Las Vegas Weekly

August 28, 2009 · 4:46 PM

DJ AM, resident deejay at the Palms, is found dead in New York

By Robin Leach

DJ AM.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

DJ AM, real name Adam Goldstein, has been found dead in an apartment in New York City. He was the resident deejay at Rain in the Palms.

Adam was injured last year in a fatal plane crash in South Carolina that also injured best friend Travis Barker of Blink-182. Adam started at Rain in the Palms on April 24 and was due to take a flight from NYC today to perform here tonight.

A Palms representative said that they had heard the same news and were trying to ascertain what they could from this end. DJ AM’s name was up on the Palms marquee for tonight.

Police in NYC are saying that drug paraphernalia was discovered in his Tribeca apartment. Adam had previously battled a drug addiction. Travis’ estranged wife Shanna Moakler just tweeted, “My deepest condolences. You were a great artist and will be severely missed.”

DJ AM was 36 and also was a part owner in LAX in the Luxor operated by Pure Management Group, with whom he used to be formerly contracted. The startling news of his death will rock the nightclub world and the high-priced deejay scene. Expect it to be big buzz on the Strip tonight. It’s almost one year since the plane crash where he and Travis escaped death.

In 2005, Adam was engaged to Nicole Ritchie, but their on-off romance crumbled. He was romantically linked with other Hollywood starlets, including Mandy Moore. Adam was due to star in a MTV intervention reality TV show helping kids break drug addictions.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Adam Goldstein, aka DJ AM, at LAX on June 18.

Police are now saying he hadn’t been seen for several days at his $3 million Tribeca pad and that concerned friends had called police to check on him.

At 7:30 this evening, N9NE Group co-founder Michael Morton, who hired Adam for Rain, said: “We are deeply saddened by the news of DJ AM’s passing. He was not only our resident DJ at Rain Nightclub inside the Palms Casino Resort, he was also our brother in music. His impact was felt immediately and will have a lasting effect on all who had the chance to experience ‘AM Fridays.’ He is a gifted and talented artist who changed the international music scene and helped make Las Vegas one of the DJ capitals of the world. He will be dearly missed.”

George Maloof, owner of the Palms, added: “I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of DJ AM. He was our resident DJ at Rain Nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort. We considered him a friend and a great artist. He will truly be missed.”

Photo: Pure Management Group

Travis Barker and DJ AM at LAX.

A representative of DJ AM at his business offices added: “Adam ‘DJ AM’ Goldstein was found deceased this afternoon in his New York City apartment. The circumstances surrounding his death are unclear. Out of respect for his family and loved ones, please respect their privacy at this time.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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