DjH Podcast: Yuksek

Soundtrack composer, DJ and record producer Yuksek is a busy guy. Over from his native France for a show in London to coincide with his latest album, Dance’O’Drome, we talked about his many aliases, inspirations and the difference between composing for movies and making dance tracks. » Listen

Can't Stop Won't Stop

Can't Stop Won't Stop is a powerful cultural and social history of the end of the American century, and a provocative look into the new world that the hip-hop generation created. » Buy

Kool Herc gave hip hop its break

DJ Kool Herc gave the world the eureka breakthrough that created everything that followed. Herc invented hip hop. » Read more

DjH Podcast: Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy

Broadcaster, club DJ, compiler, Loft baby and founder of Classic Album Sundays. Colleen Cosmo Murphy is all of these things. We chat with her about all of the above (and then some). » Listen

Tallulah Paved The Way

Born Martyn Allum in 1948, Tallulah was an icon of the London gay scene - check out our 2004 interview. » Read more

Gay Bar - Why We Went Out

Atherton Lin draws from his experiences of clubs, pubs and dives in London, San Francisco and Los Angeles - and a transatlantic romance that began late one restless night - to trace queer histories. » Buy

Kath McDermott preaches pride and passion

Courtesy of gay parents, Kath McDermott has been surrounded by queer culture her whole life. Read more about her experience in our 2021 interview. » Read more

Ballroom Blitz, 1991

‘Work, bitch!’ From deep in the vaults, here’s Frank’s brief glimpse into the New York ballroom scene: a Sunday night of runway and voguing in October 1991 » Read more

DjHistory Podcast - Simon Dunmore

We’re honoured to speak to music industry grandee and veteran DJ, Simon Dunmore. » Listen

Ibiza '89

Dave Swindells’ images of Ibiza in 1989, which express the joy, freedom and wonder of 80s ravers. » Buy
Furtive 50 Furtive 50

Ruf Dug romps the Furtive 50, 2023

The votes have been counted, the adjudicators have adjudicated and the king has abdicated (subject to confirmation).  » Read more
Rebel Threads – Clothing of the Bad, Beautiful & Misunderstood Rebel Threads – Clothing of the Bad, Beautiful & Misunderstood

Rebel Threads – Clothing of the Bad, Beautiful & Misunderstood

You couldn’t find a better spirit guide to the delightful and delinquent subcultures of our septic isle (and our sister septics across the pond) than Roger K Burton. » Buy

DJ Paulette Fleshes it out

After 30 years behind the decks, DJ Paulette is surveying the scene and writing a book. We spoke about her inexorable rise to fabulousness, and why there still isn’t a female David Guetta. » Read more
Love Goes To Buildings on Fire Love Goes To Buildings on Fire

Love Goes To Buildings on Fire

Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever » Read more

Podcast : DJH08 – Yuksek

DjHistory Mystery Mix – DJ Sunshine (DJHMM009)

Podcast : DJH08 – Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy

Kath McDermott preaches pride and passion

Homoelectric and Haçienda shero Kath McDermott is a firm believer that dancing is political action.

Tallulah paved the way

The trailblazing London DJ soundtracked London’s coming out. Raucous tales of gay life from the ’60s to the ’00s

Ballroom Blitz, 1991

Tens across the board! Hit the runway for a glimpse into the ’90s New York ballroom scene, complete with a collection of competion programmes. You better work!

DjHistory Mystery Mix – Steve Kotey ‘Mundi’ (DJHMM008)

Podcast : DJH07 – Simon Dunmore

Ibiza ’89

This brilliantly evocative time capsule captures scallies dancing with princesses and pop stars under the Ibizan sunshine.

Lisa Loud turns up the volume

The hard house star on learning her craft in front of 25,000 ravers and her formative years as a Balearic Amnesiac.

Dave Swindells snapped it up

The veteran nightlife writer and lensman talks us through his incredible four-decades archive of after-dark London.

Trevor Fung invented Ibiza

Soulboy and acid house blockbuster DJ, Trevor was instrumental in bringing the Ibiza spirit to London.

Nancy Noise brought Ibiza home

One of our favourite DJs regales us with stories from her formative years soaking up the Balearic beats at Amnesia, Ibiza.

DjHistory Mystery Mix – Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy (DJHMM007)

Podcast : DJH06 – Charlie Dark

Fab 5 Freddy made it fresh and fly

The great ambassador of hip hop waxes lyrical about the early scene with a sense of detail that puts you right in the heart of the action.

Debbie Harry has a heart of class

After rising from a sea of punk at CBGB's, Blondie star Debbie Harry remained true to the underground club scene that had raised her.

Bruce Tantum went to everything

Chris Stein delivered the rapture

Doyen of underground culture, hanging at Woodstock, supporting the Velvets, rap’s chief ambassador… oh, and Blondie songwriter extraordinaire

Podcast : DJH05 – Jyoty

Queen Róisín is a disco machine

DjHistory Mystery Mix – Diesel (DJHMM005)
Gerd Janson

Podcast : DJH04 – Gerd Janson

Johnny Dynell is the Daddy of Downtown

Johnny Dynell has all the best stories – from accidentally becoming a DJ at the Mudd club, learning the craft from the great Larry Levan, to making the first vogueing record and living next to Sid Vicious.

Chi Chi Valenti took back the night

From ruling the door at Mudd club to the creative excesses of Jackie 60, Click + Drag, and Night of 1000 Stevies, Chi Chi Valenti has flown the flag for Dadaist, unpredictablist nightlife for as long as New York can remember.
DjHistory podcast - Danielle Moore

Podcast : DJH03 – Danielle Moore

DjHistory Mystery Mix – Trevor Jackson (DJHMM003)

Guru & Run DMC spilled the beans

A rare meeting of hip hop giants as Gang Starr’s Guru interviewed Run DMC back in 1993, confessing how much influence they had on him, and asking those all-important questions about sneakers with no laces.

Ruf Dug romps the Furtive 50, 2023

Our annual beauty poll to select the best tracks from the year
DjHistory Luke Una

Podcast : DJH02 – Luke Una

DjHistory Mystery Mix – Gerry Rooney (DJHMM002)

Harold Heath plays the long game

Acid house told as slapstick, Heath’s beautifully told tale is one of classic British understatement, with a generous dollop of failure to nice up the dance

Justin Strauss was in the Area

Mudd Club, Danceteria, Ritz, Area... He spun at the greatest spots New York clubland had to offer through the sparkling’ 80s, and Justin Strauss remains as forward-looking today as he was back in those foundation years.

Mystery Mix

Shovell summons the gods

For Shovell, drumming is life, a way of transmitting power, positivity and gratitude. His hand percussion has summoned the gods on everything from the deepest tribal house tracks to Primal Scream, Jamiroquai and Nightmares on Wax.

Breaks in the Air – The Birth of Rap Radio in New York City

Hip-hop history is mostly made of records and clubs, John Klaess shows that radio deserves more of a look-in, arguing that these on-air communities were key to the development of the culture.

Henri Belolo Frenched up the disco

With his production partner Jaques Morali, Henri Belolo was the architect of the Eurodisco sound, giving us disco confections The Ritchie Family, Voyage and Village People. He was also one of the first DJs in France.

Cedric Neal enjoyed the ’Big Speaker‘

Cedric Neal was one of the Chicago clubbers driven wild in the Music Box by Ron Hardy's maniacal energy. In this vivid interview he tells us about the fashions, the sex, the drugs and above all, the music.

Body & Soul was NYC

Arguably, the last of the great New York clubs, Body & Soul inspired the same devotion as the Shelter or Paradise Garage. At its glorious height, Bill Brewster reported from the dancefloor for the Face.

Froggy got Britain mixing

After an eye-opening trip to New York in 1979, Soul Mafia DJ Steven Howlett, aka Froggy, showed the UK how powerful a tool mixing could be. He built himself a monster mobile sound rig, and owned the first pair of Technics 1200s in the UK.

DJ Paulette fleshes it out

After 30 years behind the decks, DJ Paulette is surveying the scene and writing a book. We spoke about her inexorable rise to fabulousness, and why there still isn’t a female David Guetta.

Andy Votel digs for wrongness

One of the most inspiring collectors you could meet, digging deep in the vinyl mines for accidental masterpieces. His reissue label Finders Keepers is a parallel musical universe, and has had Nas, Madlib, even Jay-Z queuing up to source beats.

Celeste Alexander rocked the Music Box

A rare female DJ on the early Chicago house scene, Celeste Alexander DJed at parties across the city and at The Music Box where she warmed up for Ron Hardy.

DjHistory
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Yuksek

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Gay Bar: Why We Went Out

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Ibiza '89

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Yo! The Early Days of Hip Hop 1982-84: Photography by Sophie Bramly

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