Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (May 03/01) -Some have to work so others can play.

Roy Kasook has been the deejay at the Zoo for two years now. He fell into the job, when the bar needed someone to fill in.

"They just threw me in here one night," Kasook said. "It was pretty difficult -- I knew how to turn the machine on but that was about it."

"Everybody seemed to like the first night, I know I did, so they just kept me up here."

More of a heavy rock fan, Kasook's collection contains everything recorded by Australian rockers AC/DC.

"I've liked them since 1983 -- it's a lot different than dance music."

Once he got settled in to the gig, he started to build on the club's music collection as well as his own.

"I never had any dance music, because I never really cared for it," he admits.

"It slowly started to come together," he said.

In addition to his night job, Kasook also works at Stantons and at the airport.

He starts the night shift at 10 p.m and plays straight through until closing at 1:45 a.m.

While he enjoys the entertainment aspect of the job, Kasook enjoy working with the sound equipment, lights and effects the most.

"It's so easy -- all you have to do is program it all."

There no set formula or playlist for the music, he plays what he sees the customers enjoying and they always seem to have a good time.

"The crowd is always here, no matter what," he said. "I think the name 'The Zoo' pretty-much speaks for itself."

Throughout the night he's bombarded with requests for all kinds of songs and he's more than happy to play them.

"I play what ever the crowd wants," he said. "If you want to hear a song and I don't have it, I'm real sorry."

"I'll take requests, but just don't ask me to turn it down."