“But in the end, house is just meant to move your ass. You’re supposed to shake and fucking groove out to it. And clubs as a rule are apolitical. Nightclubs are places where you go to escape the man, to escape economics, to be where you can’t be when you’re working 9 to 5 or paying your fucking taxes.” –DJ Josh

 

Received news this morning that another legendary figure of the San Francisco scene, DJ Josh (aka Josh Ezelle) has passed away.

Josh was living in Thailand and was resident DJ at Diamond Beach Club in Phuket. He was driving a motorcycle in the popular tourist town when an incident occurred “on a curve with a Phuket tour bus” according to the Phuket Gazette. Officers are questioning the driver of the bus under suspicion that Josh’s bike may have been sideswiped at the curve.

Josh played, in his own words, “every rave in and around the USA from 90-2000” which is probably less of an exaggeration than it sounds. According to a Metroactive feature from 1999, Josh was “the son of a former disco-dancing queen” and “helped establish the house DJ foundation in San Francisco at clubs like Housing Project and Fidelity and at old-school raves like Origin and Basics”.

“Early, early house, like “Open Our Eyes” by Truth, and music by Marshall Jefferson, addressed political issues–but it was more about not being free, and about having to suffer in life. But in the end, house is just meant to move your ass. You’re supposed to shake and fucking groove out to it. And clubs as a rule are apolitical. Nightclubs are places where you go to escape the man, to escape economics, to be where you can’t be when you’re working 9 to 5 or paying your fucking taxes.”

“It should be deeper than most other experiences you have. Because that’s the only time to be free. House culture and house music makes me feel free and very positive about things. Music should awaken your soul. Whether you listen to goth or whatever, it should move you. But that’s a given.”

 

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3 COMMENTS

  1. A great, great person. Not only did he lay down the foundation for ravers everywhere, but he never lost his direction like many of the other SF Rave forefathers.

  2. A great, great person. Not only did he lay down the foundation for ravers everywhere, but he never lost his direction like many of the other SF Rave forefathers.

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