DJ AM: Still Spinning
Mon ,31/08/2009
There is only a handful of people that will die and literally bring me to my knees. When I heard that Adam Goldstein, known as DJ AM to the masses, had passed away at the too-young age of 36, I crumbled. I cried bawled and crawled under my covers, trying to make the world disappear, not wanting to believe the truth.
Adam was nothing personally to me; he was someone that I looked up to as a musician. He was someone I had exchanged a few MySpace messages with, but I did not have the good fortune of knowing him personally or even ever getting a chance to see him spin live.
My best friend and I had a bit of a joke when it came to DJ AM – Every time he heard I was coming to Vegas (where he spent his DJ residency) he ran. Most literally every time that I was in Las Vegas (all six times, thus far) he was not there.
Last year after hearing of Adam and Travis Barker’s near death plane crash, I counted my lucky stars that they both survived. Two of my favorite people, two people I admire, two outstanding musicians. I thought to myself, “what would happen if the world… if I… lost one of them?” I ended up putting that thought into the back of my mind, thinking I wouldn’t have to retrieve it any time soon. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
I’ve heard from many people that they didn’t know who DJ AM was, which is a shame. Unfortunately, people will cling to him now that he’s gone. Obsessing over how fanatic they were of him while he was here.
Those people don’t know Adam. They don’t know that he collected sneakers.
That he loved his cat with all his heart.
That Travis was not just his music collaborator, but his best friend.
That his favorite watch burned up in the plane crash last year.
That he was a genuinely a good-hearted person who had been through his fair share of near death experiences, hardships, loves, break ups and turmoil.
Dear Adam,
I cannot believe that you’re really gone. You were in an innovator, a motivator, a prompter to the movers and shakers. I am completely devastated by the news of your passing. I hope that wherever you are that you’ve got your iPod, fit with all the songs ever made… your Mac, blasted with all your stickers… and your turntables, making jams for all those who want to dance.
Rock on, man.
[[photos courtesy of myspace.com/djamone]]