James T, I was never niave about the KJs skills. I did my own sound mixing for decades. I made tapes going back to the 60s so it's nothing new to me. What I hadn't realized was how radically different some of the newer thrash songs really are. Me First and the Gimme Gimme's is a punk band who really emphasise this. You wouldn't get two words in while they play as they wipe out (deliberately) the entire sonic spectrum. If we played one of their tracks you'd have to mute them to nothing. I'd just go home.

Also Garry pointed out that whereas bands usually set the relative mix once or twice, the KJ has to do it anew for each song. But, as I've pointed out, having done the relative mix on the 2 main tracks, vocal & backing, the overall can just then be tuned up & down like a hi fi. Sure it is a skill & the hosts who post here clearly take their work seriously. But many venues don't. Loud is better is the motto for them.

As to this ideal that karaoke is for everyone, I have been to too many venues where this is exactly what is not happening. We don't get to take turns trying out singing, it is not peaceful, they do not bond with strangers etc. These places are more like a scene from Deliverance or Walker Texas Ranger where we the bar doors swing open, we come in, & someone looks up menacingly from the pool table ... At my local, it's me who looks up and, if some city slicker comes in intent on taking the piss out of me by deliberately screeching over the longest song they can find, they can't expect me to cheer.

Which reminds me of an idea. One way of dealing with queues would be to give a queue jump certificate to the person who does the shortest song. They could then cash that in the next time & move up the queue. It's democratic and encourages short songs.
Submitted by Tom on 21-09-2007

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