Play Something We Can Dance To!

In early 1985 I was trying to pay some bills by spinning records at various establishments and schools.  Unlike my Those Were The Days radio show, the life of a mobile d.j. revolves around beats per minute.  There were many dance classics on the radio in early 1985.  Dance floor faves included:  Neutron Dance-Pointer Sisters,  Easy Lover-Phillip Bailey/Phil Collins, and a slow dance jam I Can't Fight This Feeling-REO Speedwagon.  There was always one fellow that would bug the d.j. until a medium tempo head banger song was played that would clear the dance floor.  'Hey, why are you playing this?" would be the cry. "Play something we can dance to", would be the next line.  The life of a mobile dj is a bit easier these days because equipment is lighter.  They do not have to carry heavy cases of record albums (unless they want to).  They can look up songs on their phones and play them almost instantly.  I was happy to retire to the WRCO studios in 1986 because I did not have to worry about whether the song was danceable.  We still try to keep the beat a bit more up tempo on WRCOs' Those Were The Days.  When several slow songs are requested,  I try to spread them out.  We don't want our audience to fall asleep before midnight.  This Saturday night you will be able to hear some of the biggest 45's of early 1985 and your rock and roll requests from the fifites through the eighties.  You can take our trivia challenges.  I will be flying back from Westby and the WIAA Sectional Saturday evening just in time to play the hits.  Make sure to request something fast that you can dance to which will also keep me awake after a busy day!

Phil