i personally think a dj is a performer, not an artist. I grew up in the 80's and have nothing with this dj so called music. In Holland we have DJ Tiesto who is almost a god overhere... I dont understand why, he's just playing some records, and mix them with other ones..... Ok, great if he can produce great mixes, but where is the artist in this man????

What do you people think????

ever listened to grand master flash? he is 80s. he is an artist.
I think its both though, some DJ's are simply how you describe but some people do take it further.

Yeah, ok Grandmaster Flash also raps... I am talking about people like Tiesto, or Carl Cox...

Lennon said:

Flash is a DJ not a Rapper... get your Hip Hop history Correct before arguing a Point... im a Dj for 30 years. and a musician as well. i use my Musicianship in my dj skills, because u are utilizing beats,Timing,Measures,Notes, scales, keys. Honing' one's craft as a dj is the same way a Musician perfects his/her skills as such.

so before u make a point of Knocking a Dj or what he/she does?... i suggest u try it and see how "easy" is it... u'll be surprised it isnt as easy as it looks.

Simply put, the art is in the perfomance.

I ll stick with my guitar thanx.

agentmonday said:

you can stick that guitar alright.

Many DJ's, IMO, are simply performers...occasionally though, they transcend their medium to a level I consider art...

Many of the big names (Oakenfold, Van Dyk, Carl Cox) have actually released original material as well as being amazing "DJs"

whatevs, as long as they make my ass shake I don't care

DJ Spooky is an "ARTIST"




http://www.djspooky.com/art.html
http://www.djspooky.com/p...index.html
http://www.djspooky.com/p...a/ars.html

Tribal Disorder

theAudience said:

Good Call!!

I seen this cat live and he was playing a standup bass through a bunch of effects while mixing. He is one of a kind.

I've often had this debate with friends and I guess it depends on how creative the DJ is. Personally, I don't think a party or club DJ is an artist. There are some DJ's out there who take it to another level, such as DJ Coldcut and most of those cats on Ninja Tune. They mix in original beats with samples. When it comes to someone just mixing the last sounds or Ol' skool it does require skill, but if those grooves weren't laid down by others they'd be out of work. Another set of DJ's who are on some other shit are The Invisible scratch pickles, these boys are ILL!!! I can only take them in small doses, but some of the things I've heard them do via turntable were remarkable! One of the Illest tracks I heard with one of them was Blue Flowers by Kool Keith, Dj Qbert for the Stratch Pickle set is ripping it up towards the end.


I guess I made a point in there somewhere.

if HE or SHE is bringing IT ?!?!

they become BOTH of those things described.

I never said mixing was easy!!! the only thing i don't like is that a lot ofdj's(not everybody) is picking up old songs, mxing a beat underneath the original and...there is a hit.. Well, in my opinion that is not the work of an artist....
Also there are dj's who are writing their own music, and that is in my opinion more an artist..

But just dj's mixing other people's work, with all respect, they are not an artist to me! But a performer.... is that so bad???

Lennon said:

face it, YOU ARE WRONG

face it, YOU ARE WRONG


How can I be wrong when it is my opnion???? I am NOT saying they are not an artist, I say it is my opinion, no one can say i'm wrong about that!
I make me laugh when someone wants to compare (for instance) Prince with Carl Cox..... Who's the artist???? I rest my case....

The DJ is neither an artist or a performer. He/she is simply just somebody who chooses what records to play to the audience.

However, if we are talking about for instance the "DJs" in old-skool hiphop groups, then of course, they are artists. We can't take that validation away from them.

Mixing is art. I am a DJ and know what it takes. There's a lot more to it than just mixing two records together. It takes skills, creativity and practise. Dj's are creative behind the decks. When I hear a CD mixed let's say by Carl Cox and another by let's say Green Velvet, I recognize them by the DJ's mixing style. People who say that DJ's are not artists, could easily say that people who play instruments, but don't write music are not artists. Because John Blackwell didn't write Let's go crazy, but knows how to play it, doesn't mean he is not an artist. He is a hell of an artist. There's a lot more to art than writting music. Another thing is remixing. It is not just a beat over a song. When Oakenfold remixes Madonna, all he uses is her voice. He plays his instruments and creates the track from scratch, just adds her voice. Why do people judge and categorize anyway? Just have fun:) Peace, Ms.Paris

CinisterCee said:

Bend over then Mr DJ, so i can stick those fantastic and brilliant "remixes" up there.

Cookie said:

Ok, i still have my opinion about dj's, but your story makes sense..... Maybe i am just a little bit one way focused coz i really dont like dance music....

Cookie said:

No, that's not the case. John Blackwell is an artist when he creates his own parts on top of someone else's musical composition by contributing to the piece. Hence the performance becomes a collaboration of individuals and they can all in a sense claim ownership of the performance - some participants are more important to it, some less.

This situation is not analogous with a DJ, who plays records to an audience. Regardless of all the gimmicks they've developed over the years, there is no artistic creation involved in the act.

Novabreaker said:

Maybe at your cousin's boring wedding.. but real DJs are the true musical artists.

LarrytheGOD said:

[b]And that is the problem with dj's...where is the music? I only hear some electronical beats, very very boring always the same beats!!!! When i go to a factory, and record the sound, to me it looks like a "song" from a dj!!! But music?? No way!!!!! Just electronical noises..... Just compare this;
John Lennon...Dj Tiesto
Prince-Carl Cox
Radiohead-Armin van Buuren...well.... Whahahahaha...sorry, im not convinced that they're artists. They enjoy people to let them dance, but there is no way i can think of they are in any way musical. Yeah musical feeling they have, coz they can mix.... also nice, but certainly NOT ENOUGH!!!!!

nope...sorry, my opinion still is and probably will be.. Performer!!!

think it depends... most of the time they are just perfomers...

JaneyPoos said:

I agree, al.though, I recently heard this British guy, Squarepusher, and he's DEFINITELY an example of a dj who's an artist!

When I dj-ed, I was a performer at best. But I definitely rate people like (d'n'b dj's) DJ Hype and DJ Die as artists.

both

George seems 2 handle fine in both arenas...

Of course there are "high profile" DJs that "perform" but as a club DJ of some 20 years, I feel it's best for us to be neither a performer or an "artists. It's best when we aren't even noticed. Most of the time if you notice a DJ it's due to his not being able to keep the "flow" going. So really being good means everyone just keeps partying and doesn't give it a second thought.

niether. they are hired to perform the task of playing the artist.