By GREGG KIRK
(August 1994, Big Shout Magazine)

These are strange times for the Delaware Valley music scene. Last month, more clubs closed down and burned to the ground than in any single year in recent memory. To make things more bizarre, a number of movers and shakers in the community passed away as well. But the news that was the most shocking for the staff of this magazine to hear was the news that Kajem Studios co-owner Sam Moses died suddenly of a heart attack on June 25, 1994.

Though he started Kajem Studios with ex-college roommate Joe Alexander and partners Mitch Goldfarb and Kurt Shore in 1978, it wasn’t until sometime in 1991 that I had the opportunity to meet Sam myself. I can barely remember it, but he had called the magazine to ask me to come and meet with him at the studio to discuss advertising matters. Admittedly, I had some preconceived notions as to what he would be like — stuffy, corporate, all business — but I found him to be nothing of the kind. In fact, he turned out to be so personable and friendly that every few months, he and I would touch base on what was happening in the local music scene.

He was genuinely concerned that Kajem had an “untouchable” image for local bands because they record so many high-budget, major-label acts, and he struck up an agreement with me that if any local group caught my attention and I sent them his way, he would do everything in his power to get these bands recorded and attempt to get them signed. In the ensuing years I sent a handful of groups to him. When a few of them made it into the studio, to my surprise, I received an un-asked-for check for my trouble. I know it is customary to say nice things about the deceased, but in the utmost sincerity, Sam Moses was a good man.

In a way, it was only fitting the way he died — doing what he enjoyed. Sam had been at the Tin Angel in Philly to see a live performance of the band the Low Road, who were putting the finishing touches on a soon-to-be released project at Kajem. After leaving the gig, he apparently walked to his car and was attempting to put the keys in the ignition when he was overcome by a massive heart attack.

To put a twist of weirdness to an already-tragic occurrence — the last chance a number of people got to see Sam was not him in person. At some point in the past few months, a television commercial for HBO had been filmed and Sam appeared in it, telling the viewers that he dutifully watched the channel every Wednesday night to catch the “Larry Sanders Show.” The commercial spot did not get pulled until a few days after he died, so there were a few cases of people who knew of Sam’s death and then saw him on television.

The fact that Sam died so young (he was 43) is made doubly tragic by the fact that he and his positive attitude will be sorely missed. In a line of business that is commonly fraught with snakes, backstabbers and opportunists, Sam stood out as one of the few genuinely good people in the crowd. For this and many other personal reasons, we will all miss him.

To ensure that his memory will live on in those associated with this area’s music scene, the board of the Delaware Valley Music Poll will be giving a special award in his honor at this year’s awards ceremony in December.