45 Day 2020 – 1 Week on
Can you believe it has only been a week since 45 Day 2020 launched? It has been a great week with many people letting me know how much they have enjoyed the concept and the mixes. It has unfortunately also been a very sad week for the world of music. In the space of 3 days the we have said goodbye to Little Richard, Betty Wright, and the most devastating after his recovery from Covid-19, Ty. Their music will live on forever and will be played for many years to come.
Many of the 45 Day mixes have been very successful in the mixcloud charts in various genres. Big shout out to Mr Lob who got to number 2 in the global underground hip hop chart, number 3 on the global vinyl chart and high up in a couple more.
There has been a small amount of criticism about the event which is fine and is to be expected whenever a new event is launched. Its not possible to get everything right first time around. I am very open to good and bad feedback as it helps to improve the event.
One of the comments I received related to the fact that 45 Day were newbies running before we could walk, that many of the DJ’s were new to the game, and also what right did I have to decide what day was 45 Day for the whole world. My view throughout has been to celebrate the 45 and having looked into it although there was various groups for 45 addicts, there did not appear to be a specific day set aside for this. In view of how Record Store Day has hugely increased the appeal of vinyl and record shops, I felt that 45 Day in the long term could do the same to promote the format. It seems to have already has an effect as one of the DJ’s involved has told me that the day has excited him so much that he has been selling off his expensive jungle 12’s in order to buy more 45s. Plus if you look at the line up we have DJ’s from across the musical spectrum with high profile, gigging and bedroom DJ’s. Some maybe new to the “game” but others have been spinning for decades.
I also disagree that only long established DJ’s or collectors are entitled to claim use of 45s for themselves and newbies have no right to do so. Music is for everyone and there shouldn’t be a hierarchy as to who can and cant do something musically. I have been DJ’ing for 15 years using vinyl, CDs, USB sticks and Traktor and I am sure that most of us have used many different formats. I am not a newbie as far as DJ’ing goes. Just because someone has not heard of me or some of other DJ’s does not make what we are doing any less valid. The thing is we were all “newbies” once learning how to DJ in our bedrooms.
The second criticism was about the fact that I had perhaps not done enough to get female DJ’s involved in the event. The event was one that I put together largely on my own with the help of a couple of friends in a short space of time as I was keen to be able to launch it on 4.5.2020. I was also still working full time through lockdown and this was just a hobby with zero budget. I had sent invites out to those people that I knew spun 45s, some DJ’s I respected, and then in the 45s groups that I was aware of. Unfortunately I couldn’t individually message every 45 DJ or hit up every single 45s group as time simply didn’t allow this to happen. It was only when the mixes started to roll in a few days before the event that I realised that it was all males and no females had got in touch with me.
However I am very pleased to say that I have now been introduced to a whole load of amazing female 45s slingers thanks to recommendations by DJ Honey and Mark from Soul 45. I have made contact with a number of them and they have all responded positively and we therefore can expect at least 15 mixes from female DJ’s in 2021. Hopefully many more.
If you are a female 45s DJ and would like to get involved or if you know a DJ that I should approach (male or female) then please get in touch.
There are lots of plans in motion for the next year including articles, radio shows, live streams and, hopefully once lockdown is fully lifted, some live events. If you have any ideas or would like to become more involved then again please get in touch as I’m all ears.
Stay safe and keep spinning those 45s.
Christos
OG45ers