Martin Streek, a fixture on Toronto radio for the past two decades, has died.
The former CFNY/Edge 102.1 DJ, known for his deep, gravelly voice and late night live-to-air broadcasts from Toronto clubs, took his own life on Monday. News of his death first surfaced on the
TorontoMike website, but spread fast as local media personalities, radio hosts, and music fans expressed shock and sadness.
An ominous update on his Facebook page appears to be the radio personality's goodbye to the world.
Streek, who was
reportedly dismissed from the station in May, was one of the last remaining personalities from CFNY's Spirit Of Radio days. In his weekly show, the Thursday 30, he counted down the top 30 songs of the past week, as well as championing emerging acts in a segment called Groundbreakers.
He was also well-known for his live-to-air weekend broadcasts from nightclubs, chiefly the Phoenix Concert Theatre and the Velvet Underground in Toronto, and The Kingdom in Burlington, Ont. when it was in existence. The shows were broadcast commercial-free, and Streek would cut in between songs urging listeners to "Come out early and stay late," which became his trademark phrase.
Streek loved all kinds of music but had a particular affection for industrial acts such as Tool, Ministry, KMFDM, and Nine Inch Nails. His favourite all-time musician though was Joe Strummer -- he had a tattoo in the Clash frontman's honour, and the bio on the radio station's page was actually Strummer's.
A
Facebook memorial page has been set up in his honour.
To read a tribute from longtime Edge 102.1 colleague Alan Cross,
click here.
Photo from
Martinstreek.com