Getting Crushed By A Cab Didn't Change A Thing For Johnathan Toubin

Johnathan Toubin is the New York soul DJ that made news last year when a taxi driver had a seizure and drove her ride into his first-floor hotel room and crushed him in his sleep. The freak accident put him into a really long coma and caused him major injuries which totally halted his ability to spin and cast a dark cloud over the New York party scene. Everyone was so sad that there was nowhere to dance on Friday nights (and because this nice great guy was almost killed) that they threw a benefit for him so he could get better really fast and host parties again. Well, he's on the fast-track to recovery and back behind the DJ booth again. And he's coming to Canada! I chatted with Johnathan about life after the accident, bad luck, and what to expect from his NXNE sets.

What's up? Where are you? What are you doing?

I'm in New York. Just listening to some records.

You were just on a record shopping spree up along the Rust Belt?

I was in Detroit yesterday. I'm shopping constantly so I don't get bored.

Vinyl DJ's are getting pretty rare. It seems labour intensive. You must have a big record collection.

It's hard to keep organized. But it's a non-stop discovery collecting 45's. They put out thousands a week and you find all kinds of stuff from bands that never put out whole LP's. Sometimes it's horrible but sometimes it's some amazing thing and you wonder where it's been your whole life. In a dance club, vinyl just sounds better.

So last year you were in a seriously weird accident where a taxi drove through your hotel room and crushed you while you were sleeping. What's your memory of that night?

I don't remember anything. I woke up and it was a month later. I remember checking into the hotel and that's it. I was awake when it happened but it's normal for people who have traumatic experiences to block everything out. I was awake when the taxi was sitting on me but I just don't remember. People don't remember motorcycle or car accidents. Especially if you are in a coma or something after, it makes the memory even fainter. I've been hoping I won't remember anything.

Were in a coma for a long time afterwards?

I woke up sometime in January. It was about a month.

What's being in a coma like? Is it like a big long sleep?

I don't remember!

Well did you wake up with a big beard and think where the hell did this beard come from?

I don't even remember waking up. It's a slow process of coming back to life. So many things had happened while I was gone. When I woke up I found out about the accident and I found out there was a benefit for me. Many nice things happened.

Did you ever meet the woman who drove the taxi?

No I haven't. I'm sure she feels horrible but I don't personally see what we would talk about. I forgive her.

Have you been accident-prone or like cursed with bad luck your whole life?

No! I've always been really fortunate. I've always played tons of shows and been a big party person so i've been roaming around dangerous places at all kinds of hours for many years. And I've always been really fortunate.

Do you feel different now? Physically or in terms of your outlook on life?

I broke everything and punctured everything and I don't hear as well. I have a lot of issues now. I'm gonna go see the psycho-therapist and the regular therapist and the hand therapist today. I'm slowly getting better.

There's lots of people who have near death experiences and then feel invincible or are more grateful to be alive or something. Is that your experience?

I already lived like that. I've always been positive and this has neither soured me nor given me any illusions. I haven't gotten religious or anything.

So it was kind of just like getting a bad cold or something?

No, It made me grateful for family and friends. When you can't eat for a long time and you finally get food, even hospital food is miraculous. When I was trying to figure out how to walk again and it started finally working after about a month, I was really grateful. Just to walk. It's something you don't think about otherwise. I had a pretty great life before and now i've got a pretty great life but I gotta go to the doctor a lot.

Are you afraid of taxis now?

No, I'm not afraid of any of that stuff. I actually went back to the hotel. It was a little bit eerie but it's a pretty good place if you don't stay on the first floor in front of the driveway.

Are you going to jump right back into being a party guy or are you taking things slowly now?

I have a Friday party in New York and its important for me to do that. On Saturdays I'll sometimes do out of town gigs. Like Saturday the 16th I'll be in Toronto.

You're coming to DJ the NXNE Bruise Cruise event? You DJ'd the American Bruise Cruise event last year. What was that like? You slept on a party boat for 3 days?

It was really cool! It's a floating party. I've been to Toronto a few times and it's always fun. I went to a BBQ with my friend Mark Sultan AKA the BBQ and at the BBQ I had a hamburger and then I met Neil Hamburger. So I went to a BBQ with BBQ and had a hamburger with Hamburger. Canada is great. I'm not planning to get in on the healthcare but the accident would have been a lot better on my wallet up there.

Maybe we can get married or something.

You got it!

Just kidding, that's illegal. I'll be at the Bruise Cruise show. Hopefully a plane doesn't crash into the boat.

No, no. It's always safe on the water.