"Its legacy is all around us": Graeme Park on 30 years of The Hacienda

On December 27th, the annual Hacienda Christmas event returns to Sankeys - this time made extra special by the fact that it's also the clubbing institution's 30th anniversary.

Headlining the night with a whopping seven hour set will be legendary resident Graeme Park, joined by Marshall Jefferson, Peter Hook, and more.

Following the line-up announcement, we caught up with Graeme to discuss why, 30 years on, the world famous Hacienda still holds such a special place in clubbers' hearts.

You have has such a successful career and continue to be one of the best house DJs that this country has produced. What is your secret?
My secret? I just focus on what I do and do so to the best of my ability.

You first played for FAC51 the Hacienda in 1988. What are your memories of that night?
My first gig at The Hac was in February 1988 when Mike Pickering and I put on The Northern House Review to showcase his Deconstruction label and my Submission label.  His band T-Coy performed live, as did my band Groove.  It was a midweek and we invited loads of journalists and magazines up from London to showcase the burgeoning Northern house scene.  It was a raging success and four months later I was covering the Fridays on my own while Mike went on holiday.  I stayed for eight years!

That night was the first in a ripe history for you and the Hacienda. How did you become getting so involved?
I loved the venue, the people behind it and the crowd.  They seemed to like me, so I carried on until 1996.  It was a roller coaster ride.

You joined Mike Pickering on Nude Fridays at the Hacienda and were the ultimate super-duo. Why do you think that was so successful? What was it like working with Mike? What did you love about that era?
We were the right people with the right tunes in the right place at the right time.  But we knew we were onto something and made sure we made the effort to make every Friday special.  We couldn’t have done it without the support of Factory, Tony Wilson and New Order, but most importantly we couldn’t have done it without the people who paid their money and came through the doors every week.

In 1992 you took over the Saturday night residency. How was that?
It was a new chapter for me and for the club.  Mike wanted to move on and do the pop star thing with M-People and I wanted to develop my career a DJ.  I was fortunate to have the greatest warm up DJ ever in Tom Wainwright and between us we had an immensely successful four years together with a crowd that was a natural evolution from my previous 88-92 period with Mike.

What were your feelings when the Hacienda closed?
Having all but left a couple of months before it shut, I was pleased. Time to start yet another chapter.

The Hacienda is an institution and a way of life for many people. Why do you think the Hacienda has been so successful?
There was nothing like it. The UK was a grim place in the 80s and early 90s and you had to dress up to get into clubs just to hear chart music. The Hacienda didn’t have a dress code, played acid house and other underground styles of dance and became a hub for so many people. Today’s clubbers take so much for granted and have so much choice and diversity, and can party in licensed premises all weekend long if they want.  It wasn’t like that 20 years ago and what the Hacienda achieved was pioneering. Its legacy is all around us and its influence is far reaching. That’s why so many people continue to hold it so close to their hearts and support us.

Over the years you have worked with so many talented DJs and artists. Who stands out most to you?
Byron Stingily.  Such an amazing voice.  I was honoured when he agreed to co-write and sing my 'Shady' single last year.

Is there anyone upcoming that you recommend we should keep our eyes on?
At the moment I love what NiCe7 do and I also highly rate Lost My Dog Records.

Have you found the advances in musical technology been a help or hindrance at times? Do you prefer a more traditional method of producing tracks?
I use Serato Scratch Live to DJ, because I can use vinyl discs to control the music, but I still use vinyl from time to time too.  In the studio I use Pro Tools but alongside older analogue equipment.  Technology has made the physical side of DJing and production much easier and more democratic, which has to be a good thing.  Unfortunately it also means that any half wit with a laptop can now call themselves a DJ or producer.  It’s a bit more involved than that.  I do love technology but you’ll never see me “auto sync” as I’d feel a fraud and it’s no fun anyway.

What is in the pipeline for Graeme Park in 2013?
My diary is already filling up!  After over 28 years as a DJ I’m glad that people still want me to do what I do because I continue to enjoy what I do immensely.  Look out for an EP of original material from my Yellow & Black Project as well as collaborations with the amazing folk/blues singer/songwriter Karima Francis and a whole host of Yellow & Black remixes too.

Words: Jo-Anne Waddington

Tickets for the Hacienda 30 Xmas party at Sankeys start at £15, and are available below.

The Hacienda also drops into London's Koko on December 15th for a special Hacienda 30 event with Todd Terry, Marshall Jefferson, Mike Pickering and more.

Find Hacienda 30 at Koko tickets

Tickets are no longer available for this event