I guess this means it's time to grow up now huh?

Fellow Toronto music lovers and radio listeners have been dealt a swift blow today after learning of the death of Martin Streek yesterday. A veteran host at CFNY (yes, I refuse to call it the EDGE . . . I'm old skool) and a huge cultural significance to myself - his live to air shows from various Toronto clubs over the course of his tenure were the last remaining bright spot on an otherwise fairly abysmal local radio scene. He was my last and final reason to tune in to what was once a cutting edge (pardon the pun) media outlet, in recent years turned centrist, pandering, commercial enterprise. Martin was fired a few months ago after 20 years as one of the 4 (the other 3 being Strombo, Alan Cross and Booky) driving forces behind Toronto's local music scene receiving it's due airplay before all the Can-Con quotas. They truly made a lasting impression on the musical fabric of this city as well as on my personal musical existence.
Sadly, yesterday afternoon after posting what now seems ominously to have been his 'farewell' to the world on his Facebook page "So … I guess that's it … thanks everyone … I'm sorry to those I should be sorry to, I love you to those that I love, and I will see you all again soon (not too soon though) … Let the stories begin," , Streek ended his own life. He truly had one of the most distinctive voices in radio history, not just in Toronto and I have been hearing his voice echoing in my head all day - spooky. The one thing that keeps popping up in my mind is back in the day when Strombo still worked at CFNY and was the junior member of the team, Martin always referred to him as George Sloppydroopypants - silly, but I keep hearing him say it in my head and it makes me laugh every time.

I remember the first time I met and chatted with Martin in the mid 90's at a Live to Air show at the Phoenix - he was a force in any room. I have since run into him all over the city at various events, shows and clubs and he always had a smile and in most recent years even remembered me each time. I feel like my adolescence has just disappeared, time to grow up I guess. Cheers to ya Marty, listening to NIN and The Clash in your honour tonight brother. You will be missed.

**EDIT - new update:

So I have had to ‘justify’ my sadness over Martin’s passing to a few people over the past couple of days so I thought I would share here why I have felt so saddened by his passing.
I spent 2 years lying in a hospital bed when I was 17 years old. While my sister and friends were using fake ID to get into Martin’s Live to Air shows at the Phoenix on Saturday Nights, I spent 2 years of Saturday nights talking to a friend on the phone (he didn’t go to the Phoenix because I couldn’t go – never really thanked him properly for that . . .), both of us listening to Martin live from the Phoenix. Martin was the voice who made me feel, if only for a couple of nights a week, that I was not missing my ENTIRE adolescence. I met Marty the first time a couple of years after that and thanked him for keeping me up to date and being the voice of my sanity for those years, he was gracious to say the least. I have been running into him all over the city for over 15 years since then and he always had a smile and a wink. In the past 5 years or so he always sought me out when he saw me, and stopped to chat. So to those who have questioned why, I say – I get to feel sad about this because I just do – so there. I will be sure to give a smile and wink at the booth this Saturday. Cheers Marty.