Came here to post this. Don Berns was a hell of a man, first met him back in 2000. Alev ha-shalom, Dr Trance.
Swamper
What a sad way to start the week
When I first started going to raves in Toronto I had no idea what the names were of the local DJs that actually played Trance - but if Dr. Trance was on the lineup I knew I'd at least get a taste of it. It was August 1999, Don ran events under the "Effective" moniker at the Warehouse (Kool Haus) and I just happened to be backstage when he yelled at me over the music to wake up the sound guy (yes, he was actually sleeping) because he needed to get on the mic. That's how we met.
I got to listen to his legendary radio voice on Energy 108 + 103.5FM + 89.5FM + 1groove.com. His shows provided an outlet for this music at a time when it was still in its relative infancy in Toronto. He was the nicest/funniest guy and supportive of local talent and gave Cinar Onat (DJ Fuzion) a guest spot on 89.5FM (in 2001). Kind of eerie that Don left us almost 10 years to the day that Cinar did. He was always supportive of TA and would plug it when he could - WEMF 2004 standing out for me. (http://bit.ly/1M1FGUa)
A true pioneer of Toronto's rave scene. Sad to hear of his passing. My favourite memory of him would be my first time seeing him. His dance during the Pink Panther remix kills me every time - 1m20s.
Interview with Don at Pride 2011. He mentions that he hopes he makes it to 2014 for world pride so he can retire. Glad he got his wish but it's a shame he didn't get to enjoy much retirement.
deegee
Oh trust me, Don enjoyed his 'retirement' (which started around 2004 or so) to its fullest--he was still spinning, acting, doing improv, recording commercials and voice overs. All while cheerfully claiming he was retired.
Oh and posting the most ridiculous funny stuff to Facebook. Every morning there'd be this flurry of bad jokes and gorgeous architecture from around the world.
They definitely broke the mould when they made that man. The world is diminished by his passing.
Also, the Pink Panther dance is great. What he did with hand-held confetti cannons at a bunch of Ascension parties...
kotsy
quote:
Originally posted by deegee
Oh and posting the most ridiculous funny stuff to Facebook. Every morning there'd be this flurry of bad jokes and gorgeous architecture from around the world.
I enjoyed his fb posts too.
"Sign o' the day" "Smart ass o' the day" "Library o' the day" etc
I only met him once briefly but he felt like a friend because I saw his posts day in and day out. I'm glad I told him how much I liked his "of the day" posts while I had the chance.
You will be missed by more than you know, Don! RIP
This is a bit self-indulgent, but here's my post from Facebook:
I've been trying to think of what to say for hours. I'm so sad. cry emoticon I've been wading through copious amounts of posts, memories and anecdotes after having recently learned of the passing of my friend, Don Berns. Some of you may have simply knew him as Dr. Trance. I knew him as Don, and I'm proud to say that I did. I don't know where to begin, where to start and where to end with the stories that involve Don. He was that integral to my life and helping further my love for music - especially of the electronic variety...
It began before we knew each other through his involvement with CFNY 102.1 FM when it was known as 'The Spirit Of Radio' instead of The Edge (check out http://www.thespiritofradio.ca/
). I was just a kid - an odd one at that - where I would literally spend hours by the radio recording the station's output of new wave, synth pop, indie rock, industrial and early house music and 'rave' music. It was here, thanks in part to him and his role as program director, that I first heard house music. It was here that I first heard his booming baritone voice that nearly every single Canadian would instantly recognize from a voiceover, commercial, documentary, infomercial hawking fitness equipment (a long standing 'funny' if you knew Don) or 'You're watching TSN/Global TV, etc.'. It was also via the radio, that I first heard one of his many specialty radio shows like the Dr. Trance Show or Technopolis and discovered trance music. He helped shape my love for electronic music through this medium.
Then one day, I met him. I was probably 16 and a tad too young to be out at a rave on my own, but there I was having the time of my life because of Dr. Trance. By this point I'd started to DJ and throw small events in my hometown, thanks in part to Don and the music he played on his various radio shows on CFNY, Energy108, Hot 103.5 and later on Global Groove Radio.
Rave being what it was, I dressed up in a lab coat borrowed from my science-teaching dad and made a patch over my heart that said 'Loop Dokter' - my DJ name at the time. A DJ name which I might add was pretty much stolen and influenced by his Dr. Trance moniker. I watched him play his set and as soon as he got off the decks, I immediately accosted him and handed him a mix tape I'd put together in the hopes that he'd listen to it (he did!) and that he'd like it (he didn't - BUT he told me why). Dr. Trance could make or break a DJ back then if you wanted to play in Toronto. He broke me a bit by telling me that I needed to work on my mixing - which is slightly amusing now because Don was never the best at beatmixing!
Over the years I grew to idolize him less as I got to know him more and we slowly became friends. Even though he was easily 20 plus years my senior he never cared and I never saw the point to care either. He had a youthful vigour for life - and a great taste in music, albeit some absolutely shockingly bad taste as well. We always enjoyed ribbing each other over just about everything including our tastes for certain cheesy synth-laden tunes that the opposing person didn't like.
We got into pun-offs. All those who know me well know how I love puns, but I don't know of a man other than Don who possibly loved them more than I. He was witty. He was wry, hilarious and always smiling. That booming voice commanded people to listen and laugh along with him. Finally, after thinking it would never happen, that booming voice asked me if I'd play on his radio show - twice. It was a great honour that I still relish to this day. He even asked me if I'd fill in to co-host his show because he felt I had a future in radio due to my own little Dr. Trance-inspired radio show that he'd managed to hear, but sadly that never came to be due to me being vested in other pursuits.
The last time I think I saw Don, he invited me out to a weekday night in which Slave To The Square Wave were playing. He told me to come because he knew I loved 1980s synth pop and that I would like these guys. I went and got to hang with him and fellow CFNY legend David Marsden - who were both really good friends. We had a blast. That was probably 10 years ago...
As time went by, Don stepped away from radio and DJing to do more voiceover work and act in theatre and improv, but he never forgot those he met in his past ventures. I tried to convince him to come out of retirement to help me with a radio show I was conceiving because as luck would have it, we ended up living about half an hour away from each other. It never happened because he'd found his second calling. He did on occasion, make it out of retirement to play as Dr. Trance if you asked him kindly enough. Sadly, I never made it out to those nights because of well, 'life'. Such a terrible excuse!
A few years ago, I found myself in Orangeville for a job interview... A place I knew was very close to where Don lived in Caledon. I called him up out of the blue to see if he wanted to meet up while I was there. Alas, he couldn't, but we talked for two hours laughing, reminiscing and shooting the as I sat in my car in the parking lot of the company I interviewed with a suit and tie on. He always made time for people even when he didn't have the time. On that day we made promises to finally get together since we now lived within half an hour of each other, but it never happened due to that thing we call life.
Finally, one of the first DJs that was asked to help test the Indie88 frequency in Toronto was Don Berns. Indie88 is a direct result of The Spirit Of Radio having come before it and plays a very similar format. So naturally, Don Berns was the right guy to get a couple of hours in which he could play the tunes he loved - and screw up a lot live on air. Radio had changed a lot since Don had manned a console, but he took it in stride as he always did. Throughout that time, the live chat was flooded by fans and former colleagues from all over the world wishing him well and of course, ribbing him for his mistakes. I was one of those people making comments in the live chat and he did one thing he's never done before - he thanked me and name checked me live on air for all of the support I'd given him over the years. It was like the world came full circle.
Just a few weeks ago, as we often did, I ribbed him about a record he played often but would never give to me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-prVZR5jAg
He of course, being who he was, had some rare as hens teeth Japanese import that had a mix on it that only him and God had. I wanted it. I still do. Right now I can hear him saying in that booming voice, "You're not getting it!"
My point about all of this is that through time, the people you find dear sometimes inadvertently drift apart because of this thing called life. Life can get in the way far too often; until one day when it's gone and you no longer have the opportunity to share your life with them because life has run its course. Take the time to get reacquainted with those that have been a big part of your life, because you never know what tomorrow brings.
I'm heartbroken and sad, but I've got a big smile on my face because I know if there's one thing Don has always been good at doing, it was bringing people together to have a good time.
Don, I'm truly gonna miss you man! Rave In Peace, Don Berns! May we meet again somewhere, wherever that may be.
deegee
Well said. I had a great afternoon once chilling at his place in Caledon, throwing balls for his dog.
And then I saw the WALLS OF VINYL and I think I got a chubby.
kotsy
Thanks for sharing, loopdokter! :)
I went to see him play Andy Poolhall in the summer. I showed a bunch of my friends that WEMF video in a effort to get them to join me. I even posted it on the facebook event that evening. Sure enough, he played the song and I had to tell him why it made my night.
