Tony Marnach, known as DJ Fat Tony, has revealed he lived with HIV for 15 years without treatment, a period that included a coma and the loss of many peers to AIDS. The DJ, who rose from a London council estate to become a central figure in the 1980s and 1990s club scene, details his struggles in his new memoir, I Don’t Take Requests.
Marnach, now sober for 15 years, was diagnosed with HIV during the AIDS crisis. His partner, Tom Hammond, died from the disease, and Marnach himself fell into a coma at the height of his drug addiction. His mother, Dawn, found him dying on the floor at home and intervened. 'She knew exactly what to do and was never blinkered,' he said.
Despite his crack addiction, Marnach maintained a close bond with his mother. 'Even during the worst times throughout my crack addiction, we never lost touch,' he said. Dawn recalled the constant fear of losing him: 'She was always waiting for a phone call to tell her that her son was dead. No mother should have to live like that.'
Marnach credited his mother's non-judgmental support as key to his survival. Since becoming sober, he has forged a career as a fashion DJ and LGBTQ+ activist. His memoir charts his journey from difficult beginnings to becoming a kingpin of the club scene, his drug addiction, HIV diagnosis, rehab, and recovery.
