Words by Art Jefferson
Images courtesy of Graeme Park

There are people who loosely get pinned with the ‘legend’ title and then there are those who truly deserve such status. To call DJ, producer and radio presenter Graeme Park a legend would be an understatement. As one of the pioneers of house music in the UK, Park’s musical CV is extensive, which includes his tenure at the iconic Haçienda in Manchester, 20 years on radio, having played countless gigs around the globe, and remixes for acts such as The Brand New Heavies, New Order, Inner City and loads more. For many, he has provided the soundtrack to the some of the best moments of their lives.

Beginning his career in Nottingham, Graeme Park held a residency at The Garage before joining Mike Pickering at the infamous Nude Night at Manchester’s Fac 51 The Haçienda. Park became one of the biggest DJs in the scene, with crowds flocking into The Haçienda in droves to hear the latest in house music. In fact, it was those driving 4×4 sounds that not only elevated business for The Haçienda tenfold by 1988 but cemented the venue as one of the most talked about clubs in the UK. In a sense both Mike Pickering and Graeme Park were the precursors to what is now known as the superstar DJ. When The Haçienda closed in June of 1997, Graeme Park continued his reign, playing venues around the world, rocking parties with the likes of people such as Frankie Knuckles, Tony Humphries and Junior Vasquez, just to name a few, and it hasn’t slowed down since.

With Graeme Park’s extensive knowledge of house music, radio became another perfect platform for him to showcase some of the most forward-thinking tracks in the scene. He has had shows on Kiss FM, Galaxy, Juice FM and more, which not only includes the UK but overseas. He has held a residency at Bauer Radio’s Place Network which serves Northern England and Scotland, not to mention his radio podcast which also features live performances at various clubs and festivals.

A new generation will now get the chance to experience some of The Haçienda’s magic as Graeme Park and Mike Pickering will play a dedicated night at A-Wing in Lancaster on the 14th of February. With the resurgence of classic house in the past couple of years, it only makes sense for the two masters to bring a sense of authenticity and expertise to the current patrons of clubland. Rest assured, the experience will be overly energetic and undoubtedly memorable.

Taking it back before the days of house music, what musical styles were capturing your ears in some of those earlier years?

Graeme Park – Before house, I used to play a real eclectic selection of tunes. When I began DJing in the early 80s, I used to play a lot of funk, soul and disco mixed in with 12″ club, dub and dance mixes from the likes of Talking Heads, ABC, Blondie, Human League, New Order and other contemporary pop acts. Then all of the early electro stuff from Afrika Bambaataa, Jonzun Crew and the like started to appear before early examples of Hip-Hop like Roxanne Shanté, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Cash Money and others. I do miss those days when no one had any preconceptions and just danced to a great variety of different tunes they didn’t necessarily know. I still do the odd gig like this and they’re such fun.

Whilst working at Selectadisc in Nottingham in the early 80s, you witnessed the influx of house records floating in from the U.S. Do you remember the first house record that you heard which inspired you to want to really delve into that scene?

Graeme Park – I don’t remember any specific first house record, and I personally don’t believe there was such a thing as the first ever actual house record. There wasn’t really a house scene at all. That came later. I do recall the odd obscure Trax and DJ International 12”s being offered to me as the singles buyer in 1986 and getting one of each to try out. They blew me away! However, I found out that Arcade Records across town were stocking loads more, so I soon started visiting them in my lunch hour (with a Selectadisc carrier bag of course) to get more. The trickle of odd Chicago and Detroit tunes in 1986 soon became a flood by late 1987. I do vividly remember hearing and buying “If You Only Knew” by Chip E (featuring the late Kevin Irving on vocals) on DJ International. I thought it was one of the most incredible tracks I’d ever heard, and I still think it is today.

Backtracking a bit, around what year did you take the journey as a DJ? Were you already a pretty seasoned as a DJ when Mike Pickering asked you to spin at the Haçienda?

Graeme Park – I started DJing in 1984 when the owner of Selectadisc bought the Ad Lib club and renamed it The Garage. It doesn’t feel like 31 years ago. I met Mike in 1987 and we were aware of each other and knew we were both early adopters of house.

The Nude and Hot parties at The Haçienda basically made that venue one of the most important clubs in the UK for house and club music. However, what was the initial reaction from the locals in terms of the sound of house? Was there any resistance or uncertainty at all similar to that in London or did the people take to the sound straight away?

Graeme Park – I can only tell you about Nottingham, because I didn’t start DJing at The Haçienda until 1988. At the Garage, a lot of people were quite hostile to the early house tunes but I knew and believed in the sound and persisted. I almost lost the gig because people started moaning and leaving but I persisted and for every miserable git who stopped coming, five new punters started turning up from all over the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. Yes, people used to travel to gigs! Word spread very quickly indeed and I started DJing in Derby, Leicester and Sheffield before eventually adding The Haçienda to my residencies. My late 80s weeks were Wednesdays The Steamer at The Leadmill Sheffield, Thursdays The Fan Club Leicester, Friday Nude at The Haçienda Manchester (with Mike Pickering) and Saturdays The Garage Nottingham.

You are also a staple in radio. Years ago, the radio was an extremely important factor with helping to break new records. Is it a challenge to break new and exclusive records these days with the internet allowing people to get a hold of songs so quickly?

Graeme Park – Everyone has access to everything, so I don’t bother too much about actually trying to break records anymore. I just play things I like and thankfully people continue to like what I play, whether that’s something new and obscure that deserves some attention, something big and classic, something current and obvious or something old and unknown. I’ll leave the cool kids to fight over what’s “on trend”. I’m really not bothered. If you listen to my weekly podcast on my website you’ll hear a real eclectic selection of tunes from the past, present and future. I do occasionally miss the old days sometimes though. There were many times when I would be one of only a handful of DJs in the world to have a track and the only way to hear it was to come to one of my gigs. Nowadays, everyone has everything which I think has lead to a lot of homogenised house. People are also too desperate to hear the same things too, which I find depressing. Back in the day, people just danced and didn’t care that they didn’t know what they were dancing to. They just got on with it. When I started presenting on Kiss FM, the term “exclusive” really meant something. It doesn’t anymore, but certain radio DJs naively think it does.

One thing that I have continuously noticed when you play is that you maintain a genuine level of excitement with the music and the art of Djing as a whole. Although the constant gigs and touring can be really hectic, what do you attribute to that never ending love?

Graeme Park – I play what I like and I like what I play. I also love to see people smiling. Its that simple really.

You and Mike Pickering will be bringing the Haçienda name to the A Wing event in Lancaster in February. The Haçienda parties have literally stood the test of time, unlike so many other parties? What have been some of the key components to the success of the Haçienda brand?

Graeme Park – It was unique! And people know that. There’s never been a club like it and there never will be. It was the first and best and still sets the benchmark. That’s why people keep coming back for more, regardless of their age.

Finally, years ago I picked up the book ‘DJs’ by Lopez at a shop in West London. You mentioned how, although you have had many memories and great nights, you do not like looking back. However, if you had to share one of the most memorable nights that you have had, what would it be?

Graeme Park – So many! But for the purposes of this interview, let’s say my first Nude night covering for Mike Pickering. Intense!

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