4 LIFE LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED FROM DJ-ING

Some time in college someone asked me to DJ there wedding to save money and it has now snowballed into a fun hobby a few nights a year.  I am actually sitting at an event right now and was thinking of things I have learned that I think apply to life, ministry, and anyone who works with people.

1)    Atmosphere is built with music

Every time a TV show wants to edit a montage of create an emotion they use this rule, PLAY MUSIC! Some people still don’t realize that you need to pave the way with the emotion you hope to create and lay the foundation with a well-selected song or playlist. If you are planning an event and having a meet and greet time you need to have music.  Simply put you can manipulate emotions and create a good time with music

2)    Give people what they expect

People pay me to pick and play music. They don’t want to hear me talk (or they would pay me to speak). I have seen DJ’s try to teach the crowd a dance they love but no one else cares about. Chances are people expect something from you or are at your event for a reason; give them that thing.

3)    Most people don’t know what they need

This might sound like it goes against the rule I just named, but hear me out.  People know they want to dance and they expect that from you, but they might not know what songs will make that possible.  They listen to Owl City and Bob Marley in their car and don’t understand that your average mid tempo rock song is the worst thing in the world to dance to.  You have to give them what they need whether they know it or not.  If that doesn’t apply to leadership and management, I don’t know what does.

4)    You can only hit large demographics

Its not that I hate Bob Marley (as previously stated) its just that his songs are marginal.  There are songs that hit large demographics like the YMCA, and My Girl.  People want to play what they want but don’t understand that there is a room full of 4-5 generations and only certain songs unite them.  Churches are the same way. If you do a sermon series on marriage most in the room will want to hear it, but if you do a sermon series on marriage in your mid 50’s at the empty nest stage, over half the room has been marginalized. Again I am not saying that you shouldn’t tip your hate to everyone in the room but realize what is touched and where you spend the bulk of your time.

MY PICKS FOR THE 53rd ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS

As is the yearly tradition around here on markartrip.com I thought I would give my Grammy Predictions after the nominees were announced last night on the CBS concert special. After the ceremony in February I will repost and tell you how wrong I was. The winners are in bold and the dark horse with an outside chance (second place) are in italics.

This is not who I want to win but who I expect the RIAA to pick.

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on 13 February 2011. The famed nominees compilation disc is out on 28 January.

Album of the Year
» Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
» Eminem – Recovery
» Lady Antebellum – Need You Now
» Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster
» Katy Perry – Teenage Dream

Record of the Year
» B.o.B (featuring Bruno Mars) – “Nothin’ on You”
» Eminem (featuring Rihanna) – “Love the Way You Lie”
» Cee Lo Green – “F— You”
» Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind”
» Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now”

Best New Artist
» Justin Bieber
» Drake
» Florence & the Machine
» Mumford & Sons
» Esperanza Spalding

Song of the Year
» Ray LaMontagne – “Beg Steal or Borrow”
» Cee Lo Green – “F— You”
» Miranda Lambert – “The House That Built Me”
» Eminem (featuring Rihanna) – “Love the Way You Lie”
» Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now”

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
» “Glee” cast – “Don’t Stop Believin’ (Regionals Version)”
» Maroon 5 – “Misery
» Paramore – “The Only Exception”
» Sade – “Babyfather”
» Train – “Hey, Soul Sister (Live)”

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
» B.o.B, Eminem and Hayley Williams – “Airplanes II”
» Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No. 1, Jeff Beck and Oumou Sangare – “Imagine”
» Elton John & Leon Russell – “If It Wasn’t For Bad”
» Lady Gaga and Beyoncé – “Telephone”
» Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg – “California Gurls”

Best Dance Recording
» Goldfrapp – “Rocket”
» La Roux – “In For The Kill”
» Lady Gaga – “Dance in the Dark”
» Rihanna – “Only Girl (In the World)”
» Robyn – “Dancing on My Own”

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
» Arcade Fire – “Ready to Start”
» Jeff Beck and Joss Stone – “I Put a Spell on You”
» The Black Keys – “Tighten Up”
» Kings of Leon – “Radioactive”
» Muse – “Resistance”

Best Hard Rock Performance
» Alice in Chains – “A Looking in View”
» Ozzy Osbourne – “Let Me Hear You Scream”
» Soundgarden – “Black Rain”
» Stone Temple Pilots – “Between the Lines”
» Them Crooked Vultures – “New Fang”

Best Rock Song
» Neil Young – “Angry World”
» Mumford & Sons – “Little Lion Man”
» Kings of Leon – “Radioactive”
» Muse – “Resistance”
» The Black Keys – “Tighten Up”

Best Alternative Music Album
» Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
» Band of Horses – Infinite Arms
» The Black Keys – Brothers
» Broken Bells – Broken Bells
» Vampire Weekend – Contra

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
» Chris Brown and Tank – “Take My Time”
» Chuck Brown, Jill Scott and Marcus Miller – “Love”
» Ronald Isley and Aretha Franklin – “You’ve Got a Friend”
» John Legend and the Roots – “Shine”
» Sade – “Soldier of Love”

Best Contemporary R&B Album
» Chris Brown – Graffiti
» R. Kelly – Untitled
» Ryan Leslie – Transition
» Janelle Monáe – The ArchAndroid
» Usher – Raymond v. Raymond

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
» B.o.B (featuring Bruno Mars) – “Nothin’ on You”
» Chris Brown, Tyga and Kevin McCall – “Deuces”
» Eminem and Rihanna – “Love the Way You Lie”
» Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind”
» John Legend, the Roots, Melanie Fiona and Common – “Wake Up! Everybody”

Best Rap Song
» Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind”
» Eminem and Rihanna – “Love the Way You Lie”
» Eminem – “Not Afraid”
» B.o.B (featuring Bruno Mars) – “Nothin’ on You”
» Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz – “On to the Next One”

Best Rap Album
» B.o.B – The Adventures of Bobby Ray
» Drake – Thank Me Later
» Eminem – Recovery
» Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3
» The Roots – How I Got Over

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
» Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson – “Bad Angel”
» Dierks Bentley, Del McCoury and the Punch Brothers – “Pride (In the Name of Love)”
» Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson – “As She’s Walking Away”
» Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins – “Hillbilly Bone”
» Marty Stuart and Connie Smith – “I Run to You”

Best Country Song
» George Strait – “The Breath You Take”
» Zac Brown Band – “Free”
» Miranda Lambert – “The House That Built Me”
» Gretchen Wilson – “I’d Love To Be Your Last”
» The Band Perry – “If I Die Young”
» Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now”

Best Country Album
» Dierks Bentley – Up on the Ridge
» Zac Brown Band – You Get What You Give
» Jamey Johnson – The Guitar Song
» Lady Antebellum – Need You Now
» Miranda Lambert – Revolution

Best Americana Album
» Rosanne Cash – The List
» Los Lobos – Tin Can Trust
» Willie Nelson – Country Music
» Robert Plant – Band of Joy
» Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone

Best Traditional Blues Album
» James Cotton – Giant
» Cyndi Lauper – Memphis Blues
» Charlie Musselwhite – The Well
» Pinetop Perkins and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith – Joined at the Hip
» Jimmie Vaughan – Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites