John McCready 1992.11.28 @ Haçienda FM, Sunset 102 FM Radio Show

 The Mançhester music scene has always led from the underground.  Bands, clubs, DJ's Labels, record shops and radio all fed off each other to produce an edge and an energy that, for me, no other city can replicate or comes close to replicating!  

 We lived for Wednesday night to come around when the weekend could begin with the midweek visit to hear Jon DaSilva grace the decks of the Haçienda riding high for the weekend ahead when we could bounce through those hanging industrial plastic sheets that resembled a factory entrance that met us directly after walking through those infamous '51' emblazoned doors.  

 I digress, but those hanging factory, almost slaughterhouse style ceiling to floor plastic strips served to dampen the relentless thump of the four to the floor house beats which sounds strange to experience when walking into a nightclub!  Yet, somehow, those imposing slaughterhouse style factory sheets served only to enhance the excitement of the clubbing experience! They added yet another layer of mystery to the night as we entered our hedonistic church! They masked what was happening on the other side. They imposed dampening the sound, cloaking the atmosphere and further hiding from the world a space that changed us for ever! Picture the delight as we pushed aside the industrial plastic,  the full force of heat and sweat swamping us, wrapping our physical beings in a heady, damp, hedonistic cloud of energy as the loudness of the beats lifted us, carrying us forward towards the cheers, the whistles and the excitement as we bounced towards the dance floor.  We grinned from ear to ear knowing what delights lay ahead for the next few hours at least!  Bring it on! How we longed for this to go on past its 2:00 am curfew! Still despite this we lived every moment to it's full!

 Somehow it could!  Manchester had a way of keeping this energy going, keeping the relentless beat alive, serving to make Manchester a true 24 hour party city serving its hedonistic 24 hour party people to the max!   Radio stations emerged out of this underground sound, replicating our weekend, yet without compromising or losing the edge that can traditionally happen as an underground sound becomes more popular!  Such was the talent of Mançhester's DJ's.

 One such radio station was Sunset 102. First airing as the embers of the Second Summer of Love' flickered away in October 1989.  Shows such as those from the 808 State DJ's, Mike Shaft and Colin Curtis continued to fuel our weekend experience by meeting the audiences' thirst for new music and the continuation of the previous nights party delights!   

 Of course pivotal to this was a show that aired for a few hours each saturday night.   Haçienda FM served us with a soundtrack to warm us up for our Saturday night clubbing experience.  Haçienda and Dry bar DJ's Dave Rofe and Pete Robinson took to the air building the night with tracks that delighted us, introduced forthcoming vinyl delights and aired a set from the previous weeks Haçienda DJ's taken direct from the club! The night was set...

 Blog51 is pleased to be able to share one such moment with you.  Enjoy as Dave and Pete take to the air and cap it off with a set from Mr McCready himself recorded live from the Gay Traitor in the Haçienda's basement  .... Happy New Year !

John McCready @ Haçienda FM Sunset Radio

The document demonstrates how Sunset 102 FM shows were on the cutting edge representing the music scene of the day.... Priceless - how I long for radio like this now! x

 

Tommy D Funk 1995 @ Dry Bar 201 Manchester

Emerging out of the blossoming House / Acid House scene in the late 1980's, early 90's was a DJ destined for a great future.  Tommy D Funk took his place as a renowned DJ playing as resident DJ at DRY Bar 201 - the Haçienda's sister bar, before subsequently progressing to take a weekly residency at the Haçienda and going on to international acclaim first Djing in Seoul and on to New York City!

Tommy began his DJ career with a residency in a Manchester pub where he was influenced by the emerging scene that had exploded in Manchester.  Tommy went on to win a DJ competition organised by DRY Bar 201 which helped establish him as a sought after DJ.  Playing deep, funky and soulful US/UK house music, his mixing skills and energy soon revved up the crowd and Tommy soon found himself gracing the decks of Manchester clubs such as the No1 Club, Sankeys and Home which soon brought him attention from Haçienda influencers such as Angela Matthews, Manager of the Haçienda!  The only way forward was a residency at Faç51.... the Haçienda! 

This set was recorded at DRY Bar 201 in 1995.  A superb vocal led House / Garage set with stomping pianos and lush house cords mixed to perfection, a perfect start to a night for clubbers before hitting the Haçienda!  Listening to the mix it is easy to see why Tommy was next to take his place behind the hallowed decks at the Haçienda alongside Graeme Park, Roger Sanchez and Tony Humphries to name a few.

Today Tommy is active on the New York House Scene, regularly playing alongside other great DJ's such as Eric Kupper, Marshall Jefferson, Kerry Chandler, Robert Owens, Lenny Fontana, CJ Mackintosh, Miguel Migs and DJ Disciple amongst many others!  Club credentials include DJing at The Discoteque, Cheetha Club, Late Late Bar, Le Souk, Barrio 47; along with his own Legendary nights 'Sounds of the Dance Underground'.  Tommy is also a reviewer for DJ Times and Club World Magazine....

For more recent mixes head over to Tommy's Soundcloud page by touching the following link: Tommy D Funk

Download : Tommy D Funk 1995 @ Dry Bar 201 Manchester Part 1
                 Tommy D Funk 1995 @ Dry Bar 201 Manchester Part 2

Special thanks goes out to Tommy for the DJ set... much respect!

Do You Own The Dancefloor?

Anyone who reads the warblings in my BLOG51 can see what impact the Haçienda has had on my life, there isn't a day where the place, the music doesn't enter my thoughts or ears!   It is easy to think that this is boardering obsessive and sometimes I do wonder about myself lol!  Not only have I amassed an array of tapes but also Haçienda merchandise, along with mementos such as badges, posters and flyers that are still highly sought after even today but there are some things that are just that bit more special.....

A few years ago a few Hacienda devotees asked a question;  'Do You Own The Dancefloor?' Subsequently they went on to make a film that in my eyes, hits the nail right on the head as to just what the scene was about!!   The film not only documents aspects of the Haçienda itself, the music and the design,  but also the passion, the energy and the devotion of the people, clubbers and instigators that made the Haçienda the phenomenon that it still is today.  In my eyes that is a special and rare thing......  see the trailer below......

To quote the makers of the film "In November 2000, many of the key elements from the iconic venue the Haçienda ended up as 69 lots at a charity auction before it was demolished to make way for a block of apartments. It resulted in parts of the nightclub - the epicenter of Manchester’s pop culture in the 1980s and 1990s – being scattered across the world.

As well as the auction, our film tracks down what happened to the parts of the club itself, whose famous industrial design by interiors guru Ben Kelly included motorway cat’s eyes, traffic bollards and hazard signs.

The documentary isn’t just about the Haçienda. It’s also about the people so affected by their times there, that they had to come to Manchester to bid for bricks, toilets, exit signs and even pieces of the hallowed dance floor – and also about where those mementos are now". 

Website: Do You Own The Dancefloor?

Every time I watch the trailer I get goosebumps.... a tear in my eye and a grin as wide as a Cheshire cat!  Emotions flow - It makes me feel sad due to it's closure and so elated as I was able to take part in the club that changed the world - enjoy!

Lovingly the  proceedes raised from the film go to Kidneys for Life & Cancer Research.

                                                                   

 
My piece of the dancefloor, some flyers from the shiva Saturday night in 1991 and a piece of the staircase trim plate

David Morales 1993.05.21 @ Haçienda 11th Birthday Party

A timeless set from David Morales recorded at the 11th Birthday Party night back in 1993.  Seemlessly mixed and full of energy.  Morales played in the basement of the club; a dark, dirty and hedonistically sweaty room perfect for messing with the mind, body and soul! playing tracks from MAW, Todd Terry, Pfantasy and Marshall Jefferson to name a few.

To quote 'Trackhead' to whom I owe thanks for the original upload of this set 'Stripped to the waist, wearing a skull cap & tattooed muscles, Morales played street tough New York City house music, and there's lessons in here for modern DJs'.... Morales rocked and always will do!!

Sadly as far as I can recall, Morales never played the Haçienda again due to a joyless squirmish involving the throwing of a bottle!  At least we have this superb set to remind us how great these nights were, how Morales ruled the dancefloors and once again another Haç memory for us all to enjoy.

Download: David Morales 1993.05.21 @ Haçienda 11th Birthday

Morales captured in the mix in the basement DJ booth

Home Of House Music Forum Live On Rokagroove Radio 30th may 2014

HOMEOFHOUSE dance music forum proudly presents a night of unpresidented mayhem and revelary live on Rokagroove radio.  7 hours, 7 DJ's playing a range of the best dance music spanning 30 years of H.O.U.S.E..... from oldskool to US garage and house to funky disco house....

Get locked in from 6 pm GMT until late (or when they kick us off the decks).... Just follow the link below, join us in chat or listen in on one of the links found on the Rokagroove radio  website....

Rokagrooveradio.webs.com/

I am playing from 22.00 until 23.00 hours or until they kick me off... A taster of what I play can be heard on the my mixes link in the places I like to go!! 

Graeme Park 1995.01.28 @ Haçienda, Manchester

Another fine set from Graeme Park's long standing residency at the Haçienda for you to enoy. 

Download: Graeme Park 1995.01.28 Haçienda, Manchester

Russ 1992.06 @ Shine, Haçienda, Manchester

Another Blog51 exclusive.  A new set from a shine night in 1992 from Russ.  Regularly DJing alongside Mike Pickering and Sasha, Russ soon had a strong influence and following in and around Manchester.  He ran his own record shop and a few years later had one of the most influencial nights called 'Out In The Sticks' at a small club called the Blue Note in Todmorden just outside of Manchester.  It may have been small but that basement room had one of the sweatiest most uplifting dancefloors of all time, with Russ and Craig attracting the likes of Brian Tappert and Full Intention to join them on the decks.   When the Haçienda sadly shut it's doors in 1997 this is where we and many of the Haçienda regulars headed off to.  Russ and Craig ran an excellent night in the most unlikliest of places - the northern mill town of Todmorden.  Indeed within a month of the faç51 doors closing Graeme Park played his first set at the Bluenote.

Download: Russ 1992.06 @ Shine, Haçienda, Manchester.mp3