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Mixmag Greatest Dj Of All Time Poll. .. The Result Jan 2011 Issue
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| perfecto67 |
Hi Everyone. Heres a letter i sent to MIXMAG in regards to their recent "GREATEST DJ OF ALL TIME" Poll Result. What do you guys think about the result. Maybe take a read of the letter i sent & then start a discussion on this. Be good to know what others out there think. Thanks.
Hi Mixmag,
I hope this email finds you well & everything is good your side.
My reason for contacting you is just to express to you a few thoughts & disappointments i have regarding the outcome of your recent “GREATEST DJ OF ALL TIME” poll. I kind of feel that alot of people agree with my thinking, especially after reading various discussions on various dance music forums.
Firstly let me just say that i have been a mixmag reader for many years & probably been a reader since the early issues. Not only of your magazine but the others too, (MUSIK, MINISTRY, DJ MAG, M8). Some of which as you know are no longer in print. Being a dance music fan since 1983, yes, 1983, during the great era of Breakdancing & Bodypopping & Grand Master Flash the Rock Steady Crew & tracks such as “WHITE LINES” & “BREAKERS REVENGE”. I’d like to think i know a little bit if not quite a lot about the History & origins of the dance Music scene as we know it today. So let me just say now, & no disrespect or credit taken away but, TIESTO IS CERTAINLY NOT THE GREATEST DJ OF ALL TIME. And to say that he is, is a slap in the face or a kick in the teeth for the great Dj’s, producers & remixers who have long since toured the globe & set the path that all modern day dj,s now walk along with all the technology & computer programmes & books & guides to help make their road an easy one to walk along & become “THE GREATEST”, so easily, i might add. The greats that i mention, Franky Knuckles, Paul Oakenfold, Danny Tenaglia & Larry Levan. The list could go on.
After reading your article I agree with FRANK BROUGHTON, “THE GREAT DJ IS THE ONE WHO’S CHANGED THE GAME COMPLETELY, & SETS THE BENCHMARK FOR OTHERS”. If the Poll was to be voted for by the public then, Mixmag should have Explained in much greater detail what the individual nominated Dj’s had done. I actually feel that was a major responsibility on your part. One which you did not fulfil. Without that Knowledge you end up with mindless voting rather than intelligently informed voting. My personal opinion is that on such an important poll as this was, Mixmag should have rather, brought in the best experts in the industry, who have been around a while & know the roots & input to the industry of each nominee & got their votes & opinions. I’m sure the result would have been a very different one & a more accurate & deserved one. As it stands, i think your readers ended up voting for their favourite dj of the moment rather than the greatest of all time.
I feel Paul Oakenfold has been done an injustice. I mean he wasn’t even in the top 10. For instance, your own magazine in previous issues acknowledges his status & importance to dance music. One particular issue had an article, “TOP 10 ALL TIME DANCE INDUSTRY MOMENTS”. Oakenfold is associated with 7 out of the ten. Abit of Hypocrisy in your top 10 you may think then. Or if you read or reference Oakey’s Biography, you will see that he has done plenty to set the benchmark. From Scoring film soundtracks to supporting Madonna & U2, Red Hot Chilli Peppers & Lenny Kravitz on their tours. He is one of a single handful of dj’s responsible for Ibiza, a place where many dj’s now enjoy summer residencies & become so called legends. He was the 1st Dj to play mainstage Glastonbury, He’s played Wembley stadium 3 times. Done his own concept shows complete with Dancers, singers, lighting, Visuals & the whole shbang(sponsored by Heineken i might add) & took those shows to stadiums around the world. He’s played the Hollywood bowl, been invited to Buckingham Palace in recognition of him being a pioneer in dance music. He did the 1st ever Clapham Common gig(his own show again) to a crowd of 50.000. He has produced for Happy Mondays, Madonna, & that list is too long to continue. He’s held groundbreaking residencies for cream in both the U.K & Ibiza & now has a very successful 3rd year residency in Las Vegas, which other dj’s have started to follow and imitate. Also he was the original Ministry of Sound Resident when the club 1st opened. All club nights that feature in the History of the U,K dance music scene Paul has had regular sets at over the years. He Is in the guinesss Book of world records as the most successful Dj of all time. . He has countless books & Dvd’s. Again alot of which has been copied by others. It seems alot of what Paul has done in the Past has paved the way & is the path that all the newer dj’s are now on. He has even played on the Great wall of china & still holds the record as the only dj to sell over 500,000 copies & rising of a dance compilation In America. Twice grammy nominated. One final point. In your magazine Tiesto himself said the turning point in his career for him was after Oakenfolds 2 million selling album “TRAVELLING”. Need i say more.
Moving on, Franky Knuckes. The Ultimate pioneer for house musc from America. Was again a pioneer in that style of musc. Gained enough recognition to have a road named after him in CHICAGO. His residency in New York City changed the face of house music. I could go on & make another list of his achievements as i did with Oakenfold’s & then move on to a few other dj’s but its not going to change the result of your poll. What i do know is, alot of people & possibly alot of them will be your readers, will agree with me. THE DEBATE GOES ON
But that wont happen either as its more than likely that this email wont see the light of day or go beyond your eyes. Be interesting to see the results if it were to get printed. This is my opinion & the first time i’ve felt strongly enough about anything to actually put it into writing & send it.
Thanks for taking the time to read & have a great week. |
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| Light The Fuse |
| why do you care so much? its just a list for gods sake - oh wait it got printed on paper it must have some kind of value. |
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| perfecto67 |
| Its worth caring buddy. I spent the last 25 years being in this scene & i guess i grew up with it. I know the movers & shakers that made the journey special for me so thats the only reasoning i can give. Thanks. |
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| Light The Fuse |
cool.
its good that you know what you like and have so much experience - how do mixmags polls effect what you like or what you are going to think - i still dont know why this list is important? |
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| Sykonee |
| "Hey Tiesto, I'ma let ya' finish, but Oakenfold's the greatest DJ of all time... of all time!" |
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| Bierheld |
I'm often told that there is little that is rational about music and that it has even less to do with science.
The thing is, it's a poll. And what it comes down to is that the DJ that has meant the most to the largest amount of people is going to claim that title. That would only be fair.
And let's be honest, I have never seen Larry Levan play and I'm willing to bet 90% of the people that like to bring him up in these discussions haven't either, so how can you be so sure that he is one of the greatest. And more importantly, why would you vote for him in a poll like this? Same goes for Oakenfold. You're claiming everyone is supposed to consider him great because of some historical accomplishments that aren't going to mean anything to the current generation of MM readers. They don't care, and why should they?
So, in short: I don't really get who your blaming here. You can blame the magazine for the way they're presenting it but you can't really blame the people who voted for them. |
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| SYSTEM-J |
| Bloody Oakenfold evangelists. |
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| bamski |
| quote: | Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Bloody Oakenfold evangelists. |
RIP? :( |
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| Syntonic |
| I agree with Knuckles & Oakenfold...payed more attention to Oakenfold though, China let him into the country at the time to play because he was so big. Goa Mix was voted 'Best All Time Essential Mix', you have to appreciate what he did there as far as programming with just decks, wax, and his brain. How many US TA's have his 'Tranceport, Cream,or GU Mixes'? Pretty much anything anyone has done as far as: live perfomances, (stadium)sellouts, productions, trendsetting he has done it despite people not wanting to admit it for the fact of his current state and demographic. He really was the first 'GLOBAL DJ' in my opinion. Damn kids and EDM noobs don't care about roots or history. |
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| Syntonic |
| quote: | Originally posted by Bierheld
And let's be honest, I have never seen Larry Levan play and I'm willing to bet 90% of the people that like to bring him up in these discussions haven't either, so how can you be so sure that he is one of the greatest. And more importantly, why would you vote for him in a poll like this? Same goes for Oakenfold. You're claiming everyone is supposed to consider him great because of some historical accomplishments that aren't going to mean anything to the current generation of MM readers. They don't care, and why should they?
So, in short: I don't really get who your blaming here. You can blame the magazine for the way they're presenting it but you can't really blame the people who voted for them. |
There is always going to be a small percentage of people who actually care about history.It helps you understand the way things are now. This mostly sounds like typical adolescent hipster talk. If you can't understand what his argument is, explaining it to you won't help. It's too bad because a poll like that today just seems too late because of all the commercialism taking over the dance industry and some great producers have died.The music today doesn't have the substance of decades past and won't stand the test of time as gracefully; why do you think there are so many crappy remakes. It's funny because people act like they don't care about historical significance but when the newest "original" artist is out or claim to have the new sound is just a hodgepodge of historic artists. I guess you understand when you mature more with EDM:D |
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| Bierheld |
I just knew someone was going to pull it out of context and turn it into a "significance of history" discussion :o
Believe it or not: There's a difference between historical facts and opinions. In Levan and Oakey's case, I know you can't question their influence, but if this was about how significant and influential certain DJ's were in a historical context they wouldn't have made it into a free-for-all poll now would they? |
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| stealthman |
| quote: | Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Bloody Oakenfold evangelists. |
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