Essex DJ fed up with annoying requests charges £1k to play certain song

A savvy Essex DJ has come up with a crafty solution to deal with pushy party-goers and their relentless song requests by slapping a price tag on popular tracks - with some tunes costing a staggering £1,000 to spin. Colin Gingell-Good, better known as DJ Pressplay, knows all too well the pressure from punters desperate to hear their favourite anthems. The 51-year-old has whipped up a sly tariff as a "polite reminder" that he's the boss of the beats

His inventive pricing means a birthday shoutout will cost you £50, while playing a tune because someone's about to head home is priced at £100. If you're itching for Oasis' Wonderwall, it'll set you back £500, and The Killers' Mr Brightside comes with a hefty £1,000 price tag.

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Colin, who is the main man on the decks at Coda in Colchester, said: "The majority of people request songs they personally love, but it doesn't always fit the vibe of the night or the crowd. When I'm, for example, playing a disco and soul night, you won't hear anything metal or something by the Foo Fighters, it just doesn't fit.

"Some people don't understand why we DJs do this, and that we are playing songs to keep the vibe going. The list is a tongue-in-cheek joke, the majority of people take it as a joke and can laugh about it. It is more for those people who do not take no for an answer and to keep from having discussions as to why I won't play a song."

Having spent 17 years in the industry, Colin noted being away from the dance floor during Covid has changed people's attitudes, making it harder to manage song requests. He observed that post-lockdown, "people have changed" and "a lot don't take no for an answer anymore".

Venues initially had reservations about his signage, but it's catching on, with more bands and DJs adopting a similar approach. Colin shared: "Some cover bands have made their own lists because they get a lot of people asking to play certain songs and being treated like a jukebox."

He believes having requests in writing makes them more authoritative than a verbal refusal: "With most things in writing, people take this more seriously than us just telling them that we won't play a song."

Colin has a personal stance against playing 'Mr Brightside': "I've never played Mr Brightside, I just think it's over-played. I don't hate The Killers, but I just think there are so many better songs out there." His strategy seems effective: "Since I've put the signs up, I had not one person requesting it, so it seems to work."

Follow DJ Pressplay on Instagram.

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