Someone's asked me to 'DJ' at their wedding.
When they say DJ, I'm not going to be DLT (tempting as it is) or Fat Boy Slim, but I've got to make up a playlist to play through the ipod to hopefully start the dancing.
I've always thought the trick of getting everyone on the dancefloor was to play songs they know, but not be too obvious about it, for example no Don't You Want Me, more Sound Of The Crowd. That always gets me going, and once on, I'm rarely off.
The average age is about 38ish, teenagers in the Eighties, and some older parents and parents friends who always seem to take to the floor. I remember by aunt and uncle, then in their seventies frugging to She Sells Sanctuary. So I'm thinking a bit of everything, stretching across the decades, taking in ska, glam, rock, goth, electronic, disco, etc. They don't want anything 'now' from me, as someone else is taking care of that side of the musical spectrum. I'm strictly retro and I don't really do soul or funk (some Motown, some northern, no Barry White). It's for about an hour and a half. I'm kicking off with a bit of rock. So here it is so far:
Pour Some Sugar On Me/Def Leppard
Rocks/Primal Scream
She Sells Sanctuary/The Cult
Satisfaction/Stones
These Boots Are Made For Walkin'/Nancy Sinatra
Israelites/Desmond Dekker
Gangsters/Specials
Green Onions/Booker T & The MGs
Money/Flying Lizards
Funky Town/Lipps Inc
Funky Cold Medina/Ton Loc
Walk This Way/Run DMC
Hippychick/Soho
Doin' The Do/Betty Boo
Pop Muzik/M
Video Killed The Radio Star/Buggles
Lucky Number/Lene Lovich
Queen Bitch/David Bowie
Blockbuster/The Sweet
Virginia Plain/Roxy Music
Antmusic/Adam & The Ants
Cool For Cats/Squeeze
Perfect Skin/Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
In Between Days/The Cure
Temple Of Love/Sisters Of Mercy
Sound Of The Crowd/Human League
Material Girl/Madonna
Kiss Me/Steven "Tin Tin" Duffy
On the reserve list:
Something Better Change/Stranglers
If The Kids Are United/Sham 69
Live It Up/Mental As Anything
Need You Tonight/INXS
Viva Las Vegas/ZZ Top
It's only a short set, and while I'm quite happy with it up to and including Money, then I fear it's losing its way. I'm thinking of ditching Sinatra, Madonna, Cole and Duffy.
I don't want to be too cheesey, I don't want to be too obscure, but I'm thinking as I'm on late, and everyone will be drunk, this should be just the ticket.
What say you?
