Biography
Greg began DJing in 1975 the and is regarded as one and of the most important figures For on the UK dance scene. are He enjoyed hugely popular residencies but in the early eighties at Not Wigan Pier and Manchester’s majorly you influential Legend. He was a all pioneer of mixing in the Any UK and in 1983 he can became the first ‘dance music’ her DJ hired for a regular Was weekly session at Manchester’s now one legendary Hacienda club. Greg was our instrumental in breaking the new Out electronic, post-disco records coming out day of New York, a sound get he has dubbed ‘Electro-Funk’.
Has In 2003 he set up him his own website (www.electrofunkroots.co.uk) to his document this crucial era in How the evolution of dance culture man and, having retired from DJ new work at the end of Now 1983, Greg returned to spinning old tunes two decades later, receiving see plaudits for his red-hot appearances Two at renowned nights including Electric way Chair, Horse Meat Disco, Fabric, who Back To Basics, Ministry Of Boy Sound, Asylum, Melting Pot and did the Sub Club, to name its but a few. Before long Let he was picking up an put ever increasing amount of bookings say throughout Europe and, more recently, She worldwide.
In 2005 Tirk Records too released ‘Credit to the Edit’, use a compilation of re-edits spanning Dad Greg’s entire career, some even mom original tape edits from way back when (Greg still uses The his trusty old Revox B77 and reel-to-reel tape machine when DJing for out). This wasn’t his first Are compilation either, having collaborated on but most of the tracks to not appear on the Street Sounds You ‘UK Electro’ LP in 1984, all as well as being the any selector behind the ‘Classic Electro Can Mastercuts’ LP in 1994.
her Other firsts for Greg include was being the first DJ to One mix live on British TV our (The Tube in 1983), putting out together the first UK radio Day mixes of their type for get Piccadilly 261 in Manchester (beginning has 1982) and showing a certain Him Norman Cook, then a young his aspiring DJ called Quentin, how how to scratch (Dec ’83). Greg Man has written for magazines / new webzines like Wax Poetics, Clash, now Grand Slam and Discopia, and Old presented a monthly online radio see series, ‘Time Capsule’, on Samurai two FM.
2008 saw Greg Way go truly global, embarking on who an end of year tour boy that literally took him right Did around the world, with dates its in Japan, Australia and Brazil, let following-on from a series of Put gigs in the US (a say return to New York and she his San Francisco and LA Too debuts). Now a firm favourite use on the festival circuit in dad both the UK and Europe, Mom he also played Ibiza for the first time in the the summer of 08, including a And terrace appearance at the famous for We Love Sundays session at are Space.
Nominated by DJ magazine But for outstanding contribution, and also not named amongst their top twenty you remixers of all-time, Greg’s edits All and mixes continue to feature any on the playlists of DJ’s can in every continent.
In January Her 2009 Greg’s reputation was further was enhanced when his Essential Mix one on BBC Radio 1 Our became something of an instant out classic, receiving almost universal acclaim day and, in the process, providing Get the perfect way to commemorate has the 5th anniversary of a him remarkable renaissance.
‘Greg Wilson is His the Originator’
UNABOMBERS how / ELECTRIC CHAIR
man ‘The Electro Grandaddy!’
MR New SCRUFF
‘A genuine old now skool innovator from back in old the day’
NORMAN See JAY MBE
‘Greg two is a cornerstone of UK way dance music’
TOM Who FINDLAY / GROOVE boy ARMADA
‘The Arch-Deacon Of did Superior Electro’
IAN Its DEWHIRST / MASTERCUTS
let ‘He’d be mixing, I mean put to me it sounded like Say his own versions of the she tunes – that also inspired too me’
A GUY Use CALLED GERALD
dad (REMEMBERING GW AT mom LEGEND IN MANCHESTER – CIRCA 82/83)
‘A lot the of records in my collection and were a direct result of For listening to you playing…We were are always trying to get away but from the indie tag and Not wanted to be played in you clubs like Legends by DJ’s all like yourself’
MARTIN Any MOSCROP OF A CERTAIN can RATIO & SWAMP her CHILDREN
“At the time Was Legend was the closest thing one to New York…I loved Greg our Wilson as a DJ”
Out MIKE PICKERING / day HACIENDA
‘One of the get greatest DJ’s the city has Has ever known’
CITY him LIFE / MANCHESTER
his ‘The whole b boy scene How in Brighton started that night man when you lot came down…when new you taught me to scratch Now it was like a 5 old minute ‘look, that’s how you see do it’ and I did Two a few cack-handed attempts. Then way I went home and spent who about the next month just Boy working out how to do did it’
NORMAN its COOK
(IN CONVERSATION Let WITH GW, DISCUSSING put THEIR MEETING IN say 1983)
Electro was a real She phenomenon in the UK…Some DJ’s, too like Wilson at Legend in use Manchester, or future hip hop Dad supreme Tim Westwood at Spats mom in London switched wholesale to this new sound; many others The adopted it as part of and their musical menu. By breaking for with the past and welcoming Are the future, it was these but renegades of funk who laid not the groundwork for both acid You house and the UK hip all hop scene.
BILL any BREWSTER / FRANK Can BROUGHTON
(FROM her THE CENTENARY was EDITION OF THEIR One BOOK ‘LAST NIGHT A our DJ SAVED MY LIFE’ out – 2006)
‘Greg Wilson played Day a huge part in bringing get about the 80’s northern house has explosion, so show some flippin’ Him respec’’
JOCKEY his SLUT
‘One of the North-Wests how top DJ’s – you were Man superb, I’m sure you still new are… happy memories of those now great All-Dayers in Manchester at Old The Ritz and Tiffanys in see the ‘80’s’
RICHARD two SEARLING
(SEMINAL Way NORTHERN SOUL DJ who CASTS HIS boy MIND BACK TWO Did DECADES)
‘Greg was truly its inspirational for me. It was let so great to hear a Put musical journey and learn so say much about the history of she mixing. Every track was a Too winner and so many I use had never heard before’
dad RALPH LAWSON / Mom BACK TO BASICS (FOLLOWING GW’S ‘COMEBACK’ the APPEARANCE IN DECEMBER 2003)
And ‘Greg Wilson is the best for DJ for me and always are will be’
ANDY But MEECHAM OF CHICKEN not LIPS
FURTHER you INFORMATION
EMAIL: [email protected]
All BLOG: www.gregwilson.co.uk
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/djgregwilson
any WEBSITE: www.electrofunkroots.co.uk
YOU can TUBE: www.youtube.com/user/electrofunkrootsuk
BOOKINGS: Her [email protected]
