Thomas Scott Jeffery

June 2, 1985 - February 29, 2012

Thomas Scott Jeffery was born on June 2, 1985. He arrived safe and sound, despite the odds being stacked against him during a high risk pregnancy. From the get-go Tom was in constant motion, always busy, moving, climbing and exploring. We had to watch him like hawks. The second we took our eyes off him he was into something --- climbing up to the top of the fridge at 18 months of age, standing on top of the table, emptying out the cupboards, eating sand from the sandbox, falling into Uncle Ion’s pool, disappearing for half an hour in Surrey Place Mall... Sigh, he was busy guy. Actually, I think it was Billy and I who were the busy ones, this was just normal life for Tom.

Tom’s love of music began in his toddler and preschool days. I had copied dozens of children's records from the Surrey Library and we played those cassette tapes over and over for years. I picked up Tom from preschool one day and the teacher mentioned to me, "You must be listening to your Harry Belafonte records." Puzzled, because I didn’t own any Harry Belafonte records, the teacher explained, Tom’s been singing 'DAY-O' at the top of his lungs all morning! “Ah,” I said, “that would be Raffi.’. Tom also loved Don McLean’s song, ‘Babylon’, listening to it over and over and over and over just to hear the words, 'sounds like a washing machine'. He would howl with laughter and then rewind the tape to listen to it again. That was Tom; completely immersing himself in something, driving people crazy with his current obsession then quickly moving on to the next thing.

The best years of Tom’s childhood were his early elementary school years when we were very involved with the Ninth Hour Band at Our Lady of Fatima parish. We were surrounded by music, our Fatima family and life was wonderful. Every Saturday night after the band finished playing mass we all headed over to the drummer, Lou’s, house to be together, eat junk food, drink pop or beer, play table hockey and laugh. I know it is hard to believe, but Tom was the first one to crash & want to go to sleep. He loved to sleep in Lou’s bed. Tom loved the parties, the camping trips and all the time we spent with the band. Those were our golden years together as a family.

Tom was extremely athletic and was able to master sports and activities with astounding speed. He played soft-ball, baseball, hockey, karate, badminton, football, cross country running, BMX biking, mountain biking, motocross, remote control car racing, and was an avid skateboarder. He loved to ski and snowboard, and as with everything in life, took it to the extreme, always going faster, jumping higher (quite often backwards!), and racing in and out of the trees. He had no fear and would tackle anything. He was always pushing the boundaries. Jumping off the highest diving board at Canada Games pool was a favourite activity of Tom’s --- despite nearly bursting his eardrum when he landed the wrong way one time. Billy and I will never forget the time we were on the chairlift at Whistler watching, along with everyone else on the chairlift, this little kid (Tom) barreling well over top speed down one of the runs. A road bisected the run about halfway down. Many experienced skiers would speed up then use the road as a jump, gaining a bit of air. As this little kid raced toward the road all eyes were glued on him, everyone holding their collective breath terrified that he was barreling towards certain death. Tom launched himself off the road, gaining MASSIVE airtime, and then dropped out of Billy and my view. We heard a collective GASP from everyone on the chairlift then saw a huge cloud of snow explode into the air. Now Billy and I both ski well, but, I have to admit I don’t think either one of us has ever skied faster than we did that day down that hill to find out what happened. Tom was relatively fine, and though he wouldn’t admit it, I think he even scared himself!

Tom joined the Maple Ridge Air Cadets and during their camping excursions became an absolute master at camouflage and evading detection --- skills that served him well in his teens. In one cadet exercise, he buried himself in the ground and was so well camouflaged that three different people STEPPED on him without detecting him. The cadet leader eventually had to implore Tom to reveal himself because they just couldn’t find him. It was in cadets that he learned to play the snare drum. This was his first foray into the world of making music.

Tom took electric guitar lessons for awhile and also developed an interest in the bagpipes. Yes, I said the bagpipes. For about a year, Tom took private bagpipe lessons and was in the beginner band up at SFU. One of my favourite memories is the time he and I went to a Highland Festival in Enumclaw, Washington. All the clans were wearing their dress tartans; beautiful, fancy, ornate outfits. There was one clan, however, the Anderson clan, who had elected to wear the old-style everyday rugged work tartan. They were a rag-tag bunch, with wild costumes, crazy fur hats and were loud and a bit uncouth. Well, as you can imagine, Tom LOVED them and kept asking hopefully all day, "What clan would your grandma have been in, Mom? Would it have been the Anderson clan?" "No, I don’t think so, Tom." I told him sadly each time he asked. When we got back home I relayed the story to my mother. Imagine my shock when she told me, "Dianne, your grandmother was from the Anderson clan!" Tom was thrilled, of course. So, I guess he came by his wildness quite honestly.

Tom was always cutting edge, even as a little kid. He had pierced ears when he was in Grade 3. Through the years Tom had blue hair, plum hair, black hair, white blonde hair, he had a pompadour, he had short hair & extremely short hair, he had longer hair --- he was obsessed with his hair. One of the Ninth Hour band members, Gerry, had dred locks. Tom desperately wanted cool hair like Gerry’s. One night Gerry’s wife, Bev, came to our house and braided Tom’s hair. She left him a pot of hair wax and told him that he needed to spend a lot of time coating the braids with hair wax and then twist the braids in order to create the dreds. Well, Tom didn’t have the patience to twist the braids so for months he had a head full of little, skinny braids. When we finally took the braids out, Tom’s hair was one massive afro. As you can well imagine, Tom was thrilled beyond belief with his new, unique hairstyle and was devastated when I finally made him wash his hair a few days later and it all came out flat.

Tom immersed himself completely in one passion and then quickly moved on to the next attraction. He was quite obsessive, becoming completely occupied in whatever his current passion was. He drove us nuts with his questions, “Why do you think this happened? Who did this? When did that happen? Why, why, why? “. He’d ask the same questions over and over again. It was quite exhausting trying to keep up with his inquisitive mind. Tom was always into weirdo things and unusual stories. He loved Ripley’s Believe-It-Or-Not type stories, the weird-er and freakier the better. This interest never waned. If it was weird, unusual, or off-beat Tom was all over it.

Tom was also very artistic. I used to tell him that he had more creativity in his little pinky than I had in my entire body. He never believed me. Tom used to draw these amazingly detailed cartoons, filling pages with little figures doing all sorts of things. The drawings told stories that leapt off the page. Imagine a cross between 'Where’s Waldo' artwork and Frank Zappa sheet music and that was Tom. He'd cover a page with tons of busy little figures and draw their actions in great detail. He never had any faith in his abilities, though, and was forever asking, "What do you think? Do you like it? Is it good enough? What do you think other people will think? Will they like it?" He desperately wanted everyone to like whatever he did. He never lost this trait. He was so hard on himself, berating himself because he always thought he could have done a better job, even though everyone kept telling him how blown away they were by his art or the music he created.

Tom’s creative, artistic spirit was a double edged sword. The sensitivity that allowed Tom to see life in a different way and to interpret things so creatively also made him incredibly vulnerable and ultra-sensitive to pain and hurt. He felt things more intensely. Where most people feel hot and cold, a creative spirit feels the extremes of burning white heat and liquid nitrogen cold.

Tom created huge dioramas filled with vehicles, roads, greenery, figures and animals. He worked at Jaymer's Fishing Tackle and learned to tie fishing flies. Quickly mastering the usual flies, he soon moved on to creating his own. Tom and his pal, Brent, spent many an afternoon down on Coquitlam River fishing their little hearts out. They also lost our dinghy because Tom forgot to tie it up and it ended up floating all the way out to the Fraser River. Tom wasn’t the best at keeping track of things.

Tom was extremely gifted mechanically. He could create and build almost anything. He was also an unbelievable pack rat, bringing home all kinds of useless junk. He had a set of used caulking tubes that he kept for about 2 years. He had a box of random bicycle parts that drove me nuts. I was always trying to throw the darn junk away, but, Tom insisted everything was valuable. One day Tom came home with a bike frame. Billy and I were very worried and questioned him extensively about exactly where he’d found this bike frame. The next day I came home and found that Tom had not only ground off all the paint from the bike, but he had used the grinder to create a very artistic swirl pattern in the metal. The following day I came home and the frame had been painted a beautiful shade of blue. The fourth day I came home to find the garage door open, no Tom in sight (of course) and a bicycle lying in the middle of the garage. I questioned Tom, "Whose bike is that?’ and Tom told me he had made it. I asked him where he got all the pieces from and he answered, “From that box of bike parts you keep trying to throw out, Mom!" No instructions, no Googling the Internet, he just figured it out himself. I kept my mouth shut after that experience, even about the garbage bag filled with old running shoes that Tom kept, claiming that "Someday they are going be worth a lot of money."

One of the traits Billy and I are especially proud of was Tom’s compassion for other people. He always wanted to help people and nurture hurt and damaged souls. Tom was always rooting for the underdog and caring about the plight of those who had been beaten down by life. Tom had a special radar for finding broken souls. He reached out to the down-trodden and treated them with dignity and respect. When others ridiculed, Tom would try to help them see another side. He would often tell us stories about different people he’d run into. Billy and my instincts were to swoop in and rescue but Tom would never let us. It took me a long time to understand that Tom didn’t need our assistance; he was touching peoples’ lives in his own special way.

Tom was deeply familiar with the other end of suffering as well. He experienced a number of tragedies in his young life, suffering things that aren’t supposed to happen, especially to children. Adults aren’t supposed to abuse children; teachers aren’t supposed to torment, harass, belittle, mock, humiliate or assault their students. Such words and actions are burned into a person’s soul and torture them throughout life. Tom had an angel swoop into his life, an angel in ‘teacher disguise’, who smothered him with love and affection and did her best to soothe and repair his damaged little soul. Ms. Shirling, I believe you are here today and I want you to know that Tom loved you and never, ever forgot your loving kindness. We are so very grateful to you.

In high school Tom went off the rails and down many shadowy trails. In hindsight, I think he was looking for a place to belong and, at the same time, wanted to experience as much of life as he could. One of Tom’s proudest moments was when he graduated from Riverside Secondary in 2004. Typical of Tom, he wore green, white and black camouflage pants under his knee-length grad gown. He loped across the stage wearing enormous boot-style runners, made some weird gesture and bellowed out something nonsensical that no one, save a few select friends, understood. I can’t remember what the gesture was or what the exact words were but you can bet that it was something completely Tom, a current catch-phrase he was obsessing over.

Anyone who has spent any time with Tom has probably experienced one of his random outbursts. This could be quite alarming and unnerving to the uninitiated. Tom might holler, "Hi, how are you? I'll be right over." to a complete stranger across the street; give a high five to a person in the car in the other lane at a street light then tell them, "I like your shoes, man!"; holler, "Hey, leave those alone!" to blueberry pickers working in a field; or make an inappropriate comment about a complete stranger’s tie in an elevator filled with people. You’d be horrified, embarrassed and shocked but you couldn’t help laughing at Tom’s brazenness, his audacity and the fact that his outrageous comment was absolutely bang on even though no one else on the face of the earth would have dared say it out loud.

Tom could have been a stand-up comedian. He loved the TV shows Seinfeld, The Simpsons, King of the Hill and all kinds of other off-colour, crazy, bizarre humour. He could accurately mimic accents and actions. He would have us literally rolling around, holding our stomachs, tears pouring down our faces, laughing at something he’d said or done. His bizarre behaviour kept everyone on edge because you just never knew what he’d do. Recently, Billy and I went to Zellers with Tom because he wanted to buy a balaclava for work. We were unable to find anyone to help us and it was getting very frustrating. Tom wandered off and all of a sudden Billy and I hear Tom’s voice on the store’s PA system requesting "Customer assistance to Men’s Wear, please”. Well, Billy and I exchanged a look of alarm and panic and prepared ourselves to be hauled bodily from the store. Tom casually sauntered back and calmly waited for customer service to show up. My heart rate did not slow down until we were miles away from the store. There are countless stories like this about Tom.

Just a few days ago I learned of a time that Tom and a friend, very late one night, were standing at the counter of the McDonald’s on Granville when Tom said to the cashier, dead serious, "You know, there is a fat, naked guy in the bathroom all covered in ice cream. Someone should really look into it."

After graduation Tom worked as a Skip Tracer, locating people who were not paying their bills or who had defaulted on a loan. Tom’s boss said he was one of the best Skip Tracers he had ever worked with, finding people that no one else had been able to find. Tom won the Rookie of the Year award, too. I guess all those hours playing video games and searching on the Internet paid off. Tom went on to become a collector, but feeling that he was lacking the quick thinking skills necessary for the position, took the advice of a fellow collector and tried using narcotics to boost his confidence and performance. He'd used drugs and alcohol before, of course, but this was a whole new level. Thus began Tom’s battle with addiction.

Tom battled addiction for several years. After numerous attempts to achieve sobriety on his own, Tom was admitted in June 2007 to The Last Door, a residential recovery program, which laid the foundation for a wonderful five year clean period.

In sobriety Tom pursued a career as an Ironworker, working on several major projects in the lower mainland, including the Golden Ears Bridge, the new Abbotsford Mall, and the massive Kruger's warehouse on Queensborough. He loved to be up on the beams working as a connector, especially when he could get away with NOT being tied off. Tom was old school when it came to Ironworkers. He loved the photos of the Ironworkers in the early 20th Century who worked on the Empire State building and many other high-rise buildings in New York. "They would never tie down," he’d tell you, "They were fearless.” His co-workers tell me that Tom was very comfortable up on the beams, calmly walking across wobbly or narrow beams others were hesitant to cross. He found it thrilling and it allowed him yet another way to live on the edge. Tom was always suggesting tool modifications to Billy and was especially proud when a tool modification that he’d recommended had been implemented.

Another of Tom’s many interests were all things Japanese --- particularly Japanese women. In the spring of 2008 he met a lovely woman named Sonoko Mitoma and they quickly fell in love. Tom and Sono shared 4 years together, living in an apartment on Robson near Lost Lagoon. Life was rocky and rough at times for them and they suffered through many of life’s struggles. At times it seemed the two of them just couldn't catch a break. Unfortunately, they were not able to sustain a life together and chose to live separately. Sono, Billy and I believe that you were instrumental in helping Tom stay clean and we are grateful for your presence in his life. Despite the many difficulties, Tom loved you right up to his last day.

Tom was passionate about going to visit Japan. He planned to go in April 2012 and had funds saved toward this goal. Last September he began taking beginner Japanese lessons at the Japanese Language Institute and then moved on to working with one of their private tutors. About a month ago I spent a day with Tom that I will treasure in my heart forever. Tom and I were down on Robson and he took me to a Japanese Ramen House called 'Santouka'. As we waited in line Tom explained all the various dishes and options. The selection proved overwhelming so I asked Tom to order for me. In what sounded to me like perfect Japanese --- accent and all --- Tom ordered our food. The waitress asked him a number of questions in Japanese and he answered in Japanese. I sat there astounded looking from Tom to the waitress and back again as they held a fairly lengthy conversation and even joked with one another! This was a huge accomplishment for Tom and I was so proud for him.

Through his Japanese lessons Tom met, developed a friendship with and ultimately fell in love with another special Japanese woman, Shoko Oyama. We met Shoko at Christmas and also on the day Tom moved from his apartment on Robson. Shoko, you are also a very special woman, and Billy and I thank you for the love and kindness you showed to Tom. You two grew very close in a very short period of time and I know that he loved you.

As with everything else in life, Tom had an unconventional approach to recovery. He forged his own way. Having learned all the NA steps and ‘Rules of Successful Recovery’ Billy and I were very worried that Tom didn’t always have a sponsor, that he wasn’t connected to the recovery community, that he didn’t have a support network, that he wasn’t giving back. All it takes is a 5 minute look at Tom’s Facebook wall to realize how incredibly wrong we were. There are literally thousands of posts from people saying that Tom was their rock, that Tom supported them, that Tom helped them get clean, that they relied on Tom to be there for them, and that Tom was willing to go anywhere and do anything to help someone stay clean regardless of the time day or night. Countless people have told Billy and I how Tom changed their life and how they owed their life to Tom. We would like to thank everyone who posted a message on Tom’s Facebook. Words cannot express how profoundly moved we are by your words and thoughts, your prayers and well wishes. We will be forever grateful for helping us understand what a massive impact our son had on others’ lives and dearly loved and highly respected he was.

We were astounded to learn how talented Tom was musically and how respected he was in the music community. In the week after his death CBC Radio published an article on Tom and DE Radio played a four hour musical tribute to TJ Hooker. Tom would have been so proud! People have explained that Tom’s music was progressive and cutting edge. They marvel at his vast knowledge of music. Tom, along with other musicians and promoters, worked tirelessly to successfully bring electronic techno music back to Vancouver. Billy and I sat astounded one afternoon listening to a group of his friends discuss different tracks Tom had created; talking about the nuances of this particular piece and the darkness in that set.

Tom had a dream of carving out a place for himself in the Vancouver Underground music scene. He also wanted to transform that same music scene. It didn’t matter to Tom if he made money working as a DJ. He stuck to his particular genre, true to HIS love of music and worked tirelessly to keep it alive. Tom was 'all about the vinyl' and felt anything digital had no place in DJ-ing. It was pure artistic conviction. With friends, he worked hard to throw parties and managed everything from concept to completion and all the tasks in between --- equipment; the creation and distribution of adverts, posters, flyers; facility rentals; booking local and international DJs and making all the necessary arrangements for their flights, hotels and transportation. Daniel, one of the co-founders of Subversive exclaimed one day that Tom did the work of a small army. On top of all this Tom composed and performed hundreds of sets since 2008. He was a resident DJ at two of Vancouver's top clubs, Lotus and Red Room, for years.

We shared a wonderful moment with Tom's friends a few days ago. They were discussing his rise to success and how he was in such demand that he would often play sets at two different venues on the same night. One friend complained that she was getting too old to keep up with Tom but had to attend every show at every venue because she did not want to risk missing something! TJ Hooker had a huge and loyal following. Seasoned DJs tell us they can't believe Tom had only been a DJ for 6 years and that it sounded like he'd been DJ-ing for 20 years. TJ Hooker's music is known across Canada and also in the US and parts of Europe. Tom played alongside many international DJs and was on the brink of an international career himself. Tom was a true musician --- passionate, progressive and all about the music. By the way, Tom, we get it now, we truly get it and it --- the Techno music, the Subversive community, the whole Underground Techno scene ---- is absolutely amazing!

Tom knew more about music from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s than Billy and I did... and we lived in those decades and were both into music! Tom was constantly asking us questions, “Who sings this, Mom? What is the name of this song, Dad? What do you think of this music? How to do you like this track?” Through Tom’s musical explorations we learned about bands we’d grown up with and thought we knew – Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Queen, Yes, Frank Zappa. Sorry, Bryan Adams, Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones, you never made Tom’s list. Tom exposed us to international bands and genres of music we’d never even heard of. Case in point: Rammstein, a German Industrial Metal band. At first I didn’t like their music, it was dark and sung in rough, guttural German, but, Tom played it so often that I got to know the lyrics and even started requesting certain tracks. Go figure!! Another example: In my youth I wouldn’t listen to Frank Zappa’s music for 10 seconds, but now I know all kinds of things about Frank Zappa. I’m still not a big fan, but, Billy became one. He and Tom attended TWO Dweezel Zappa tribute concerts!

Tom achieved his musical dream, becoming one of Vancouver’s top DJs and transforming the Vancouver Underground music scene. We're so proud of you, Tom. You’d never let your dad and I attend one of your events, but, guess what kid, your friends are going to take us! We are going to DVS1 and also to Shambhala 2012. Come hell or high water we’ll be there and we are taking your ashes with us. I can hardly wait. Through your friends we’ve come to know a very special part of you, a part you kept from us. You were so damn secretive!! Well, the cat’s out of the bag now, son, and we can finally experience the amazing world you were such an instrumental part of!

A MESSAGE TO TOM FROM HIS DAD:

To my dearest and most treasured son, Tom. You left us so suddenly that I did not have the opportunity to say goodbye or to tell you the many important things I needed to say to you. Over the remainder of my life I will be having many talks with you, but these are the things I wanted to say today.

I love you and have loved you and adored you from the moment you were conceived. I have so many terrific and wonderful memories of our short time here together and these alone will keep me going. My memories of your childhood are filled with joy and happiness. You were so full of life, so curious, so interested in so many things and you always had a need to be different, to explore. The world needs people like you to push us forward.

Unfortunately as you grew older and became more independent, your need to explore, your need to push the envelope took you to places that were bigger than anyone could handle. Today we are here to mourn the loss of your life, but in some ways we already lost you once. For several years you succumbed to drug and alcohol addiction. Through this experience I have come to clearly see that these horrible chemicals strip away all the real parts of a person -– their personalities, their dignity, their pride, their hopes, their dreams. It becomes all-consuming and it is ugly. Like most people living in active addiction, you led a life of selfishness, lies, desperation and shambles. Understandably, many people are quick to judge and condemn, misunderstanding and distancing themselves from you and the situation. It is only natural I guess. This only adds to the addiction as you live in shame and guilt, feeling completely lost, isolated and helpless. I clearly remember one day going to your high school and having the vice principal tell me, “I’ve seen kids like this before. My advice to you is to just let Tom go. He isn’t worth it.”

Tom, I think you know that I never, ever reached that point with you. Not even close. I always knew that inside that ugliness was a beautiful, wonderful person who wanted to be free from all of this, who wanted to be someone real, someone who would make a difference, someone to be loved and accepted. I hoped and prayed we would wake up and it would all just go away. And then one day it did. You made the choice to live. You entered into a rehab program and stopped all drugs, alcohol and cigarettes cold turkey. You were reborn.

For almost 5 years you lived your life clean and I am forever grateful for this time – in a selfish way for myself, but most importantly for you. In that very short period of time you accomplished more than many people do in a lifetime, and I am so very proud of the man that you became. That beautiful person came out and flourished. I saw it every day I was with you. This has become even more evident over the past week as we have met the wonderful group of friends that you had so privately surrounded yourself with and, based on your Facebook page, how many people you touched in a real and meaningful way, how many people you rescued and saved yourself. And as far as your music and DJ-ing, I really never quite comprehended how successful and important you had become to the Vancouver music scene, and for that I am truly sorry.

Tom, these are the things that I will miss most about you – your humour, your laugh, your smile, your heart warming hugs, your passion for music and for life, your strength, courage and yes, even your weaknesses. But I think what I will miss the most is just two small words, words that I heard from you more than any others, "THANKS DAD." These words were everything to me and all I ever really needed. I love you unconditionally and with every part of my heart and soul.

In closing, I have these final thoughts to say. Today there is so much focus and emphasis placed on achieving success by society standards – education, degrees, careers, homes, money...and people are often measured by these things alone. But I repeatedly told you that I was so proud of you for achieving sobriety, that I felt this was as big an accomplishment as anyone can achieve, and I meant it. This took incredible, immense courage and determination and I am not sure I would have had anywhere close to the strength you showed me. I will be forever grateful to you for showing this to me. Life was never easy for you, never. You struggled often. But somehow you got up every day and found a way to make it happen, to put one step ahead of the other, to overcome your struggles.

All but that last day --- God, I wish I we had that one back. Go now my son; go in freedom, love, joy and serenity. You are free now.

A MESSAGE TO TOM FROM HIS MOM:

Our beloved son suffered many things in his life and he chose a very difficult path for himself. He was definitely unique and did everything his own way and in his own time. At times it was agonizing to witness the pain and the struggle Tom experienced on his journey. Life with Tom was like an extreme white-water raft ride; sometimes terrifying, sometimes thrilling but always with a lot of praying and hanging on for dear life.

Tom, I am so very proud of you. I’m proud of your almost 5 years of clean time. Life was very hard for you and I know that you woke up every day and had to steel yourself to do battle. I’m proud of your musicianship and the things you accomplished in your life. I’m immensely proud of the way you gave of yourself to others and helped them in their times of vulnerability. I am so very proud of the gentle, loving, kind and generous man you became.

You know that I love you and would have done anything for you. I will never get over losing you and my heart will long for you all the rest of my life. Blessings come in many disguises, but, your dad and I were truly blessed to have you as our beautiful son. I love you, Tom, and always will.

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'MEMORIES OF TOM' by Cheryl Lebrun

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing”. Mother Theresa

Tom will always be remembered in my heart with his beautiful smile warming up inside of me. I have known Tom for most of his short life. I am a family friend of Amanda, Dianne, and Billy. As a young school boy, Tom was always excited to show me any of his new toys, whether it be a new trick bike, mountain bike, skate-board, or music equipment. We most definitely had a special bond.

Some of my fondest memories of Tom were our days and nights together skiing at Cypress Bowl. As a group, we would all pile out of the car, and be ready in no time flat, heading for the hill. Billy was another story. I must share this story as it was a favourite of Tom’s, and he would tell it again and again. Dianne, Tom, and I were dressed and were eager to go. Then there was Billy. As he was still trying to get his ski-pants on, Billy says to Dianne, “Are you sure these are my pants? I can barely get them over my knees!”. “Yes, Billy.” Dianne replies. In unison, Tom and I say “Hurry up Billy!”. Again, Billy says, “I don’t think these are my ski pants Dianne. I can’t get them on.” We are all beginning to lose our patience. "Just get them on!" At that moment we look at Billy, and realise he is trying to pull on a pair of Tom’s old ski pants (boys size 12), and the pants are stuck around his thighs. About the same time Dianne discovers another pair of Men's black ski pants, still sitting in the bag. Tom, Dianne and I started to laugh uncontrollably. Dianne and I nearly wet our own ski pants! Since that day whenever we need a smile or a laugh, we just tell the ski pant story.

There are many ski stories. After Cypress Bowl, we ditched Billy; I can’t remember if it was because of the ski pant incident or not. Tom, Dianne, my nephew Matthew and I moved over to Grouse Mountain. Tom loved to find every jump available on the mountain, and then talk about all the air he caught with great enthusiasm on the way up the chair lift. Again, I remember the smile, that happy Tom smile.

I also had a lot of one-on-one time with Tom. I took him to the Gillnetter Pub for his 19th birthday. During our visits we would reminisce about our ski memories, and talk about what was coming up in both of our lives. He loved to talk to me about my travels, and all the different countries I had visited. Tom hoped to, one day, visit some of the places I had been.

Tom was growing into such a handsome young man, and he sure knew how to give a hug --- a huge, strong, caring hug. When he moved into his first apartment, I took him to dinner and gave him a few house-warming gifts. He was grateful and polite, and once again, there was that infectious smile.

Tom and I would catch up every so often. He was thankful of my support and remembered to always ask how I was doing and where my next vacation was taking me. There was always “I love you, Cheryl” at the end of every conversation. Tom, I know you are smiling, because I can feel it right here in my heart. I love you, Tom Jeffery!

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'MEMORIES OF TOM' by Grandma Jeffery

Our generation, and therefore our memories, of Tom are different than many of you that are here today. We close our eyes and see a happy five year old Tommy stomping all over Stanley Park with a pop can stuck on his foot. Stopping only to lie on his tummy and retrieve some coins from the wishing fountain and continue on his happy way.

We see him fishing with Grandpa, and dancing around a camp fire at the lake; tripping and cutting his leg wide open, and then off to the emergency ward at Merritt. Shooting his pellet gun at the tin can that was tacked up on the tree, and so many happy childhood memories.

During his adult years we had the pleasure of having him in our home a little more. Since his jobs were often in Abbotsford and we lived closer than his home in Vancouver he would stay the night with us. He was always hungry when he came home from work and would eat anything we put on the table, even broccoli and turnip. He especially liked roast chicken and would sometimes ask if we were having that. Every time I cook a roasted chicken I will think of Tom.

Tom and Grandpa spent many hours building a speaker box for the trunk of his car. He was also learning to weld with Grandpa’s equipment and help.

We are so very grateful that we had that special time with Tom during the past few years.

From a cute, mischievous little boy with a pop can on his foot, through some difficult teen age years he emerged a very talented, fine young man that we are very proud of and that we will always love and miss more than words can say. God bless you, Tom.

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'MEMORIES OF TOM' by Remy Hall

After listening to my grandmother’s words, I’m overcome by a wave of childhood memories of growing up alongside Tom. Fishing for minnows at Bowen Island, shooting pellet guns, exploring abandoned barns out in Mission (grandma, parents, you weren’t supposed to know about those ones), battling each other for chocolates as Grandpa scattered them among us at Easter, fighting over them one by one but then teaming up to find our kites which Grandpa had well-hidden somewhere on the property. Mine and Tom’s were always the most elusive of locations and often required teamwork for retrieval.

Tom’s passing is heart-wrenching, but I always try to look for a silver lining in a tragedy such as this. For me, it has been a chance to see my family, an opportunity to be reminded that, though I don’t see them often, I care about them so much. I’m truly gifted to have them in my life and each and every one of them has helped shape my life and who I am today. Tom is no exception to this last statement. I referenced earlier to our moments of misbehaviour, the two of us often in partnership with our two other cousins, Ben and Dane. The four of us were quite a handful for the entire family. Those three were like older brothers to me in those days. Some would argue that the trio were not the best role models, but, I would argue that the characteristics they instilled in me have made me who I am today and have served me very well throughout my most recent years. And continue to do so today.

Tom’s sarcastic wit, his anti-authoritarian attitude, and unfiltered criticisms of those he disagreed with will always stick out in my mind. He was certainly never ashamed of an opinion he held and certainly not afraid to share it. His young rebuttal against authority and mainstream norms evolved into anti-corporate and anti-commercial values which he instilled into his music and which helped shape his musical styling. I greatly respected Tom for this, and, as a musician and music lover will always work to instill these values in my work while simultaneously look for opportunities to support those who do the same.

Tom’s music, or should I say TJ Hooker’s music, his mixes, his sets, his production work were uncompromised. His music came from the heart. He never pandered to Top 40 radio or crowd favourites and would never have put his name on something he wasn’t proud of. I would like to reiterate that this was something I respected him so much for. This was echoed in his life, not just in his music.

Tom will survive in our family through our memories, stories and the unique stamp he left on the Jeffery clan. My challenge, my request to his friends, peers and the Underground Techno community is to keep his legacy alive. Music can mean the world to people. For some no art form, no substance on earth can articulate our emotions or connect with us spiritually, emotionally and physically the way that music does. Along with others, his mentors, peers and pupils, Tom has built a scene in this city that has touched hundreds if not thousands of people. It has given them community, identity, purpose, happiness, comfort, escape and so much more. His gift to the world, his friends, to everyone, is this music, is this scene.

With those words I ask, and am confident that those present here (and not), from the Subversive crowd and the electronic scene keep the spirit of TJ Hooker alive and bumping in the clubs, the warehouse parties and anywhere else. This music can touch people. Lastly, to those from the recovery community present, I cannot empathize what this loss means to your family. But I extend a heartfelt thank you. For without your support the amount of time that I and the rest of our family had with Tom probably wouldn’t have been as long as it was. I truly cherish all of that time we were together. To me, all of you in this room are as much family to Tom as I. I thank you very much for being in his life and I thank you very much for being present today.

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'MEMORIES OF TOM' by Chris Wade

I met Tom in the summer of 2007 at a local recovery house and recently made a connection through our mutual love for dancing like crazy maniacs and our love of electronic music and other kinds of weird music, industrial music --- Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, stuff like that.

As I’m sure you all know Tom was all smiles and laughter. All the most resonating memories of Tom that I have, whether it was doing impromptu fashion shows at Value Village, relaxing at Wreck Beach, or enjoying a hot and spicy bowl of Boon Boy Whey at the local Pho joint --- all these memories involved some wonderful laughter. He was probably the funniest guy I’ve ever met.

One thing that we recovering addicts do in Narcotics Anonymous is celebrate our clean time by presenting each other with a cake to celebrate each year. Tom asked me to give him his one year cake, but he really wanted me to do something different and kind of funny. I suggested mashed potatoes and he was all over it. The night before Tom’s one year cake my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, made a huge batch of mashed potatoes, probably about 10 liters, in the biggest pot we had. We totally didn’t think anyone was going to even touch it. The next evening we took the pot of cold mashed potatoes out of the fridge and brought them to the meeting. At the end of the meeting all the potatoes were consumed. Tom said he saw one guy coming back for thirds. So, either my wife makes really good mashed potatoes or people felt badly for the gross food that we had. That was a funny one.

I have all kinds of funny memories of Tom. We did some hiking together, went on a couple of road trips and used to do a lot of partying together. The most striking thing about Tom was the fact that he could make anybody laugh. He could make random strangers laugh. He’ll go up and talk to a random stranger and be super funny and they might get offended but the other people around watching would laugh.

It is hard to be up here today, to do this for a friend, but it is an honour and I do it out of love. Tom was one of my best friends in recovery. I just want to say that my heart lies with the family and that I’m really happy that you guys asked me to help out with this. I love you Tom.

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'MEMORIES OF TOM' by Sonya Bendixen

There are so many things that come to mind when I think of Tom that it was hard to figure out what to share. He was one of a kind. He had a way of getting people out of their own heads and enabling them to regain perspective without even realizing.

There was a time with my last job that was very difficult and I was having trouble coming up with the incentive to get up and go to it anymore. When I was venting to Tom one day he said, ‘I have an idea’. I said, ‘Great, what is it?’ He said, ‘Since you’re first in the office put a dill pickle on someone’s desk and then watch their reaction when they get in.’ I laughed and thought ‘What a brilliant way to lighten the mood in the office!’ So I did just as he suggested, but much to my dismay, they just took the pickle and threw it out like it was the most normal thing. So, Tom, who was just as annoyed with the lack of response, said to put a pickle on everyone’s desk this time. There will be some reaction for sure. So I did, and still nothing!!! His response this time was, "Yup, its official, time to find a new job. The pickles have spoken!" I later realized, during that whole time not once did I have trouble getting myself up and to the office every day. I had stopped focusing on all the stuff that was going wrong for the first time in a very long time. I am never going to forget that and will always smile when I think of this story. Tom will live on in my heart and memories along with the many other people he touched in his lifetime with his sense of humour, encouragement and eyes that a person can’t forget.

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'MEMORIES OF TOM' by Matt Dewan

I’ve been friends with Tom since high school. I have a few stories to share, ones I know Tom would want me to share. I was a little concerned about the content but was given permission. He is, was, and always will be a lasting inspiration to me. He was such a prankster, a professional heckler. He would make up fake Craigslist ads with random things for sale --- then he would put MY phone number. Out of the blue I would get bombarded with phone calls. People inquiring about some Mickey Mouse socks, or, on another occasion some guy called about some dirty magazines. I thought, ‘Good one, Tom, you got me.’ I must have received close to ten calls about the socks. Who buys socks on Craigslist, anyway?! Tom always loved to hear the details about the calls, ‘What did they say?’ He thought it was so funny, he got a serious kick out of it.

Recently, maybe about three weeks ago, Tom and I were in Zellers. He needed to buy a pillow. I wandered away for a moment only to discover the store phone, the paging system. I went on and made some funny noises that were heard around the entire store in an effort to make Tom laugh. Of course, he outdid me. He gets on there, and he says, straight-faced, completely serious, "Good evening Zellers shoppers. The deal of the week is Anal Beads. Buy one, get one free. Thanks for shopping at Zellers and have a good evening." I don’t know anybody who would so calmly and naturally do something like that. I’ll always miss him and always wish to have him back in my life.

I have one more story which happened on Sunday. We had been at Dianne and Bill’s house planning for this day. It was nice to connect and share stories of Tom and pictures and laughter. We all wanted today to be something truly special that Tom would approve of. Tom’s dad, Bill said, "We must include the Johnny Cash version of ‘Hurt’." I had to hear a clip before I remembered, oh yeah, that song. It had been a long time since I’d last heard it. The song is a powerful, real song about the pain an addict may be going through, or anyone could be going through. After leaving Bill and Dianne’s house, I was driving down the hill and I turned the radio on just in time to catch the beginning of the song, 'Hurt', by Johnny Cash. There was an unreal feeling at first shock, I thought, "No way!" Then I lost myself in the lyrics and began to tear up. A moment later it struck me that this was no coincidence; that was Tom. Tom was there with me in that moment, and he messing with me through the music on the radio. It was the first time I felt his presence and forgot about his absence. I was so happy.

It is good to know that Tom is here with all of us. It is important to remember that energy never dies. Tom left a lasting legacy. He was there for me when things seemed hopeless. He introduced me to a new, clean and sober way of life, something for which I am forever grateful. But, most of all, he was the most solid friend anyone could ever wish for. Thanks, Tom. I love you buddy.

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'MEMORIES OF TOM' by Daniel Naundorf

Dianne, Bill, Amanda, it is so kind of you to include us in your life, at such a painful time, to share our sorrow and to provide us with such a meaningful opportunity to express our shared love for Tom. Our tears and laughter on Sunday as we remembered Tom made me focus less on my own sense of loss and begin to fully appreciate and celebrate the beautiful, unique and powerful force of nature Tom was. And to be grateful to have shared his time and energy, to experience his brilliance, his humour, his passions, his gentle weirdness, and generous, loving spirit. It is healing to laugh through the tears. The amazing web of loving friendships Tom created has bonded like never before and it’s this sense of community and caring for one another that will be his lasting legacy in our lives. But, I miss him something fierce.

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'MEMORIES OF TOM' by Jim Jeffery

Well, I think we have solved a couple of mysteries today. I think I now know why I received a whole bunch of phone calls for chickens for sale. Living in Yaletown, where would I keep chickens? That’s a good one. I think I now know where I need to go shopping, at Zellers apparently. Oh, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy.

Thank you all for coming and for the overwhelming show of love and support. I hope that we leave here tonight with new-found, happy memories of Tom and his life, more so than the feeling of sadness, sorrow and loss that we all feel.

In the past week since I learned of Tom’s passing, I took the time to listen to the music that gave Tom passion. It is what got him up in the morning and what got him through the night. And, I don’t get it. Probably I don’t get it about as much as my parents didn’t get The Beatles. But, Tom got it and that is what’s most important. All of his friends get it. They’ve gotten it, and I’m getting it. I never knew how talented and gifted Tom was in the musical field, which is a testament of his humility, I feel. He never let me in that world. He always phoned me at work, wondering if he could rent the boat cheap.

Mom mentioned the childhood memories. The memory that stands out in my mind is a photograph of all the grandchildren in the back of Uncle David’s yellow pickup truck. That and Tom’s smile. I remember the silly Christmas hats, the turkey dinners and the mashed potatoes. I remember skating on a frozen pond, the go-carts the kids used to fight over. Simple things like that bring back such great memories. I remember the stilts my dad made when we were kids that lasted for generations and are waiting for the next batch of kids. I remember all the laughter, the kids and their laughter. Such good memories and Tom was always such a huge part of it.

As we look around today, it is absolutely amazing to see the broad spectrum of Tom’s friends, and family-like friends who are here today. We all loved Tom. However, as he grew up he got a little side-tracked for awhile. But that brought him a new family, a family of recovery, and Tom grabbed on to what recovery had to offer. It was through Tom’s recovery that I came to recovery. I was 49 when I was introduced to it. I remember being a scared little boy in the middle of a dark, dark ocean when I first arrived into recovery. It was Tom who was that bright light on the shoreline, saying, "Hey, Uncle Jim, come meet my friends. It’s okay, we’ll help you make it better." And he did. It was through recovery and that community that I got to see how much Tom inspired others. It gave Tom, at a young age, a chance to influence many people, and he did that very successfully. It gave Tom a chance to be influenced himself which opened up many other doors and opened his mind for other opportunities. It gave Tom a new way of life, one that brought a renewed passion for music. Music was Tom's passion, it’s what he dreamed of doing. It’s why he got up in the morning and lived for his next gig.

For what Tom gave to me --- and obviously what Tom gave to everybody in this room --- was hope. He put a smile on our faces and always left us feeling good about ourselves and good about what we’d done. I can’t thank the Underground Techno community enough for welcoming Tom into that world. It is truly what made him happy. Because of how Tom welcomed me, tutored me and guided me, I became a brother to Bill and Dianne again, a son to my Mom and Dad, a brother to my sisters and brother, an uncle to my nieces and nephews, and a better dad for Kieran, Ben, Dane and Shiloh. For me, Tom was the brightest light in a very dark harbour at a time in my life when I needed it the most.

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A PRAYER FOR TOM by Reverend Julie Lebrun

Gracious, O loving God, together we offer all our thanks today. We are grateful to share stories of this wonderful life. We offer our thanks for Tom who was near and who was precious to all of us gathered here today. We offer thanks for each of the relationships he was a part of; a son, a grandson, a brother, a cousin, co-worker, a friend to so many. We offer thanks for all that he gave and for all that he received. We pray that everything that Tom valued --- family, friends, compassion, humour and laughter, music, creativity, adventure, mutual support and a community of recovery --- continue to mean much to us now that he has died. We know that Tom will live on in the hearts and minds of all of us, all of his family and friends. We pray that those who were close to him, may now, because of his death, be even closer to one another, to support each other in the days ahead. We offer these prayers and those that rest silently on our hearts as we pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us, the Lord’s Prayer... Into your hands, merciful and loving God, loving spirit, we commend Tom. Now he is a part of us and a part of everything. Amen.

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SERENITY PRAYER

God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Grant me patience

For the things that take time,

Appreciation for all that I have,

Tolerance for those with different struggles,

And the strength to get up and try again,

One day at a time.

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RIP POSTS FROM FRIENDS:

I've been staring at this page for hours at a loss for words. Tom, you were one of nicest, most inspiring people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. You influenced my life more that you could ever have known. At the time we met I was in a pretty deep state of depression and withdrawn. Before the conversation was over, before it had even been built you offered me my first laser job. You pulled me back in and made me feel a part of the family, and in doing so changed my life. I was thinking about that last week, I regret not having had a chance to tell you that. In reading this page it becomes apparent just how many lives you touched. I'm so sorry to hear this. I'm going to miss you my friend. Miles Frederick

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I can't believe that you're gone man, always respected you greatly even though you were more stubborn than me at times. Glad we got that last recording done, it was a struggle but well worth it. Was always a pleasure shootings pics with you and making jokes about Ben Stiller movies, your sense of humour was one of a kind. You showed me what someone could do with some hard work and vision in this city and never I never could have imagined how much you would accomplish in the past 7 years since I met you in that random piano shop basement party. Here's to you, for making your dreams happen, and for being one of the nicest guys I've ever met once I got to know you. Peter Dobrik

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I have not known a finer friend. I have not felt a loss so painful. Tom, you took my sadness with a single smile and turned it into joy. You took my dreams and put them with your own and made people smile and dance and feel alive in the music. Your courage slayed my many fears and doubts. And your passion was contagious! I only wish I could have done for you half of what you have done for me. You have touched so many so deeply, making us see life in a whole new and amazing way. You are forever in my heart. I love you brother, but I need your hug to take this pain away. I know you're mad as heck at me for still being this angry, this sorry and this sad. I will find a way to stay positive. I promise you that with every fibre of my being. The love and passion for music and life that you gave us lives on. Peace my friend. Daniel Naundorf

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My dear friend... It has taken me some time to find the words to express how I have been feeling through all of this. I remember buying my first set of decks, becoming passionate about music, and having you with me every step of the way. Whether it was Wednesday night funky house jam sessions, or hours on end spent digging through used record shops, you were there. I don't think either of us truly knew what great plans life had in store for you, but after only a few short years, you were well on your way to manifesting your own little dream world --- and wouldn't let anyone step in your way. You are a true testament to what can be accomplished when you stay true to yourself and never lose sight of your passion. You inspire me. Your relentless drive, and undying love for music united a city, and brought a collective of amazing people together that were seemingly hiding in plain sight. I know that for you, this was only the beginning. Beyond your massive contributions to the music scene here, you were first and foremost, my friend. One of the best that I've ever had the privilege of knowing. Your smile, audacious sense of humour, and strong sense of self make you a person who I not only respected, and admired, but loved. I will truly cherish the time that we had together. The darkest hours truly do come before dawn, and the light that your shadow will cast will live on inside of me and the lives of everyone that you touched forever. Here's to life, old friend, save a seat for me. Matthew Hudolin

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Tom was a kind, positive and enthusiastic person and an amazing DJ. With his colleagues at Subversive he exposed Vancouver to music that we could only have heard in bigger cities. Tom's willingness to bring deep house to the world crossed community boundaries and for him it was always about the music. I'm proud to have worked with Tom and to have experienced his art. Tom, you'll be missed for your contributions to the underground music scene and for your amazing heart. Thanks for all you've done for music in this city. RIP, you will be missed TJ Hooker. Quinn Peters

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Such a sad loss for your family, friends, and all the people you touched with your love of music. We butted heads many times over the years, but I think and hope it was out of mutual respect. I liked giving you a hard time, because I wanted to see you do more, try harder, and be even better than you could even imagine. I will miss your enthusiasm, your amazing work ethic, and yeah those pretty boy eyes. Much respect. We will miss you. Rest in Peace Tom. Mike McSuede (DJ)

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I met TJ Hooker at my very first downtown gig back in '08, and since then, he had inspired me to stay true to the music as fiercely as I do. He told me that in order to build my following, I had to work with the right people. Fortunately, I had the honour of interviewing him for my old blog. Your legacy lives on Tom, countless souls are inspired by you. Justin David

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Tom was someone who was tireless in his dedication to something that was bigger than himself. It is always an honor to meet someone that is as passionate as Tom was about music and our underground community. Passionate enough to make others passionate. Passionate enough to make a difference through his actions. His is an example to be held in high esteem amongst all of us, and to be remembered as a monument to keeping underground music alive and strong in this city. I am sure this is how he would like to be remembered. He did not do this alone and my heart goes out to those closest to him that will be missing him most in the days to come. Jeff Little

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I wish heaven had a phone so I could hear your voice one last time. Everything I do reminds me of you. Mattrius Prime

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'The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.’ Bob Marley (posted on Tom's Facebook wall)

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TJ HOOKER BIOGRAPHY

Tom’s love of music was obvious at a very young age; while his peers were busy playing Nintendo, Tom was playing Frank Zappa records on his dad's Technics SL-1000. TJ's passion for music led him to the drum kit, where his early rock and jazz influences were on display full throttle. Tom's desire to expand his musical horizons introduced him to hip-hop and graffiti, which consumed him until the day he got his copy of the seminal electronic album by Tyler Stadius, "Fabric 06". Things were never the same after that...

Tom Jeffery emerged into Vancouver's underground house and techno scene in 2006 as TJ Hooker, bringing with him a captivating style of house and techno that has set him apart from the rest of the crowd, especially in Vancouver's underground electronic music scene. In just four short years, he has already dominated numerous clubs and parties with his diverse collection of music. From tracks that are deep, dark, and druggy to twisted, bass driven industrial sounds that generate an incomparable vibe on the dance floor. Tom is also an acute selector of Detroit techno, rare groove, and deep house. His diversity of timeless music allows Tom to play at any venue and to please any crowd.

As a resident of Hollywood Fridays at the Lotus Sound Lounge, and Open Studios, he is also the man behind Vancouver's most successful underground warehouse parties under the name of Subversive. TJ Hooker has had the opportunity to play alongside both local and international talents such as Evil Eddie Richards, AdultNapper, Deepchild, DVS1, Alland Byallo, Limacon, Jay Tripwire, Mieka Du Franx, Tyler Stadius, Scott W and Mike McSuede.

Tom's passion to take people on an unparalleled journey through his masterful mixing and impeccable track selections has composed a dedicated fan base which thrives on the unmatched feeling he creates in his sets. His vision to bring people together through his underground grooves ensures that wherever TJ Hooker is, the night is sure to have a memorable vibe like no other.

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UNITY PROMO FOR TJ HOOKER ClubVibes.com - Dec 12, 2009

Tom truly believes DJ-ing is so much more than just mixing tracks. He expresses himself though his music and puts his heart into every selection he makes. Tom's sets are layered with feeling and soul. His sound can be described anywhere from deep, dark, tripped-out house, all the way to flavourful techno. Either way, pinpoint mixing and purposeful programming are what to expect from a TJ Hooker set. Expect a showcase of bass driven underground grooves that will get any dance floor moving.

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DE RADIO PROMO FOR THE MACHINISTS – October 1, 2010

This week at Hollywood Fridays we’ve got Subversive’s TJ Hooker and Austin Phillips making their debut performance as ‘The Machinists’. Hollywood Fridays @ Lotus October 1, 2010. Over the last couple of years TJ Hooker has established himself as one of the top DJs in Vancouver carrying on the strong tradition of underground House and Techno music on the west coast. For this project Tom has teamed up with lifelong musician and friend, Austin Phillips, who has also been making a name for himself with his sets at the Lotus for Hollywood Fridays.

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CBC RADIO - Article by John Paolozzi, - March 2, 2012

Vancouver’s Tom Jeffery aka TJ Hooker, Passes Away. We at CBC Radio Electronic would like to express our condolences to the family and friends of Tom Jeffery, aka TJ Hooker. A leading light of Vancouver’s underground house scene since 2006, news of Jeffery’s death was met with shock and sadness by friends and colleagues who remember his talent, leadership and passion for a scene that he has spent the last six years of his life to help build. Vancouver Underground has written a beautiful eulogy on their Facebook wall, expressing the loss Tom’s passing represents to the Vancouver electronic community. Check it out.

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A TJ HOOKER MUSICAL RETROSPECTIVE on DE RADIO – March 24, 2012

Shine on you crazy Diamond! Like many others across the city, we here at DE Radio are mourning the loss of one our native sons of music. Many of us who are part of the electronic web of Vancouver know that TJ Hooker was a hub from which many strands of our varied musical community came together. To express our respect and the sense of regret at this significant loss, we are digging into our archives and playing all TJ's sets back to back. So buckle up and prepare yourself for the magic that was and always will be TJ's unique style and ability to get you dancing, moving and connecting to an ass-kicking booty shaking sound. We will miss you, but will never forget you. Peace. Listen to the radio event and then come out to the DVS1 show so together we can celebrate TJ's life!

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IN TOM'S OWN WORDS...

“Our music is everything. Our music has not true definition other than its ability to bring us together, to unify such diverse people into one true vibe and one global meaning....the house movement! This movement is supposed to open our eyes and minds to the real world. This movement is often a catalyst to people becoming enriched with a wide array of expression and freedom. And by going out and celebrating our lives through dance and social interaction we break the shackles and the oppression of our governments and cleanse ourselves of the corrupt messages that are constantly trying to brainwash each and every one of us. Be true, be unified and stand up against the powers that be, because our music culture is based on it. Our parties are renegade and our world is mystical, we truly live pure underground.” Tom Jeffery/TJ Hooker

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Tom, we love you, son, we miss you and will hold you in our hearts for all eternity. Always and forever, Mom & Dad

FREE AT LAST!

SHINE ON, YOU CRAZY DIAMOND!

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'HURT' - Trent Reznor, NIN

I hurt myself today

To see if I still feel

I focus on the pain

The only thing that's real

The needle tears a hole

The old familiar sting

Try to kill it all away

But I remember everything

What have I become

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away

In the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns

Upon my liar's chair

Full of broken thoughts

I cannot repair

Beneath the stains of time

The feelings disappear

You are someone else

I am still right here

What have I become

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away

In the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

If I could start again

A million miles away

I would keep myself

I would find a way

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'MEMORIES' - Rocco Feat Marcel

Memories of you linger in my mind

As I face each blessed day

I’ll forever live my life with love and patience

Because that was your way

Thank you for the life lessons

During your short stay

How I wished I’d framed your smile

To hang it in a permanent way

Your time on earth was a heavenly gift from God

For those of us who knew you

Your presence made us glad

It was your soul that touched us all

It was your soul that touched us all

It was your soul that touched us all

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SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND - Pink Floyd

Remember when you were young,

You shone like the sun.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

Now there's a look in your eyes,

Like black holes in the sky.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

You were caught on the crossfire

Of childhood and stardom,

Blown on the steel breeze.

Come on you target for faraway laughter,

Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!

You reached for the secret too soon,

You cried for the moon.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

Threatened by shadows at night,

And exposed in the light.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

Well you wore out your welcome

With random precision,

Rode on the steel breeze.

Come on you raver, you seer of visions,

Come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!

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WELCOME TO THE MACHINE - Pink Floyd

Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.

Where have you been?

It's alright we know where you've been.

You've been in the pipeline, filling in time,

Provided with toys and 'Scouting for Boys'.

You brought a guitar to punish your ma,

And you didn't like school,

and you know you're nobody's fool,

So welcome to the machine.

Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.

What did you dream?

It's alright we told you what to dream.

You dreamed of a big star,

He played a mean guitar,

He always ate in the Steak Bar.

He loved to drive in his Jaguar.

So welcome to the Machine.

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HAVE A CIGAR - Pink Floyd

Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar.

You're gonna go far, fly high,

You're never gonna die,

You're gonna make it if you try;

They're gonna love you.

Well I've always had a deep respect,

And I mean that most sincerely.

The band is just fantastic,

that is really what I think.

Oh by the way, which one's Pink?

And did we tell you the name of the game, boy,

We call it Riding the Gravy Train.

We're just knocked out.

We heard about the sell out.

You gotta get an album out.

You owe it to the people.

We're so happy we can hardly count.

Everybody else is just green,

Have you seen the chart?

It's a helluva start,

It could be made into a monster

If we all pull together as a team.

And did we tell you the name of the game, boy,

We call it Riding the Gravy Train.

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WISH YOU WERE HERE - Pink Floyd

So, so you think you can tell

Heaven from Hell,

Blue skies from pain.

Can you tell a green field

From a cold steel rail?

A smile from a veil?

Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade

Your heroes for ghosts?

Hot ashes for trees?

Hot air for a cool breeze?

Cold comfort for change?

And did you exchange

A walk on part in the war

For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.

We're just two lost souls

Swimming in a fish bowl,

Year after year,

Running over the same old ground.

What have we found?

The same old fears.

Wish you were here.

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SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND – Part II

Nobody knows where you are,

How near or how far.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

Pile on many more layers

And I'll be joining you there.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

And we'll bask in the shadow

Of yesterday's triumph,

And sail on the steel breeze.

Come on you boy child,

You winner and loser,

Come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine!

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Thomas Scott Jeffery was born on June 2 1985, at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster BC. He attended Kilmer Elementary, Hazel Tremblath Elementary, Citadel Middle School, CABE, and graduated from Riverside Secondary in 2004.

During his childhood, Tom was involved in soft-ball, baseball, hockey, karate, badminton, BMX biking, motocross, and was an avid skateboarder. He loved to ski and snowboard, and as with everything in life, took it to the extreme, always going faster, jumping higher (often backwards!), and racing in and out of the trees. He was an air cadet, and was an absolute master at camouflage and evading detection--- skills that served him well in his teens. As with everything, Tom immersed himself completely, then quickly moved on to the next attraction.

Never one to accept the norm, Tom explored the questionable side of life in his teens, developing artistic talents (albeit not always in appropriate places) and exploring the nooks and crannies of the lower mainland. Unfortunately, his attraction to living on the edge led to substance abuse and subsequently, addiction. Tom battled with addiction for several years. After numerous attempts to achieve sobriety on his own, Tom was admitted to the Last Door recovery program, which laid the foundation for a wonderful five year clean period.

Tom pursued a career as an Ironworker, working on several major projects in the lower mainland, including the Golden Ears Bridge. He loved to be up on the beams as a connector.

Tom vehemently pursued his passion for music, in particular, underground house and techno. With friends, he formed the company Subversive. Tom achieved his goal of becoming a leading DJ and promoter in the Vancouver underground music scene, and was instrumental in transforming the city’s electronic music scene.

Tom surrounded himself with a network of amazing friends, many of them recovering addicts. Tom was the rock that many people relied on; he was always willing to go to whatever lengths necessary to be there for a friend. He was dearly loved by many and will be missed greatly.

Biography of TJ Hooker (aka Tom Jeffery)

Tom’s love of music was obvious at a very young age; while his peers were busy playing Nintendo, Tom was playing Frank Zappa records on his dad's Technics SL-1000. TJ's passion for music lead him to the drum kit, where his early rock and jazz influences were on display full throttle. Tom's desire to expand his musical horizons introduced him to hip-hop and Graffiti, which consumed him until the day he got his copy of the seminal electronic album by Tyler Stadius, "Fabric 06". Things were never the same after that...

Tom Jeffery emerged into Vancouver's underground house and techno scene in 2006 as TJ Hooker, bringing with him a captivating style of house and techno that has set him apart from the rest of the crowd, especially in Vancouver's underground electronic music scene. In just four short years, he has already dominated numerous clubs and parties with his diverse collection of music. From tracks that are deep, dark, and druggy to twisted, bass driven industrial sounds that generate an incomparable vibe on the dance floor. Tom is also an acute selector of Detroit techno, rare groove, and deep house. His diversity of timeless music allows Tom to play at any venue and to please any crowd.

As a resident of Hollywood Fridays at the Lotus Sound Lounge, and Open Studios, he is also the man behind Vancouver's most successful underground warehouse parties under the name of Subversive. TJ Hooker has had the opportunity to play alongside both local and international talents such as Evil Eddie Richards, AdultNapper, Deepchild, Alland Byallo, Limacon, Jay Tripwire, Mieka Du Franx, Tyler Stadius, Scott W and Mike McSuede.

Tom's passion to take people on an unparalleled journey through his masterful mixing and impeccable track selections has composed a dedicated fan base which thrives on the unmatched feeling he creates in his sets. His vision to bring people together through his underground grooves ensures that wherever TJ Hooker is, the night is sure to have a memorable vibe like no other.