ok, a response FOR PURE DIPLOMACY AND DEVILS ADVOCATE side of things.

so you're a succesful dj, you've worked years at getting to play bigger and bigger places. then a promoter approaches you, and you can tell straight away that the night is small, poss often empty, in a town where no one cares about techno, and theres a high risk that you wont get paid, or if you do you'll feel like you're fleecing the guy out of money he doesnt have. due to the smallness of the night there might be a good chance things like transport and accomodation arent even on the agenda. it could be a foreign country and you could be left there not speaking the language and surounded by pilledup crowds of folks that wont stop shaking your hand when you just want to get out of there, with your 0 money and get home.

i'm sure most hardened djs have had many an experience like that, and dont wish to repeat it, despite the mystical 'taking the music to the people' approach, that doesnt pay the bills.

so, paradoxically, the ovecharging at the first hurdle from 'superstar techno dj-x' may have actually been the politest way of saying 'no, i'm sorry'.

i am purely playing devils advocate here, as i dont know all of the details. but most responses seemed on one side of the fence, and if theres anything i like its to try and see what the other side of any arguement is like.

reminds me of a pal who did visuals. loved his minimalism, and his visuals where the best I'VE EVER SEEN, and i've seen a lot! he got asked to play at a happy hardcore event, ...... pondered, 'have you actually seen the stuff i do' they had, but it would still have been very out of place .... so he asked for £750, they said no, but in turn their respect for him went up cos they knew he could actually demand that sort of amount.

any thoughts?