Popular Scottish DJ Jackmaster dead at 38 after head injury

A popular Scottish DJ has died while in Ibiza, with his “utterly heartbroken” family sharing the devastating news on Instagram.

Jack Revill, the Scottish DJ known as Jackmaster, has died at age 38.

Revill passed away Saturday morning in Ibiza, Spain “following complications arising from an accidental head injury,” his family announced in an Instagram statement.

“His family – Kate, Sean, and Johnny – are utterly heartbroken,” the statement said. “While deeply touched by the overwhelming support from friends, colleagues, and fans, the family kindly requests privacy as they navigate the immense grief of this devastating loss.”

DJ Jackmaster, real name Jack Revill, has died aged 38. Picture: Instagram

The Scottish DJ was much loved in the DJ community. Picture: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

“Jack’s passion for music and his relentless drive to push creative boundaries through his work at the Numbers label and Rubadub Records in Glasgow, including discovering countless innovative artists, made him a beloved and pioneering figure in the electronic music community both in front of and behind the scenes,” the message continued.

“His talent for blending genres and delivering electrifying DJs sets and productions earned him the respect and admiration of peers and fans across the globe,” the family went on, noting that Revill’s “legacy will continue to inspire, and his impact on the world of dance music will remain indelible.”

This photo of the muso was taken just weeks ago. Picture: Instagram

Revill was born January 11, 1986 in Glasgow, Scotland. He worked at a record shop as a teenager and aspired to become a professional DJ.

“I never worked for money,” he said in an interview with Resident Advisor in 2012. “It was always just like, you would take a record per hour, so an import from Detroit or Chicago or New York was £7.50, which I guess you could say was quite a good wage.”

He added, “I never had to buy any records again. So that was an obvious perk.”

Revill began DJing when he was 17. He adopted the stage name Jackmaster in reference to the popular term coined in the Chicago house scene in the 1980s.

DJ Jackmaster performs on stage at Brooklyn Sanctuary in New York in 2016. Picture: Mike Pont/Getty Images for Republic Records

As his career began to boom, Revill was able to leave his job at the record shop behind and become a professional DJ.

“That kind of catapulted me into being a DJ who has gigs every Friday and every Saturday, and it’s been that way ever since,” he told Billboard in 2017.

Revill performed at many famous clubs and festivals. He even got a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix residency in 2014, after being named the Breakthrough DJ Award at DJ Mag’s Best of British Awards in 2010.

The late star also co-founded his own record label, Numbers.

Revill’s family as devastated over hte news. Picture: Instagram

In 2018, Revill was accused of sexual assault while he was on GHB at Love Saves the Day Festival in Bristol, UK.

He later apologised in a statement and said he had made “significant changes to address the destructive parts” of his lifestyle, by taking “an extended period out.”

In response, Revill’s victims issued a statement that read, “The position of the festival and its staff who were affected by Jack’s behaviour on the night is that Jack has directly apologised to them, he’s taken time out to work on himself and undertaken to never repeat this behaviour towards anyone else in future. He has our staff and the festival’s support in working towards these aims and his own future happiness.”

Revill last posted an Instagram on September 27 at his gig at the club Hï Ibiza, where he said the “vibe was wicked.”

This article originally appeared in New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Popular Scottish DJ Jackmaster dead at 38 after head injury