I remember the moment like it was yesterday. I was in college when news broke that Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and mix master DJ AM were involved in a deadly plane crash. Fortunately, they were going to survive, despite a long road to recovery ahead. However, four others, including the captain, died with the plane’s harsh descent and fiery blaze. Despite the tragedy, fans rejoiced at the news that their heroes were safe. For DJ AM, however, the PTSD of surviving the crash, along with past issues stemming from a turbulent childhood and history of addiction, re-ignited that battle, which was ultimately lost. All of this and more is captured in the new documentary “As I AM: The Life and Time$ of DJ AM.”
DJ AM, AKA Adam Goldstein, touched a lot of people in his short 36 years of life, both personally and through his music–so for a lot of his fans, this documentary was a long time coming. Director Kevin Kerslake, a successful music video and commercial director, purposefully paints Adam in a vulnerable light to show that despite his fame and fortune, he is just as relatable and human, and as susceptible to pain and insecurity, as are we. It is this ability to connect with him, to feel like we get to know the real Adam Goldstein in this short 110 minutes, that makes this film so hard to watch and yet so powerful.
The minute the film starts, it jolts you into that September day back in 2008. Police dash-cam footage of the plane crash plays to a woman’s voice-over, presumably his mother, fondly remembering Adam’s childhood love of music and arcade games.Friends and other notable electronic music artists, including DJ Jason Bentley of KCRW’s ‘Morning Becomes Eclectic,’ DJ A-Trak, Steve Aoki, and more, guide the film with their anecdotes about Adam as a child, a rebellious teenager, and a paparazzi jackpot.
Quoted by many as “the best DJ in the world,” “the Tony Hawk of DJing,” and “the Bad One,” the film takes the viewer on a journey through some of his darkest days. Having been sent to a corrupt rehabilitation program as a teenager due to drug addiction, Adam was subject to cruel and unusual punishment that ultimately shut the institution down. To further throw the young man’s life into a spiral, while in rehab, his mother shocked him with news that his childhood father isn’t his biological father. Through all of this, Adam found solace and relief in music. His work ethic and constant practice behind the turntables saw his fame increase until eventually he was earning $2 million contracts to perform in such destinations as Las Vegas nightclubs. Sadly, despite over 10 years of subsequent sobriety, DJ AM eventually relapsed due the pressures of his lifestyle and from his trauma-inducing plane crash. Personal friends, including Seth ‘Shifty Shellshock’ Binzer, are moved to tears when recalling his pure heart and spirit, reminiscing on his outwardly positive “can-do” attitude.
Being both one of electronic music’s most popular artists as well as a regular guy with a troubled past, DJ AM was a juxtaposition of himself. Adam Goldstein’s story is one of both tragedy and heartbreak while simultaneously being inspirational and fulfilled. Ultimately, though, his life’s story serves to teach those to always work hard and in the direction of your goals–an inspiring message that reaches far from beyond just the turntables.
“As I AM: The Life and Time$ of DJ AM” is not rated. Showing for one week at the ArcLight Hollywood on Friday, 6/3, and available digitally via FilmBuff on all platforms 6/14.
