ONE of Sydney’s most prominent and enduring dance music DJs has died after an apparent accident at home. Paul Holden, a stalwart of the 80s, 90s and 2000s Sydney dance music scene, died after a serious fall. Tributes started flowing online this afternoon as news of the DJing veteran’s death started to spread. Holden is described on the DJs United website as “one of the single biggest contributors to the advancement of dance music and dance events in Australia”.

He started DJing in 1980, later working as an event and music producer and featured at major events such as the Big Day Out and Field of Dreams, and clubs integral to Sydney’s dance music scene. Fellow Australian DJ Maynard tweeted today that “we have lost a guy that has made people move throughout Australia as a DJ”. Holden was also a frequent DJ at gay and lesbian events, including the Mardi Gras, the Bacchanalia parties of the 1980s and the Sleaze Ball parties. Sydney Rave History website curator Brenden Brain said Holden was one of the industry’s “nice guys”, who often played free to raise money for charity. “It is a very surreal situation to think that we won’t get to hear him mix again,” he said. “All I can say is I hope he is dancing in heaven.”

Field of Dreams 4 1996 - Paul Holden and lasers