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For those who enjoy a bit of a read and wish to find out more about Hot Fusion Mobile Disco, I have created this page to offer more information about me, the rest of the team and the business generally - this way I am able to keep the main page free from non-essential clutter.
Where to start?
Well, I was born in 1962, I'm married and have five kids. At quite an early age I developed an interest in electronics and audio equipment, and once into my teens started to get called upon by friends to provide the music and amplification for private parties. I found I quite enjoyed this, so it was a logical step to eventually run my own business offering my services as a mobile DJ.
I don't work alone these days, and two of my kids are closely involved with Hot Fusion:
My oldest son Lee, born in 1987, is my main help and assists me in loading, unloading and setting up the equipment, as some of the equipment is too heavy for one person to lift safely. He is familiar with the equipment, has a good knowledge of the music and is quite capable of running the show on his own. My oldest daughter Sarah, born in 1992, also accompanies me to many events, particularly childrens' parties and teenage discos, and is useful in helping to choose the music for such events. She is also quite capable of running the show and apart from some music decisions and some microphone work pretty much does so for the younger age groups.
I have set out some of the questions I have been asked in the past and have added some I have anticipated, along with detailed answers to assist you in deciding whether or not Hot Fusion is the disco for your event. Please browse through the following questions, but if you have a question which doesn't appear here, please e-mail it to me and I will answer as best I can, and if the answer could be helpful to others I'll add it to the list.
DO YOU OPERATE LEGALLY?
I'm not entirely sure what was meant by this one, but the answer is yes. I have public liability insurance and the electrical equipment is regularly tested for safety, although these are not, strictly speaking, legal requirements at the moment. I am registered as self-employed and declare my earnings for tax which is a legal requirement, and my vehicle is correctly insured for business use. I use original CDs as my source of music rather than playing from a laptop or hard drive controller, which means I am exempt from the recently introduced and much maligned ProDub licence.
HOW CAN I BE SURE YOU'LL TURN UP?
I think this is a worry a lot of people have, and a difficult fear to dispel. So far I have never failed to turn up to a show, and have been known to do discos with a broken arm! I did have help, of course, and this is the important factor: I have a son and a daughter, both of whom are quite capable of running the show and who regularly work with me, which is useful if I was unfortunate enough to be hospitalised or seriously ill. Having a cold or 'flu doesn't stop me!
In addition to this I am in touch with a few local DJs, one of whom may be able to step in if for some reason Hot Fusion was completely out of action. As regards transport, my van is regularly serviced and I have bought breakdown cover, which means that if the vehicle were to break down I could get if fixed or towed to the venue. I would obviously be a little late arriving in this case, and this is why I like to get a mobile number so that I can advise the client of the delay should such a thing ever happen.
ARE THERE HIDDEN EXTRAS TO THE QUOTE FOR MILEAGE AND SO ON?
No. Mileage is taken into account when I give you a quote, and I will have all the equipment available for use as I don't charge extra for smoke effects, strobe and so-on. The quote you are given is the total fee, with no nasty surprises. Please note that I don't offer bubble or snow effects.
DO YOU HAVE A SMALLER DISCO AVAILABLE FOR USE IN A SMALL FUNCTION ROOM?
Not at the moment. I have toyed with the idea of providing a minimal setup for those smaller venues, but the lost revenue due to having to decline a small number of bookings is far less than the cost of buying alternative equipment. However, I appreciate that not everyone wants a setup such as the one I currently use, so in the future I may be able to offer a smaller alternative - plans are already afoot...
ALTHOUGH MY WEDDING ISN'T FOR ANOTHER FOURTEEN MONTHS SHOULD I BOOK YOU NOW?
Yes. As soon as you have made a decision to book me for your event, make it official as otherwise I may take another booking for your date. Casual enquiries for a particular date are logged, but will be overridden by any confirmed booking for the same slot, possibly without notice. Remember that you can always cancel if need be - see next item.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I NEED TO CANCEL THE BOOKING?
No problem, and I won't even ask you why. Firstly advise me by telephone or e-mail, and then send me a short letter to confirm your intentions to cancel. Alternatively you can write 'CANCELLED' across your copy of the booking form, sign and date the alteration and send that back to me. If the cancellation is made within 24 hours of the start of the event I will require that you pay half of the agreed fee, as it would be too late to make other arrangements at that short a notice. Cancellations made further in advance of this would simply result in the loss of any reservation fee you may have been charged.
ARE YOU GOING TO DEAFEN US?
No. I adjust the volume to suit the crowd and dominant age group; Teenagers tend to like the music rather loud, whereas more family-orientated events tend to require a more moderate sound level, as many like to be able to chat during the evening. You will find me very compliant, and if I have made an error of judgment on the night please advise me and I'll adjust the volume accordingly.
ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY ALL THAT HEAD-BANGING STUFF?
Not if you don't want me to. I try to adjust the musical content to match the guests, but am happy to take requests and am happy to be guided by your preferences - simply let me know when we arrange the booking details or make requests on the night.
CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT YOU USE 'ORIGINAL' SONGS, AND NOT SOME NEW VERSION?
If I am asked to play a particular song, for example Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive", the track I will play will be the original version which charted. There are a few examples of tracks which were covered in later years by another singer or group, but I will only play these later versions if I am specifically asked for those versions - the default choice would always be the original version. The only exception to this may be where I only have the album version of a track available; These album versions are usually the same, only perhaps a little longer in duration - "Love Shack" by the B52s is one example of this, as I now play the 5 minute album version rather than the single version which I only have on vinyl, and I no longer accommodate this format.
IS THERE ANYWHERE WE COULD COME TO LISTEN TO YOU DOING YOU STUFF?
Possibly. It all depends on the type of function, really. Most tend to be private events such as birthdays or weddings and in these situations I wouldn't even ask if a third party could attend - I would consider it a bit of a cheek. However, if I was performing at a public event then there wouldn't be a problem, and you could attend as a member of the public. There is one problem with this though, and that is simply that the music I play at one event may be rather different to that played at another - it depends entirely on the requests and reactions of that particular audience.
CAN YOU PROVIDE ANY REFERENCES?
Yes I can, although I consider this an unusual request at the cheaper end of the market where I prefer to operate. If there is a particularly good reason for requesting a reference then I may be able to put you in touch with some previous customers, although I would have to OK it with them first - for obvious reasons I don't distribute customers' contact details to anyone who asks!
DO I HAVE TO SIGN A CONTRACT?
Yes. There are certain stipulations and conditions which need to be agreed to, to ensure I don't get any nasty surprises or get asked to use the equipment in a totally inappropriate or unsafe setting. Also this document details the requirements for cancellations, payment and a host of other details. You can examine a copy of the document here: Terms And Conditions
DO YOU OFFER KARAOKE?
No. Not much to add to that one really...
WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT?
I have a cunning plan... I carry backup equipment. If a major component fails, the music will be down for as long as it takes to swap a few leads around - a few minutes at most. I use 4 individual amplifiers for the sound system, and if one should fail, I can easily reconnect a speaker to another working amplifier and you may barely notice there was a problem. For those with a technical background, I run the amps into a higher impedance than their design minimum, which enhances reliability no end. The speakers are generously rated and can take far more than the amps can put out so there is little chance of a failure there. I use multiple lighting sources so a failure there would be barely noticed. I use 4 CD decks so even if I lost 2 CD decks it still wouldn't affect the night. In summary, the gear is pretty well backed up! I can't do very much about a complete mains power failure though - that would be beyond my control.
DO YOU TAKE REQUESTS?
Yes - of course! It has to be said that not all requests are suitable for playing at a particular event, but I will make a decision as to whether or not I'll play a 'dodgy' track. Apart from that, if I have the track with me, I'll play it, although it may not be immediately. This could be because either the type of music requested would clash badly with the type being played at that moment, or there are other peoples' requests in the queue before yours. One point - my memory isn't particularly good, so I may need reminding of a request I have forgotten about!
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PLAY A SPECIAL SONG FOR OUR FIRST DANCE?
This is the accepted custom at wedding evening discos, and I am happy to incorporate this into the evening. Please let me know which song you would like well in advance of the event, as I may not have the song in my collection and will need time to source a copy of it. Alternatively, you could bring a CD with it on if you have a copy yourself. If I am having trouble sourcing the track you have requested, I'll let you know in good time so that you can make alternative arrangements or try to source it yourself.
I KNOW SOMEONE WHO CAN DO A DISCO A LOT CHEAPER. WHY THE DIFFERENCE?
Well, all I can say is please go ahead and book them if price is the only criteria. I set my prices according to my expenses, and the profit I need to realise over the year in relation to the estimated number of bookings I'll get, and I do my best to keep my prices affordable. It is possible (although by no means certain) that the disco you know is not properly insured, and he may be operating illegally by not being registered for tax or be obtaining his music illegally. In the end, if you find someone cheaper I'll not try to compete, so please don't ask me to match or beat someone else's price.
WHAT AREA DO YOU COVER?
Essentially within about 40 miles of Exeter, Devon. I will travel anywhere, but the greater the distance the more I have to add to the price and so the less competitive I will be, to the point where it may well be better to hire a disco local to you if the event is to be held more than about 40 miles from Exeter.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO SET UP?
I like to allow an hour where access is straightforward and level. The time needed will be greater if there is difficult access, although I'll discuss this with you if I'm not familiar with the chosen venue. A similar amount of time is needed to pack the equipment away, so please allow for this at the end of the night.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SET UP EARLIER IN THE DAY?
Yes, I can do, although I would charge an additional fee for this to cover extra time and travelling costs, which will be dependent on distance from base. I can discuss this with you during the booking process, and fix a price then.
MY MATE RUNS A DISCO. CAN HE HAVE A GO ON YOUR GEAR?
No! Not a chance. My equipment costs rather a lot of money, and I won't risk ham-fisted operators being let loose on it. In addition to this, my insurance only covers me or my representatives, not members of the public.
WE'RE THINKING OF HAVING A BAND AS WELL. IS THIS A PROBLEM?
It can be, due to the size of the setup I use, although if the band are operating from a different area of the venue, combining the two can make for a great evening. We would need to establish that there won't be an equipment space conflict.
THE FUNCTION ROOM HAS A SOUND LIMITER. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
You are lucky the venue management have warned you beforehand, as this rarely happens. A sound limiter is a device which monitors the sound in the room, and if this rises above a certain level the power to the disco is cut off, regardless of the origin of the sound - this can be people cheering, for example. The upshot of this is that I will have to keep the music to a fairly low level, and generally reduce the bass content which spoils the sound quality. All this has a negative effect on the chances of creating a disco atmosphere, so bear this in mind when you book the venue. I'd suggest giving such venues a miss if you are holding a disco, but if this is unavoidable I'll do my best to work with the sound limiter, although do be prepared for some power cuts and a very quiet disco. I do warn the guests of such devices anyhow, to explain why the music is being played at home hi-fi levels, and not at disco levels.
WHAT SORT OF MUSIC DO YOU PLAY?
As long as it's mainstream chart material, pretty much anything from the 1950s to current chart material, although I base my decision on the age group present and particularly the type of requests I am receiving. I don't accommodate bookings where a specific genre of music is required for the whole evening, for example a night of just club music, or just indie or rock, as these are specialist areas and would require a specialist DJ to provide such a service. I tend to play a mix of disco-suitable music, consisting of well-known danceable pop music. If you would like me to change the type of music I'm playing, let me know, although do try to be specific, as suggestions to "play something from the 60s" or "play something modern" for example, are pretty meaningless and rather unhelpful.
DO YOU DO CHILDRENS' DISCOS?
Yes I do, although please note that I don't as a rule offer games other than the basic musical statues, chairs and bumps, and then only if specifically requested - I don't class myself as a childrens' entertainer and a disco is really what's on offer here. I would recommend a minimum age of about 7 years for events of this nature, although I can and do accommodate younger ages than this.
© Andrew Westcott 2003 - 2008