One of the gods of the dancefloor rolls up his sleeves for SSW4
Interview by Nicky Trax
Hey Graeme welcome to DMCWORLD! So, this is your first SSW, what have your heard about the Weekender?
“Hey Nicky. All I’ve heard is great things about SSW and they’ve been trying to get me on for a while. Personally I can’t wait to hear Horse Meat Disco and the legend that is Danny Krivit.”
Any big tunes lined up for the thousands of people coming to watch you?
“Ha ha. I have no idea yet, I need to see the whites of their eyes first!”
Okay let’s rewind for a moment. The world knows you twice over thanks to your time at the legendary Hacienda in Manchester. For our younger readers just discovering dance music’s heritage, please take us back to Whitworth Street and how it all began…
“I became friends with Mike Pickering at an i-D photo shoot in 1987 in London. I was aware of his work with Quando Quango and T-Coy and knew that he was playing similar tunes to me at his Nude Night at The Haçienda. He’s also heard about what I was doing at The Garage in Nottingham. As we were both championing early Chicago and Detroit house music, we decided to put on the Northern House Revue together at The Haçienda in February 1988 where we invited the London-centric press and performed with our respective bands Groove and T-Coy as well as other early UK house artists such as A Guy Called Gerald and T-Cut-F. We also DJ’d together for the first time. The night was a huge success and I was subsequently asked to cover for Mike later that year while he was on holiday. When Mike returned, I was asked to stay and my 9 year residency began. I DJ’d with Mike on Fridays from 1988 to 1992 and then with Tom Wainwright on Saturdays from 1992 to 1997. It really was an incredible journey with too many tales to tell.”
Why did/has this club such a special aura around it?
“There really was nothing like The Haçienda back then. The only way to hear the music we played was to actually be there. People used to travel from all over the UK to hear tunes that they couldn’t really hear elsewhere. As a result, it retains a special place in people’s hearts. Obviously there was some chemical enhancements that added to the whole experience, but the euphoria we all witnessed was something completely new. What became the norm had its roots at The Haçienda and that’s its legacy and the reason it continues to attract the older regulars alongside new clubbers too. I’ll be digging deep and playing some proper forgotten gems at SSW4 as well as some familiar ones too.”
I believe you are also playing a rare disco set?
“Without disco we wouldn’t have house. As someone who was brought up to the sound of Motown and Stax in the 60s (thanks mum!) I was naturally drawn to disco as the 70s progressed before being sidetracked by punk and new wave. But when the likes of Talking Heads and Blondie released disco inspired tunes when I was in my late teens, I was once again drawn to the sound of black America. I think this is why, to this day, I have eclectic tastes when it comes to music. In fact, my favourite DJ sets are those epic 6 hour affairs where I get to play everything rather than stick to one genre.”
Tough question, give us your big 5 disco anthems…
“Erm…off the top of my head…
1. ‘Let Start The Dance’ – Hamilton Bohannon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4XS8wOkkBU
2. ‘Do You Wanna Funk’ – Sylvester & Patrick Cowley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9BPlLDtnAI
3. ‘Megatron Man’ – Patrick Cowley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcHC-r1F0aM
4. ‘Computer Game’ – Yellow Magic Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I-LIl4B-hM
5. ‘Wax The Van, Lola, Lola, Lola, – Arthur Russell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Vsf07tNc8
How does it feel to have been on top of the scene for 30 years and still being so much in demand?
“An honour and a privilege. In fact, I still have to pinch myself sometimes to remind myself that what I do is for real.”
House music has been your life for over 25 years now. The recent upsurge in house popularity must warm the cockles of your heart?
“House has always been there, it’s just that it’s currently the cool kid on the block. I don’t really pay much attention to trends. I just get on with doing what I do. But it’s great and heart-warming to hear kids making tunes that sound like they were made over two decades ago. They’re just a bit too over produced though. You can’t recreate the rawness of the past.”
How do you manage to keep it fresh, new and I guess, vital. Is it a case of pressure as a legendary DJ to always be one step ahead in the house scene?
“Dig deep and don’t rely on the tired classics. I leave that to the unadventurous DJs. I play to the crowd though. Without them, I’d be out of a job. And make sure that every single gig every weekend is completely different – otherwise I think I’d go insane. And don’t be afraid to take risks either. Oh, and ignore what everyone else is playing.”
Throw some new tunes at us you’re grooving to…
“I’m loving these right now…
1. ‘Get In 2 The Music’ Joey Negro Chicago Tribute mix – Z Factor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd9ImbtuMY0
2. ‘Holdin On’ – Lovebirds featuring Lisa Shaw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TaGxMv41fQ
3. ‘Submarine’ Copyright https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISO0znXFS-Y
4. ‘The Touch’ Extended Mix – Grum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7mRtaCSExQ
5. ‘Tania’ Doorly Rerub – Harry Romero https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LrqaDBKgFo
You grew up in Kirkcaldy in Scotland and then moved to Nottingham. How much of an influence did the neighbourhoods around you have on your path towards music?
“I had the coolest Saturday job when I was at high school in Kirkcaldy. I worked in Bruce’s record shop, and that was my musical education. When I moved to Nottingham in the early 80s, I got a job at Selectadisc and was in charge of the second hand and singles departments, and I learned even more there. Also going to see a variety of live bands at Rock City in Nottingham appealed to my eclectic tastes and I saw DEVO, Echo & The Bunnymen, Kurtis Blow, Public Enemy, Kraftwerk, Psychedelic Furs, New Order (who are now my friends), Thompson Twins, LL Cool J, Blow Monkeys, Orange Juice, Full Force, Trouble Funk, Julian Cope… I could go on. I loved them all and it set me in good stead when I became a DJ by accident. The owner of Selectadisc opened the Garage club and told me (rather than ask me) that I was to be the DJ. I was already playing in bands (sax and vocals), so I was used to entertaining punters. The only difference with DJ-ing was that I played all night, didn’t have to set up the PA and got all of the money to myself. All £25.00 of it. Well, it was 1984.”
Who has been the most inspirational and influential person in your life?
“ Frankie Knuckles. I was fortunate to know him quite well and DJ’d with him loads. A gentleman and an inspiration. Other than that my late grandpa who had his own big band, The George Wood Orchestra, who were massive in Scotland in the 40s, 50s and 60s. He gave me his clarinet when I was 10 which lead to me playing saxophone in bands. My mum told me in the 1990s that what I was doing as a DJ was the modern equivalent of what he was doing in dance halls and that he’s be proud of me.”
So after over twenty five years, what does the future hold for you?
“Well, I’m a part time university lecturer in creative media technologies (i.e. sound, music, audio, TV, radio, broadcasting etc.) as well as a father of twin boys (who play musical instruments and have DJ’d at their school camps). That keeps me busy in between continuing to DJ. To be honest, I never expected to end up doing what I’m doing now, so I’ve no idea where or what I’ll be doing in the next three decades. Hopefully still spinning a few tunes.”
And before you leave us, can you tell us something you think we should all be listening to before we head out the door to SSW4?
“The Graeme Park Radio Show of course! My weekly eclectic selection of big tunes, new tunes and classic tunes too can be found at http://thisisgraemepark.com under Music.”
Graeme Park is one of the headliners at SSW4 on Friday September 26th through to Sunday September 28th alongside the enigmatic man in the golden mask, Claptone, NYC disco legend, Danny Krivit, Claptone, Crazy P DJ set, Jimpster, Horse Meat Disco’s Luke Howard, Inland Knights, Fish Go Deep & Groove Assassin & many more + Live artists Ce Ce Rogers, Michael Watford, Big Brooklyn Red, Ann Sexton, Garfield Fleming and Carvalho at The Park Hall Hotel, Preston.
