[Wolfie]

This has always been the case in the DJ business. Trying to organize DJs is akin to herding cats.

Is it any wonder that the folks who founded the national associations and other groups are no longer involved in their management? Is anyone surprised that some of the much-ballyhooed newcomer organizations like Find Your DJ are no longer in existence?

A handful of DJs fronted a boatload of their own money to start these organizations. What did they get for their trouble? A good, swift kick upside the head and a shoe print on their arses. These days, few DJs and KJs even know who these folks are, nor do they care.

To be successful an industry association must offer the members something they can use.

I agree with the aforementioned comments -- the industry as a whole is improved when local DJs can get together and converse. This crazy business consists of gazillions of different markets. No one can truthfully claim to benefit them all. You can't sit in an office in Mobile, Alabama and dictate DJ policy in San Diego, California.

There is a great deal of money changing hands in this industry -- look at Promo Only, TMC and PSSL to name a few. Those are established, professional businesses, not shirttail promoters or tinpot spokesmen. There are some DJs who have gone the way of promoting equipment and services for DJs. That's all well and fine -- until the promoters get single-minded and things get ugly. Bill Cronheim is a rare exception -- he can promote things he sells and listen to customers of things he doesn't sell at the same time.

Like Jam, I too have taken heat in this industry because I don't listen to BS and put a nickel in the pockets of the "Brand X" promoters. I learned long ago to simply ignore it and consider the source. We're not in business to appease other DJs or equipment nuts. Brand logo plates can be very expensive but they don't mean squat to the people who are signing our paychecks. We're paid to get the job done in a professional manner. That's what we do. If some DJ in Anytown, USA with too much time on his hands doesn't like the logo plates on our equipment, tough shitski.

Our clients are happy, we're happy. There ain't nothin' wrong with that. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]