MEET STEPHEN GRAY From Glasgow to Switzerland

 Nearly 50 Years Behind the Decks

Originally from Glasgow, I Started my DJ journey at the tender age of 12 after spending a couple of School Summer Holidays in Witham Essex with my aunt and uncle. My cousin had a mobile disco and was involved in the radio scene, he was happy to invite me along to get an extra pair of hands (Record Boxes, Speakers and gear in general back then needed as much help as possible!)…I was fascinated and got the bug.

I returned to Glasgow in 1980 determined to make a go of it and joined Hospital Radio Hairmyres in East Kilbride, I presented 2 shows a week and gradually progressed into Mobile Discos at 13, learning the basics of crowd reading and maintaining a Dancefloor before having my head turned again the following year….

It’s worth mentioning that whilst my mates were all into Kajagoogoo, Wham, Duran Duran and the Thompson Twins….I was buying George Benson, Bill Withers and Stevie Wonder albums…I had derived a love of Soul Music…

At 14 my friend and I both looked much older than we were, we would often frequent the clubs of Glasgow whilst underage, we could easily pass for 18 and one night we chanced our luck at a “Mecca” style club in Glasgow, Zanzi-Bar, a 2000 capacity venue with a suspended dance floor that to me seemed the size of a football pitch.…..I was in awe, this club had stood the test of time, my parents went there when it was The Locarno in the 50s & 60s, my brothers and sisters went when it was Tiffany’s in the 70’s and now it was a Tropical paradise with fake palm trees, lots of fluorescent lighting and mirrors….I was in heaven.

Whilst there, even at 14, I did that thing that all DJs do….I judged the guy that was on and convinced myself I could do it better, my friend agreed so I sent a letter that week to the manager, secured a trial and was resident there for the next couple of years! All whilst trying to finish school.

I went from there to several other great pubs and clubs in Central Scotland in the 80s and early 90s, fair to say I worked in the majority of them at one time or another. I also did my time at the famous Savoy (Glasgow), Thursday nights were a dream come true…the so called “Grab-a-Granny” nights, Cougars and young gentlemen out hunting Two-Legged Deer, it was here that opened up my next adventure. 

I had adopted a certain style at the Savoy, instead of regular Beat Mixing I adopted a full on party atmosphere, heavy on the mic, blending tracks and playing no more than 60-90 seconds of each…building the crowd brick by brick..

This style opened the next chapter for me in 1987. I took part in the Club 18-30 European DJ of the year contest, won the Scottish round and a place in the finals in Ibiza. Flew out there at 19 and knocked ‘em bandy with my party style. Whilst all the other contestants were trying to be cool with their music choices (Maze, Fatback band etc) music I loved too, but not quite hitting the high notes with a crowd of Holidaymakers. I took the club by storm with my 60 Second man approach and party classics. The place was rocking and I gained a spot in the Grand Final and an offer of a job, good money, accommodation to stay the rest of the season.

I didn’t take the offer, but flew back home to Scotland and carried on working my gigs throughout the dreary Scottish Winter. Coming home at 4 or 5 in the morning covered in rain, snow or sleet I began to question my life choices. As fate would have it, around January there was an ad in the local paper looking for a DJ for Spain, I applied, the guy came to see me and the job was mine within 5 mins.

That was almost 40 years ago now and my DJ career has long moved on from the Multi-Genre style I had in the 80s to a more Soulful vibe now. It’s taken me to residencies in some of the UK’s & Europe’s best clubs including Die Insel, a fantastic club (possibly best explained as the Stringfellows of Germany)…located on the banks of the Alster Lake in Hamburg it was the place to go for the Showbiz, Sport and Musical elite. I held a residency there for almost 3 years and had some very well known names getting their groove on to my choonage.

It was at Die Insel (The Island) that I had two, when I look back now, quite funny experiences. 

The first was in July of 1994, The club was 5 Star and had a Michelin restaurant, staff were expected to be Suited and Booted at all times. It was 39 degrees this Saturday in Hamburg when I rocked up in a short sleeve shirt and suit trousers….missing my Jacket and Tie…I was sent home to get them…..a 1 hour round trip! When I came back I walked into the lounge area to see a guy sitting at the bar wearing frayed jeans, trainers and a T Shirt…..I had a full blown argument with the manager….making me wear a suit and tie when he’s letting guests in like that! His answer? “Do you not know who that is?”, “I don’t care who it is….look a the nick of him!” Turns out it was Otto Walkes, a very famous German comedian….

The Second one involved a daytime Talk Show host Arabella Kiesbauer, she had been dining at the restaurant upstairs and was celebrating her fathers 70th, she asked me to play Frank Sinatra’s My Way for him, (it’s worth mentioning that the crowd at this place ranged from 18-80 so early on there was a more laid back, cocktail feel and it got livelier as the night progressed)….I played the song, a few folk shuffled around and job done…..5 mins later she re-appeared, and demanded I play it again as her dad was on the loo when I played it and missed it! ……Eh, no!!….”Why not? Do you know who I am??”…..to which my reply was, “You obviously don’t know who I am……I’m the DJ and I’m not F**King playing it again” Seriously, has that line ever worked?

Anyhow, fast forward 30 years and I’m now settled in Switzerland, a Soul Boy at heart, I made the move back into Radio Seven years ago when I discovered the Soul Scene was still alive and well, and have never looked back since

My old dad once told me, find a profession that feels more like a hobby than a job, that was DJing for me, it rarely felt like a chore.

My old dad also told me that beauty is just a light-switch away. Full of good advice my dad!!