In a move that has both amused and impressed party-goers, DJ Colin Gingell-Good, also known as DJ Pressplay, has introduced a novel way to handle the constant barrage of song requests at his events. The resident DJ at Coda in Colchester, Essex, has devised a cheeky price list, with some popular tunes costing as much as £1,000 to play.
DJ Pressplay’s pricing strategy serves as a “polite reminder” that he is the one in charge of the music. For instance, birthday requests will set you back £50, while playing a song because guests are about to leave costs £100. Fans of Oasis’ “Wonderwall” will need to part with £500, and those desperate to hear The Killers’ “Mr Brightside” must be willing to shell out a whopping £1,000.
Colin, 51, explained the rationale behind his unconventional pricing: “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.”
He continued, “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 that being away from the dance floor during Covid has altered people’s attitudes, making it harder to manage song requests. He observed post-lockdown, “people have changed” and “a lot don’t take no for an answer anymore.” While venues initially had reservations about his signage, it’s catching on, with more bands and DJs adopting a similar approach.
Colin 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,” he shared. His strategy seems effective: “Since I’ve put the signs up, I had not one person requesting it, so it seems to work.”
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.”
Here’s a glimpse of DJ Pressplay’s humorous yet effective song price list:
- Sex On Fire – £250
- Wonderwall – £500
- Mr Brightside – £1000
- Good songs that fit the night – FREE
- Songs that do not fit the night – £100
- Birthday requests – £50 (unless it does not fit the night – see above rate)
- Must have your song played next because you are leaving – £100
- Insisting you know better than the DJ – £500
- Just enjoying your night and the music that is playing – FREE
Follow DJ Pressplay on Instagram for more updates and entertaining anecdotes from his DJing adventures.
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