New York. Blowing up balloons at Nicky Siano`s Gallery, where every weekend was like going to church. A church where the congregation would lose its collective mind. Spiking the punch with his best friend, Larry (Levan). Starting out at Better Days. The Continental Baths, the Bacchanalian “Tubs” beneath the Ansonia Hotel.

Chicago. Residencies at the Warehouse, that inspired, and at the Power Plant that nurtured, a sound. Disco`s Revenge.

Remixing old European tracks, like Jago`s “I`m Going To Go” and My Mine`s “Hypnotic Tango”. Classics established as such based largely on his approval. Partnering with David Morales, John Poppo and Satoshi Tomiie for Def Mix Productions.

The internet is awash with tributes and tears, and so it should be. It somehow doesn`t seem right to reiterate the history and duplicate the thousands of YouTube links that started circulating immediately upon the news of Frankie Knuckles` death. It also doesn`t seem right to do what I might usually do and tell you what was going through my head, and coursing through my veins, the first time I heard “Your Love”. Indulgent memories are out of place here, when our thoughts should be with his closest friends and family, when Frankie and his music, his legacy (rarely has there been a more appropriate time to use the word), are too important and belong to everyone.

I`ll keep a lid on it, despite Frankie having had a hand in “Talking With Myself”, “Ain`t Nobody”, “What You Gonna Do With My Lovin`”, and “Where Love Lives”, all records that I fell in love to, as I danced with strangers, as the room became one.

If House is a feeling, then it wouldn`t even be called House if it weren`t for Frankie Knuckles.