DJs in Love
DJ Alex Gutierrez
Did you know that 9 out of 10 DJ marriages end in Divorce? Don’t worry I just made that made up , but it sure seems like alot of people have a hard time keeping a relationship together while on the ” ONES AND TWOS ” Most DJs have full time jobs and use this profession as a way to supplement their income, although they love it many don’t want to give up the benefits of a ” regular” job A small percentage dive in head first and actively seek gigs as their full time profession, an extremely difficult task to say the very least and one that takes years before seeing results ( actually being able to subsist from it) leaving in many cases little time to attend to a partner. Both the Casual DJ and the Career DJ early in their career are focused mainly on DJing and inexperience and vision of DJ Stardom often cloud important relationship decisions.
THE CASUAL DJ
This individual usually begins in High School as a hobby. Parties , Weddings, upgrading gear by working part time jobs or ” well to do parents ” In many cases DJing is just a ” phase’ and the interest is replaced with other newer hobbies. Some continue well into College using it as a social tool while still enjoying the financial aspects of the job. While still looking for the ” Big Break” the Casual DJ continues to take more traditional routes and and DJing takes a sideline to their chosen career and education. Relationships are easier to maintain in this ” normal” life path. Partners accept this as a “hobby” and are able to influence their mates as to when they should work. Gigs are fitted in whenever possible and the behind the scenes networking hours required to succeed as a full time DJ are just not available to invest. Eventually the Casual DJ settles for an occasional event to release their inner passion for DJing. In some cases even though ” they met you as a DJ” the job becomes a thorn in the side of any relationship when the time spent on DJing is perceived by the partner as intrusive in the relationship ( no matter how little work the DJ actually gets) You could have a gig planned months ahead of time and on that day your partner’s job is having a get together which you obviously cannot attend.Of course there are exceptions to any rules and you will occasionally find a handful who are supportive.
THE CAREER DJ
Starts out exactly as the Casual DJ. With the advent of current technology and available software, and the lure of ” DJ Stardom” by way of ” Producing” The Career DJ plots his path. The success stories about young DJs producing at an early age and securing a spot at EDM Festivals only serve to fuel the fire. A regular ” 9 to 5 ” is not an option and a steady relationship usually is not either. The amount of hours of practice, going out to listen to other DJs , listening on line to new tracks to purchase. All this time spent perfecting their craft means less time for their partner. The Career DJ cannot afford to be a ” Starving artist” in today’s technological approach to DJing ( an expensive undertaking ). A fancy evening for two can easily be replaced by a new pair of Alan and Heath Headphones. A supportive partner can be understanding….for a while …but not forever and the DJ Dream can very rapidly be perceived as a DJ Fantasy. Results are expected quicker than realistically possible.It is therefore very difficult to maintain a steady relationship as a Career Dj struggling to reach their goal. A mate can actually be seen as a hindrance or obstacle standing in our way.
THE FREAKS COME OUT AT NIGHT
Anyone who has ever touched a turntable, a controller or a pair of CDJs in front of a crowd knows how easy it is to get laid. Yes I said it. Part of the ” High ” of Djing is the attention , wait 99% of it. More Intoxicating than the strongest Drug on the planet. Resisting urges is no easy task, it doesn’t matter how old or young the jock is . You can tell your partner ” I only go there to work” til your blue in the face, but the reality is the lights, the music, the crowd , the feeling you you get when you see a thousand bodies jumping up and down in front of you will break you down in most cases. Going into this profession an individual must be prepared to deal with a variety of factors that can prevent them from having a ” Normal Relationship” The Career DJ is most susceptible since they will function in this environment most of their time . The Casual DJ controls and has the luxury to ” Switch off” this segment of their life at will. For the Career DJ it is a means for survival
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
At the end ,it’s really about what makes you happy. It’s not to say that a DJ can’t have a long and meaningful relationship and still head out to the club night after night while your partner stays home. It will always be perceived as “You are going out to a party” and they are right to some extent. We love what we do , we wish we could do it full time providing us enough income to pay bills , take vacations and later have enough to retire. Some of us ( very few) will actually achieve that goal ,we might be lucky enough to find a supportive mate . Whatever level of support they provide us, we in this field must make a conscious decision to reward them with the time and attention they rightly deserve for allowing us to indulge in our passion.
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