Bringing beats to the Fraser Coast

Story: April Spadina. Photos: Cody Fox

Some souls start their lives with a very clear knowledge of what they want and the determination to make it happen. This is the case for entertainer Jarod “Crooksy” Crooks, who as a young teen, spent his days locked in his room teaching himself the art of mixing music with a desire to become a professional DJ. On his twentieth birthday his dream came true when he was celebrating with friends at a popular Brisbane club and was offered to step in and take the controls so the DJ could have a break. The response from the crowd was overwhelming and on the spot he was offered a job, and the rest as they say, is history!  

For Jared, DJ-ing is a mixture of science, mathematics and psychology. He watches the crowd closely, changing the tempo to engage his audience, ensuring every component of the music creates a perfect fusion of sound and rhythm, at times losing himself in the vibe of perfect energy.

A born perfectionist with a competitive nature, Jared doesn’t do things by halves and over the years he has also thrived in various roles in the corporate sector, swapping his conservative business suit for DJ attire on a Friday afternoon to spend the weekend blasting his unique style to a pulsing crowd.  

Jared now resides in the Fraser Coast and still combines business with pleasure – he is resident DJ at the Beach House and also runs a successful Jobs Fraser Coast organisation, supporting the growth of skilled workforce in the region including a hugely successful careers expo forging business relationships and careers across many sectors.

Jared stays soul-centred in the community by helping youth, aged and disability services but his heart is fullest when he sees his little four-year-old daughter’s hands glide across a keyboard, already following the long line of generational musical talent. In time Jared plans on releasing his own album of original tracks and dreams of playing across the globe at major festivals with his daughter by his side, and when Crooksy sets his sites on something the universe will conspire to make it happen.

This story appears in the August 2024 edition of Fraser Coast Scene, our monthly guide to What's On across our Cultural Services venues.

The creation of this story and photography was funded by Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF). RADF is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Fraser Coast Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.