JD Twitch, esteemed Scottish DJ in duo Optimo, dies aged 57 | Dance music
The Scottish DJ and producer JD Twitch were celebrated as half of the optimo duo, died at the age of 57.
The artist, whose real name was Keith McIvor, was diagnosed with an untreated brain tumor he announced in July. On Friday, Glasgow’s prince and the Wales Princess Dj Partner Jonnie Wilkes (Aka JG Wilkes) died. announced.
“In a 28 -year -old partnership, Wilkes changed my life in an inexorable way, and we guided our work together and lucky enough to discover a few people.” He said. “I am grateful for everything he gives me both in music and as a friend.”
McIvor grew up in a family in Edinburgh, with the mid -the mid -road, the softest music taste that can come to mind ,, but after moving to Glasgow to go to university in 1986, it was mixed with club culture in both cities.
Djing Elektro and EBM (electronic body music) began on a club night in Edinburgh, as these styles reached England and graduated from the house with the start of the acid house period. The night was closed by the police after the fight between the football hooligans, but McIvor only made a member of a member of a new night with the blessing of the authorities. “It gave us the chance to start from scratch again and make a 100% club under our own conditions,” he said. “He did something about all the music about Madchester, and a completely different crowd came.”
Pure was a fundamental event on the Scottish House and Techno scene, but McIvor, who grew up to find the DJ culture “all boring”, started another event that gave a sound to the width of Catholic taste in 1997. Taking its name from Optimo, MCIVor took the Remix by the New York Punk-Funk Group Liquid, and the Sunday night event in Glasgow’s lower club ran to 2010 with JG Wilkes (Jonnie Wilkes).
MCIVor said that the couple is “not aligned with a certain musical movement – – Electroclash, Punk, New Wave, Soft Rock and Dance Tracks, as well as other styles and host DJs such as LCD SoundSystem and TV on radio. Optimo has previously opened the open -mindedness of the internet age and was praised as one of the most important events in global dance culture. Later, MCIVor and Wilkes continued internationally under the name of Optimo.
MCIVor was also a producer and Optimo’s star Rose was searched for Franz Ferdinand, Róisín Murphy, Manic Street preachers, Florence + The Machine and more (“Discogs says that I made me 108 remixes, but it is probably a few more”. He founded the spin-offs like Selva Discos and created the compilation albums such as Optimo (second episode), curated by the 2019 film in the Scotland, Beats to Beats.
MCIVor announced his illness in July 2025: “My symptoms were not diagnosed immediately and my health fell very quickly for just a few weeks… I am trying to process this news and give priority to spending valuable time with the people I love.”
Wilkes added the following in his praise to McIvor: ım I am grateful for everything he gave me both in music and as a friend. Keith’s intensity and passion for life was never disappointed for music, creativity and positive change.
After thanking Darüceze staff and others, he added: “Keith left us too early.
