33 Years in the Game: 5 Things I Wish I Knew as a 90s DJ & Producer

This post is going to be slightly different from my usual tutorials and standard producer chatter. Today, I’m taking a look back.

I’ve been DJing, producing, and releasing records for 33 years now. Over more than three decades in the music industry, I’ve made a lot of ground, learned a massive amount, made plenty of mistakes, and experienced all different levels of success.

Looking back at where it all started for me in the 1990s, here are the five things I deeply wish I had known or focused on more when I was younger. If you are a rising producer or DJ today, I hope these insights save you some of the hurdles I had to climb the hard way.

1. The Power of Sheet Music and Daily Discipline

Out of all the instruments I’ve picked up over the years—from drums and bass to guitar—the keyboard is where I finally found my home. For the last 25 years, no matter where I’ve lived, I’ve always made sure to have an electric or acoustic piano in my space.

But here is my first regret:

I wish I had stuck to sheet music and daily practice from day one.

I didn't actually learn to read sheet music until about 25 years ago, well after I had already been producing records for years by just "winging it." I had to start completely from scratch, learning basic nursery rhymes just to understand the notes on the page.

While my reading has improved over the years, my practice is still too intermittent. I know that if I had dedicated just 30 to 60 minutes a day to disciplined practice, my technique and fluid capability as a player would be on a totally different level today.

2. Patience Over Pace: Mastering the Technical Side Early

When I first started out in digital music production back in 1994, my entire setup consisted of an Akai sampler and an Atari ST.

In those days, I was always in a massive rush to finish a track. It was pure sound alchemy—grabbing a sample from here, a sample from there, throwing them together, and seeing what happened. Back then, "filtering disco house" was the massive trend, and because it was so heavily sample-based, I didn't worry about key signatures, scales, or music theory. I just banged it together. Sometimes the results were brilliant; other times they were catastrophic.

Because I was moving so fast, I didn't slow down to learn the technical fundamentals—like proper EQing, pristine mixing, or how to write a bassline that perfectly locks into the key of the chords. I didn’t master those elements until much later in my career.

Developing patience and self-discipline in the studio when you are young is a superpower. Taking the time to understand why a mix works technically is just as important as the creative spark that started the track.

3. Developing Foresight and Embracing the Big Picture

I was incredibly lucky to be a DJ and producer right when subgenres like trance, progressive house, disco house, and speed garage were being born. The scene was fast-moving and electric. However, I was so caught up "in the moment" that I lacked the foresight to plan for the future. I wish I had been courageous enough to set up a record label much earlier than I did.

If you don’t thoroughly plan a business venture, it will fall apart. I learned this the hard way in 2005 even after being in the game for 12 years at that point , however the scene was evloving into unknown territory with the digital scene and so we were all shooting in the dark at this point, so when I tried to launch an early MP3 digital download site called MP3digi.com.

I spent about £2,000 trying to build this primitive site right at the dawn of digital downloads. The fatal mistake?

I tried to do absolutely everything myself. I didn't understand the massive hosting infrastructure required, and I didn't reach out to professional web developers or graphic designers to build a team. It fell flat on its face.

Failing is part of the journey, but learning to look ahead and collaborate with experts is what turns a passionate idea into a sustainable reality.

4. Independent Networking vs. Relying on Management

From 1993 to 2002, I was heavily looked after by a brand called Progress in Derby. For ten years, I had a manager and a team handling everything.

When you have that kind of backing, you become comfortable. Gigs were booked, interviews were lined up, and my only job was to turn up and perform. I was flying all over the place, appearing on TV, and doing press in London. But because I am naturally a bit of an introvert, I stayed in my shell and let the management team be the face of the business. I wish I’d had the drive to put myself out there independently and build my own personal network.

When my son was born in 2003, I took a brief step back from the industry. By the time I fully returned in 2005 and 2006, the landscape had completely shifted. Vinyl was declining rapidly, everything went digital, and suddenly, I was completely on my own.

Suddenly, I went from just being the artist to working fifteen different jobs at once. Navigating that digital shift without a personal network or a team was a massive mountain to climb. Don’t just rely on others to build your relationships—do it yourself.

5. Take Better Care of Your Vinyl & Equipment

I’ve been buying records solidly since the late 1980s. Throughout the 90s, I was a working club DJ playing three or four nights a week. My records weren’t sitting safely on a shelf at home; they were out in the trenches with me.

They were shoved into record bags, slammed onto decks in dark club corners, traveled in heavy flight cases, and suffered immense wear and tear. Today, looking through my collection, iconic sleeves like Underworld’s Born Slippy, Shades of Rhythm’s Sound of Eden, or Pennies from Heaven are split, torn, and held together by old Sellotape. The vinyl itself is covered in surface marks and scratches.

There is an old saying in club culture: "Never trust a DJ with a mint record collection." If your records look pristine, it means they weren't getting played!

Even so, I wish I had treated my collection with a little more care and respect back then. While I’m incredibly grateful for modern digital decks that allow me to find clean, crisp digital copies of my scratched classics, nothing replaces the value of a well-preserved original press.

Music Has No Expiry Date

Looking back at the 90s, I certainly had more raw energy and tenacity than I do now. But the most important takeaway from my 32 years in this industry is this: music has no expiry date.

The old attitude that you have to stop DJing or producing once you hit a certain age is completely dead. Look at The Rolling Stones playing massive stages in their 80s, or legends like Carl Cox still dominating the global electronic scene in his 60s.

Music keeps you young. It keeps a fire burning inside you. I still get that exact same spark today when I hear a fresh, brilliant track, or when an old record floods me with memories of the golden era. I’m still here, still releasing music, and heading into my 50s doing exactly what I love. Some tracks flop, some do well, but the passion never changes.

For any music advice or mentoring from RobJamWeb and Waxadisc Music please click HERE and discuss in person anything you want to learn or progress with on your own music.