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Tag Archives | John Peel

Andrew Weatherall

Andrew Weatherall

As with House music supremo Frankie Knuckles in 2014, the unexpected death of Andrew Weatherall, apart from being a huge shock to all within the club / music community, represents a sudden juncture where a now older generation, once so vital with ideas and innovation, ponders its own mortality, the passage of time underlined with the passing of one of its heroes – a true UK great whose place, as both DJ and pioneering remixer, is assured in the history books, key to the understanding of dance culture and its evolution. So, this was especially sobering news to hear on Monday, social media awash with a genuine outpouring of loss.

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Memoir Of A Manchester DJ

Sonic Youth Slept On My Floor

Dave Haslam’s new book, ‘Sonic Youth Slept On My Floor’ has just been published by Constable. It’s an ode to his time in Manchester, from 1980 when he arrived in the city from his Birmingham home to study English Literature, right through until what he’s been up to in more recent times, but as you’d expect given Dave’s Haçienda legacy, particular emphasis is placed on his time as DJ at the much-hallowed venue, and the clubs that orbited around it.

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A&R Edits

Derek Kaye, Greg Wilson, Henry Greenwood

The first 2 releases on the new A&R Edits label are simultaneously issued this week on limited DJ only vinyl – ‘Buffalo Dance’ / ‘Voice of Nature’, Henry Greenwood’s reworks of Neneh Cherry’s ‘Buffalo Stance’ and George Benson’s version of ‘Nature Boy’, and ‘Nobody’ / ‘Music Up’, Derek Kaye’s takes on ‘Ain’t Nobody’ by Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan (which fuses the Frankie Knuckles ‘Hallucinogenic Mix’ and the ‘Bassapella’ with the original) and ‘Turn The Music Up’ by Players Association.

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Jimmy Savile – DJ Originator Or More Smoke And Mirrors?

Just over 12 months ago, on October 29th 2011, the TV and radio personality Sir Jimmy Savile died 2 days before his 85th birthday (he was born on Halloween 1926). He was regarded as one of the great British eccentrics, but there were always rumours about deviant behaviour, although nothing proven. Apart from his contribution to broadcasting, Savile was also said to be the first DJ, not only in Britain, but the World, to use twin-turntables, back in the 1940s, making him an unlikely icon to DJs of the modern era. Here’s the blog post I wrote at the time of his death:
https://blog.gregwilson.co.uk/2011/10/sir-jimmy-savile/

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