This is by far the most amazing thing I've experienced as a musician.  

Just to summarize - I was making a cd called The Moon & Stars, dedicating it in memory of Aaron Britt, co founder w Gino Lopinto of Club Utopia Las Vegas.  Way Out West's song "The Gift" was a favorite among Utopians.  Even though Robert Oleysyck, was probably sick of playing it, we never got tired of hearing it.  And still, he would play it for us, just because we kept asking.  

Utopia Vegas was so successful, that they started Utopia Arizona on Friday nights, in which the crew would fly to Arizona on Fridays, fly back on Sat morn, tackling the usual Sat night Vegas Utopia. 

I was chosen to be part of this Arizona crew as a traveling bartender.   Although, it was only 8 weekends in Arizona, before we lost Aaron to a car crash in Miami, I feel lucky to have been able to spend that much time, hanging out and gettin' to know the pioneers of Utopia, Gino, Aaron, Robert, Evonne, Vicky, as well Chris Lenahan, Uncle Tony, Dirk & Guylene.  Look what they created.  It was cool just kickin' it with em.

Nothing topped working w my Vegas Utopian bartenders.  Vizzie, Sonny and Dave are my family.  I miss you guys.  Really, can we please get together!  Somebody call me 702 277 9003.  Working at Utopia, we already had magic, just by being there.  Now add 3 of the coolest guys on this planet and it was magically magic.  Workin' our asses off, Sat nights we could count on being slammed!  But it was fun.  And we made money!  Sorry, a little off topic, but had to mention the boys.  Thumper and Torrey too.
 
Back to the song,  Aaron & I formed a bond with that song.  He said it was his song.  I said it was my song.  So it just became our song.  We would try to figure out who the song was written about.  The lyrics say, "The moon & the stars were the gifts he gave.".  We thought, "Well, its not God, because he gave us the earth.  Who, then gave us the moon & stars?"  

We never did figure it out, just continued to bug Robert to play it. 

When Aaron died, that song became known as "Aaron's song."

One day, I'm driving in my car playing the song, now sad when I hear it.  And I start reminiscing about how we'd try to figure it out.  "Who is "he?"  The moon and the stars were the gifts he gave."  And then, like that, boom, I figured it out.  

The song is talking about Aaron!  The moon & the stars were the gifts he gave, when he & Gino gave us Utopia.  The song is about Aaron!  It made sense.  I don't know how it got written before it happened,  Maybe because Aaron was supposed to enjoy the song himself for a little while.

Which brings me to March 2004, now djjng 2 years, and making a CD called "The Moon & The Stars," dedicated to Aaron Britt because he gave us the moon & stars when he and Gino gave us Utopia.  The final song being Aaron's song, Way Out West's "The Gift."

It starts to play out.  I'm on the Tascam X-9 mixer, so I have 2 effects buttons.  One on the channel, the other on the master.  With no more drums playing, there's more free reign to play with effects.  Plus its the end, so I don't really care.  Oh and my whale sample, can't forget the whales.  I turn on both effects & start flippin through em simultaneously, trying to make whatever craziness I can with this last count of 8.

The longer I leave both effects on.  The master starts picking up it's own effect, making like 3 effects.  And I'm just flippin, flippin.   As the song stops playing, I just kinda walk away, but leave the needle and effects on .  

The needle starts catching something on the record. like a spec of candy or something barely sticking up.  Somehow the needle, the spec and the effects within seconds start playing a heartbeat that beats 14 times and fades out.

I played it for Conyeara, and the first thing she says is, "Oh my god, that's Aaron."  I said, "Oh my god, it is."  And we both got mad chills. 

Aaron never got to see me be a dj,  I feel like he's watchin'.  Its like he's saying,  You can do this.  You got this.  

I still play the song.  I'll always play that song.
So, as long as I have a mic, and I'm playing Way Out West, "The Gift," I give a shout out to Aaron and let him know, "You know this is your song." 

DJ Sheri Strawberry

Popular tracks