The term DJ, or Disc Jockey, used to conjure up images of a radio presenter – think Tony Blackburn on Radio 1 in the 1960s, and the term Disc Jockey was first used in 1935 to describe a radio announcer who played records on the radio. The first discotheque opened in Paris in 1947; its name meaning a nightclub that plays recorded music, (as opposed to a live band) and a former nightclub singer, Regine, introduced the concept of DJs playing on two turntables in the 1950s.
DJ-ing rapidly evolved after this, with nightclubs and discos spreading around the world in the 60s and 70s, and the release of the Technics turntables in the early 70s saw bands such as Kraftwerk become pioneers in electronic music. Hip-hop, rap and disco took off and the 80s/90s saw the rise of techno and acid house, both of which helped carve a space for the rave scene that still continues today.
Platforms such as Spotify and SoundCloud have made music more accessible and DJs are now celebrities in their own right, producing their own music as well as re-mixing other artists’ work, so we’re going to look at some of the classic DJ legends, as well as some of the up-and-coming DJs that are worth keeping an eye on.
1. FRANKIE KNUCKLES
Known as ‘The Godfather of House Music’, this New York born DJ/Producer started out in the 70s. He was inspired by Soul, Disco and R&B and was at the forefront of the house music scene in the late 80s. In 1986 he released ‘Your Love’ with its iconic synthesiser intro and bassline, which is often referred to as the first ever ‘house’ track and has since been re-mixed to create Candi Staton’s ‘You Got The Love ’, which was another huge club hit.
2. CARL COX
Famous for his three-deck mixing, this London-based DJ is one of the most influential DJs in dance/house music and he’s helped make it a British institution, playing a huge role in the British rave scene in the 80s. He got his first set of turntables when he was 15 and became a mobile DJ, before going on to have a 16-year residency at Space in Ibiza. He’s played in clubs around the world and formed his own record label and is well-known for tracks such as ‘Let’s Do It’ and ‘I Want You (Forever).’
3. FATBOY SLIM
Norman Quentin Cook – AKA Fatboy Slim – was the bassist for indie rock band ‘The Housemartins’ in the 1980s but his real love was hip-hop and dance music; he was taught to mix by Carl Cox. When The Housemartins broke up he started making his own music, mixing hip-hop beats with the anarchy of punk, the energy of acid house and the arrangement style of a pop song. He became part of a group of DJs who performed bigger venues for larger fees (he’s played Glastonbury 100 times) and his hits include ‘The Rockafeller Skank’, ‘Praise You’ and ‘Right Here, Right Now’ and he worked with big names such as David Byrne and Iggy Pop.
4. THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
This electronic music duo started out as ‘The Dust Brothers’ and played a huge role in making Big Beat (an electronic music genre that’s a mix of acid house and techno) a major part of British pop culture in the 90s, along with artists such as Groove Armada, Leftfield, Fatboy Slim and The Prodigy. After starting out as part of the ‘Madchester’ rave scene and attending illegal warehouse raves, they relocated to London. Their sound mixes rap, house, techno and rock to create hits such as ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’ and ‘Galvanise’ and they’ve collaborated with artists such as Primal Scream, The Manic Street Preachers and Orbital and supported Oasis at their 1996 Knebworth gig.
5. DAVID RODIGAN
UK DJ, David Rodigan has been flying the flag for Jamaican music since he was 15 years old and nearly 60 years later, he’s still appearing on radio stations and in nightclubs, championing genres such as reggae, dub, dancehall, rocksteady and ska; genres of music that were previously lumped into one. He was awarded an MBE in 2012 for services to broadcasting, as well as the Jamaican Order of Distinction in 2020, for promoting Jamaican music across the world.
UP-AND-COMING DJS TO LISTEN OUT FOR
- Aaron Hibell
- CYRIL
- Linska
- Nimino
- Samm
- Swimming Paul
- Azzecca
- Hardt Antoine
- Pricilla Diaz
- Niteplan
WHY DJ INSURANCE?
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