SecondLife is truly a land of infinite possibilities for those with the determination and the imagination to make their dreams come true. For the artist, the possibilities of pixel art are amazing. And for the music lover, world-class performances with top-notch talent are only a few mouse clicks away. But by far, the vast majority of musical entertainment is provided by DJs and their talented Hosts. Together, they work to provide residents with a fun and engaging musical experience.
The best of those DJs and Hosts rise quickly to the top of the heap, and I was fortunate enough to meet two such individuals on my last trip to Saddles Canyon Country Retreat. Laser Stratten is the DJ of the Month at Saddles, and Abby Walker has been selected as the Saddles Host of the Month. I was able to catch up with these two extraordinary entertainers between sets the other day, and they were willing to share with me the secret of their success as DJ and Host.
Josh (Thomas1 Bellis) JB: Thanks for agreeing to meet with me. Sooo…tell me, please. Just how long have you been in the DJ and
Host business?
Laser Stratten (LS):
I started DJing when a friend of mine was a manager at Wildcats when it
was just beginning around 2012. I was
still working in RL doing a job that required many hours of my time, so I was
mainly a fill-in DJ. I didn't really start taking permanent sets until a few years later.
JB: What made you get started in this job?
LS: I've always enjoyed listening to
music. I joined SL out of curiosity
but soon got caught up in going to live music events and gained some DJ
friends. I really didn't have plans to
be a DJ until this manager friend
convinced me I should. I had help
getting set up with a SAM Broadcaster and began accumulating music. I also got help from some experienced DJ's on
how to use the SAM and set up music to present to the club VIP's. I developed
my own style over the years.
SB: How many clubs
are you currently hosting?
LS: I am only
working at one venue at this time, but I've worked a many different ones
through the years. I'm not averse to working in multiple clubs, but working at
only one club can sometimes turn into a family atmosphere which I enjoy.
AW: Currently, I mainly only host
at Saddles. I am a host at two other clubs: Copperhead Roads and I’m a fill-in
at Bearfoot & Buckwild.
JB: What
genre of music do you play, and do you have a favorite?
LS: I play mostly country and red dirt. Some classic and
Southern rock, too. I like to highlight
my home State of Texas and the large variety of musical talent that exists
here.
JB: Do you have your own group?
LS: I do! My group members are called Laser Beams!
secondlife:///app/group/91b029b2-be06-c177-a8d7-31381f04be3b/about
AW: As a host, I do not have my own group. However, I do know a few hosts that have a large enough following for a group.
JB: You two make a great team, and we can see the
real chemistry there. Do you two normally work together, or do you do separate
gigs?
LS: Abby and I met
at a club quite a few years ago. She
would host for me at times, but it seems that she is my exclusive host at
Saddles. She is a misplaced Texas girl
who grew up not far from where I live now in Texas, so it's fun for us to work
together.
AW: Lately, we have been working together a lot. Especially at Saddles. But in the past, we have not always worked together even though we have worked at the same clubs before. We have known each other for several years.
JB: The best DJs and Hosts are usually good-looking, friendly, and outgoing…at least the good ones are. And as semi-celebs,
they must have people looking to hook up, don't they? How do handle the Fans
who may want more from you than just your music?
LS: My DJ mentor,
Strummer Skytower actually warned me about that. I was in a committed relationship at that
time, so when I did get a few flirty IMs, I'd just ignore them or laugh it
off. Yeah, it does happen at times, I guess.
And if a DJ is so inclined, they can meet some new people that way. These days, I am a happily married man in
both RL and SL. We met in SL and are now
married in RL. We met when she was a
club owner and I was a DJ looking for work.
I tell her when someone IMs me to tell me they like how I DJ or comment
about my voice and she tells me..." Yeah, they're trying to flirt with
you" and we chuckle about it.
AW: There have been a few times where someone has tried to hook up with me. I always try to be friendly to everyone and even flirt a little, but if it gets too much, I let the person know they need to back down. I simply tell them we can be friends and no more.
LS: It takes a
working knowledge of the music you intend to play. And you need to be able to express yourself
over a microphone. Most club owners
don't want you to just be a radio. They
want you to engage the VIPs and make it interesting. I try very hard to do
that.
AW: I would say if someone wants to become a
host, they should watch how other hosts operate in the clubs. Keep a notecard
up and if the host says something you really like then type/copy it down and
even reword it to make it more personal. I would encourage them to jump right
in and just do it. Most clubs are willing to let someone new try it out and
they will help them along.
JB: Why is it that people often don't tip the
host or tip the host less than the DJ?
LS: To be honest, I
don't usually get notified when a host gets tipped. But being a host, a GOOD host, is hard
work. I've hosted before, and it's not
fun to me! They have to be on their toes to greet the VIPs and disseminate all
the information the club owners and managers need them to make known. So tipping them less than the DJ is just not
right. I always tip them the same as the
DJ unless I really know the DJ well.
AW: As a host, I do see this often. I think most people feel the DJ does more work and must pay to get the music. They don’t realize that the host is not just up there looking good. We send out all notices, spam multiple groups, welcome everyone into the club, and monitor chat for any issues going on, if we hear something wrong with the music or can’t hear voiceovers, we should contact the DJ to let him know. DJs and Hosts both play a vital role in the success of a club and the set and we do an equal amount of work to make it a success.
JB: Point is well taken, Abby. So…Is there anything else you would like to
share with our SL Readers?
LS: People need to know that running a SL club
is not an easy, or inexpensive undertaking.
I would bet that most clubs are not money-makers. So, when the DJ or Host asks for donations to
the club, please know that it is expensive to pay for clubs. These owners do all they do as a labor of
love and all their support - and yours - is much appreciated
AW: I would encourage anyone who would like
to become a Host or DJ to just do it, and not be afraid. Most people here in SL
are very supportive and really, it’s all about just having fun.
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