DJ Mixwell and K Series

QSC K-SERIES LOUDSPEAKERS TAKE DJ MIXWELL TO AN “ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LEVEL”

January 27, 2010 - Anaheim, CA - QSC Audio’s (NAMM booth 6750) new K-Series Loudspeakers have redefined the standard in compact, lightweight, high-performance powered loudspeakers, much to the delight of professional mobile Disc Jockeys.

When the snow and ice hit hard in Detroit, Nick “DJ Mixwell” Maxwell’s business picks up. Why? His main audience, University of Michigan students, flock into local clubs to enjoy the vibe created by this eight-year veteran DJ. DJ Mixwell loves DJ’ing like nothing else, a fact reflected in the apparent enthusiasm of his audiences, his consistent re-bookings by club owners, and in his pursuit of audio excellence.

That pursuit is a good thing for his audiences and particularly for club owners who, DJ Mixwell admits, virtually never have in-house sound systems that come close to the standard he demands. “They’re usually pretty awful,” DJ Mixwell quips.

DJ Mixwell has owned three different sound systems in his career, most recently upgrading to a QSC Audio K-Series Active Loudspeaker system, comprised of two K-12 full-range cabinets and a single K-Sub. He claims the improvement over his previous active loudspeaker system was significant in increased sound quality and portability, taking his business to “an entirely different level.”

The combination of a professional-looking molded ABS enclosure, uniformly matched drivers, advanced DSP, and QSC’s legendary touring spec amplification has resulted in an unprecedented package. K-Series is demonstrably able to outperform other molded enclosure systems due in part to one fundamental principle: the same 1,000-watt Class D amplifier module powers all four models - whether the K-8, K-10, K-12 - or K-Sub (dual-12″ subwoofer).

“I used my previous system for a year and a half and the sound coming from the tops got to be really irritating, especially the high end.” On the low end, DJ Mixwell found the frequencies around 200-400Hz were lacking and the weight and cumbersomeness of the sub boxes, quite literally, a pain. “I pulled back muscles moving those beasts more times than I care to remember,” he admits with a good-natured laugh, “possibly to the financial benefit of my chiropractor.”

Though DJ Mixwell finds the QSC K-12s “far superior” in sound to his previous two sound systems, he reserves his biggest praise for his single QSC K-Sub. “The K-Sub is just on an entirely different level than anything out there,” DJ Mixwell states emphatically. “They just hit so much harder in a way you can feel and they sound better than the much bigger 18-inch-loaded boxes I was using.”

DJ Mixwell adds, “Especially in that the 200 to 400 Hz range, the K-Subs deliver a much fuller sound to my ears.”

But isn’t the relative small size of a single K-Sub a problem in terms of audiences and club owners “seeing with their ears?”

DJ Mixwell answers, “A few customers have commented they’re blown away by how much sound is coming from the new speakers,” but the opinions he most notices are about sound quality.

“The first weekend I used the K-Series in the club, I got a lot of comments that the audience enjoyed the sound a lot more,” says Maxwell,” concluding “that didn’t surprise me; K-Series has made a big improvement to my sound.”

Accompanied by a complete range of accessories, padded carrying bags and various mounting accessories, K-Series products provide a consummate package for the AV rental, installation, MI and DJ markets.

Principle Product Features
1,000 watt, efficient and lightweight class D power module
Light Weight (27 lbs. - 41 lbs. 2-way, 74 lbs. KSub)
Professional appearance and rugged construction
Directivity Matched Transition (DMT^TM) and Intrinsic Correction^TM DSP tuning for accurate, undistorted performance across the entire sound field
GuardRail^TM technology discreetly protects the system from damaging overload
DEEP^TM mode for enhanced low-frequency extension without a subwoofer
Locking IEC power cable
XLR and 1/4″ connectors
Phone mic/line and line inputs with loop-thru connectors and independent level controls.
Phono (RCA) inputs (2-way units)
Three 2-way models - each with coverage pattern optimized to match the LF driver
Front-mounted LED may be switched off or to indicate LIMIT or AC Power On
Dual angle, 35 mm pole socket with Tilt-Direct^TM allows the speaker to be angled down to put the energy on the audience instead of the back wall
Suspension and yoke mounting accessories available
4″ voice-coil woofer design for high output
1.75″ voice-coil compression driver
High Pass Filter for use with subwoofers
Subwoofer 1,000 watt, efficient and lightweight Class D power module
Dual 12″ band-pass for compact size, efficiency and high-power handling
Threaded pole socket for solid, secure pole mounting (KSub, includes pole)
3″ Casters (KSub)

For more information about K-Series, please visit qscaudio.com - QSC Audio Products, LLC is a leading manufacturer of power amplifiers, loudspeakers, signal processing, digital signal transport, and computer control systems for professional audio markets worldwide.

For further information contact Christopher Buttner, contact info above, or publicity@qscaudio.com
QSC Audio Products, LLC, 1675 MacArthur Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 USA.
Telephone (800) 854-4079 (USA only) or (714) 754-6175. Fax (714) 754-6174.
Email: publicity@qscaudio.com - Web www.qscaudio.com

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The VMS4 Velocity MIDI Station

Tom Talks Audio
The VMS4 Velocity MIDI Station

This amazing 4 channel MIDI controller isn’t available quite yet, but Tom Freret, the National Sales Manager of American Audio is so excited about the VMS4 he wants to talk about it NOW! Tom took a few moments out of his busy schedule to give us this sneak peek at the VMS4.

Why are you so excited about the VMS4?
“There are a few reasons. First, there is nothing like it on the market, especially at the price point we’re offering it at. Second, aside from being unique, it really is a great performance too. Not only does it make your life easier as a performer, it also offers you many more options, making you more versatile. It’s the tool that DJs everywhere have been waiting for.”

How long will they have to wait?
“It will be out very soon - within the next 90 days.”

You mentioned the VMS4’s price point - what do you see it selling for?”
“The street price will be under $500. When you consider what you’re getting in this 4 deck solution that’s an amazing deal.”

Any examples of what DJs will be getting with the VMS4?
“It’s got 4 channels, 2 jog wheels, an on-board mouse pad, MIDI assignable touch strips, and it’s Tracktor software ready, so its goes far beyond your typical MIDI Controller. There are so many features in this product that you’d expect to find in controllers costing 3 times as much.”

What kind of things?
“One that comes to mind is the upgradeable Innofader cross-fader option. You find the Innofader product in the best professional gear. It’s a buttery smooth, responsive and strong cross fader, and for it to be on a mixer at this price point is unheard of. This is the first MIDI controller that I know of that allows an Innofader upgrade.”

Setting features aside for a moment, how will DJs use the VMS4?
“One of the really cool things about the VMS4, which has both MIDI and analog channels, is its tremendous versatility, so there’s no end to the way that DJs are going to benefit from this product. They can use it with their computer or they can use it just as a mixer without hooking it up to a computer.

“They can also use it with 4 x4 or 8 x 2 sound cards -and it can control music and video. It also has two mic channels with illuminated on/off switches and gain/treble/mid and bass EQs - how many controllers at his price point can say that? Wedding DJs are going to love the fact that it has the two mic channels, because it makes hosting a reception a lot easier.

“Another cool feature of the VMS4 is that the mouse pad is built right into the system so you can do all of your selections right from the top of the unit.”

What about the MIDI features of this product?
” As I mention earlier, it has long life MIDI assignable touch strips, plus two 10-bit resolution pitch sliders, 62 assignable MIDI buttons and switches, 4 assignable rotary encoders, 34 assignable rotary encoders, 5 assignable linear fader controllers, dual MIM controls on all buttons and switches, so it’s very robust as far as MIDI functionality is concerned.”

Aside from all of the performance features, the buzz on the NAMM Show floor (where the VMS4 was shown for the first time) is that this is a very user-friendly product. Is that true?
“The buzz is correct. This product was designed with real-life applications in mind, which is what makes it very user-friendly. For example, it’s got illuminated knobs, which is kind of nice when you’re performing in dark venues. By the way, all of its audio control faders, knobs, switches and buttons are smooth to eliminate popping, wiper noise and zipper noise.

“We put a lot of thought into the big things and little things when developing the VMS4 to make it a great performance tool. I can’t wait for it to come out - and once they get it in their hands I’m sure our customers will understand why I’m so pumped up.”

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Time Trippin’ By Stu Chisholm

Time Trippin’

By Stu Chisholm
How a look back can reveal the road ahead

The realization that I’ve had a very long career is sometimes driven home in surprising ways. A long relationship with clients and their families is one of them. Just before I began my DJ career, there was a little girl in my apartment complex who played with my girlfriend’s son. She was one of many kids in the complex I got to know. Flash-forward about a decade, she’s calling me to entertain at her wedding! So there we are, and she’s a foot taller than when I’d last seen her, looking adult and beautiful in her wedding gown, a child no longer. Flash-forward again by nine more years and she’s calling me about her 30th birthday celebration! (Her “little sister” would call me soon after for her 25th.) The reason I’m recounting this particular family relationship is because the “little girl” called me again a few days ago…to spin the music at her [ital] daughter’s [ital] Sweet 16 Party. Like a family doctor, I’m not needed often, but they wouldn’t trust anyone else with their special life events.

THE VENERABLE LOG…

Over the same week I met with my friend and her daughter, I’d begun the tedious project of digitizing my old program logs. Today they’re Excel files, but for years they’d simply been handwritten lists, and over time those lists filled a couple of file cabinets! Since my living space isn’t getting any bigger, it was time for the paper to go. But I knew that this project was going to be long-term; something I’d do when the important stuff was done. Or I’d tackle them at lunch and between projects: less fun, but more productive than playing Mafia Wars.

I’d gotten in the habit of keeping a program long back in the 80s, when it was a job requirement at the nightclub where I worked. I immediately realized their utility. By noting what is played, in order, noting the response and jotting down any special notes, I’ve built a record of my events and, over time, a history. If there was a dispute (”You didn’t play…” or “You never did…”), I could point to the log and tell them that yes, I did indeed play that song, and what time I played it, and what kind of response it got on the dancefloor. That response could alert me to a song that would soon catch fire, or maybe a tried-and-true floor-packer that was starting to outlast its welcome, helping me to fine-tune my programs. In a nightclub setting, this can be critical. For weddings and mobile events, a longer-term benefit has also become apparent.

…FINDS A NEW USE

When playing multiple events for the same family or group, I would bring the program logs from their previous parties. It’s a graphic way to see what worked best and what was less successful. Things like birthdays and anniversaries were noted, and my program matched their tastes more precisely with each event. Over time, it’s as if I became a part of the family. It’s about as close to being psychic as you can get!

Today, a lot of DJs depend on the automatic logging systems built into their DJ software. Yet that software doesn’t note if a song was a request from a guest or from the list provided by a wedding couple. It doesn’t note the time it was played, or any dedications that might’ve accompanied the request. In short, they lack detail. A separate log, recorded on the spot, is by far a better way to go.

TIMES AND TASTES: REMEMBERING ‘88

Keeping detailed logs over time can not only help with future programming-and make a career DJ feel long in the tooth-but it vividly shows the patterns of popular music, and how we sometimes use it in surprising ways. A good case in point was the year 1988.

22 years ago, many of the “usual suspects” were there; “Celebration,” “Old Time Rock & Roll,” “Y.M.C.A.” and “Lady In Red”-already established classics that we still play today and will be spinning for many more years to come. Trends appear and those songs and artists that couples couldn’t live without, that seemed so important at the time also appear. One artist that I noticed on almost every list that year was The Jets, a Latin-American group who had a ballad called “Make It Real,” and a dance track called “Rocket 2 U.” The former was even an oft-used first dance at weddings! But it’s doubtful that anyone would want to hear those tracks today outside of a class reunion or anniversary.

On a more personal level, I could see how I began to assemble some of the sets that have become my show staples, and how they’ve evolved as well. We all have our sequences and sets we like and, try as we might to be versatile and fresh, we always show off that perfect mix when given the opportunity. Gazing through the telescope of time, I noted the first time I mixed “Brick House” with “Play That Funky Music” back in 1984. “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen, previously a huge favorite among the sock hop set, was replaced by “Some Kind of Wonderful” by Grand Funk, or “Twist & Shout” by the Beatles as a follow-up to Bob Seger’s iconic hit. By the way, I also noticed that in 1985, live mixing during a reception cocktail hour and dinner period was a standout when other DJs were just playing a background tape. By 1988, the movie [ital] Dirty Dancing had breathed new life into songs like “Do You Love Me” by the Contours, “Cry To Me” by Solomon Burke, and gave us the destined-to-be-classic “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life,” which every bride, it seemed, wanted to be the final song of their event.

A Study in Contrasts

Indispensable groups from 1988 that are never (or seldom) heard at receptions today include: Exposé, Debbie Gibson, Taylor Dayne, The Whispers, Pebbles, Johnny Kemp, Pretty Poison, Tiffany, Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam, Klymaxx and Paul Young. “Dance Little Birdie” became “The Chicken Dance,” the Emeralds version replacing The Tweets ‘81 hit. Still going strong: Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, Bob Seger, The Village People, Bon Jovi and Billy Idol. Activities have changed, too. At least in my locality, the tradition of the bride dancing with her father first, who then ceremoniously “passes” his daughter to the groom has all but disappeared. So did the dollar dance, for a while, but it has been slowly making a comeback in recent years. The biggest casualty, however, has been the Grand March, which used to follow the bride and groom’s first dance and the introduction of the Bridal Party. The couple would lead their party around the room, a bit like a party train or conga line, but when they returned to the dance floor, they would turn and face one another holding hands and everyone behind them danced under their “arch” did the same. Soon everyone was dancing through a “tunnel” of friends and family members, kissing everyone along the way! On the extremely rare occasion when a couple opts for a Grand March today, there’s absolutely no kissing, except, hopefully, for the wedding couple!

Log Rolling

So what does all this mean? Most immediately it means that program logs give you a way to gauge many things about your performance, clients, music and trends in both the short and long term. This information can be useful, sometimes in unexpected ways! When perusing Facebook and some DJ websites, I’ve often wondered why DJs who don’t offer photography still snap lots of pictures and post them online. Then I realized that, aside from a bit of promotion, it’s a way to touch base with reality and affirm that we actually did something! It’s a tangible piece of an experience that’s gone like a puff of smoke. I remembered having the same feeling about my first program logs. Armed with that information, I could virtually re-create the entire event. It was somehow more [ital]real. I could also also answer the party guest who called days or even weeks after an event asking, “What was that great song they used for their first dance?” Or, a request to “play all of those great tunes you played at my sister’s wedding” was suddenly possible. And knowing when to STOP playing “Rocket 2 U” kept my program from becoming stale and might’ve even prevented a loss of business! Years from now, your own logs might also make you look back, as I have, and say, “What a long, strange trip it’s been!” (Now where have we heard THAT before?)

Until next time, safe spinnin’!

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PRO2PRO: Pro DJ to Photographer/Videographer

PRO2PRO: Pro DJ to Photographer/Videographer

By Gerald Johnson

VISION EXPERT SNAPS CLEAR PICTURE OF WEDDING DJ’S ROLE

PRO PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER: TOM CHAPUT

In my area one of the best values in wedding photography and videography is Tom Chaput, who, with only eight years in the wedding business, has etched a clear mark in his trade. From a previous life of office supply sales and a lifelong interest in technology, he began his new career as a videographer working for a multi-op but eventually branched out on his own. He works with his wife Bonita, with the husband and wife team operating either as a tandem photography team or as a camera/video camera combo. I recently had the opportunity to talk with Tom regarding his thoughts on DJs, the wedding business, and the roles we all play as professionals:

Gerald Johnson: Let’s begin with DJs. During your time in the wedding business, you definitely have noticed that DJs have an effect on the event. In a positive sense, what can you say that DJs add?

Tom Chaput: I would say that good DJs help the guests to stay longer and enjoy themselves by providing quality entertainment with the right music. Also, a well-organized DJ can keep the flow and pace of the night moving along-which makes the guests more content and also removes stress and pressure from the bride and groom.

GJ: So the biggest piece of a DJ’s job you would say is “piece of mind?”

TC: Absolutely. If the event is planned out well in advance and followed through by the DJ with the right events, announcements, and music at the right times, then the bride and groom are almost always more relaxed and able to enjoy their reception. We can always tell if the DJ is a professional in the first few moments we work with them by how well they are organized and how well they work with you.

GJ: On the same note, I bet you have seen times when things didn’t quite go so well, and the DJ was at fault…

TC: The problem almost always begins with the actual scheduling of the event. In some cases, the DJ will not coordinate with the couple before the event, and as a result the event suffers. Sometimes names are wrong, the event has no flow, and before you know it the party was over because of a lousy DJ.

GJ: What, then, are the biggest problems you see when working with DJs?

TC: I am very surprised at the number of big (multi-op) services that will not divulge who the actual DJ will be before the event. With some services, the couple finds out at the event or the week before, which is definitely very stressful for the bride and groom, because, lets face it-some big services have one or two DJs that are bad. I’ve also seen DJs that show up dressed completely inappropriately for the event and some that are late. The biggest problem, though, are DJs with “an attitude” and those that make the show about them with too much mic time and cheesy shtick.

GJ: Let’s talk about sales. What is your best sales asset when meeting with new brides and grooms?

TC: For us it’s looking the part. We have a nice, clean office that serves the sole purpose of meeting with clients and doing work related to the business. Even though it is in my home, the office is on its own floor and is separated from the living space by stairs (meaning you don’t walk through the living space to get to the office). The whole space has been completely remodeled and we have our work hanging on the walls with accent spot lighting highlighting it. When couples are introduced to this setting, they see how serious we are about our work instead of a messy kitchen table or kids screaming in the background.

GJ: I suppose that’s the same on our end. If you are a client, you are inevitably going to look at those who have made the investment in a dedicated work space as more professional than those who simply meet with clients in their living room or another location.

As for your business, what is your approach to shooting weddings?

TC: Our concern is making the process as easy and fun as it can be for the bride, groom, and family. I know from experience that hiring “comfortability” over work that is shown will in the end always produce a better result because the experience making the photos or video will be better. If you hire by personality and not brand, then all will be better.

GJ: How does your typical planning meeting go?

TC: Well, we review with the client what the wedding day will entail and then they normally pick the specific package they want, whether it be length of shooting time with photos or the amount of videos and kinds of effect they want for the videography portion. We’re not Soup Nazis, and so our clients really can choose what suits them best.

GJ: Tom, thanks for your candidness. Are there any parting words you would like to give to the DJs before we wrap up?

TC: It is amazing how much a great DJ can enhance an event-and how a lousy DJ can ruin a day. Please don’t be the lousy DJ. Prepare, plan, and have fun!

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Ask Alfred - Ready To Rock In 2010

Ask Alfred
Ready To Rock In 2010

What will the future bring? No one knows for sure, but Alfred Gonzales, the world-wise National Sales Manager of American DJ has a pretty good idea of what awaits us in 2010. In a word, it can be summed up as “a lot of very good things!”

Ok, that’s six words, not one, but who’s counting? Certainly not Alfred; he’s been too busy catching up with business from the recently completed NAMM Show in Anaheim, which was one of the busiest in memory. The slamming NAMM show is one reason why Alfred is smiling from ear to ear about the coming year; another is the star studded galaxy of new products that is leading the way for ADJ.

So, you’re going into 2010 with a lot of good feelings - how come? “Well of course, I’m a natural optimist, but there are also a lot of really good concrete reasons to have high expectations for the coming year. Not just for American DJ, but for all of the mobile entertainers who use our products as well. This was very evident to me during the NAMM Show.”

What was it about the NAMM Show that made you feel this way? “NAMM was a great way to start the year. We had plenty of quality dealers attend and the best part about it was that they came with a whole new attitude compared to last year. Our dealers are very optimistic about business in 2010, because the mobile entertainers who support their stores are very optimistic.

“DJs who survived 2009 learned that despite any gloomy news, there is always plenty of business out there. People are still getting married and still having parties and special events. The DJs who reach this market are the ones who remain upbeat and continually enhance their performances with new music, as well as new and improved gear like lighting. With the lighting products that are available today it’s easier than ever for DJs to enhance their acts while still staying within their budget.”

Any examples of these lighting products?
“Sure, I have plenty of examples to share with you. One is the Tripleflex, which can work beautifully as a small centerpiece or as a 3-beam like scanner. It’s great to use in pairs. Another is the Color Burst 8DMX, which is a lower priced costly version of the Mega Pixel effect. Then there’s the Comscan LED System a compact scanner system that saves space and money, and the Profile Panel RGB, which gives you the most coverage for your investment in wash fixtures.”

Can you elaborate on some of the products? For example, what is the Color Burst 8DMX?
“It’s an incredibly user-friendly LED color wash with 8 color banks, featuring 280 total LEDs (70 red, 70 blue, 70 green and 70 amber) and control chase programs. It’s a great fixture for DJs and small clubs looking for an affordable burst of color excitement.”

How about the Profile Panel RGB?
“This is a compact, lightweight (7 pounds) very bright indoor LED color panel with 288 5mm LEDs - 96 each in red, green and blue. It’s loaded with features and has some fantastic built-in programs and very smooth - fast or slow-RGB color mixing. It’s great on stage, and since its LED, it stays cool, so even though your performance is hot, you won’t be, on stage.”
We heard a lot of talk at the NAMM Show about the Revo Rave - what is it?
“Some people are saying it’s our most exciting Revo ever. It certainly grabs attention on the dance floor with its very wide, bright and rich red, green, blue and white color beams, which can be angled up to 29 degrees. It also has color strobing - fast to slow and electronic dimming.”

Any other products that you feel will have a big impact in 2010?
“Oh, without a doubt, the Jelly Fish; this has got to be one of the most unique and exciting effects to come on the scene in a very long time. By the time this year is over, DJ’s everywhere will be saying ‘I gotta have that piece!”
What makes the Jellyfish so special?
“There really is nothing else like it on the market. It has a clear plastic case, so right away - it looks unique. On a performance level, it combines two effects in one: a bright RGBW color beam effect and a color-changing glow case. It has built-in high-energy lighting programs and 116 degree beam angle so it really rocks. I’m expecting great things from the Jellyfish in 2010; that’s one of the reasons when all is said and done, I think this year will go down as a very good one for American DJ, its dealers and the customers we both serve.”

Click on the links below to see these lighting fixtures in action.
Tripleflex - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMI-Nr96EbM
Color Burst 8 DMX - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pfrcwDMygU
Revo Rave - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr9P-rGAn-4
Jellyfish - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKrnMcI-bZg

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DJ Kool Fills Slot at American Dj Party at MBLVX

Through a great connection with DJ Sparky B, DJ Kool known for his “Let Me Clear My Throat” track from 1996 will be performing at the American DJ Customer Appreciation Party at MBLVX - http://www.mobilebeat.com/las-vegas-dj-show/

A fusion of feel-good go-go music with hip-hop’s original block-party aesthetic led DJ Kool to the fore in rap’s return to the old school during the late ’90s. A veteran of D.C.’s go-go circuit who worked as a warm-up DJ for Rare Essence during the early- to mid-’80s, Kool began recording in 1988 and early on tried to inform the studio art of hip-hop with a live feel in keeping with his experience. His first album, The Music Ain’t Loud Enuff, used call and response much like early hip-hop and go-go (and also included the hip-house track “House Your Body” prefaced by a remarkably accurate monologue on the history of house music).

Kool took it to the stage in 1992 with the mini-LP 20 Minute Workout, recorded live in Richmond, VA, and released on Steve Janis’ CLR Records. By the time of 1996’s Let Me Clear My Throat, mostly recorded live in Philadelphia, the East Coast underground was buzzing about Kool’s way with a crowd. American Records won a five-way bidding war and reissued Let Me Clear My Throat early the following year; providing remixes of the title track were Funkmaster Flex and Mark the 45 King (whose funky underground hit “The 900 Number” was the basis for the title track in the first place), helping it climb into the Top Five on the rap charts. In mid-2000, he and Fatman Scoop released the remixed Rob Base classic “It Takes Two.” ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Interview just taped today with DJ Kool: (audio file coming online this weekend)

Ryan Burger: This is Ryan Burger of Mobile Beat magazine and we are here with DJ Kool, who’s going to be at the American DJ Party at Mobile Beat Las Vegas. Kool, introduce yourself and tell us how you got here.

DJ Kool: (coughs) Let me clear my throat. I’m the legendary DJ Kool, straight out of Washington, D.C. That’s that (202) area code.

How did I get here? Yo, man. I was born in the clubs, you know what I mean? I started rocking clubs back in, oh, late ’70s. I became a recording artist in 1986 with a song called “The Music Ain’t Loud Enough, Pump Up The Volume.” I’ve had 10 records 10 years in a row to hit the Billboard charts, from “The Music Ain’t Loud Enuff,” 1986, all the way up to the song that has the cough heard around the world, 1996, which is “Let Me Clear My Throat.” I’ve been here a long time, man.

Ryan Burger: Very cool. DJ Sparky B, being a good friend of mine, hooked me up with bringing you guys out to the show. Give me a little bit of the lowdown of what you’re going to do for all of us out there.

DJ Kool: Straight house party style. Little bit of old school, little bit of the current stuff, you know what I mean? Hip-hop, R&B, reggae; maybe a little go-go music coming out of Washington, D.C. But once again, straight house party style. No whole bunch of tricks or stuff like that. I love that part of the craft, but I’m just not that type of DJ. But big ups to all my friends, Jazzy Jeff, DJ Craze, and all those turntable-ists, you know what I mean?

But my thing is straight house party style; me, the crowd and the dance floor. That’s it. I ain’t got no whole bunch of tricks for you. I’m just trying to keep the mixes tight, keep the selection hot, and keep the party moving with my voice. That’s what’s up.

Ryan Burger: So you’ve got the mix going for the whole party. You drop in every once in a while, do your own tracks just as part of the show, or how do you work in “Let Me Clear My Throat?” How do you work in some of the other stuff?

DJ Kool: Well, pretty much just like what you mentioned a moment ago. I’m playing the hits current and recurrent and so on and so forth. But at some point during the program you will hear me drop in, “Let Me Clear My Throat.” You will hear me drop in “20 Minute Workout.” You will hear me do “It Takes Two.”

And I do these tracks live because I actually recorded them live. “Let Me Clear My Throat” was a live recording. “20 Minute Workout” was a live recording. “I Got Dat Feelin’” was a live recording, just to name a few.

As a matter of fact, “20 Minute Workout” was so loud to whereas I had a mobile recording unit hooked up in the club where I was cutting the record back and forth, the beat that I used for “20 Minute Workout” was the record was a record by Doug E. Fresh called “I’m Gettin’ Ready.” And I was cutting the breakbeat back and forth while I was on the mike, rocking the crowd. So that’s just the whole DJ Kool style, you know what I mean? Just live, live, all the way live.
Ryan Burger: Very cool. So what’s the future for DJ Kool? Continuing to do stuff like this, appearing in Vegas, Atlantic City? What do you got coming up in the next couple years?

DJ Kool: I got a few things coming up. I’m back in the studio and everything, getting ready to drop some more of those DJ Kool club [inaudible]. First and foremost, I do my records for the DJs, for the clubs. It just so happens that I’ve been blessed enough to have had my records wind up on radio and everything, and that is a blessing. But for the most part, just like I said. I’m going to go out and do my show for the clubs.
So we got some new DJ Kool stuff coming out this spring. The first single will probably be a song called “What’s Your Area Code,” which should just for the most part be a way so people can kind of represent where they’re from, you know what I mean? Like I’m from the (202), which would be Washington, D.C. If someone said if they were from the (803) area code, that would mean that they would be from South Carolina, and so on and so forth, you know what I mean? So it’s just a new way for people to kind of represent where they’re from.

Ryan Burger: Makes sense. Once again, DJ Kool’s going to be playing for us at the American DJ customer appreciation party. Thanks to DJ Sparky B, who I guess will get the privilege of introducing you to the stage.
That’s all I got. Thanks, Kool, for joining me.

DJ Kool: No problem, man. Thank you for having me. God bless.

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BC Productions Announces Consolidation

BC PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCES CONSOLIDATION OF BRAND NAMES

BC Productions,Inc. the parent company of ProDJ.Com and Mobile Beat Magazine, Trade Shows and Online, has announced as of January 1,2010 all divisions will merge under the Mobile Beat brand name. Ryan Burger, President of BCP, said “Mobile Beat had a wider base and is the oldest of the two so it was an easy choice. We’d like to extend a thank you to all the moderators and community of ProDJ.Com since its inception in 1995, and remember, just the ‘town name’ has changed, not the community that resides there.” Start.ProDJ.Com is now Start.MobileBeat.Com, DJU is now housed at DJU.ProDJ.Com and the Mall.ProDJ.com is now at Mall.MobileBeat.Com.

David Saghian of SixstarDJ.Com and Marathon Professional is setting up a new ecommerce store using the domain ProDJ.Com. The revised site debuts in January.

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NAME is excited for MBLVX!!!

We look forward to seeing long time members as well as meeting entertainers that are new to the show!

NAME has been working hard to give NAME members the best possible benefit package!

In 2010 NAME members we be able to take advantage of….

New NameEntertainers.com home page!

New insurance limit options!

New music subscription discount options!

New referral website discount options!

The new Regional Network leader and Endorsed Professional Entertainer Programs!

MBLVX attendees remember to register for the Rock N Roller and other giveaway raffles at MBLVX!

All attendees interested in joining or renewing at MBLVX receive the $99 expo special!

Steve Gomez
Director of Membership and Marketing
N.A.M.E. P: 800.434.8274
F: 215.658.1194
www.NameEntertainers.com

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DJ Jam - ProDJ Files Interview

Ryan Burger: This is Ryan Burger, the publisher of Mobile Beat magazine. And we’re here with the legendary DJ Jam. Tell us a little bit about yourself, if you could, please.

DJ Jam: Well, I guess for the past 19 years, I’ve been rolling with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre; holding it down for them on the turntables; basically traveling the world.

Ryan Burger: Wow. Back up to even before you hooked up with those guys, how did you get started? I saw some information on your website, that you started out as a mobile DJ, like more of our readers. Tell us how you got going there.

DJ Jam: Basically I started in the city of San Diego, California. I started by basically my brother-in-law’s friend — my brother was in the military, and he had a friend from New York that was a big DJ out there, and they were both in the military. He basically came out here for summer, and he brought his two turntables, his mixer, and two crates of records, and he stayed at my brother-in-law’s house the whole summer. And they did a few parties during that summer.

And basically I would ride my bike all the way across town just to sit there and watch this guy practice DJing all day. And basically by the end of the summer my brother-in-law saw how much I was into it. So he paid his friend for his turntables and mixer, because back then, New York was really the spot to get all the equipment and everything; all the up-to-date stuff. So basically he bought his friend’s equipment from him for me, and his friend left me one of his crates of records to get me started, and said basically, here you go.

So he showed me the basics and I took it from there. I started doing mix tapes in my bedroom. I started passing them out at my schools and all my friends in my neighborhood. Soon after that, the word got around about my DJing and people started wanting me to do their house parties, all my friends. So I was doing all the house parties in the neighborhoods, and then other neighborhoods. Once my name got around to all these neighborhoods, I started going to clubs that all my friends would go to, and I started talking to the managers at these clubs and giving them my mix tapes.

Soon after that, I was DJing five different clubs in the city and my name got bigger and bigger. Went from doing clubs to all the college events for fraternities and sororities; my name got bigger. I started DJing for the radio station, because the radio station heard about me because I was doing all the clubs, and my name was in the commercials, because the club promoters would buy commercial time on the radio. So they were like, who is this DJ Jam? So some of these radio stations would start going to the clubs to watch me, and that’s how I started doing mixes for radio.

So after that, when I was in college, I went Cal State Dominguez Hills in Los Angeles, and still doing mix tapes. My mix tapes sold in San Diego as well as in L.A., and soon after that I was going to college in L.A. So basically I started doing the clubs there, because a lot of people already knew who I was in the L.A. area just from my mix tapes.

So I started doing clubs there. I met Dr. Dre at one of the predominant clubs up there in Los Angeles. Basically, he came into the club, saw me do my thing, and next thing I know I was going to dinner with him the next night and he was talking to me about his album he was about to start working on. He was going to call it the “Chronic” album, and basically asked me to be his DJ. And that’s how I met Dre.

I met Snoop basically coming on board with him from a mutual friend from when I was doing a party down at San Diego State. And Kurupt from the Dogg Pound had a mutual friend that went to San Diego State, but he was actually from Los Angeles, and he would always come to the dances I did at State and he said, man, you need to meet my boy Kurupt, from the Dogg Pound. Back then, nobody even knew who the Dogg Pound was or anything because they were just a group they just started.

So basically he brought Kurupt to one of the big parties that I did at San Diego State University. Kurupt saw me do my thing; basically jumped on the mike at the party. So I started cutting instrumental back and forth and he freestyled for like 10 minutes straight, and the whole crowd just couldn’t believe it, like he was that good.

I was still going to school at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Los Angeles at the time, so Kurupt was staying in Los Angeles. So he started coming, me and him would hook up in L.A. after school when I would get out. And basically he introduced me to Snoop and Daz from the Dogg Pound because they were all hanging together, writing rhymes all the time. And that’s how I met Snoop. And Snoop and Dre weren’t even working together big time at that point.

So I was affiliated with Dre over here on the left side, and I was affiliated with Snoop on the right side, and neither one of them knew it at the time. I didn’t know that they knew each other like that. So one day Dre had me in the studio, and all of a sudden, Snoop and Kurupt and Daz walked in — this is when Dre was just starting the “Chronic” album — and basically they saw me sitting me there, and I was like, “Man, what are you guys doing here?” And they were like, “What are you doing here?” And so that’s how the family started, and that’s how I ended up DJing for both Snoop and Dre.

After that, they heard about me at the radio station in Los Angeles, 92.3 The Beat, and they had just changed their format and started playing hip-hop and R&B. And soon after that, they found out about me and I was asked to come on board 92.3 The Beat-Los Angeles. So I was on the air there and DJing for Snoop and Dre, working basically on the first “Chronic” album. So I’d be at the studio up to a certain point. In the evening, I would go to the radio station and do my thing.

And then, after the “Chronic” album was done, I started touring and hitting the road, and the radio station was really cool because they understood and let me go on tour. And when I came back, I was back on the air. So basically that’s how I got, as a DJ, starting from my start point of doing mix tapes and getting my name out there to one day ending up being on radio and working with Snoop and Dr. Dre years later in Los Angeles.

Ryan Burger: Wow. So all the way back with Dr. Dre, starting with “Chronic”; Snoop from the absolute beginning from when no one else had heard of him. I had my cassette singles of Snoop’s tracks at the beginning, and that goes back quite a time with everything.

So you made the move from mobile to doing the club scene to working with major artists on the edge of being big and helping them become big. The radio thing intertwined in between here. Now you tour heavily with them. So you’re both involved of the recording of their albums and touring and actually doing the live DJ set; correct.

DJ Jam: Exactly. So I’ve done studio work, as far as albums and songs that they’ve done; doing the cuts on there, doing that in the studio, from a studio standpoint. And then being on stage in concert, so doing the stage thing with them and learning how to be a concert performer. If you see the “Up In Smoke” Tour DVD, I’m the one that’s doing that with them. So it went from that to as far as a big production as far as the “Up In Smoke” Tour, because that probably has been the biggest hip-hop production tour to this day.

Ryan Burger: Definitely.

Okay. So date this for me. I don’t know my hip-hop and music as well as obviously you do. What year are talking about that you hooked up with Dre and Snoop? We’re talking way back, aren’t we?

DJ Jam: We’re talking 1990.

Ryan Burger: Wow. I was in high school and running a little mobile DJ service out of Des Moines, Iowa; nothing compared to what you were experiencing down there, without a doubt.

DJ Jam: Yeah. Things like this just steamrolled for me, like a snowball just getting bigger as it goes downhill.

And then from doing that and going on the road with them all over the world, after we would do the concert, whoever the promoter would be that would do the after-party — they would always have an after-party after the concert. So they would come in and they would hire me, these promoters, to do the after-party. So I would announce — basically they would pay me and then I would announce the after-party live on the microphone like after our last song on stage. So everybody went to the after-party. So I started building a fan base all over the world of fans as well as club promoters and club owners; so that when we’re not on tour, I keep booking myself out all over the world as Snoop and Dre’s DJ. And that’s what I do up until this day now.

And actually, the past year or so, year and a half, I’ve been actually making my priority as far as what I do, as far as me going on the road being my first priority. A lot of times I would try to get booked, especially like internationally, and they would call me and ask me to come out. And they would start spending money on promotions as far as doing radio and have their event in all the public newspapers and magazines and flyer campaigns; book me in advance. But all of a sudden, I’d get a phone call from Snoop and say, oh, we got to go on the road next week, and I would have to cancel. And all these people would have money already invested and I’d have to cancel on them. So I had to kind of limit myself as far as club DJing to just basically quick events, like this weekend. A club would call me, “Oh, you going to be in town? Can we book you?” I would have to take that.

I would say the past year and a half, my priority has gone to me DJing and promoting my projects that I do, which are my mix CDs, and now taking my mix CDs to another level. I do mix DVDs now. So my mix CDs have come to life. They shoot me in the studio DJing as well as the videos of the songs that I’m playing — and not just the video, but it could be their live performance on tour somewhere, the footage that I could have gotten from them or their David Letterman or MTV Award performance. I have editors that edit all that together. So it’s a really cool thing to watch, as well as hearing me mix.

Ryan Burger: It’s a whole multimedia experience, more than just seeing the guy move two turntables around.

DJ Jam: Exactly.

Ryan Burger: On your personal rig, what do you like to work with nowadays? I mean, obviously back then it was pretty much two turntables.

DJ Jam: Yes.

Ryan Burger: What are you into now? What are you using, technology, to get the best experience out there for the people that are at the concerts and the shows you’re doing?

DJ Jam: I’m a Serato user. So I’m using Serato with the Rane TTM-57 mixer. I still use turntables. I’m an old school vinyl junkie, so I still like feeling that vinyl underneath my fingertips. I do stuff behind my back and all that kind of crazy stuff, too.

I was in the DMC Mixing Championships in 1988. I made it all the way to the finals in ‘88; went against Cash Cash Money that year.

Ryan Burger: ‘88. Wow.

DJ Jam: Yeah. I went from a battle DJ — starting off, as far as learning how to scratch and all these different techniques, and then taking that and learning how to be a party DJ, and then learning how to be a radio DJ. So I come from all those backgrounds. So I still love my vinyl, and Serato.

Ryan Burger: Serato’s definitely the way to do it.

The future for you. You were talking about how you have so many different opportunities in front of you. Where do you see yourself going in the next five years? You’re already at a lot of venues; from what I’m seeing and what you’re telling me, you’re already the star attraction. Do you ever see yourself getting in front and being the voice of it, or do you like being the guy in the background making everything happen?

DJ Jam: What do you mean as far as being the voice?

Ryan Burger: Well, you’re always right behind the names that everybody knows; the Snoops, the Dr. Dre’s, stuff like that. Do you ever have any aspirations of being the MC up front; the rapper, at all? Or do you like exactly where you’re at?

DJ Jam: No. I don’t want to be the rapper. I want to actually go more into the production. I’ve done a lot of remixes for certain groups out there in the past. I did the remix of “G-Thang” on Death Row’s Greatest Hits album. I’m the only one that’s done the official remix from that song — Dre has ever let do that. So I was really fortunate enough to do that.

But I want to get more into production and working with artists and bringing out artists that I believe in, because I’ve met different artists all over the world. So my whole thing is promoting DJ Jam as a DJ and a producer. And I have a team of individuals that I’m going to be bringing with me as far as production work. So that’s going to be my main goal, but always, always staying a DJ at the same time.

Ryan Burger: Cool. I guess at this point, is there anything else you want people to know about DJ Jam?

DJ Jam: You can catch me. I’m part of Super Radio Syndicated Networks. I’m part of three different mix shows that are broadcast all over the nation. I’ve been with them since around ‘98; 11 years now. Check me out. You can check more about me at my website, DJJam.com; my MySpace page, especially, at MySpace.com/DJJam. You can also catch me on Facebook and Twitter.

Ryan Burger: Everybody’s loving Twitter right now. There’s no doubt about that.

DJ Jam: Definitely.

Ryan Burger: Hook up with DJ Jam via DJJam.com. Hopefully we’ll be able to get you out to one of these conventions someday and people can actually meet you and everything. That’s fantastic, Jam. I appreciate your time today.

DJ Jam: Thanks for having me, again.

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Albert Chauvet discusses the industry with Ryan Burger

These are transcripts of an interview that was done for dissemination via podcast.  The shortened version appears in issue #123 of Mobile Beat Magazine

Audio download of interview available below

Ryan Burger : This is Ryan Burger, the publisher of Mobile Beat Magazine, and we’re here with Albert Chauvet of CHAUVET, known as an innovator in the lighting industry for mobile disc jockeys and moving into a lot of architectural and other areas. Albert, introduce yourself and tell us how we got to this point.
Albert Chauvet: Good morning, everyone. My name is Albert Chauvet and we’ve been at it now in business for about 19 years. It’s been a joyful ride. I started off in the beginning as a manufacturer; hardcore manufacturing. We were manufacturing products such as rope lightings, which are known also as tube lighting. We were manufacturing rope lighting and selling to all of our major competitors today — friendly competitors today.

From there, with life and different curves coming at us from chain stores getting involved in tube lighting, such as Home Depot and Wal-mart sales and had different barriers coming at us. From the rope lighting, went into novelty lighting, which is we started selling black lights and strobe lights and traffic lights. And from also, we had to face certain chain stores that were selling novelty lighting and killing the pricing. From that route, we wanted to become more specialized and not some [inaudible] challenging, more technology-oriented, and started embarking to the DJ lighting.

It’s been about a good 10 years, and it’s been a joyful ride. About 10 years ago is the time where we decided to be involved in doing some branding. And over the last eight years, we just want to push into branding and being the innovator — the true innovator — of DJ lighting. So this is how today we’re in DJ lighting.

Ryan Burger: You’re in the DJ lighting. I know a lot of the stuff is very similar of material that’s out there, but in the last five, six years, you’ve started to really innovate into some fantastic new lights. Like for instance, the whole LED market, obviously, is a growth area for the industry. The move into LED; explain why you guys made the move into that area and why the real advantages of LED lighting are out there.

Albert Chauvet: About four or five years ago, my trip to some of our co-manufacturers in Asia where we outsource our work and some of our own factories in Asia that we’ve got to — coming back from the trip, and thinking and visiting so many factories in Asia and I was coming back up and we were at our first meeting with my staff, discussing my trip and what we had laid out as product maps and everything else.

And I told my guys, LED is the way it’s going to be; LED’s going to be the wave of the future. And quite a few of our guys had blank eyes and said, “Albert, you’re crazy. We don’t see this happening. It’s not going to happen.”

I said, “Guys, this is where it’s at, and we need to get behind it, and we will be the leader and we will be in the forefront of the LED side.” Well, thank god I had the great vision that I’ve always had in the past 17 years; always been one step ahead of the curve. That’s pretty much well-known that CHAUVET is the leader in the entertainment lighting LED leader in the entertainment lighting industry.

We’ve made incredible strides and we’re the first one to have the Min spot. We produced the moving head spot LED. We were also the first one that came out of the beam, such as the VUE series; VUE 1, VUE 2, VUE 3. We got behind that also. And also as far as wash in the DJ side, we also came out with the COLORstrip, that is one of the incredible sellers in all the first LED products.

So we’ve done very well. LED, yes indeed, is the wave of the future. The plus on the LED side, obviously, is the ease of usage. What I mean by that is the power draw is so little on a 15 amp circuit, pretty much a DJ going out to do a gig on a 15 amp circuit can run their whole lighting show. They don’t have to worry about taking a side of the building down, the power down, or tripping the breaker; not having to worry about their sound system, and do they have enough amperage for their sound system. So power draw is definitely a plus.

The other great thing is hardly any heat. As it is, when you’re doing a gig in a room, it’s hot. And all you need — what you don’t want is halogen fixtures getting the room any hotter. So that’s a great thing. It runs cooler. The DJ’s done doing your gig, you’re packing up, and what are you doing? You’re blowing the lamps. The halogen lamps will blow because they’re still hot and you’re moving them. You put them in back of your car, the lamps blow. So every part of your [inaudible], you’re having to replace lamps. LEDs, you don’t have to worry about that.   So those are the great things. And overall for the earth, energy-saving and green-thinking, LEDs are the way to go.

Ryan Burger: I’ve seen the brightness on LED has come a long way in the last two or three years; up to the point that I understand you had a yokehead that I saw — I’m not sure where it’s in production at this point — at one of the shows recently. I think it was actually going back to LDI. It was a yokehead that was as bright as the biggest halogen-type bulb systems you have there; discharge lamp brightness. It’s really getting there; isn’t it?

Albert Chauvet: Yes, it is. I’m glad you brought this up.

Again, as I said, we’ve always been on the forefront of the LED side. At LDI we cranked it up another level. We actually had a full-blown moving head that has the same output as an MSD-250 fixture, which is the discharge of an MSD-250 fixture. So it was just as bright as the top-end good-sized moving head with the full functions of a moving head. An MSD-250 is one that they use in clubs and also even at the production site.

We were the first one, again, that came out with something that bright, and we had it on demo at the show. And yes, we’ve got some nice surprises coming down the road. That product is in production, but also besides that we do have some other things down the road that’s going to take it to another level.

Keep in mind, not only that we’ve always led; we’ve always been on the forefront on the LED side and leading the market. But besides that, we continue to bring what we’ve been best to the market; everything that we’re bringing we’re still offering incredible value. So not only are we leading technology-wise, but also we’re not walking away from our core, which is value and making the products available to pretty much everyone.

Ryan Burger: Yeah. The value-innovation-performance. It’s right underneath your name, that obviously is guiding everything you’re doing with the company.  Where do you see things going in the next five years? I mean, obviously more of a move to LED, brighter and stronger. Without giving away your development secrets as to what you’ve got coming out this summer and what you’ve got coming out this year, what’s the general direction of the lighting for the entertainment industry going?

Albert Chauvet: Well, pretty much everything we do — and you’ve touched on it, Ryan — pretty much everything we do that we touch, we always — number one is value. Number two is how innovative we can be. And thirdly is to make sure that the product will perform. Everybody goes “value-innovation-quality.” Quality; what does quality stand for? So we try to stay away from “quality.” We say performance. Because if the product performs, that’s pretty much why people want it. It’s going to perform day after day, night after night, and continue to perform. So with our vision that we have down the road is keeping those three things as core.

I see really the product within the next two to five years, more LED and also the market going to — besides LED — more LED but definitely — right now, if you look at LED, a lot of what people are doing is wash and wash effect. We’ve been on the forefront of with the MiN Spot, as you stated earlier, and also on the Q-spot 250 LED. On the discharge 250 LED, where we’re doing more beams. So you will see more beam effects down the road, I would say.

Still on the LED side and also some other things that are probably a little more on the visual side; visual meaning playing videos and different things. This is where the industry will be leading to down the road.

Ryan Burger: You’ve also moved the company into architectural lighting and all kinds of other stuff; a lot of it using this LED kind of material. I know that doesn’t touch directly on DJs, but there are some people that are looking at some of this stuff; some of the outdoor fixtures. For instance, we picked up on the SkyScan 4000 of yours, that a mobile DJ wouldn’t use unless they want a really bright mirror ball, for some reason, with it aiming at it. What is that kind of light — you call it a SkyScan — an outdoor, attention-getting light that can be rented out for different occasions?

Albert Chauvet: We’ve cranked it up to another level. We’ve definitely committed 150 percent to the DJ side. We very much have a strong passion for that market. At the same time, the great thing about CHAUVET is that lighting is the only thing we do. We only do lighting. We have a strong passion for lighting. We eat, sleep, breathe lighting. All of our resources and our efforts are dedicated to lighting. We’re not trying to be a company that wants to do everything on the planet and do a little bit of everything. So that philosophy is what has allowed us in many ways to be on the forefront on the technology and everything else that we’ve brought to the table on the lighting side.

But at the same time, we’ve very ambitious and very, very driven, and we’ve set different standards. We’ve had incredible impact in the production market. In the last three years, we’re now today a major player in the production market and we are selling to all the big production companies in the world, pretty much. We’ve also at the same time launching a new division of CHAUVET that will be dedicated to the hardcore architectural lighting business. This company will be launched in the very near future, which will have an incredible impact, and keeping the same core tenets; value, innovation, and performance.

And we’re spreading ourselves more and more worldwide. Business has done incredibly well for us in Europe, Africa, and for sure in North America and Central-South America.

Ryan Burger: Fantastic. Overall, ways to find out more about CHAUVET; you can check out ChauvetLighting.com. Check the latest Mobile Beat issues. There’s constantly reviews, both on MobileBeat.com and in the magazine.

Is there any other ways you would suggest trying to find out about Chauvet product?
Albert Chauvet: Well, we’re pretty much everywhere. They can google Chauvet or any trade magazines.
Ryan Burger: You have a fantastic network of dealers. I know that. So asking for it in your local dealer is probably a good way of doing it, too.

Albert Chauvet: You can find it anywhere in your local dealer.

And thinking of another side of CHAUVET that I didn’t touch up on is our laser business. The laser business is way up, and again, we’ve set the trend on the fat beam lasers. About four years ago we were the first on that came out with a fat beam laser; breaking the barrier of the 4.9mw, where we were able to have DJs use 10mw lasers. About eight months ago, we took it to another level again. We broke the barrier again where we had 30 and 60 mw lasers out there with the Scorpion Storm RG. These lasers are doing extremely well, and that was another innovation that CHAUVET brought to the table. And in the very near future, we do have some surprising news again that will be coming out in the lasers. We’re going to take it to another level again.

Ryan Burger: Well, keep on feeding us information. We’ll get the word out and all the DJs will find the product. It’s great to see him at either our convention or the other conventions. You guys are always big participants in the national disc jockey and industry shows, so people can see material there.

Very cool. Last words; anything else you can think of that you want people to know?
Albert Chauvet: We’re looking at being positive. I know it’s a hard time out there for everyone. Let’s keep working; doing the best we can. Let’s be positive. We firmly believe there’s a much better side in the future coming down the road.
Ryan Burger: Fantastic. Albert Chauvet, with an optimistic look at the industry. Thanks for joining me.

Albert Chauvet: Thank you.

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