• Rachelle Fernandez

Spencer Wright aka "DJ Coma" has shared the stage with underground legends such as Tech N9ne and Kottonmouth Kings. In his own words, he gets "paid to party," and last year, was nothing short of that. But Wright is not your average DJ: He's a self-taught musician who craves to learn any new instrument. From the sax to the ax, this multi-instrumentalist uses music as an outlet from his painful past.

Where did the moniker "DJ Coma" come from?
I had a traumatic brain injury. I fell a few stories and hit my head, and I was in a coma for some time. When I came out, I couldn't walk or talk, I lost my friends, but I still had music. Music was my way to get away from the world and express myself.

Did music play a role in your rehabilitation?
Absolutely. When I damaged my head, I didn't damage as much of the musical side of the brain. I couldn't read or talk, but I still knew how to play my saxophone, and I could read music notes.

What was the moment as a musician where DJing caught your attention?
I've always been connected to music. I saw videos of DJs partying and what not. So one Christmas, I asked for some turntables and I got them. I thought it would be cool to learn how to mix songs together, so I taught myself how. I just taught myself to work with that, and I showed someone the mix and he was really impressed ... so he hooked me up with the bigger tables.

Your mixes are insane. How did your style of DJing come about?
I don't just want to do like a mix, like something that you have heard a million times. I like to do it in a way that when you hear it, you know it but it's so different. I want to give people a new perspective on how music is played. I made a mashup of [Marilyn] Manson, kind of to an electronic beat, so it's more danceable because that's what people want for the clubs, is something to move, too.

What are your aspirations for the New Year?
I don't know. But I want bigger venues, more people. I want to speak to the world, not just the bar. I was very successful this year [and] the year before. I only see bigger things coming this year.