A press article on women DJs from June 1994 taken from Pulp, which was Manchester Polytechnic's student magazine.

Text: Charlotte Sargeant
Photos: Sean Twamley

Interviewed for the piece are Hillegonda Rietveld, Nadine Andrews, Kath McDermott - all DJs - and Lucy Scher, who co-promoted Flesh at the Hacienda and the World at Home.

Nadine Andrews says in the piece, when asked if club crowds expect a certain image:

'I wear what I like. I don't dress up to look really sexy or feminine. I found if you're good at mixing, you can scratch and cut in, then the kind of guys who hang round the DJ box will give you respect.'

And on the subject of black music in clubs:

'One problem I have come across through DJing, playing the black music I play, is that there isn't as much money in it as there is for house DJs.

I think a lot of white promoters are actually scared to promote black music because they think if it pulls a large black crowd there will be trouble. This is partly caused by ignorance and racism, but it is a real problem we are facing at the moment.'

Photographer unknown.

Mix Magazine article featuring Angel & Coco modelling for Jimmy Jumble. Taken from the Kate O'Donnell archives.

VIP Invitation to Manto's third birthday party in 1994, which was also the launch of Paradise Factory's 'Out On Vinyl' - a short lived cheesy house label aimed at Manchester's gay scene.

It looks like there was a free bar at the 'Out On Vinyl' office at 44 Canal Street, then the party went to Manto.

Tunes were supplies by Tim Lennox and Trannies With Attitude.

Manto changed hands a number of times before closing in 2013. It has recently been acquired by Orange Nation, 'the UK’s biggest gay club promotion company'.

Orange Nation is promising 'new bars, decor, new boothed areas, new sound, light and visual infrastructure and a fully retractable roof on the top floor.'

And awful music, I imagine.

Anyone remember the contents of the 'personal sex questionnaire'? I'd also like to know more about the 'expert assistance'.

DJ Kath McDermott writes:

"We loved Adeva and were chuffed to get her performing live. So many of her songs were Flesh anthems, even a lesser known track like 'Don't Let It Show On Your Face' was a stone cold classic that Tim Lennox had turned the crowd onto. There is a wonderful montage at the end of Tony Gregory's 'Flesh' documentary with people showing out to that tune and it epitomises the club for me. Her set was phenomenal 'You're The One For Me', 'Respect' etc, I think she had a ball.

Paulette pretty much made the Gay Traitor her own playing back to back bombs. Matt Ryan was a natural dj - seamless mixing and timing and a similar style to Graeme Park. Luke Howard was a fantastic dj, really into US house, a resident at 'Queer Nation' in London, he is now a key player for 'Horse Meat Disco'."

Adeva belts a few out at a PA for Flesh. 'Don't Let It Show On Your Face' was a Flesh anthem and a Tim Lennox favourite.

Photo supplied by Philippa Jarman.

City Life 252, April '94.

Article on Manumission, which became one of Ibiza's most famous club nights.

This article is about a hilarious marketing ploy employed by Manumission promoters Mike and Andy. Apparently the club 'died' on Good Friday and 'rose again' on Easter Monday. Have a read!

Photographer Lee Baxter writes:

"Bingo! Divine David style, no marker pens or blue rinses were involved.

An eclectic night that coincided with a busy student night, I think they were a little taken aback by the evenings proceedings. I think it was 1994 or thereabouts."

Photography by Peter Walsh

Slut Hut was a fetish/sleaze night at Home night club on Ducie Street promoted by A Bit Ginger (Paul Cons and Lucy Scher of Flesh fame).

"I've finished my essay...what shall we do now?"

DJ Kath McDermott writes:

"Another classic Bank Holiday session, we managed to get an amazingly late license for a Sunday night, I think this was due to the fact that a certain key member of the council was a Flesh regular. I remember very clearly the light coming through the glass ceiling and revealing the true extent of the debauchery at about 5am, blue daylight, dry ice and lots of wide-eyes. My Mum was still on the dancefloor at 6am too that morning - hardcore!

This was the launch of the ill-fated "Flesh Records", an overly confident step into the world of dance music labels that eventually caused the end of "A Bit Ginger" productions. But luckily we have nearly forgotten the imaginative chorus of Tracey and Sharon's (aka Tom Stephan, aka Superchumbo) "Filthy Hetro" and the camp excesses of Roger looking for "Mr Right" (cover of the Eleanor Mills / Parky classic)!"

Promoter Ian Bushell writes:

"The Ultimate Experience - Paradise Factory, Trade, Strangeways at Rockworld. The first event we produced at Rockworld I think. Another long, sleepless August Bank Holiday. It was rammed. I managed to put the lights out on the PA that night - Strikes 'U Sure Do' - you couldn't see a thing, not that anyone noticed."

Design by Lee Baxter I think.

"THANK YOU FOR NOT BEING HETEROSEXUAL"

DJ Kath McDermott writes:

"This night was actually part of the Queer Up North arts and culture festival, but they had originally named the festival after a strapline on a previous Flesh flyer which read 'It's Queer Up North'. The organisers of Q.U.N. and much of its audience were Flesh regulars so there was usually a link-up/party when the festival was on.

'Reach' by Judy Cheeks was a massive Flesh tune at the time, Matt Ryan used to play it loads (including the time he got carried away, forgot he had played it and mixed two copies for about 25 minutes - the crowd went ape-shit though).

She didn't disappoint on the night as far as I remember, although my memory of this one is hazy.

One thing is for sure, Mike Huxham would have definitely rocked the floor, playing a tougher selection of harder, more progressive house that the crowd were well up for. I'd known Mike since schooldays, he was a DJ, musician and technophile and my dancing buddy and had tried to teach me how to DJ when I was younger on numerous occasions!"

Flesh 3rd Birthday.

The back of this flyer reads:

The whole of Rockworld is to be transformed into the biggest homo friendly space the Northwest has ever seen, with out of this world visuals & effects, this event is gonna be a big one.

Your host for this prestigious evening is The Divine David assisted by The Sisters Immaculate.

A women-only New Year's Eve event at Manto. Looks like they were expecting a big crowd!

Flyer for Lick This and Hallelujah - the Friday and Saturday nights at Paradise.

On Fridays upstairs in the loft 'the best in dance, soul and funk' was on offer to 'everyone from lipstick lesbians to diesel dykes.'

On Saturdays, you got 'upfront queer clubbing for an up for it crowd'.

Flyer for a Strangeways at Jilly's Rockworld with a picture of 'Hostesses' Coco (Paul Harfleet) and Angel (Kate O'Donnell). Coco and Angel were much-loved and very outrageous drag artists that often performed at Flesh and all over the scene.

This was a members' night. The membership forms were printed on the flyers.

I'm guessing the year (mid 90s).

Club photographer Al Baker writes:

"I think The Venue was as surprised as most by the crazy success of Flesh...coaches from Leeds and Liverpool parked up on Whitworth St...the clack of heels from the Haç back to the village. The ringing of tills!

The Venue was a dark hole of a club anyway and suited the Muscle Mary scene. And flyers that you just couldn't ignore!"

Promoter Ian Bushell writes:

"Paradise Factory second birthday plus 'Lick This' Friday night flyer. Don't remember too much about this birthday except we had some dubious 'futuristic' theme. 'Lick This' was a fairly lame effort to regain the mainstream as numbers had begun to drop off. Even at the time we hated 'guaranteed House-free zone'."

Article about Fame Costs. Taken from the Kate O'Donnell archives.

Photo: possibly Peter Walsh

Article about Fame Costs. Taken from the Kate O'Donnell archives.