This is an article I wrote for Major Magazine after DJ AM's Death.
Hope you enjoy it
"Find something you love doing, than get paid to do it."
-DJ AM
During the late 90’s, the idea of having a DJ as a member of a rock band was a common affair, ‘Limp Bizkit’ has DJ Lethal, ‘Sugar Ray’ has DJ Homicide, ‘Linkin Park’ has Mr. Hahn, while ‘Crazy town’ had DJ AM.
DJ AM was born on March 30, 1979 in Philadelphia, named Adam Goldstein. He started his career as a member of the aforementioned group ‘Crazy Town,’ who’s only real hit was “Butterfly.” Since a young age, AM battled drugs, particularly crack cocaine, but by his mid 20’s he kicked the habit and put all of his focus onto spinning records. It paid off, as DJ AM started to grow a following and even began growing in the public eye due to his personal relationships with Nicole Richie and Mandy Moore.
While earning his time in the spotlight, DJ AM started forming a bond with drummer Travis Baker, the drummer from famous rock band ‘Blink 182,’ which would eventually lead to one of the most unique DJ sets that featured DJ AM mixing music while Barker performed live drumming. The duo released their first mix tape in late August 2008, which became a huge success and led to them performing at the VMA’s, as well as doing commercials for the Super Bowl. DJ AM continued his resident DJing set at Rain Night club in the Palms in Las Vegas, while having monthly shows with Barker.
On September 19, 2008, disaster struck as a private plane carrying both AM and Barker crashed in South Carolina leaving Barker and AM as the only two survivors. This tragic turn of events would cause permanent damage that DJ AM never fully recovered from. Because of his work, AM is forced to constantly travel by plane which led him to take anxiety pills in order to deal with the emotional trauma he faces spawning from his accident.
Although the pair seemingly recovered from their accident, even performing at Coachella and releasing their second mix tape together, a second tragedy would soon follow. On August 28, 2009 DJ AM was found dead in his apartment with the cause of death ruled as a drug overdose. His death has come as a great shock to many of his close personal friends, seeing as his recovery had been something of a positive role model to fellow recovering addicts.
The legacy left behind by DJ AM should not be remembered for how he went but for what he left behind, his raw passion for music that can be heard in all of his sets. The two mix tapes that were made under TRVSDJAM, entitled “Fix Your Face” and “Fix Your Face Vol. 2”, are unbelievable in their flow and comparable to any great set. The blends found can see the music go from ‘Metallica’ to ‘Michael Jackson’ flawlessly, while still giving a great vibe for any music lover.
DJ AM started DJing when he was 20 years old, and while he only had 17 years to leave his mark on the music industry, he succeeded in leaving behind a legacy that sure is hard to be forgotten.
