Roger Waters paid tribute to late DJ Jim Ladd in an X post shortly after his death on December 17. He punished Ladd’s SiriusXM bosses and accepted some of the blame for his dismissal from the radio station. Waters revealed his friend died in his sleep, writing, “As the Irish say, ‘I’m sorry for your loss.’ I just finished watching an interview I did with Jim back in 1984, and f**k he was good, as was Stewy, my cocker spaniel. Jim recently experienced a setback at work. SiriusXM, for whom he worked, reduced his Deep Tracks shows from six to one per week. Thank you, Scott Greenstein, and whoever it was you should have stopped.”
SiriusXM had changed Ladd’s schedule, moving him from a daily to a weekly show on the Deep Tracks channel. The former Pink Floyd member explained his influence on this decision by admitting that he was to blame. He stated, “I believe Jim was fired in part because of me.” Jim had interviewed me on Deep Tracks against the company’s better judgment, and our conversation had veered too close to the sacred cow, Israel, and its subjugation of the Palestinians.”
Roger Waters’ Love For Ladd
Waters also discussed his long friendship with Ladd, which began in the 1980s. He also revealed, “I adored Jim, and he adored me.” When the meat grinder that is modern LA finally closed the door on his legendary career at KMET and KLOS, I got him the job at Sirius. Jim was a defender. Jim Ladd had faith in the power of love. Ladd believed in telling the truth, in human rights, and in Freeform Radio.”
In addition, the singer stated that he and the late DJ had plans to launch a new radio station called Radio KAOS FM in 2024. The name of the station was inspired by the album ‘Radio KAOS’, which the two collaborated on in 1987.
Jim Ladd’s Death
Jim Ladd died of a heart attack at the age of 75. Meg Griffin, a SiriusXM colleague, announced his death on the Deep Tracks channel.
Griffin informed listeners that Ladd died at his home near Carmichael, California, surrounded by his wife, Helene Hodge-Ladd. Then, in honor of the late DJ, he added, “He never gave up caring. He spoke the truth. He lived for music, and I consider myself fortunate to have worked with him.”
The Late DJ’s Career
In 1969, Ladd began his radio career at KNAC in Long Beach, California. He quickly became a known voice in Southern California’s rock scene as FM radio was growing and influenced many artists, including Tom Petty, whom he inspired for ‘The Last DJ’ album.
In a previous interview, Michael Simone discussed being at the forefront of radio, “We were inventing this thing as we went along, so what I’d say in radio [for role models] is pretty much everyone I’ve worked with that I’ve learned or borrowed from.” Martin Luther King was a role model in my life, and when I was growing up, John Lennon and Jim Morrison were two others who had a big influence on me, as well as [Roger] Waters.”
#JimLadd @JimLaddRocks pic.twitter.com/pg8owzYrtj
— Roger Waters ✊ (@rogerwaters) December 19, 2023
