THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN KU
Despite suffering a brain aneurysm and falling into debt, DJRay is getting
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By Brenden Sager Kansan staff writer
DJ Ray said that after his brain exploded, it reminded him how fortunate he was.
"I guess I am lucky," said Ray Velasquez, KLZR 105.9 FM disc jockey and University of Kansas graduate. "I think it all because of my relationships."
Velasquez suffered a brain aneurysm Oct. 2 after returning home from his "Nocturnal Transmission" radio show. And now Velasquez is finding out just how much he is missed.
Vaquez's wife, Vanessa, said that he had been home for about two hours after the show when the aneurysm struck. He felt disoriented and asked her to call an ambulance. He was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
After doctors at the hospital determined Velasquez's injury was a brain aneurysm, or damaged blood vessel, they sent him to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. At the Med Center, doctors inserted a probe to repair the vessel. Velasquez was released seven days later.
But now Velasquez is battling to recover from the trauma and dav for the treatment.
"We're guessing it's going to cost up to $100,000," Velasquez said. He has no health insurance, and while he recovers at home, he cannot work. Vanessa's part-time job is the family's sole source of income.
To raise money, Velasquez's wife and Hank Booth, KLZR owner, established the "Peace, Love and Courage" foundation to help Velasquez pay his bills. Now he has to rely on people whose lives he has touched through music — from Lawrence to Kansas City and across the country.
And the people are responding. In Lawrence, Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St., and Low Rider Mexican Cafe, 943 Massachusetts St., are sponsoring music events and will donate a portion of the money to the foundation.
In Kansas City, Velasquez's family will hold a benefit, and the Kansas City Attack soccer team will give $2 from each ticket sold for their Nov. 26 game to the foundation.
In New York, Ramon Wells, owner of Bold Records, said that he was informing people in the music industry about Velasquez's plight through the Internet and music magazines. Velasquez is a respected member of the music community, he said.
"I know him as a journalist, I know him as a DJ and later as a friend," Wells said. "The word has been put out."
After graduating from KU in 1983, Velasquez worked at several area radio stations, including KLZR in Lawrence and KKKK and KKFI in the Kansas City area. He also worked as disc jockey at many now-defunct clubs in the Kansas City and Lawrence areas, including The Sanctuary, Eyes, Krypton and The Deep. He has written and edited for musical trade magazines published in New York, such as Rockpool and Net, and Pitch Weekly in Kansas City, Mo.
Velasquez also became the first disc jockey in the area to become one of Billboard magazine's top 100 disc lockevs.
"What I do is help shape the national dance chart," he said. "I'm not the kind of guy that plays records off a list."
"Mondo transformed club promotion into a cultural phenomenon." he said.
He said that Billboard respected the area music scene, and as one of its disc jockeys, Velasquez can make sure Lawrence and Kansas City get a voice in the national scene.
But Velasquez said his greatest musical accomplishment was Lawrence's Mondo Disco.
Mondo started in July 1993 at the Hideaway, 106 North Park St., on Monday nights. In February 1994, it moved to Friday nights at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St. Mondo Disco left the Granada in January 1995.
Internationally known disc jockeys such as Doc Martin and Dimitri from the band Dee- Lite brought
in capacity crowds. Velasquez said.
"It was the most successful consistent promotion the Granada ever had," he said. But it didn't last at the Granada for more than a year.
Mike Elwell, owner of the Granada at the time Velasquez left, said that the decision to stop having Mondo Disco was based largely on saving money and trying a new format.
But Elwell agreed with Velasquez that the Granada never had anything quite as successful as Mondo Disco.
"It was a good draw." he said.
Velasquez said Mondo Disco continued at events in other area venues.
"Now Mondo has a life of its own." he said.
But there is another part of Lasvezas that truly makes the music man what he is. Family.
He is the grandson of Mexican immigrants who not only brought their hopes of a better life to their new Kansas City, Mo., home, but they also brought their music.
"About everyone called Sister Ana Victoria the Shirley Temple from Mexico." Rosemary said.
She said that Ray's ancestors were among the first to bring Mexican tradition to the Kansas City area in the 1940s — la fiesta.
Rosemary Velasquez, Ray's mother, said the family had been musically inclined as long as she could remember. Ray's grandmother, Maria, and his great aunt, Sister Ana Victoria, were part of that musical heritage.
Rosemary said members of the family sang and played the guitar, mandolin, violin and piano in the flies at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Kansas City, Mo. The flies continue today.
"I remember when I was a little girl I used to dance in the floats," Rosemarv said.
"I get great love and inspiration from my family," Velas佐萨 said. "I consciously draw strength from them."
There is a plaque commemorating Guadalupe Garcia's cultural contributions on a fountain on The Paseo in Kansas City, Mo.
"I'm going to come back to everything," he said.
Although Velasquez said he wasn't sure when he would recover completely, he will return to the music scene.
THE HISTORY OF DJRAY
1961 Born in Kansas City, Mo.
1966 His father, Ray Sr. started his music collection of pop 45" records
1979 Graduated from high school in Roland Park, where he was the founder and president of the Beatles fan club.
1979 Came to KU. Had his first DJ gig at a party in Oliver Hall where he lived
1981-83 Worked at KJHK
1983 Became a DJ at the Sanctuary in Lawrence, started DJing at KKKX
1983 Graduated from KU with degree in broadcast management
1987 Started Eyes dance club in Kansas City where he was first DJ to introduce new brands of music to major dance clubs
DJed "Nocturnal Transmission" at KKFI in Kansas City, Mo.
1993 Started "Nocturnal Transmission' at KLZR in Lawrence
1995 Suffered a brain aneurysm
LEAD STORY
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