Some stories start with a motorcycle.
Some start with a microphone.

This one starts with a man who thought the life he loved might be over.

LJ James has spent decades inside the biker world — writing about it, living it, DJing it, emceeing it, and standing in the middle of the kind of brotherhood most people only hear about.

He is known as The Biker DJ, but that name does not tell the whole story.

Because LJ’s story is not just about music, motorcycles, parties, or big crowds.

It is about losing the life that made you feel alive…

…and finding your way back to it.

After a serious injury in 2015, LJ was told to accept new limits. No more DJing. No more big events. No more clubs. No more Catskill Mountain Thunder.

For a man built on brotherhood, noise, stories, and the road, that was not just a medical setback.

That was a gut punch.

But biker stories do not usually end quietly.

And LJ’s sure didn’t.

A chance stop at a Memorial Day BBQ benefit.
A few hot dog rolls that needed cutting.
A conversation with the Red Barn Riders RC.
A brotherhood that refused to let him stay stuck.

Slowly, the road started calling again.

And LJ answered.

Today, he is back where he belongs — telling stories, making noise, honoring the brothers who are no longer here, and helping keep the spirit of Catskill Mountain Thunder alive at Blackthorne Resort.

This interview is not polished corporate PR.

It is LJ in his own words.

Raw. Funny. Honest. Grateful.

A little loud.

And exactly the way it should be.

So grab a coffee, a beer, or whatever feels right.

Meet LJ James — The Biker DJ.The Interview with LJ James, The Biker DJ

Interviewer: Let’s start simple—who are you, really?

LJ James: Depends who you ask or what day you catch me. If you’re asking a biker I know, they probably consider me family. If I am DJing a party, I am the Biker DJ. If you’re reading one of my articles, I’m the guy telling the truth you already knew about the biker life, but most media doesn't promote.
But officially? I’m LJ James—freelance writer on the biker lifestyle for over 30 years, DJ/MC since 2000… proud member of the Red Barn Riders RC, and a guy who’s been blessed enough to live a pretty dedecent life.

Interviewer: You grew up around bikers. What did that actually teach you?

LJ James: That “brotherhood” isn’t just a word—it’s a responsibility. They taught me respect is important in this life, but never more important than brotherhood.
My father, “Pappy,” was never in a club, but he and his crew weren’t pretending. These were men who showed up. It didn’t matter if it was 2 PM or 2 AM, sunshine or a snowstorm—if Pappy got the call, we were there, and you were never alone.
I didn’t just see true biker brotherhood growing up… I absorbed it. Like secondhand smoke, it gets in your system—and for me, it never left.

Interviewer: And somehow you turned that into both writing and DJing?

LJ James: Yeah, writing came first, and it gave me a voice to promote the greatness of this life and fight the negativity. It's also every old bikers job to help educate the next generation of Bikers, and that is also a big part of why I write about the life.
DJing gave me a microphone—and I always enjoyed partying. I like to believe I can make any party just a little better.
I started DJing at parties, then bike events… then suddenly I’m looking out at huge crowds thinking, “How did I get here?”
But that’s the thing about biker events—when they grow, they don’t just get bigger… they get louder, wilder, and somehow more meaningful all at once.

Interviewer: You were deeply involved in the Long Island motorcycle scene. What do you remember most about that time?

LJ James: The camaraderie—no question. But there was also something magical about that time. It was actually so much better than any movie or TV show could ever capture. The things we did were epic and every day was another party!
There’s something powerful about being part of something bigger than yourself. It keeps your ego in check… and your soul in motion, and your heart full!

Interviewer: Then life hit hard in 2015.

LJ James: Yeah… the injury. The kind that makes you question everything.
By 2016, I’m living up in the Catskill Mountains thinking, “Alright, maybe that was my run, it was definitely a good one” I was honestly thinking I had probably a year left. Then in November 2017, the doctors found the problem. They were able to make things better—but did not quite fix everything.
Even after the surgery, I was pretty much told to accept my limits, which included: no more DJing, no more clubs, no more big events like Catskill Mountain Thunder.
And I’ll tell you something—losing the lifestyle hurt me more than any injury ever could.

Interviewer: But that wasn’t the end of the story.

LJ James: Nope, not yet. If my life was a movie, the inspirational montage would have started in 2021.
I was helping at a Memorial Day BBQ benefit, raising money for veterans. I wasn’t even supposed to be there—I was just stopping by to get a burger. But the hot dog rolls they had for some reason, were one piece, the line of customers was backing up, and they needed someone to help cut the hotdog buns open—so I volunteered.

I cut open hot dog rolls for like two hours. Then I’m saying my goodbyes, getting ready to leave, and that is when I meet the guys from Red Barn Riders RC. We start talking, and right away I liked them. They were good men—the kind that remind you what this whole thing is supposed to be about.
They were redneck bikers, and I remember thinking, “If the Dukes of Hazzard rode motorcycles, they would be these guys.”

About a month later, I went on a charity ride they put on… then I started hanging out with them, watching the work they do for their community. And I thought, “Yeah… this is where I want to be.”

So I started prospecting. And on January 22, 2022—I earned my patch.

Interviewer: What did that moment mean to you?

LJ James: The first word that comes to mind is “Rebirth.”
Because it wasn’t just joining another club and being part of a brotherhood again—it was reclaiming a life I thought was over for me. The brotherhood that is the Red Barn Riders didn’t just welcome me in… it pushed me, supported me, refused to let me stay stuck or limit myself. And because of them, I didn’t just recover some more —I became me again.

Interviewer: You’ve been connected to Blackthorne Resort for a long time too, right?

LJ James: In 2003, I remember getting a phone call from a magazine I was working for—someone had canceled, and they needed someone to attend and cover the Blackthorne Resort spring ride and event.
I rode up with a girl I was seeing back then, and we had one of the best times ever. The ride was incredible, and the party felt like being adopted into a new family. I would have to say I fell in love with the place right away!

The Blackthorne isn’t just a venue—it’s a second home. And Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Festival? That’s the Super Bowl, Woodstock, and a family reunion all rolled into one loud, beautiful experience. Hundreds of awesome things happening at once—and somehow, it all works.

Interviewer: You were asked to emcee CMT 2025. That’s huge.

LJ James: Yes, it was an honor… and a heavy one. Knowing Mikie “The Voice” wouldn’t be there that year—and especially now after his passing.
Mikie wasn’t just “the voice” of CMT—he was the heartbeat of the party. We had known each other for decades here and there through different events, and I had hoped we’d work CMT together someday.
He can never be replaced—but I can damn sure help keep the party alive the way he would’ve wanted.

Interviewer: Looking back—if someone told you in 2017 where you’d be now what would you have thought?

LJ James: I would’ve had a hard time believing them—but I never would have completely ruled it out.
Because here’s a hard truth: sometimes
“Really bad things” can make you focus, and appreciate everything you had/have, it pushes you to accomplish things that once seemed impossible.

With the support of my family, my Brothers of the Red Barn Riders RC and my other family at the Blackthorne Resort, I didn’t just come back… I came back more positive, more determined and more grateful for everything.

Interviewer: And now you’re bringing back your old radio show?

LJ James: Oh Yeah!!!—The Biker Lowdown Radio Show. I did it from 2008 to 2010, and it was a pretty big hit back then.

We’re relaunching this summer. New studio, New Faces, Same attitude. Better equipment… but probably not better behavior.

And we’re doing it out of the legendary Blackthorne Resort. Somehow, the time and place just feels right.

Interviewer: Final question—what keeps you going?

LJ James: I’ve lost so many truly great brothers over the years. Some days I just want to lay in bed—and sometimes I do.

But I remember every one of those brothers and I feel like they will never get to do these things… unless I do them. Because I know they’re all still ridin with me.
This life—and the road—aren’t done with me yet. I don’t know if I have days or decades left, but either way, I’m going to enjoy them.

As long as there’s a crowd to hype, a story to tell, or a brother who needs someone in their corner… I’ll be there—mic in one hand, beer in the other… making more than a little noise. And maybe… just maybe… making these extra days I’ve been gifted more fun for some—and make them mean something extra for others.
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