Every week in the Saturday Times they have a Readers Wedding Feature. Last week it was two 30 year old teachers. The bride is a big fan of Sounds of the Sixties and she wanted to hear originals, not a cover band, so as a special treat her parents organized Tony Blackburn to come and do the wedding disco. There was a photo of Tony replete in gold bomber jacket – a brave look when you are 76. So at your fantasy money-no-object wedding disco who would you like to DJ, or alternatively bands to play? I am torn between DJs Baylen Leonard with his lovely Southern USA accent for a country hoe-down kind of vibe, spinning upbeat country songs, or Rylan Clark-Neal playing my favourite disco songs. I I enjoy listening to Rylan a lot on his chatty informal Radio 2 show and know he would lift everyone’s spirits and make a lot of funny remarks encouraging all the guests to let loose.
Fantasy Wedding Disco DJ
by 25 Comments
Given that Rylan is on every single TV programme in the whole world (or so it seems), there’s a pretty good chance he’d be there anyway.
Fair point.
The late Jumbo Vanrennen co founder of Earthworks, manager of Frontline for Virgin, Mango for Island, early supporter of punk and all round top guy.
In his dotage back in Cape Town he continued to DJ from his vast record collection. In his absence I will take Dave Hucker. Loved his stuff at Sol Y Sombra.
I’d happily settle for Tone myself – I’ve seen him do a night club session, wearing what is probably the very same gold lame jacket – and he is indeed SENsashunal fun.
Good to know, at least the parents got their moneys worth!
Pat Sharpe
Gaz Top.
With or without Gilbert the alien?
Woop Woop!
A few years ago when Mrs Japanese and I were in the early stages of our relationship, I was the best man for one of my friends and she was an evening guest. At one point prior to the big day we discussed who the DJ might be and she told me she hoped it would be the town’s mobile dj, known for his love of novelty songs and naff dance competions.
At 7pm when she arrived, her fears were confirmed.
Mind you, our DJ was no better, but for other reasons. Namely forgetting what song our first dance was supposed to be do and ignoring requests not to play certain songs.
Oh dear, I’d have wanted a discount – forgetting your first dance and ignoring your requests. I think Tone would have done a much better job – or even Pat Sharpe.
I fail to see why any self-respecting Afterworder would put someone else in charge of the music at his* own wedding. Surely only civilians have to do this?
(*oh go on then. Or her.)
Yes I would want to see the song list beforehand – you can’t leave such an important thing to chance!
I’ve tried that. They can’t be trusted. It’s a mania. You come back from the bogs and everyone has hit the buffet in self-medicating embarrassment because he’s put the bloody Birdy Song on.
I share your bafflement. I reluctantly allowed my best men (i had two) to man the decks (well, the laptop with iTunes) on the strict understanding that they had to stick to my carefully crafted hourly playlists. With even more reluctance, I allowed the muggles the ubiquitous Runrig singalong Loch Lomond as the last dance.
And yes, I smugly proved to myself that in the right environment people WILL dance to Can, Professor Longhair and The Incredible Bongo Band.
To answer the OP, I’d go for Fatboy Slim. Maybe not everyone’s taste, but he’s a master of working a crowd and has the required degree of musical nous.
Yes FBS. good call Artie
The late lamented Charlie Gillett would have been my choice.
In his absence I’d probably use a pre-recorded self-selected mix now.
DLT?
He arrives at the wedding party… only to discover Danny Baker at the decks, needle poised over Side 1 Track 1 of Countdown to Ecstasy.
DLT’s emergency roadie Adrian Juste flies into a rage and throws down his Big Book Of Other Peoples’ Jokes onto the faux parquet* dancefloor.
(*your actual French)
Back in the late 90s, I attended a wedding where the DJ had been told by the groom, in a tone both friendly and menacing, not to play any songs with ‘demonstrative hand gestures’.
All requests for YMCA, Black Lace’s Superman (no, really), Saturday Night and, sadly, Achy Breaky Heart were denied.
Not to mention Peetie Wheatstraw’s Diggin’ My Potatoes.
^ that’s funny. Trust me
We’ve found something Tone can do – Jolly good.
30 year old teachers? I could have guessed. My cup runneth over.
They must only know one Byrds song, one Buffalo Springfield song, and, at most, 3 Bob Dylan songs.
Any chance he can do a whole load more of these events?
Maybe we can all chip in or even start arranging marriages between ourselves.
That way someone else, who might vaguely care about the subject, could front “Sounds of the 60s.”
Surely Sasha and Digweed re-united for a Northern Exposure back-to-back 6 hour prog house marathon? I am guessing they would refuse requests for the Gap Band
Steve Davis & Kavus Torabi.