In many ways, the role of disc jockeys or DJs has not changed in the last fifty years, but in others the new breed are unrecognisable from their predecessors. It was back in the days of Radio Luxembourg that the name disc jockey became part of the popular vocabulary.
Thousands of British kids went to bed at night with their portable radios secreted under the bed-covers, so they could listen to the likes of Simon Dee, Tommy Vance, and Noel Edmunds. They were playing the kind of modern music that the BBC was not. Many would say that this was the biggest contributor to the birth of Pirate Radio.
With the birth of Radio Caroline and Radio London, based on ships moored off the Essex coast, the term DJ came into its own. The likes of Jonny Walker, Dave Lee Travis and Emperor Rosko became household names. Not only were they broadcasting "pop" music twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, but they were engaging with their listeners.
The success of these modern-day pirates was directly responsible for the modernising of the BBC and the introduction of Radios One and Two. It was a memorable day in September 1967, when Tony Blackburn became the first "jock" to take to the airways of a national radio station catering solely for the younger generation.
There is of course another side to the story of the disc jockey, and that is the live performances. With the birth of rock and roll in the mid fifties, the concept of people playing records instead of live music really took off. Thousands of kids would flock to the dance halls and clubs every week to listen to their favourite music from the USA - Bill Haley, Elvis Presley and the others.
Before long, the DJ was established as THE source of entertainment. Even today, he or she is the preferred choice to provide the music at clubs, weddings, parties and any other social gathering. The mobile disco still does the rounds, providing hours of popular music guaranteed to get everybody up and dancing.
The modern-day disc jockeys are a different breed altogether. They no longer just play the music. Nowadays they make the music. Many of them release highly successful albums of their innovative sounds and mixes in genres such as Garage, House and Hardcore. They also feature on many singles alongside top singers and rappers. It has recently been reported that vinyl records are making a comeback; so it seems the DJ is here to stay.
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