EVERYDAY PEOPLE - Jared Crooks -Sharing the music

JARED Crooks, originally from Brisbane, grew up on the north side and attended Kelvin Grove High School. Raised by his parents, Jared enjoyed a happy childhood. His father, a sportsman, was tough on Jared, wanting him to excel in sports. The mantra “Always give your best at whatever you do” was instilled in him from a young age.

When he was about thirteen his parents separated. His father remained in Brisbane, while his mother cares for his autistic younger half-brother in Hervey Bay.

Growing up, Jared excelled in sports and won a rugby league scholarship to Padua Boys College, the same college attended by former professional rugby league player Paul Vautin. Jared also loved cricket and martial arts, earning a black belt in Taekwondo and Ninjitsu. 

At fifteen, Jared got his first job making pizzas at Domino's. Within a year, he was closing the store by himself on busy Saturday nights. His other love was music, especially electronic dance music (EDM). He remembers watching ‘Rage’ at seven and seeing Daft Punk, who pioneered EDM in 1997, opening the floodgates for the genre.

When Jared was sixteen and a half, a friend snuck him into a nightclub, where he saw a live DJ in action. Mesmerised by the electric vibe, Jared was hooked. He spent much of his free time buying equipment and practising mixing, scratching, cueing, spinning, and remixing.

Jared’s first car was a bright lime green Nissan Silvia, a loud Japanese import that could set off car alarms. Police frequently checked its sound levels. Jared loved the car and developed an infatuation with it, eventually owning five different Silvias and Skylines. However, as he got older, he valued his license too much to continue driving such attention-grabbing cars.

At seventeen, Jared entered the car sales industry, which he knew nothing about. “At the interview, the manager said that if I could sell a car by the end of the day, the job was mine. I ended up selling two Corollas and a Yaris, so I sort of fell into the industry. While the job was stressful at times, I loved KPIs and goals. But it was a dog-eat-dog industry.”

Jared moved to Hervey Bay at twenty-six and worked as a finance manager and car salesman. One of his favourite jobs was working for Jobs Fraser Coast, where he used his marketing, sales, and business skills to help others, particularly youth, through the Fraser Coast Industry Careers Showcase, an annual event that remains a great legacy piece for Jared.

Now, Jared devotes himself full-time to DJing through his business, 'Party Rights Events,' sharing the music he loves and creating vibrant energy for everyone on the dance floor. For Jared, it’s a mutual exchange of energy with the crowd, and he aims to bring joy to people through music. He is also producing his debut album, which he hopes to release within the next year.

Over the years, Jared has faced mental health issues, including major depression and anxiety. By developing a toolkit of coping strategies, he has learned to overcome these challenges when they arise. He enjoys the gym, ice baths, and saunas and is passionate about health, fitness, and diet. He reads extensively on self-improvement, both physically and mentally, and challenges his brain with puzzles and crosswords. He also loves meditation.

Now thirty-three, Jared is a single dad to his four-year-old daughter Isabelle, who has him wrapped around her little finger. Jared loves being a dad and spending quality time with her. Right now, Jared’s exactly where he wants to be and is excited about the future.

By Kim Parnell

From the What’s On Fraser Coast Magazine