The DJ Days

Have you ever had a hobby that you loved so much, it became your entire social life? That's exactly how I felt about DJing. It all started back in high school when I was inspired by the incredible talents that played at our dances. I knew I had to get involved, but as a music newbie with no rhythm, I had to start from scratch.

Back in 1990, equipment was expensive for a high school kid like me. My best friend and I had to borrow from our parents just to get started. But with hard work, we played at weddings, and 90-year-old birthday parties. It was great business experience, and we loved every minute of it.

After graduation, my partners moved on, but I was still hungry to DJ. College gigs were more interesting, including frat parties, backyard boogies, and school club parties. I even met other DJs who were now well-known radio hosts and Vegas club stars.

Clubs and bars were my next challenge. It was a totally different business and incredibly hard to break into. However, we got lucky at first when a bartender from a club called the Muse heard us play at a party and asked us to DJ there. We stayed at that place for almost a decade, which is unusual in the fast-paced world of bars and clubs.

When the Muse was sold in 2006, we moved down the street to 35er, a dive bar with no house equipment. It was a challenge at first, but we eventually got the place live. By 2008, I was ready to settle down and put DJing on a back burner, but it still remained a hobby.

Recently, I was reminded of how much fun DJing can be when I played at my buddy's birthday bash. I couldn't help but recall old memories and dug up some photos from the DJ heyday to share with you. Take a look at some of the throwback photos below:

A shot of the Muse club booth where we played from 1997-2006.

A photo of me playing at 35er, the dive bar where we moved to after the Muse.

A more recent picture of me DJing at Chapter One in Santa Ana for a special occasion.

I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane with me. Do you have any hobbies or interests that became your entire social life at one point? Share your stories in the comments below!