May 8, 2017

Meet Bo Hundt of Bo’s Music Factory in Galveston

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bo Hundt.

Bo, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
To say I have a love of music is an understatement, all my life I have loved music. All kinds as long as it is good. As a baby I was laid on the floor in front of the Stereo console and mom said I would turn my head to hear the music better. So music has always been apart of my life. somewhere around 5th grade I heard Wolfman Jack and that was it I wanted to do what he did. I thought that was the greatest thing in the world to play music for other people and just be apart of the music was what I craved. Fast forward to out of HI school I knew I wanted to be a DJ but no idea how, there was a late-night DJ on one of the local stations I got to know and to him I owe credit for helping me to get on the rite path, Thanks Mark where ever you are. I tried Columbia school of broadcasting for a bit but really wasn’t for me I wanted live radio, I heard about KACC at Alvin Community College and the rest is history. While I was there I got a job working in a nightclub in Texas city, I had DJ’ed at a small club in Houston for a very short time before so I wasn’t brand new to it but it is where I got my real start as a live performer. I worked there for a couple of years, it was a small venue maybe 300 people but I learned a lot. getting a break to go to a much larger nightclub with sister clubs in Houston & Clearlake. I played them all and found as much as I loved doing radio live performance was for me. to play a song for someone and see there whole mood change was amazing, along the way customers and friends would ask me if I would play for there wedding so of course I would. it was fun but nothing I thought of doing full time back then it was a lot of work having to carry so much stuff, boxes of records cd’s and even tapes to do a decent show with maybe 2000 songs at most. (that’s more like 40,000 Songs now ) this was back in the early late 80’s early 90’s. fast forward to today many radio stations and nightclubs in between and a lot of other jobs, my wife had an idea of opening a party rental store on the island so we could rent tables and chairs fountains oh and Inflatables (moonwalks waterslides and bounce houses). I was all in to this as I thought could be fun she went on about you could start the music factory back up but full time, This was an idea I had thought of but not seriously until she really got the idea rolling .We also do that as well the inflatables. I knew it was a lot easier to carry music on a laptop, having done remotes for radio stations and doing satellite radio. So need less to say I was all in. that was in may of 2013 and we are not looking back only forward. I can safely say I would not rather do anything in this world than to play for couples on there special day. My job is not to be the center of attention but to put even more of the spot light on the couple and to bring there thoughts and ideas to life on there special day. No one knows how much I stress over each and every wedding I want it to be perfect. I am not sure how many weddings I have been to I have honestly lost count, but I will do this for the rest of my life or as long as I am able to do it. I love it, I have played all over the city and the island as far as I know I am the only Beach DJ there is.

Has it been a smooth road?
If I were to say it was easy that would be an understatement, the work itself is a labor of love a life’s passion. however there is always the Job of trying to get bookings. Now this is the unfun part, you can never have enough venues or planners looking to book you. Folks now days think with all the new technology there brother or friend can DJ there big day. I can almost guarantee this is going to be a disaster. I have seen it and its not pretty, while trying to save money and face it weddings are expensive, you miss the idea, timing and presence of a true Wedding DJ. my job is to be your voice your MCEE and guide the on goings of the wedding as well as make sure everything goes well. Some of the fun I have had to go threw is getting paid, there is nothing more embarrassing to me or the newlyweds than having to come out in the middle of the dance floor and ask for my payment. Its only happened once. learning to ask for payment in advance has made life so much more pleasant for all. the music is the EZ part. the biggest struggle is and I think will always be getting bookings.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Music Factory is my baby I love it, I love giving and that is what I feel I do better than anyone else. I give 100% when I do a wedding. I am all in I have a slogan that I feel really says it all from hello to honey moon i’m with you and I mean it. I want my couples to get what they have in there mind. Think of it like this if your watching a movie you want there to be music in the back ground if there wasn’t it would be boring, or certainly less exciting, if jaws didn’t have that Corus and the shark just bit someone how scary would that be ? so your imagining your wedding walking to the alter and the music plays, your first dance and that perfect song is playing that is what I strive to do. I want to be the musical accompaniment to there movie. I bring something other DJs don’t have I have 30 years of playing music live and on air having had my voice all over the world. A veritable treasure trove of musical knowledge all kinds of music from classical to classic rock, swing to jazz, country new old and in between, disco to blues and even bluegrass to zydeco I can and have played it all and more. I believe in letting the clients pick what they want and making it work together. Some DJs don’t like this they feel as if it makes them a jukebox I don’t it is up to them as to what they want, if they ask me sure I can play any thing you like but I prefer them to tell me and I fill in the missing parts and make it all sound good. the widest variety of formats at one wedding so far was 11 different formats of music in event, and yes I pulled it off seamlessly. I feel as if this is what makes me different that the rest I care, not only will I help them with there music but with anything else I can as well. I call my couples new family’s and I feel like them choosing me to be a part of the day they will never forget is an honor and a privilege not to be taken lightly. I try to always get a picture with them to add to the wall so I can remember that special moment along with them, the last thing I want is for a new family to look back on there big day and say wow the food was great the venue was wonderful but man did that guy playing music suck. wont happen if I am at the helm it will be WOW, Bo was amazing. I cant believe he got aunt so and so to dance or uncle who to do that line dance. I feel it is a true Love for what I do that most sets me apart I really do care and stress my self out to make sure it is the best I can offer.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I am a native Houstonian I was born in Methodist hospital so I am a bit partial, as far as city’s go I have been all over the country and love Houston. It has a wonderful history and diverse population. I love working here, being such a diverse city there is always a lot going on and always weddings. so for me yes its great there are a lot of DJs to choose from and some are much better than others, this is a huge red flag, PRICE doesn’t always get you quality, if a DJ were to be starting out I would say the best thing to do is find a mentor someone who has been doing it for along time and learn from them. I have taught several and they went on to great carriers. It is not just a party and have fun job it is really Work and takes a lot of time getting ready for a event a normal 4-5 hour wedding takes me on average of 24 – 48 hours of prep time before hand. so its not that easy. and you have to remember it is a couples biggest day of there life together next to bringing in a child. Our fair city has a lot to offer to anyone and there is enough room for more DJs the biggest thing I think our fair city could improve on is less work on the freeways and stop tearing down all the history. one major difference between other city’s and Houston is all the old buildings and venues we once had are gone where in other city’s they are there. Houston has a great habit of this is a great place lets tear this down and build something new here, not lets rehab this and keep it. watch the city line and see it change every 10 years or less. We have a great history and i feel it should be preserved.

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