Karaoke Forums

I still don't get why, if you are supposed to give the paying customers what they want and the majority of customers at a few isolated venues want the KJ to sing and the KJ sings and the show is long running and successful and brings in money to the bar, why should it bother anyone so?

Is this an overly strong response or just another point of view?

Edit: I submitted this before the other posts above appeared--I think some of them said it even better. To each their own.

It is none of their business. It would show chutzpah for them to ask . But I don't know why you would get upset at the thought of someone wondering....

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

and I guess that's my point. I DO find the term "KJ" to apply to the most common form that just spins discs, or queues up singers. No talent, and certainly could care less about the singers that they are working with. Most of these work for other people's companies.

And like many of you have commented on, Fred's situation, while not unique, is certainly rare. He's got a serious regular job, and got into this to provide an outing... in many ways the way I formed my company. Nobody else out there was doing it right, so he set out to do so. The problem is he maintains it's hard to get paid for doing it, due to the saturation and the mentality of the bar owners/managers.

I will say that I've NOT been able to start up my company here in Kansas City, as it's very heavily saturated, and has been ruined by KJs that promise lots, deliver little, and usually, are drunks to boot. I for one won't host a show JUST to host it. No I'm enough of a professional where I won't do that. Like Fred, I too make my living outside the Karaoke, but I treat Karaoke with enough respect that I wouldn't lower myself to what they're offering me.

I don't talk much on here about DJing, as this is the "karaoke scene". I've spoken more about djin' at another forum, that basically specialized in that!

And Lonnie, sorry to hear about your throat, bud!

"If I don't buy a single thing more I might pay for it all in 10 years". I regularly do volunteer gigs for charity or parks.[/quote]

At my current rate of shows, tips and Pay it is about 6 years for me.

I guess my reaction and explanation to Fred has been too subtle, though I didn't think it was.

The OP was interested, I believe, in learning our reaction to a situation that HE experienced as a SINGER.

He wasn't asking for anyone to justify why as KJ one would constantly insert themselves into the rotation at their show.

TO REPEAT MYSELF: I am sure that every KJ who sings often and regularly at their show has a reason/justification for doing so.

IMHO, other than a shortage of singers, every KJ would love to think that the audience cannot live without hearing them sing. I run into such KJ's all the time. Didn't Fred state that while he is NOT a great singer, people remember what he sang 2 years ago and people come to his shows to hear him? Fred may really believe that, but I have not been to a karaoke show in my life where someone ever said they come to that show to hear the KJ sing. Maybe my experience is unique to Ft Lauderdale?

TO FURTHER REPEAT MYSELF: I'm sure that the hosting couple that the OP complained about has quite good reasons of their own for doing what they do!

Lastly, if I felt the desire to sing regularly at my show, I am sure that I could come up with plenty of good reasons for doing so. I'm not a bad singer myself. But I don't flatter myself by thinking that my show will suffer if I don't sing!

Because I assumed you were still carrying on the "what if" scenario of the thread. I didn't realize it was "you" wondering.
My bad.
BTW, I HAVE had someone ask once. Very rude.
I just told them, with a smile on my face, that it was enough to make it worth it to haul the gear and put up with rude drunks.
They smiled back and left it at that.
Probably the only smart thing they did that day.

PS I wasn't upset.

I'm sorry, I have to disagree.......I've seen your avatar.....you are a CupCake..

In answer to the original question... It depends, does it annoy the other singers? I suspect yes but cannot guarantee it! I keep myself in the rotation but drop myself down if the rotation gets busy. If I didn't sing at all no one around here would know about Goldie Lookin' Chain and You're Mother's Got A P#nis. Or my fabulous cover of Chris Moyles's Eminem parody, Stanta.

As with all things KJ/Karaoke Host/DJ whatever you want to be called, it depends on the venue, the customers, the rotation size, how you add new singers and however many other things you want to think of. 1 song a rotation will most likely make no difference to how many songs half the singers get to sing on a busy night. 3.75 rotations instead of 3.5. It really makes no difference.

If I keep myself out of the rotation people will still complain they didn't get to sing enough (tried it), other will ask when I'm going to sing. It's all up to the good KJ to read the room.

No hard and fast rules!

When it comes to KJ, (or whatever you want to call a person running Karaoke in a Bar) sometimes people come to listen to the songs being sung. This is especially true if there is a long rotation. If the rotation is 2+ hours the only reason to stick around is that the singers are being entertaining. That can happen, especially at a well attended show where there is a relatively informal competition to sing well.

In fact I have at least a few singers who will only sing when there is a reasonably large crowd there. They are NOT there for the 5-10 singer rotation. Some of them wont sing unless there are 20 people watching.

The good singers get to know each other to some extent, and when they sing well they value the complements of other singers with ability more than the crowd in general. Eventually this creates an environment where more and more good or at least decent singers go to the show.

IF those singers are good enough they attract spectators as well.

I personally feel that by singing I am more a part of the show and am more approachable by the other singers.

I know of one Karaoke show that ran for a while that advertized that it was being run by an American Idol finalist as host. Whatever you think of the show he did sing at his shows, was probably hired more for his singing skills than his KJ skills. Since the show advertized he was from "American Idol" it was clearly obvious people expected to hear him sing on occasion. Was that the only reason ? Probably not. But it was a component, and clearly some people came to see him sing as a minor celebrity.

I do not claim to be a great singer, but I do get my complements. I can tell how many people go outside or come inside from the porch when I am going to sing some want to hear me sing (and enough of them are smokers craveing to go outside), I can see that some of them come INSIDE when I sing to listen.

Now would my show suffer If I did not sing? Yes I would enjoy it less and maybe eventually quit.

I too old to be a cupcake! Maybe I once was, but I've grown now...maybe even a layercake now??


I think this thread is beat to death!! For me, suffice to say...run the show that provides the most entertainment for the most people... paid or not, sing or not. Karaoke has always been meant for fun. As long as ppl come to the show and have FUN...what's more to say.

To answer the original question: It would not be ok at my shows.

poof

I get asked sometimes why I pull myself out of the rotation. I answer that this show is for the singers and I am trying to get them the most songs they can get in and if I take myself out then that's one spot that allows another to sing. If I get through two rotations by the ened of the night from that point that's two more people who get to sing. I am being paid to get you up to sing not to showcase my talent. That is the whole reason for karaoke. The only time you will see me sing from this point on is if someone needs a duet partner and I know the song.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Bravo

Honesty can be a wonderful thing, and while Fred's initial post did not respond to the OP, Fred was making an honest statement that he sings every chance he gets!

In my response to the OP, and to Fred and to any other comments about reasons for KJ's taking a turn in the rotation, I displayed my displeasure with KJ's who sing in every rotation!

Most significantly, with his last post, Fred admitted that it is his bat, and it is his ball and if others don't like the rules he plays by, he'll take his bat and ball home.... I respect that position considering the circumstances under which Fred "works".

However, I don't have to like it as a singer. And I most assuredly I don't have question any KJ about why he/she regularly sings in their rotation.

I know why they do so --- it's because they WANT to; not because they HAVE to.

Are you American Indian?...... ....me too old, too.....Kimosabe....

IMHO, A host shouldn't stay in the rotation once it hits length. It's the singers' show.


I read a few posts about girlfriends and boyfriends. If they are not assisting, but just sitting in the crowd, I see no reason to take them out of the rotaion just because of their relationship to the Karaoke Host. They are just another singer, and should be treated that way in the rotation.

If, on the other hand, they are assisting with the show, then they appear to be part of the hosts crew, and should be removed...

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

My daughter and her boyfriend help me haul in my equipment, set it up, and then the reverse after the show. Due to a bad knee, if I didn't have their help, the show would not go on.
However, once the show starts, I am the one that runs it, and they are regular patrons like anyone else.
While my daughter doesn't sing, her boyfriend does and I see no reason to remove him from the rotation just because he's kind enough to help me with my gear.
As far as I know, nobody has any complaints about it and he gets ZERO special treatment. In fact, I would probably lean the other way, just to avoid the appearance of favoritism.

I agree with this part. As long as they are paying patrons after helping to set up, then they have every right to sing at that point. However if they are not supporting the club by purchasing food/drink, then no they should not sing.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

If someone is paying to eat or drink, how can you deny them a spot in the rotation? The vast majority of places I've worked, offer me free drinks along with my pay. I don't drink, or drink very little while I work, but if I did, and I had to pay for it....he!!, I bet on a good night, I'd be paying my own salary.... ....bottom line....you do what works for you...ain't nobody here laying down perfect karaoke, and what works in one venue, may not work at another... .......ps....I knew we had something in common....I have a bad knee too.... ....and I'd bet a dollar to chocolate donut, that I'd enjoy your show....

I don't sing unless I have to. My job is really NOT to sing...but to make sure that everyone does and is enjoying the evening...

i.e. "orchestrate the party.... not to become part of the party."

When I'm out with friends, we obviously want to be able to sing as much as possible. If it's a medium to large sized rotation, maybe one KJ could sing. Unless it's virtually dead, I wouldn't want both KJ's to sing that's for sure.

I only sing during the first hour to get the ball rolling. You know...that time before the drinks kick in when everybody is just sitting and staring like kids at a junior high dance...afraid to be the first on the floor.