The Return of Our Prodigal Son

Back in 1986 I met a person who changed my life forever. It wasn't a girlfriend, or a teacher. It wasn't a cop or a priest. It was a DJ. A humble club DJ. His name was Matt Pinfield. Through the the music he played and the scene he created at the Melody I became the person I needed to be. I spent the next six years having the best time anyone could possibly have, listening and dancing to great music in a great club.

Sadly, that time had to come to an end and I moved to CA for my post doc at Berkeley. Matt and I stayed in touch regularly by phone, and hung out when I visited my NJ life from time to time.

In 1994, I got a real job and moved to central New York. By now Matt had left New Brunswick for good for NYC and MTV. With both of us busy full time, we didn't get to hang out much.

Over the next few years I got married, moved back to NJ, and had two boys. Matt got very busy in the music biz, flying everywhere, meeting everyone. He moved to California, then back to NYC, busy as ever. Though only an hour away by train, we didn't see much of each other. But every once and awhile I'd call him and actually reach him, and we'd talk and laugh as if it where 1990. We were still brothers.

I always hoped that some day we'd be able to hang out more, like in the old days. Now to a small degree, we can. Matt is now host of VH1's Top 20 video countdown, and I can see him at my house every weekend. he looks healthy and happy, doing exactly what he was made to do. He's the same old music hero I met 20 years ago, but now I get to share him with the whole country. Matt's gone through a lot and paid a lot of dues to get to this point, and he's earned it.

Here's to the guy who means so much to so many who were so incredibly lucky to have been able to hang out with him for so long. Welcome home.