17/02/2020
It's testament to the acid house hero below that in a polarised scene splintered into tribalistic factions simply EVERYONE liked a bit of Andy Weatherall.
As second generation ravers introduced to clubs and techno in the late 90s we found he already bestrode the scene in an elder statesman-esque manner and only became more revered and statesman-like as he grew older.
Maybe the universal respect he generated was due to his punk roots, determination to tread his own path and keep it real. Maybe it was his insanely good and wide-ranging taste in music. Maybe because he's up there with the best DJs ever and in many people's minds is right at the top of the pile. He's certainly the only DJ we've seen over 10 times who's never been less than excellent, no mean feat for an improvisational performance based artform welded to moods, feelings and catching the flow of a dancefloor.
Today's been a sad day but the outpouring of emotion has been something to behold for a true legend of the underground. We hope he knew what a special place he held in people's hearts. Hold your friends close, tell the people you care about what they mean to you and dance like you're hearing house for the first time, because you never know when it might be the last.
