I Have To
Sing Next!

SINGERS - Most of you have tried using one or more of the following lines on your KJ to move up in the"rotation". Just so you know, we're all onto you and you're not fooling anybody!

Listed below are the Top
REASONS WHY

1. I have to go home.
2. I can sing that song so much
better.
3. I'm a friend of _________and
he/she said I can sing next
anytime I want (used a lot when
a "sub" host is running the
regular KJ's show).
4. My girlfriend is awesome - let
her sing next.
5. I'm leaving in 10 minutes.
6. I have to go to work in the
morning (SO WHO
DOESN'T?).
7. It's _______'s birthday - please
let them sing.
8. I have to leave for another
karaoke show.
9. I own this place.
10. The club owner said I could.
11. I need to sing now so I can start
drinking.
12. I have finally had enough to
drink and I have to sing before I
get too drunk.
13. My friends dared me and if I
don't sing now, I never will.
14. I have to catch a plane.
15. My manager (or a talent agent)
is in the audience and wants to
hear me sing!
16. I'm drunk and I don't know what
I'm doing.
17. I spend a lot of money in this
club.
18. If I don't sing next, I'm going to
the club down the street and
taking all of my friends with me.
19. My relatives are in town visiting
and they're leaving to go back
home tomorrow.
20. I'll give you a tip!
21. I signed-up hours ago and you
haven't called me up yet.
22. I signed-up last night and you
never called me up to sing.
23. We're all here together and we
want to sing "Love Shack".
24. I have to go to church tomorrow
(especially popular in the "Bible
Belt").
25. I'm trying to get this girl's/guy's
attention and want to impress
him/her with my singing.
26. I'm old and can't stay up any
later.
27. Nobody will know.
(EVERYBODY will know!)

And finally, please remember that karaoke is supposed to be for fun, and enjoyed by everyone. Please be considerate of all the performers and most importantly check your egos at the door.

____________________________

Would you like to see karaoke taken seriously as a form of live entertainment? willing to pay you'll be lucky. Can you say small claims court? You have to accept the fact that you dealing with people who are not in total control, stuff happens and if you whine every time something is broken 'specially to the owner you'll be looking for another gig. You are responsible for your tools. The price of doing business.

STAR KARAOKE with KJ Host Debra Lewis
I had a big greasy hairy biker type come from a show at a local "Bubba's Bar & Grill" next door now out of biz from where I worked for 3 years. First mistake he called for one of our waitresses, "Hey BAR-MAE-YED!" He turns in Mister Mister "Broken Wing" reaches across my face with his big fat hairy arm and just re-adjusts my mixer before my stunned self can say BOO! I thought about biting him but I had NO idea where that arm had been or the last time he bathed (at least he didn't smell). Well I informed him that if ANYONE laid another finger on my machine they would NEVER sing with me EVER again in this lifetime. I have had sound engineers for nationally known groups compliment my sound. This guy was used to music so loud you couldn't tell what he was
singing-tons of bass.

I have had one drunk girl come onto the stage next to me as I was singing, sit down at my machine and try to go through my discs. I VERY firmly snatched her up by her wrist and
"almost" slung her off the stage. I was careful that she didn't fall, after all she was drunk. She got the message and that action was NEVER repeated!

Singers Speak Out

We've heard a lot of karaoke goers bemoan KJs who break up the singing rotation with dance sets, yet others seem to prefer those sorts of shows. Here are some of your views.

Vic Jang
As one who regards himself as a singer - and not at all a dancer, I can't say I'm enthusiastic about waiting through dance sets for my next turn at the mike, but having stumbled into a few of these mix type shows, I can't maintain that they are irredeemably evil. For one, mixing dance sets with singing seems to attract a wider mix of people, usually attracts MORE people also. But, in my experience when people dance to your singing, flash you high signs as they float past and give it all up for you when you finish, they make you feel more like a real entertainer, and less like an impatient patron competing for time at the mike.

Kathy Rowbal
At most of the karaoke shows we go to, by the end of the evening people are getting up to dance. They don't care if someone is singing well or not, they just want to dance. I don't like the idea of having the rotation broken up with "dance sets".

Bruce Myers
If a show is billed as a karaoke show, it should be a karaoke show with no dance songs mixed in. Truth in advertising. If you wanted to watch Chicago Hope on TV, would you like it if they decided to throw in a little part of Mad ABout You just in case people watching also wanted a little comedy? Would it be ok for Garth Brooks to allow a 30 minute set of Metallica in the middle of his show just in case there were Metallica fans also present? How about going to a wrestling match and having them pause the match and have a 30 minute mime show in the middle just in case there were mime fans there? Ok - so I'm taking it out of context, but I don't think the analogy is too far off. If people want to go out dancing, they shouldn't pick a place that advertises karaoke unless they are the ones willing to dance to whatever is being sung.

Bill O'Connor
Karaoke is a fantastic ego feed otherwise we wouldn't do it nearly as much as we do. As for the dance mixes in the rotation, I say fine. Just make sure that you advertise it as such. If it's a karaoke show, it should be a karaoke show.

Robert Benevides
I know of at least a few singers that would look for other stages to sing on. I avoid Karaoke/Dance shows like the plague. If I'm only going to get to sing 3 or 4 times in an evening why should they play 3 dance songs every hour for the people who don't sing? Singers don't get to sing three songs an hour. Why should dancers get three songs an hour at a show that's advertised as a karaoke show ? Once the singers get fed up and start going somewhere els

Jeanette Mcconey
The 3-song dance break doesn't have to be every hour. It is only when the singers are not in the mood to sing dance songs....or can't meet the needs of the listeners. It can be used to set and shift the course in a different direction. It is to break the monotony. Sometimes, that one dance set could lead the way for singers to get in the mood for singing dance music....then you don't need the dance break music.

Steven A. Lits
If the group of singers is small, you could encourage a rotation of Kamakazi Karaoke with dance songs. It breaks up the monotony. One place that I used to go to last year, I had encouraged the KJ to do that. About half of the people in the rotation were willing to give it a try. We did that for a few weeks and it was a blast. Some of us even picked up new songs to sing as a result.

Alma Mendoza
I've been singing for 8 years. I've talked to hundreds of people who were more content to be an audience than singers. They know that when they go into a KARAOKE show it is to hear singers. They really aren't so naive as to expect a dance club. I also think that if the KJ is that worried about all of the audience at a KARAOKE show then he/she should be the one singing the dance song that is needed. If they don't have the variety in their repertoire that they expect in their singers then they shouldn't complain. I think it's pretty sad that a KJ would say that a great voice is needed to bring out dancers. That is not what karaoke is about. The KJs that I have had the most respect for have been the ones that prepare for great weekend shows by giving practice time to singers on quiet nights.

Marissa Bennett
My area is a small city with population of 10 thousand. And we don't have a long rotation here. The longest rotation we've had for different individuals is around 10. However, we do have more listeners, some of whom have been the bar's own regulars, and quite of number of these listeners like to drink and dance. Our singers enjoy singing because they have an audience. A real group of listeners....not only fellow-singers a-waiting their turn. They help pack the place up and make karaoke fun for our singers, they also usually are the ones drinking the most.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF KARAOKE
Here they are, the Ten Commandments of Karaoke, paraphrased from the original. Anyone who is a true blue karaoke junkie should already know these rules and abide by them at all times. KJ's, feel free to copy these commandments and place them in your books.

COMMANDMENT #1
THOU SHALT NOT jeer, heckle, boo, harass, or otherwise interrupt a singer. It's not only bad manners, but may result in a very quick 86 out of the bar.

COMMANDMENT #2
THOU SHALT NOT swing the mic by its cord, dance with the mic stand, or get too drunk to control your actions. The equipment used for karaoke is expensive, and you may be held accountable for damages. The 86 experience may also be encountered here.

COMMANDMENT #3
THOU SHALT NOT whine about when your next turn is; you will sing no less than everyone else.

COMMANDMENT #4
THOU SHALT NOT be upset if another patron sings a song you were planning to sing. There are plenty of songs to choose from, and you can always do it another night.

COMMANDMENT #5
THOU SHALT NOT use foul language when at the mic. You might find it is the last time on stage for you, if you don't wind up taking the old 86 Express!

COMMANDMENT #6
THOU SHALT NOT come to the stage with a beer or cigarette. Again, the equipment is very expensive, and easily damaged by things such as spilled drinks and cigarette burns.

COMMANDMENT #7
THOU SHALT NOT sing along louder than the performer or join the performer on stage unless invited. This can be very irritating and distracting for the singer.

COMMANDMENT #8
THOU SHALT NOT walk in front of the screen or block the singer's view of the screen. This is very rude, as the singer must be able to see the words in order to sing.

COMMANDMENT #9
THOU SHALT NOT carry on a loud conversation next to the stage. It is hard for a singer to follow the music cues when they have people talking loudly next to them.

COMMANDMENT #10
THOU SHALT APPLAUD!! Come on now, anyone who gets up there deserves some attention, don't you think? And besides, we're all here to have fun!!

Well, while I was surfin' the web, I found another 10 commandments.....so check these out too....

1) THOU SHALL NOT WALK IN FRONT OF THE MONITOR WHEN SOMEONE ELSE IS SINGING. IT IS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AND VERY RUDE. "I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!"

2) THOU SHALL ALWAYS APPLAUD FOR EVERY SINGER. SOMEDAY YOU MAY BE UP THERE. (R-E-S-P-E-C-T)

3) THOU SHALL NOT SING BACK-UP FOR SOMEONE UNLESS THEY SPECIFICALLY ASK YOU TO. WE DO NOT NEED "A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS!"

4) THOU SHALL NOT ASK THE KJ IF YOU CAN SING OUT OF TURN JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT "LEAVING ON YOUR MIND!"

5) THOU SHALL NOT CONTINUOUSLY ASK THE KJ WHEN IT WILL BE YOUR TURN TO SING. ("ENOUGH IS ENOUGH")

6) THOU SHALL NOT CHANGE YOUR TUNE ONCE YOU GET ON STAGE AND IT IS ALL KEYED UP. JUST "LET IT BE!"

7) THOU SHALL NOT GO TO KARAOKE AND JUST DRINK WATER. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL KARAOKE ESTABLISHMENT, WHO IS PAYING FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT, BY
HAVING JUST "TWO MORE BOTTLES OF WINE!"

8) THOU SHALL NOT BE "SWINGING" THE MICROPHONE BY THE CORD, NOR "BEAT IT" OR DROP IT! NOR SHALL ONE USE THE MIC FOR "GOOD VIBRATIONS" OR "STROKIN!"

9) THOU SHALL NOT GET UP ON STAGE TO SING WITH A DRINK OR CIGARETTE IN HAND. "NA, NA, HEY, HEY, KISS THEM GOODBYE!"

10) THOU SHALL NOT TRY TO TAKE OVER THE KARAOKE SHOW JUST BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS OR FRIENDS ARE IN TOWN. GO TO A STUDIO AND MAKE A RECORDING IF THEY WANT TO HEAR "ONLY YOU!"
REPRINTED FROM MAY 1993 ISSUE OF "KARAOKE SUPERSTAR SCENE"