Legendary Hacienda DJ Mike Pickering played an influential role in the cultivation of house music in the U.K. during the late '80s and early '90s. Pickering was born in Lancashire, U.K. 1958, and began his musical journey some 16 years later, when he decided to move to Holland. It was in Rotterdam that he started his first club night, Rotterdam Must Dance, inside of a disused factory. He joined up with Quando Quango, and embarked on regular tours as their saxophonist. His breakthrough occurred back in the U.K. when he took up a residency -- which would last for over ten years -- at the legendary Mancunian nightclub The Hacienda, where he would help cultivate the Madchester scene in the late '80s. From there, Pickering developed a working relationship with Factory Records owner Tony Wilson, eventually becoming A&R for the label. During his time there he signed acts including James and Happy Mondays. As an early adopter of house music in the U.K. Pickering attempted to persuade Wilson to sign more DJs, when his attempt failed he left to become co-director of Deconstruction Records; the label signed acts including Black Box, Guru Josh, and Felix. In 1990, Pickering formed pop/dance act M People (named after the M in Pickering's initials), who were later joined by former Hot House vocalist Heather Small. M People released a string of '90s pop hits including "Search for the Hero" and "Moving on Up." Although his legacy endured, Pickering's musical output began to dwindle around the turn of the century. In 2016, he a made a triumphant return, working with Manchester Camerata to reconstruct a selection of Hacienda classics utilizing a full orchestra, and together, the two took their show on a U.K. tour, which included a gig at The Royal Albert Hall. ~ Liam Martin, Rovi

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Mike Pickering

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