In a bold move to keep the dance floor fresh and fend off pesky song requests, Colchester’s own DJ Pressplay, aka Colin Gingell-Good, has introduced a playful yet pricey deterrent. At the Coda nightclub, revellers now face a hefty £1,000 charge for requesting The Killers’ "Mr Brightside".
Speaking to The Daily Gazette, DJ Pressplay revealed the reasoning behind his cheeky signboard strategy. “The majority of people request songs they personally love, but it doesn’t always fit the vibe of the night or the crowd.” he explained. “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.”
The tongue-in-cheek sign showcases a “song price list” with some of the UK’s most overplayed anthems: Kings Of Leon’s "Sex On Fire" at £250, Oasis’s "Wonderwall" for £500, and the crowning jewel, "Mr Brightside" at a whopping £1,000.
Another sign outlines the price for song requests based on their appropriateness: good fits are free, mismatched songs cost £100, insisting you know better than the DJ costs £500, and birthday requests will set you back £50 – unless they clash with the evening’s theme.
“A lot of people are great, they’ll come up and ask for a song that fits the night" DJ Pressplay told BBC News. "But other people… they’re very demanding and don’t take no for an answer. “In a bit of a tongue-in-cheek kind of joke, I’ve put this sign up. It’s more of a polite notice that if you’re going to come up and not take no for an answer – you won’t accept I’m not going to ruin the night just for you – then I’m going to pretend I’m going to charge you for it."
Since the sign went up, DJ Pressplay hasn't had a single request for 'Mr Brightside'. “Strangely, since I’ve put my sign up, I’ve not had one single person request ‘Mr Brightside’,” he laughed.
The Killers' iconic "Mr Brightside", released in 2003, has become a staple of UK nights out, despite peaking at number 10 in the charts. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the track recently broke records as the UK's most enduring song in the Official Chart history.
In a recent statement, The Killers expressed gratitude: "Thank you to all our fans for making "Mr Brightside" the third biggest song of all time in the UK, and the biggest ever not to have reached Number One."
Currently, The Killers are in the midst of their UK and Ireland Greatest Hits tour, where they’re celebrating this milestone with their legions of fans. Frontman Brandon Flowers even mused about the song’s timeless appeal and its unexpected journey to iconic status in today’s fast-paced music industry.
DJ Pressplay’s inventive approach might just set a trend, ensuring that club nights stay lively and unexpected, free from the tyranny of overplayed requests. So, next time you're out in Colchester and fancy a tune, think twice – your wallet will thank you!
Photo: Denise Truscello - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
