DJ AM

I knew nothing about DJ AM prior to his passing, and by that I mean nothing, nichts, rien du tout, niente, nada. Less interested in his myriad celebrity connections (Nicole Ritchie, Scott Caan, Alchemist), I just wanted to know what sort of music he played. According to the NY Times,

"his style on the turntables is what they call “mash up.” He has become as known for excavating obscure songs as he is for seamlessly blending tracks with unlikely partners. Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” with the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.” “Leader of the Pack” by the Shangri-Las spliced with the rapper Lil Jon’s signature call, “O-kaaay.”

“He’s your favorite D.J.’s favorite D.J.,” said Jus Ske, a party promoter turned D.J. who used to hire DJ AM to play at events in Manhattan. “He’s the man technically, when it comes to scratching, and he’s really raised the bar creatively.”"

Is that just a cracked out Diplo then? I don't know - even Diplo wouldn't drop The Killers.