DJ Graeme Park means a lot to Manchester and vice versa. Together with fellow DJ and (later) M People star Mike Pickering he defined the house sound of The Hacienda just as the underground club exploded into the public consciousness.

Twenty years in the DJ game have meant that Graeme Park has a unique take on the club scene, having ridden many times through its up and downs.

Graeme Park's Saturday show on Key 103 plays the latest club sounds to a vast local audience, putting him in the unique position of understanding both the lure of nostalgia and the latest sounds.

"I do actually lean towards an anti-nostalgia approach to music," he says. "But at the same time if you're DJ-ing and someone has come out especially to see you because they used to come to The Hacienda it wouldn't be right to ignore them.

"This is why I've decided to do three or four Hacienda-style gigs a year. That way I really look forward to them and so do the crowd."

It's a perfect balance and very much a example of a good approach that's kept Graeme DJ-ing into his third decade.

Which reminds me. A little bird tells me that you and Mike Pickering have been talking lately.

"Mmm..." laughs Graeme Park. "Well, we are DJ-ing together at the And You, Remember event for Rob Gretton (New Order's manager who died five years ago) on May 23 at The Ritz, which will be great.

Mike is, in fact, coming on my show the Saturday after as a special guest. All I can tell you is that we'll be making a very special announcement on the show, which should be of great interest to people that used to come and hear us play together."

Looks like interested parties should set their alarms for 6pm on Saturday, May 29, for around 6pm and tune to Key 103 then.

So how have crowds evolved over the years since you started as a disc jockey? "It's quite strange really," he says. "I think people are a lot more picky now. In the 80s when the scene was relatively knew there was very much an anything goes approach to DJ-ing.

"In 1988 it wasn't just house music that we were DJ-ing. We played all sorts from Raspberry Beret and `Ghost Town to Rock the Casbah.

"I think because people know so much now there's a club for almost every type of music. People just know what they want, which has its good and bad side. I still think Manchester keeps that spirit of eclecticism about it, though."

Keen-eyed clubbers will also know that apart from his radio show Graeme Park has also slipped back into Manchester with his first residency in the city in 12 years for Plush at Ampersand on the last Friday on the month.

"I did it as a bit of experiment at the start," says Graeme Park, "but after the first one I realised that I really enjoyed playing Ampersand. Particularly the Friday with Plush. I don't think I'd want to do a weekly residency again, but a monthly like this suits me just fine."

Graeme Park's radio show takes place every Saturday on Key 103 at 6pm.  Richard Hector-Jones.

Graeme Parks links to Fantazia

Graeme Park appeared on the Fantazia album:

Fantazia House Collection 1

He also appeared on our Australian tour. A copy of which can be bought here