Chennai: “If disc jockeys (DJs) are allowed to continue their invasion, it will lead to a loss in livelihood for over 50,000 musicians in Tamilnadu,” says Tamilnadu Medai Mellisai Kalaignargal Sangam secretary K R Rakesh Raj.
The murmur against use of DJs during wedding receptions is growing louder by the day as most people seem to be opting out of stage music performances.
Speaking to News Today, Rakesh complained about how DJs were ruining musicians’ talent and livelihood. “Before DJs came into the picture, music performances on the stage on important occasions like marriage were not only natural but also emotionally living up to our traditions. But when DJs started invading into our business, they have ruined everything, including our livelihood,” he said.
According to Rakesh, DJs charge less because of less investment and less man power. “When we are called for performances, we bring in at least 15 skilled members who are masters in playing instruments. We spend a lot of time and effort in practising to make sure our audience enjoy our show. The income what we get out of our performances is shared equally among us. But, a DJ brings only one equipment. So, he charges less than us and takes home the entire income,” he added.
He also warned of suicides if the government doesn’t intervene and ban DJs in private functions.
‘Just a few years since DJs started taking our role, over 50,000 musicians have been rendered jobless. Of these, 20,000 are from Chennai. So far, three musicians have committed suicide and we fear the number might rise in the future.”
Rakesh, who is a drummer, elaborated on the efforts taken so far. Recently, scores of musicians participated in the protest at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai, organised by the association to draw attention to their plight. Musician-director T Rajendher was also present to lend a sympathetic ear to the musicians.
Even after running from pillar to post, there has not been any productive measures from the government.
“Though some action has been taken in the rest of Tamilnadu, Chennai still remains a cause for concern. We have met Tamil Language and Culture Minister K Pandiarajan, Deputy Commissioner of Police S Vimala and they assured of proactive measures.”
| Maharashtra sets example |
| The Bombay High Court Friday ruled in favour of a ban on DJ and loud music in public places while rejecting the PIL filed by Professional Audio and Light Association (PALA), the umbrella body comprising people who supply DJ and sound systems for functions in Maharashtra. The PIL had argued against the ban citing the end of festive season. However, the public prosecutor had opposed the proposal saying that around 75 per cent of noise pollution cases filed in the State are related to the use of DJs and high-decibel sound systems in public places. |
| Who is a DJ? |
| DJ is a person who plays existing recorded music for a live audience. S/he uses record players, usually turntables, to manipulate sounds on phonograph records. Originally, the ‘disc’ in ‘disc jockey’ referred to gramophone records, but now DJ is used as an all-encompassing term to describe someone who mixes recorded music from any source, including cassettes, CDs or digital audio files on a CDJ or laptop. The title DJ is commonly used by DJs in front of their real names or adopted pseudonyms or stage names. |