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Has the indoor clean-air act hit your location yet Ollie ?

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

That was the last straw that killed karaoke and closed bars in this area There were bars in this area that had good karaoke for years Now there isnt a good karapoke bar within 50 miles.  Or one that has had karaoke for years Most of the good systems like mine are sitting idle because I wont setup for peanuts ...

And what really ticks me off is when I tried to solve this problem on this forum starting about a year ago all I got was negative BS and any thread turned into petty arguments about things that somebody that has KJ"D for years has solved.. Any attempt to apply standard business practices or public relations was met with strong negative objections so I gave up..... So when this stage of karaoke hits your area GOOD LUCK!!

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I agree that for certain types of venues in certain locations such a mandate is completely unreasonable.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I can totally understand a disc company not doing an actual 20 minute guitar solo version.   It is just karaoke, remember.   They are trying to keep it commercial, like the AM version, instead of the FM one.

On a related matter.

Started a new job.     Have a younger kid wants to use his own SC disc with every 4 letter word in the entire english language.

Screwing* Jesus and all.    They happen to be 5-6-7 mintues long too.   The crowd doesn't really want to hear them.   I'll give him a little credit, he doesn't sing the big words.    But they show up on the TV screen for everyone to see.   The bar tender/manager wasn't real happy about his musical taste either.   I told her we could change it to an all oldie night.   She's talking it over with the owner.  

I had some others at another show, asked me for every song they knew that had swear words in them.   Of coarse they aren't in the book but why do they think they have to say all of those things in public?    

I'm going to start telling them to bring their mothers in and they can sing it to her.  LMAO  LMAO  LMAO  :O  :shock:    See how proud of her little boy she really is.  :yes:

...... oh, I hear ya there!  I have often thought about asking the young gals in the VERY miniskirts with thongs under them that revel quite the eyeful if they take a step (and it isn't the thong that is showing) ..... and the tops that simply shout "please look right at my chest and notice the tatoo on my left breast" ..... if their mom's gave them their outfit for their last birthday!  I have to say ...... as liberal, open-minded, and non-judgemental as I am ...... I sometimes wonder what has happened to the judgement of the some of the younger generations.  

Re: the "language" in songs ...... again, to those of us @ 40 or better .. we are rather 'shocked' or 'disgusted' by the lyrics in much of the music of today ...... but to the ones that LOVE it ... and are growing up with it ...... its "just the lyrics in the song'.  An excuse?  No ..... not really ..... but its understandable that they may not necessarily think they'll offend anyone by singing those songs.  Again tho..... it leaves you wondering about their "judgement skills'.  

We work in a college town ..... and while we don't encourage the singing of "explicit lyrics, (and we actually have a rule that if the word isn't on the screen they best not start swearing or using the language in 'ad lib' or they will lose their microphone mighty fast), if it IS in the song ...... and we are in a 21 and older club..... we let it be sung as long as there are no rules from the bar owners about NOT letting it occur.  However, when we do school events .... family events..... or any venue where there is a 'mixed age audience including minors' ..... we DEFINATELY censor.  

I guess the best way to look at it is ... You are in a place where everyone is over 21 .. and "considered" adult.  Swearing isn't 'illegal' .... its just not very pleasant to have to listen to.  You are out for an 'adult' evening of fun.  No kids around ..... just you (with YOUR personal preferences and value system).  Even tho you are in your 40's and like the tunes from the 80's .... you may be sitting next to a table of 21 year olds  who like the tunes of today ..... which are FULL of those lyrics ..... either explicit or suggested.    So...... we don't censor.  We don't encourage them, trust me ... because personally, we really hate it ........ but we don't censor, 'cause just as I may wanna sing a great ABBA song.... they may wanna sing their favorite hip hop song.  Music is a personal taste ... and what you select to sing is your personal choice.  Its a very tough call ..... but we've decided NOT to censor.  I might add, that with the exception of maybe one or two singers that show up regularly, we rarely have anyone of any age, sing the songs FULL of the explicit language.  I think the songs that are done the most are YOU OUTTA KNOW .... Alanis Morissette ..... and its ONE word ... and lets face ... its a word most of us have at least heard.... if not used at least once in our lives.  And ..... the audience 'addition' during the chorus of Mony Mony....Billy Idol.    :fright:

For some.... alcohol is a taboo ..... and short skirts immoral .... and long hair on men 'unacceptable'.  If so ....... perhaps an OLDIES karoake night is the better  choice ...... rather than the 'mixed' age venue.  

We DO censor at ALL events that have a mixed age crowd that includes minors.  Our philosophy is ...... The only songs you can sing are in our catalog,  are not marked *explicit*, and are songs that are not offensive by lyric (vulgarity) ..... in anyway.  We ask the question ...... Would your parents want you to sing this song ?  or even hear this?  And even if they wouldn't care.... would 'joey's mom' want joey to hear this.  So ..... we take NO chances about offending anyone at those events.  But.... in our 21 and over clubs ..... unless dicated by management ..... as much as WE personally don't like it ... we don't censor.  

It will be interesting to hear if others do?

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[shadow=tomato]If you want your significant other to pay attention to EVERY word you say::
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This is actually a trick question.  The answer is all of them.  :worship:

While I thank BD for considering me young (yeah....30's are still young), I actually prefer songs from the previous generation. However, I also feel the nood to point out that cursing is NOT a new thing in music. When did Pink Floyd come out with the song Money? "Don't give me none of that goody good bulls**t". Or The Who, or the Stones? They all had sexual refrences or cursing in some of their popular songs. Do you ban those too? And the 'worst' offender, "The Rodeo Song", when did that come out- 15-25 years ago?

We like to blame the current generation music, but for every .50 song, there is a "Hey Ya" or "High School Musical".


Just my  :2cents:

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

I agree songs of yesterday were considered somewhat taboo; but not like to the extent they have gone today.  Yes, I have a few songs like YOU OUTTA KNOW .... Alanis Morissette and such.  

Other than that I don't have to worry about any of the "rough" stuff because not only is it not listed in my book, it's not in my system.  I learned a few years back that I didn't need "everything" coming out in karaoke to be successful.  I began attracting a "type" of crowd that wasn't good for business.  And I'm not profiling or pointing to any race.  It was just people in general. I preview all my music now and don't even bother putting a lot in my system.

Oh, I still occasionally get the barely 21 young twirp that comes in wanting to know why I don't have such and such and then proceeds to tell me he'll bring in his own CD.  I politely tell him no.  He gives me the "It's a free country "spill ; yada, yada, yada; and I say  the usual, "Yes, it's a free country and it's MY system.  You can can take your baggy britches and your trash cd down the street and let them play it."

And usually 99 times out of a hundred; it's a white male, 21 to 24 who "thinks" he's a rapper.  He shows no respect to me or anyone else in the place.  And everything that comes out of his mouth is MF this and MF that.  Sorry, but I don't have time for such.

The sad thing is, one of the other KJ's at our place does place this stuff and it tends to once and awhile try to spill over to my nights.  Not as much as it used to.

Kelly

Exactly Kelly.   I control my crowd by the selection of songs in my book.    I will say it again.   The type of music you play determines the type of crowd you're stuck with.    I don't want the punk a** white kids that have to use every swear word in the english language.    Sing that song to your mother and make her proud.   If it's not there, they can't sing it.   Short and sweet.     I have a kid at a new job bringing in his own swear word discs.   I told him I had a complaint about the swearing.   He toned it down.   If he doesn't, I'll tone him out with or without the owner.   Like you said.   There is another KJ right down the road.  Crap up his show.

What guy in their right mind, complains about young girls skirts being too short and thong underwear?

Yeah!!!! Kelly & Bigdog Rocks!!!  :hi5:

If they sang the entire song at the same volume, the swear word would go unnoticed.    But whenever they get to the swear word, they have to yell it out 3 times as loud.   Drawing major attention to it.    So I took the temptation away by deleting it from the book.   Screw your mother, kill cops, and hip hop somewhere else.

since this thread took on a bit of a song content swing....

we have a few songs that are audience participation, the most sung being, "you never even called me by my name" where during parts of the song the audience chants back to the singer.
singer-"i'll hnag around as long as you will let me"
audience-"let me, let me, let me, let me!"

and

singer-"you don't have to call me darlin'"
audience-"B**ch, Wh*re, Sl*t!"
singer-"darlin'"


and
singer-"i never minded standin' in the rain"
audeince-"in the rain in the G-damn rain!"


others are of course the Mony, Mony song by billy idol and a few others.

we certainly didn't start this at our show, it just sort of happens when the songs get sung.  does this happen at your venues?

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All work and no play make Homer something something

Ain't it the truth. Some people think swear words in songs are meant to screamed out at decibals only dog can hear. NO pun intended.  LMAO

I don't have a problem with swear words in songs, but then again I'm not getting any songs sung that aren't out of the ordinary for a nice crowd. I don't have anyone singing those I want to kill yo momma rap songs.  LMAO
When the song you oughta know by Alanis gets sung the person usually points the mic at the audience and they say the "f" word instead.

I have a no swearing policy unless it is in the song. I only have a few from time to time that will test me on that.

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While we are bashing todays music, let me bring it back down home again....

What better audience paticipation/cursing song is there then "Family Tradition"?

Why do you drink? (To get drunk).....

Or Lucille by Kenny Rogers. You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille....(You B*tch, you sl*t, you wh*re...)

I am not necessarily fond of Rap and Hip Hop, but I don't see the ones being sung as any worse than some established songs.

So bd, do you ban/censor Hank Williams Jr., Kenny Rogers, and Pink Floyd as well to cut down the "rowdies" as well?

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

I'm with you on that -

I still like the rodeo song

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I love to do the rodeo song but there is only one place here where I can sing it. That place is not close enough to drive there very often.

I'll ask this question.   You are 31.   Do you notice any difference as to how the 21's act at karaoke (Bars)?    Do they act as the 30's-40's 50's 60's?

Not saying all of them.   A**holes can come at any age.   I'm just talking about the majority of that age group.    The ones that drink to see how fast they can get obliterated.    And have testosterone things to prove.    There is an under 30 bar down the road.   The cops are there all the time.    Not good for anybody's reputation.

I censored my book to almost eliminate the chances for a crowd to become out of control.   And I practice crowd control by the type of music available to be sung and by the music I sing to keep the majority of the non singers happy and spending money.     I do not want a crowd that is crawling on the ceiling all night.    I have many black singers that can not stand most of the Rap & Hip Hop.

If you want to run an anything goes type of show, that's your business.     I was doing this while you were in High School.    I have a boy your age.     My reputation gets me jobs and I am very successful doing what I do.   There are many KJs around here that attract the screaming drunk crowd.   Is that your goal?   Mine is not.    I attract the singers that are a little more serious and more talented than most.   It's a very enjoyable night of music.     The chances of a fight breaking out are very very small.     I have heard of karaokes around here that have fights every night.    People throw stuff at the singers, they boo the singers and tell them they suck.    I run a respectable show.     With no one being offended by language or other subject matter.     If Grandma comes to the show, her hair won't straighten out.    If there are kids around the parents don't have to worry about them hearing stuff.     There are things that were made to be out in public and things that are not.   There is no radio station in the country that plays swearing, without it being bleeped.    The karaoke versions of the music should be the same way.    But most companies have elected to use the uncensored album version.   Maybe it's to sell more discs.   But if you don't hear it on the radio, why should you hear it at the bar in mixed company?   Both AM & FM stations are still making tons of money with their air play policy.

As far as people injecting their own words to songs as the ones mentioned.   WHY is it necessary????      Is your mother the one screaming out that B***   That Sl**   That wh***?      Why?   Or Why not?

My reputation gets me all of my jobs.   I don't worry about what anyone including my buddies think about the way I chose to run my show.   Nobody pays my bills but me.  

No I-95 song, no rodeo song, etc.   I still work very steady, without them and all of the rest that have been deleted.      Bar owners respect my decision.    They like the idea very much after I explain to them the reasons for doing it.     Nobody ever said put them back in and you'll get the job.

It isn't the people on stage interjecting on those songs, it's the audience itself & yes most of them are all over 30 mark averaging 40-50ish.  The younger crowd don't know all the interjections to the older songs.  

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I will try for a moment to overlook the personal isinuations and insults and address my point to you, which like most responses from you has been obliterated by refried dog vomit.

My shows do not cater to the 20 somethings. My shows do not cater to the 30, 40, or 50 somethings either. My shows cater to the largest possible demographics. On any given night you may hear Harper Valley PTA to Enter Sandman, and everything in between. It is up to the KJ to be ready if some smart (_)(_) decides to scream a word to be ready on the mixer to lower the mic channel volume.

I have a good friend that tried to do an 'oldies' karaoke night. 50's-80's only. Know who showed up? Me and my 'youngun' 20 something friends. Wanna know who complained? The 30-50 year old trailer inhabitants and wannabe youngers.

Yes, you say you work steady, but with all the times you stand on principle for this and that and tell idiot bar owners how to run their bars, it seems to be steady change. I sure hope you live in a big city, otherwise you will run out of bars close to home to burn bridges with.

Finally, I believe a great deal of problems deal more with a hosts handling of situations- not their songbook. You have never had people shout back to "Family Tradition"? If you censored every song with curses or shout out's, it may be a dull show. We already know you have no personality over the mic, because there is no time for it when you launch singer to singer and have no time for "Take care of your bartenders" "Give it up for Johnny" or "Great Job".

I may not have 5 shows a week, or 14 years experience, but I do have a feircely loyal following and respect. In nature there is Darwins theory that life that does not adapt becomes extinct, kind of like crumodgenly old hosts that refuse to listen to new ideas.

End of rant....

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