JD Twitch, known as one half of the duo Optimo (Espacio), has died. The Scottish DJ and producer born Keith McIvor revealed in July that he was diagnosed with an untreatable brain tumor. He passed away on Friday (Sept. 19) in Glasgow’s Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice. He was 57.
“In a 28 year partnership he changed my life immeasurably and together we took our work in directions and to places few people are lucky enough to explore,” his bandmate Jonnie Wilkes (aka JG Wilkes) wrote on Instagram. “I am forever grateful for everything he bestowed on me, both as a partner in music and as a friend. Keith’s intensity and passion for life, for music, for creativity and for positive change simply never let up. He was formidable. His belief in people and the idea that standing together, that our collective strength is powerful was unwavering. I loved him for that.”
McIvor grew up in Edinburgh, where he co-founded a members-only club night called Pure. The events became significant in the Scottish house and techno scene. In 1997, he kicked off Optimo with Wilkes at Glasgow’s Sub Club, hosting acts like LCD Soundsystem, Franz Ferdinand, the Rapture, and TV On The Radio. The pair began touring and launched the Optimo Music label in 2009, which has launched numerous imprints.
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