As a kid from the UK growing up in 1980s Manchester, I was privileged to live through the Factory records era and enjoy the booming music scene as It reshaped the city's image from 'dirty old town' to the global mecca of nightlife and creativity it is today.
While the warehouse and club scene was beginning to bubble away, I spent my early teens listening to mixtapes from the likes of Sasha (who began his career down the road and has curated the soundtrack of my life ever since), the DJs of the Thunderdome and Hippos (Jay and Moggy) and the legendary 808 State Show - at the age of 16 I was invited down to the Sunset studios to play a live  guest mix on the show and was booked to play my first club gig in the city, warming up at Parliament Nightclub.
I spent many years clubbing and DJing around Manchester and the City Centre, developing my DJ style taking influence from the DJs of the Hacienda, Bugged Out and Tangled and became hooked on the Progressive House scene led by Sasha, Digweed, Renaissance, Cream and the Global Underground mix series.
After a summer DJing in Cyprus in 1999, I returned to Manchester and held several residencies in bars and clubs around the City; Dry Bar, Joshua Brooks, South, the wonderful sweatbox where I'd spent my twenties bouncing, Tangled and more recently Soundcontrol.
I've been lucky to DJ with many of my idols such as Nick Warren and Jody Wisternoff, Hybrid, Ashley Casselle.
30+ years on, now living in Cairns, Australia, I'm still hunting new sounds to share with anyone who will listen to this veteran of the bedroom DJ scene.
Big love to all the producers and DJs who continue to inspire and make us dance, and to everyone who stops by for a listen, encouraging me to carry on x

Followers of Jonathan Thompson 25