJ can feel the spirit of the crowd and feed off of that energy to keep it moving, but the job requires more than playing the day’s top 40 hits.
That crowd is not a random conglomeration of people who walked in with their quarters, ready to feed the human jukebox that is already 3 drinks into their set. The crowd is there because they like the environment already.
I believe the same rules apply to blogging. My job isn’t to write about whatever it is that pop-culture, politics, or peer pressure dictates. My job is to create an environment that speaks to a specific group of people. Trying to be all things to all people never works. Every place I’ve ever seen a jukebox installed has eventually gotten rid of it, except the Waffle House. The bar doesn’t want the crowd dictating the mood of their establishment. The bar wants to set the tone.
You do you, Boo-Boo!
When I look at the people I admire most, I notice they aren’t struggling to win a popularity contest. They have an identity of their own making that resonates with the people around them. They didn’t find a random group of people on the street and say, “What can I do to make all of you like me.”
I have been that DJ and I can tell you that it doesn’t work. Don’t cater to the masses. Create your environment.