RIP DJ Stu Allan, Manchester house and hip hop legend

[LongsightM13]

Legendary DJ, the man who in the mid to late 80s introduced the emerging sounds of house and hip hop to northern England via his shows on Piccadilly Radio 261 and Key 103
An absolutely iconic national tastemaker whose influence has been tragically downplayed. Stu Allan was playing house on our local radio while middle class London pretenders like Pete Tong, Andy Weatherall, Danny Rampling and the Boys Own mob were dressing like Tetley Tea Men and listening to Acid Jazz
In later years he chased the money and became a purveyor of the God awful squeaky voice rave nonsense of Happy Hardcore, but still sold out huge raves filled with small town chavs. Still bringing the kids legendary nights they would never forget despite my admittedly snobby misgivings at the terrible music of choice
That was just a job of work though and shouldn’t define his legacy. A true Manchester icon and legend. Without Stu there would be no market for the music that made the Hacienda iconic. There would have been no ‘Madchester’
RIP Stu and keep on keeping on

 

[blueinsa]

Spent hundreds of hours listening to his shows, taping them and trying (badly) to emulate him.

RIP.

 

[theres only one carlito]

Legendary DJ, the man who in the mid to late 80s introduced the emerging sounds of house and hip hop to northern England via his shows on Piccadilly Radio 261 and Key 103
An absolutely iconic national tastemaker whose influence has been tragically downplayed. Stu Allan was playing house on our local radio while middle class London pretenders like Pete Tong, Andy Weatherall, Danny Rampling and the Boys Own mob were dressing like Tetley Team Men and listening to Acid Jazz
In later years he chased the money and became a purveyor of the God awful squeaky voice rave nonsense of Happy Hardcore, but still sold out huge raves filled with small town chavs. Still bringing the kids legendary nights they would never forget despite my admittedly snobby misgivings at the terrible music of choice
That was just a job of work though and shouldn’t define his legacy. A true Manchester icon and legend. Without Stu there would be no market for the music that made the Hacienda iconic. There would have been no ‘Madchester’
RIP Stu and keep on keeping on

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RIP stu! Life @ bowlers was/is still one of my favourite gigs. A time when there wasn’t a care in the world. And raved until 6am.

 

[Boo or Boo-urns]

Bus Diss and Souled out.

Good times on the radio.

RIP Stu

 

[theres only one carlito]

Unreal days.

 

[davyhulme blue]

Sad news loved his style & music mid to late 80s on pic .& key . RIP condolences to his family & friends .

 

[hammocity]

Legendary DJ, the man who in the mid to late 80s introduced the emerging sounds of house and hip hop to northern England via his shows on Piccadilly Radio 261 and Key 103
An absolutely iconic national tastemaker whose influence has been tragically downplayed. Stu Allan was playing house on our local radio while middle class London pretenders like Pete Tong, Andy Weatherall, Danny Rampling and the Boys Own mob were dressing like Tetley Team Men and listening to Acid Jazz
In later years he chased the money and became a purveyor of the God awful squeaky voice rave nonsense of Happy Hardcore, but still sold out huge raves filled with small town chavs. Still bringing the kids legendary nights they would never forget despite my admittedly snobby misgivings at the terrible music of choice
That was just a job of work though and shouldn’t define his legacy. A true Manchester icon and legend. Without Stu there would be no market for the music that made the Hacienda iconic. There would have been no ‘Madchester’
RIP Stu and keep on keeping on

View attachment 56402

Not really my generation or music genre but I do like the odd (mostly commercial like Children) dance track. Anyone who influenced others (in a good way) has to be admired and respected, RIP fella.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Manchester music institution. Said in another thread that when I was a kid I used to write in (sounds mad now that I’d hand write a letter, buy a stamp and take it to the post box to request a song!) and he’d give me a shout out on the radio. I’d tape it and take it into my mates at school!

What was it? Sunday nights, Key 103: House 20:00-21:00 and Hardcore 21:00-22:00?

 

[When The Levee Breaks]

Terrible news. Spent many a happy hour, getting smashed at random house parties or Ark/Life events to some of Stu's sets.

Even used to play his happy hardcore sets (in my defence, that was when I was 12 or 13)

 

[LongsightM13]

He was genuinely a proper national tastemaker. He was literally years ahead of London rivals like Tong etc who get credited with introducing those sounds.
A bit like Mike Shaft and his venerable influence on soul music in the UK, he never got the credit he deserved