What was your first big break?

Ok - for those of you lucky/talented enought to consider yourself a productive member of the scene - what got you in?

I've been djing, running nights and producing for a fair few years, but time costraints and a habit of moving about the country and leaving contacts behind kinda stops me from ever really taking music further than being a personal passion.

Not that I wouldn't jump at the chance, but social life, job, missus etc all take up too much time to really make a decent go of it, and I'm not really willing to let any of the three slide.

But for those of you who have - how did you manage it?

ive always been creative musically so production was a natural thing to get into, ive been playing the guitar for about 13 years now too and was always writing songs, been producing electronic music now for about 4 years. i say electronic because i dont just do techno, i do whatever i feel from hard techno, minimal stuff right through to house and even really low bpm chilled stuff, electronica etc etc.... not really had a big break as such production wise more just a culmination of alot of hard work over the past few years and meeting new friends in clubs, sending out tracks etc etc which has put me in the position of having a good handful of ep's lined up for release over the next few months and also got a lot of projects in working on too, some totally non techno too which is nice.... Dj wise, ive played loads of smaller local gigs which is the normal, but id say Voodoo last november was my biggest break as it were, getting to play after Terence Fixmer and being asked back to finish off the NYE party then which was great, and then further gigs off Voodoo throughout the year led to me playing my biggest gig yet to about 700 people after Green Velvet live, which was fantastic. Anyone whose been in the big room at the Carling can vouch its a fantastic room, so to get to finish the night off after someone like GV was certainly very rewarding and ive met some really good friends through Voodoo/djing/production on the whole so tis all good at the moment

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Originally Posted by Jay Pace

Not that I wouldn't jump at the chance, but social life, job, missus etc all take up too much time to really make a decent go of it, and I'm not really willing to let any of the three slide.

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Well, your answer lies in what you've said above. If you wouldn't mind making that big 'break', but are not willing to sacrifice or let anything go, then you're pissing into the wind.

Be ruthless... Dump your girlfriend if it's not going anywhere, cut back on the hours in your job if you can afford it or are able to, hold off a bit (a lot) on your social life for a year if you have to. It's all about sacrifice and what you deem to be most important, simple as that. Other than that, you'd be just relying solely on a lucky break.

Not really prepared to let anything go at the moment, love my missus, love my job, love my mates & social etc.

But realistically one of these will go sooner or later and then I can get back on it. Having all three at once is a bit of an aberration, and I think I would be fool not to enjoy it while it lasts.

Interested to know how other people made it though. Or do you really have to jack everything and everyone in to get your focus?

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Originally Posted by Jay Pace

Interested to know how other people made it though. Or do you really have to jack everything and everyone in to get your focus?

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I'm not sure that you'd have to give up everything, but prioritising is a must. You certainly need some understanding people around you, that's for sure.

there is a lot of sacrifice needed definately. I personally opted for quitting my full time job and got a part time one so i would purposely have more time for tracks as you simply cannot, well i couldnt personally anyway, enjoy getting into production whilst also holding down a 9 - 5. It's just not practical to say "oh at least ive got saturday and sunday to do tunes" because come the weekend we all know were going to be in some warehouse or den raving away. The way i see it, you have to seriously decide if its what you want to do in life, and i just dont mean narrowing it down to releasing techno records. Production is an on going thing for me, the creation of music as a whole is the only thing i want to be involved with in this, when u think about it, relatively short life. I dont want to be the manager in my local kwik save, whilst ive had jobs very similiar and it serves its purpose, its not what i want OUT of life. I want to do something thats going to at least allow me the oppurtunity to work with other people and just generaly be able to make music.

Ive been pretty skint sure and ive missed so many nights this year that all my mates have been too because i know i just want to do music instead the day after or all that night etc etc, as Sunil said you need some understanding people around you too definately. My mum just lets me get on with it now as unfortunately for her i dont want a "good job in IT" which ive had in the past but simply not enjoyed it, good money or not. If your not enjoying it, then dont do it. Thats my motto definately

you two are just lazy bums though :wicked:

:lol:

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Originally Posted by Jay Pace

Not really prepared to let anything go at the moment, love my missus, love my job, love my mates & social etc.

But realistically one of these will go sooner or later and then I can get back on it. Having all three at once is a bit of an aberration, and I think I would be fool not to enjoy it while it lasts.

Interested to know how other people made it though. Or do you really have to jack everything and everyone in to get your focus?

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i do not believe so. music is such a big part of my life, but it is not the be all end all. i work with a non profit on progressive social and economic causes and would not have the same focus on music were it not for that. i write poetry, read like a fiend and have a lovely girlfriend who is in school and has her own focus as well. so we can take time apart to pursue our own things and still meet in the middle.

if you are willing to sacrifice everything for that "big break", you may look up one day and realize you have nothing.

i work hard and put a lot into my music, but making music without the other important things in my life would not be worthwhile at all.

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Originally Posted by djshiva

if you are willing to sacrifice everything for that "big break", you may look up one day and realize you have nothing.

i work hard and put a lot into my music, but making music without the other important things in my life would not be worthwhile at all.

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Could not have said it better myself my sis from another momma!

I soley believe that the "one big break" doesnt exist. It's not the 90's, and we are not pop stars. If people want to be releasing records or doing music then quite simply you have to put in the effort, you can still give 100% and have other priorities in life. Shiva made a good point in her post above, and really id rather someone to share anything i do with, be that friends or a girlfriend. Im not a materialistic person, i dont run my life by how much money i have or dont have in my case more often than not, i dont mind having no money at all on me as long as any debts i have are paid such as credit cards, rent etc, as long as i can make tracks then money doesnt really come into it right now for me, never really has.

but yeah, without my mates to see me putting my music out and seeing their reactions then there is kind of no point, i make my music for myself sure, as do most, but there is something cool about sharing it with someone too

I reckon it comes right about that time where you relax the jaw and cup the balls.

i don't think it was 'big break' that enabled me to get into this but i do believe it was a combination of breaks or things that really accumulated. i could say it was the old rave things that kept me in this but then i think about it and i would have got into them were it not for eternity magazine. but then i wouldnt have got into eternity had i not been given a chance in that shitty club in huddersfield that let me put on underground resistance nights. and then before that i would have done that were it not for manchester uni letting me play techno.... ahh god it just goes on... yeah i don't think you can put it down to 1 thing.... ;)

i bought a collection of breaks in 1998 :)

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Originally Posted by Dustin Zahn

I reckon it comes right about that time where you relax the jaw and cup the balls.

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*giggle*

well said...

for me personally; there was no big break yet. i love making music and trying to do it for around 6 years, now. as i read Scotts reply, i found i have it little bit similar, personally. i quit a good IT job, because i had lack of time for music production and i found it also that i dont want to spent all my time in some fuc*ing office. i quit this job and then start some bad period from the money point of view, but the very best period musically; i had much more time for production and i think i improved my skills much faster in compare how slow i would be if i would stay 9hours a day at work;. i choose what i want to do and what interests me, i setup a part time job, just for 5or6hours a day, and i have lot of time for my music, then.
in DJing, ive played in lot of local clubs, but i had two gigs which are abova the others; 1;i finally played in Boby centrum,; which is very good place for parties; it was with headroom, ben sims and jel ford + others,it was ****in awesome;,; and my2.it was in club Ucko or U-club Bratislava; and it was like a dream, because Ucko has a very much underground traditions and many great artists played there; this place had a spirit,,,but shame,its closed now;.
even i had some bad times in the last years, because i was thinking that all goes wrong, and i was pretty sad from that sometime, but producing music and dreaming about some BIG break; always hold me up,,.

Bloodstar - Keep at it mate, the theme here seems to be making enough time for music and persevering. Sure you'll get what you are after soon.

Most people I know had a defining "moment" for them - a release that did really well that sparked off loads of dj work, getting a track picked up by a major label, forming a production partnership that took things to a new level etc.

I get a huge amount of satisfaction from music, but would like the opportunity to play to more people and release stuff (when it gets good enough).
And sometimes it seems like all the doors are closed to you, if you don't know the right people and you don't have the time/energy/money/patience to go it alone.

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Originally Posted by Jay Pace

And sometimes it seems like all the doors are closed to you, if you don't know the right people and you don't have the time/energy/money/patience to go it alone.

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agree,. so i,m trying to knock again, again and again... :lol:

anyway; i forgot to mention, that my first break was, that i came to this lovely place and i could learn a lot of new things from you all; thanks,.

no break for me as of yet!!! a few small gigs here and a couple of free parties there but nothing huge. ive been making music since i was about 15 with a crap version of cool edit so hopefully within the next few years i can et my tracks sounding the way i want so watch this space ye bollix!! :twisted:

my mum bought me this fantastic china casserole dish last year
which i dropped after getting a lovely smelling stew out of the oven
it burnt my hands , causing me to thrown the entire thing in the air and watched as it crashed mercilessly to the floor
that was a pretty big break i can tell you

my other big break possibly was around 95 playing snooker down the pub

i´ll get my coat....again........

hehe