They met in the mid-’90s at a club named (appropriately enough) Garden of Eden–the striking blond newcomer who would go on to be known as the “World’s Sexiest DJ” and the rising star in the male-dominated deejay industry who would proceed to headline at clubs around the world.
And though deejay Colleen Shannon has filled the pages of Playboy, Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein frequently fills the pages of gossip magazines as the on/off boyfriend of Nicole Richie.
Because they both recently spun at Chicago nightclubs, the Guy Page decided to find out how men and women stack up behind the turntables, where looks shouldn’t be a factor in a wholly auditory arena, but … c’mon … did you see that photo?
“Being female is definitely a benefit because it helps me book events, but my look will only get me so far,” said the 24-year-old Shannon, who acknowledged that some guys stop dancing and stare at the DJ booth while she spins records.
“The response from people is surprise,” she added. “What’s important is that the music has to be good. I have to have a few tricks up my sleeve, have a great selection with about 400 records and step up to the plate like a guy would.”
“Well, women have boobs,” replied the 33-year-old DJ AM when asked about his differences from more dainty deejays. “The DJ market is currently pretty much dominated by males, but I don’t see why it has to be. It’s not like a sport, where body weight and muscle mass make a difference. If you have rhythm, you can. And women dance a lot better than men.”
Although AM is among the highest paid deejays in the world, no one should feel sympathy for Shannon. She claims to make as much as $10,000 a night for simply playing records and making guys stop dancing.
DJ AM spins on July 20 at the Reserve nightclub, 858 W. Lake St., Chicago, 312-455-1111. See reserve-chicago.com.